Happy Christmas Eve! I have so much to be incredibly happy about today/this week/this year. There is just so much joy around here! First of all, I'm happy that I get to be alive for amazing historical events. When I was passed a link to the local newspaper's website Friday afternoon saying that Federal Judge Shelby struck down Utah's Amendment 3 as unconstitutional-I thought it was a joke. I mean I knew that marriage equality is a giant rolling ball that cannot be stopped at this point, we had 17 states who'd passed it already-but I never in a million years expected Utah to be number 18. We're a red state. We're controlled by a heavily right-wing religious (with a religion that actively spends millions of dollars trying to prevent "gay marriage") group of people. I expected Utah to be one of the last few.
But the reports kept pouring in. It was real. It was happening. Just a few hours after the judgement was passed Utah had it's first same-sex marriage on the books. Hundreds more followed excitedly! It was all anyone could talk about and I sent links to nearly everyone I could think of-this was momentous. This was history in the making.
As Sunday evening rolled around and the Governor and his cronies actively begged for a stay while they prepared their appeal. Couples camped out overnight in front of the Salt Lake County Clerk's Office hoping to get their licenses early before the process could be halted. At 6AM on Monday morning my very dear friend (and work-husband) Shawn texted me to alert me that he was in line with his partner Justin. They were couple 152 in line and everyone was nervous they wouldn't make it in before court began at 9AM and the judge could rule whether or not "gay marriage" would be stayed in Utah. Judge Shelby stood by his first decision and denied the stay. Marriage continued, and Shawn and Justin were legally wed right here in our home state. Something I didn't think we'd see for many many years. My heart was so full.
Last night we all went down to the rally/Celebration for Marriage Equality in Utah to celebrate. The crowd was large and gathered at the courthouse to celebrate. There was singing, there was cake, there were speeches, and a live marriage performed right there on the steps in front of us all. The energy was amazing. For the first real time I was proud to be a Utahn with people I love so close around me.
When the celebration ended, we weren't ready to stop-so we met up with Callie (Callie, a good friend of ours that works for the city, actually married Shawn and Justin earlier that day!) and Brigg and walked down to the pub for drinks. We drank beers and shots with the happy couple, and several other happy couples in the bar.
Suddenly the music changed and all of the sudden the entire bar jumped out of their seats to sing along with "We're going to the Chapel and we're gonna get married..." and there was dancing, and celebration, and so much joy. The energy and the love in that room was so intense I almost started crying right there!
As we left the bar we were all a little tipsy and highly elated. The day was monumental, not only in our lives, but in the course of history-and we were all awed that we were able to be alive to see it-and be surprised by it. My heart is so full for all of the wonderful couples who were able to legally marry the loves of their lives over the last few days. It makes me happier than I can possibly express.
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