A Day That Will Live In Infamy.

[richardf8]

Leave it to morgan1 and Me to get married on Pearl Harbor Day.

Morgan and I have been together for 13 years, the first two of which might be considered courtship, the rest a de facto marriage. Today we presented ourselves before Judge Gary Bastian and what was de facto is now de jure. Judge Bastian was a fine man, wearing jeans and a t-shirt beneath his robes. He rustled us up a pair of witnesses and we emerged from his chamber Husband and Wife in the eyes of the State of Minnesota. We followed this with Bento at Sakura in Saint Paul.

We were foolish; we told our bosses we would be in in the afternoon. The wedding itself, occuring in Judge Bastian's delightfully eccentric chambers, was more romantic than either of us had expected, and a walk over the Wabasha Street bridge seemed more suitable than returning to our respective jobs, but this we did, because promises are important.

I feel more relaxed than I have in a while. I have health coverage for the first time since August of 2002. I have the security of knowing that what Morgan and I may say to each other in the privacy of our home cannot be coaxed out of us in court. I have the comfort of knowing that whatever emergency may come up, Morgan and I can speak for each other without our authority being challenged.

I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine.

Yet, I also feel a little bit . . . well not guilty exactly, but perhaps more wistful. Because I know many of you reading this cannot have those things. This is an area in which Morgan and I have been active, and we are proud to have found ourselves in the midst of a religious community that is also dedicated to making available to all Americans what is available to us. For you I offer these words from the Head Rabbi of my congregation. I look forward to the day when you can join us in these comforts.

If you are surprised or wish you had known or anything like that, know this: Morgan and I are planning something in the form of a religious ceremony sometime down the road. In many ways it is this, rather than today's civil marriage, that will carry the full weight of emotion, and of this you will receive advance warning.

And that, my friends, is why Cat-Tharsis did not appear on Tuesday.

Comments

[kevinjdog.livejournal.com]

Morgan and I are planning something in the form of a religious ceremony sometime down the road.

Thank you. I'd love to get you both something when the time comes. In the meantime, congratulations aplenty and all around. I wish you thirteen times thirteen times thirteen happy years in the future. :)

[unzammechat.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

Leave it to you to not let the past get in the way of the future! (In the good sense, though ^^)

Best wishes for the upcoming religious ceremony and the future in general!!!!! *cries a little ^^*

[makovette.livejournal.com]

I can't possibly think of a better 13th anniversary gift to each other than getting married, wowza! Maybe I should go break a mirror for more good luck :)

Congratulations to you both, and like Thomas said, may you have 13^3 more years of happiness together!

CYa!
Mako

[http://users.livejournal.com/_wastrel/]

I would wish the best of luck to you, but despite my inexperience in this matter, I've gathered that longstanding relationships such as yours are far less a matter of luck than the well-deserved results of the efforts that both of you have been willing to put into it, so I see it more fit to offer you my congratulations for the past and encouragments for the future instead. :-)

Your concern, in this time of joy, for those who have far fewer chances as of yet to have access to it personally is appreciated. May I link to this article on my journal if I credit you? I think it may very well be exactly the kind of thing that 1) those of alternative persuasions 2) religious communities and 3) the American left need to spread around to improve their respective situations right about now.

I'm also planning on lifting something similar about a tolerant Christian preacher from another journal, while I'm at it.

[richardf8]

May I link to this article on my journal if I credit you?

Please do.

[timtylor.livejournal.com]

Congratulations to you both!!! :D

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Congrats!! *wags tail and la chaims!*

[locakitty.livejournal.com]

Yay! Congrats, both on being together so long and not having killed each other and "sealing the deal."
So, will you count the previous 13 years as "marriage" or do you start over again from this new date?
But, either way, congrats and may you be happy forever more

[lordrunningclam.livejournal.com]

Congratulations and best wishes for a long and happy life together!

[deckardcanine.livejournal.com]

Sounds great, but I have to wonder what took you so long. You make it sound as tho you both made up your minds 11 years ago, so why not get the legal benefits then?

[moult.livejournal.com]

Congratulations, and a toast (fruit juice, not having wine to hand) to happy times in your future.

[childings.livejournal.com]

That's great! Congratulations.

I'll probably be getting married as soon as I meet my boyfriend's parents (esp. his mother...)

[visservoldemort.livejournal.com]

Wow. I really should read my Friends page more often. Sorry I didn't respond earlier, and congratulations. Wish your wife a Merry Christmas from me, and may you have a long and fruitful life together.