I actually lost them after Madison's birth. We took them with us to the Hospital, but haven't seen them since.
You know, when you get married, your wedding bands are everything. Everyone wants to see them, to analyze them, to talk about them. But more than that, they're a symbol of your endless commitment to the love of your life.
Which is why I should be freaking out. I should be running around the house screaming my head off, searching every corner of every nook and cranny.
But I'm not. My ring was just a thing. It was/is beautiful, but it's not the center of my life. My family is. and they make better accessories than some silly ring ever did.
I had the great opportunity to go to a Gay Forum at BYU this week. Unfortunately, since Jeff works nights, I had to take Maddie with me to the forum, and we got off to a late start. After getting there just a little late, this is what we found:
Every door was packed to capacity. Kind of a fire hazard, but luckily no one forced anyone to leave. After doing my best to stand in the hall and listen to what was being said, I still didn't hear anything, and a few people looked a little annoyed with how much babbling maddie was doing.
But if you're not willing to check out the transcript, let me give you the low-down: 1 bisexual and 3 openly gay BYU students explained each of their stories growing up and how they came to realize their same gender attraction.
Some key points that really touched me:
-They emphasized that they never "chose" to have same-sex attraction, and that their attraction was as much a part of who they were as being heterosexual would be for anyone else.
- They brought awareness to how common this is: "6% of the general population is gay What that means is that at BYU, 1800 gay students. in every ward there are 15 gay kids and in a class of 50 there are 3".
- Each of the students testified that their faith had grown so much stronger and that they felt peace that God loves them for who they are.
This is a topic that is really near and dear to my heart. Ever since I can remember I've been surrounded by gay friends and family. The idea that anyone would choose to have same-sex attraction is about as ridiculous as saying that I chose to be attracted to Jeff.
Overall, I was really impressed by how many BYU students were supportive of LBGT students. When Jeff and I were applying to graduate school, we recieved a lot of criticism from graduate schools about being mormon. Professors would be concerned that because we were mormon we would refuse to counsel gay clients.
My biggest hope is that more mormons can educate themselves on this topic and preach Christ-like acceptance and love so that we can shed the homophobic stereotype that the rest of the country views us as.
"All of Heavenly Father's children desire to love and be loved... some people with same-gender attraction have felt rejected because members of the Church did not always show love. No member of the Church should ever be intolerant," (Official Church Pamphlet, "God Loveth His Children, 2007).
If you've ever been over to our house on a normal day (and not a day when we pretend like we're clean and orderly), you'd know we're pretty ok with maddie being naked.
It's not that I don't try, it's just that she spits up so much that clothes just aren't worth it.
However, today I decided to try. I put on a cute outfit that I've had yet to put on her. and it didn't fit. She has literally grown so much that she hasn't been able to wear all of her clothes!
notice her cute little buddah belly bulging out of her pants... gah!!!
but she made up for it by finally smiling for the camera[phone]:
I love her little smirk. She knows exactly how crazy she's driving me.
I lost my wedding bands.
