Careers and School and Babies, Oh My!

Well, reality is setting back in after a nice summer with nothin' but my summer camp job, which I always LOVE. Now it's back to school and I'm trying to find a second job to pay dem bills. My wifey has started her career as a Functional Academics teacher and is a natural at it. I had the pleasure of going to her class for a day, and fell in love with her students. She impressed me, as I knew she would, and it made me excited for the possibility of having my own classroom one day. It's crazy to think that we met eight years ago, in college, both thinking we were going to become ASL Interpreters, and how much our career choices have changed since we met. Now Elise is finally set in a career and already into her Masters program. I'm so proud of her, and hope she's proud of herself. Maybe one of these days I'll actually finish this money-sucking, bottomless pit called college, and dive into a career of my own; and not let fear or stress talk me out of it. I tend to take quite a while to make big decisions. Not my favorite thing about myself.

On another note, we are beyond baby hungry. I feel like Tina Fey in "Baby Mama," whenever she sees a family with a baby. Sometimes Elise and I will stop in the baby clothes section at Target or the mall and just pick out outfits for our future babies.

We have seriously almost justified buying outfits for our nonexistent child several times. We both leave almost crying every time. Unfortunately, we cannot adopt here in Utah because we are a couple. A single, gay adult can adopt here, but not if you have a partner. Seems weird to me. I guess people find ways around it and do it here, but I want to get my children in an honest way so I don't break out into a guilt-ridden sweat every time I preach to them about honesty. Adoption costs a fortune though, and I'm just crossing my fingers that Elise's new teaching career will make us millions (because everybody knows teachers do it for the pay) and we'll be able to adopt 72 children in need of love. Cuz we have a lot to give.
Anyway, until then, school and work will have to suffice. Ugh. I miss my family members who are out of state. And I miss Elise's sister and her family in Hawaii. Why can't families just travel in packs forever?
Here's to babies. And family. (I raised my invisible mug, as if to "cheers" anybody bored enough to read this.)
From,
   Sam

"Mutually Committed"

Today, we are one step closer! Closer to what, you might ask. Well...equality? Having the rights we and so many others deserve by being contributing members of society? Yeah, all of that.
We walked into the Salt Lake County Building and had a woman come over and immediately tell us in a worn out voice that Passport time was over. We didn't even skip a beat (for whatever reason) and just said we weren't there for that. "Then what did you need?" she asked. "Mutual...Commitment...registry?" we responded, not exactly knowing what to call it, since it seems it's no longer called "Domestic Partnership." "Oh, ok. I need to see your IDs, proof of mutual ownership of a vehicle, proof of a joint bank account, and proof that you share the same residence." BLAM. We set all those things down on the counter. We meant business. We were determined to NOT be sent away for not having something, like what always seems to happen at the DMV, no matter how many times you check the list for what to bring.
The woman didn't seem to know what she was doing, so I assumed she was new, but then her co-worker walked by and said, "Is this your first one? I did the third one earlier today!" The lady wasn't new, it was just that no one had done the process enough to have it go smoothly! We were couple number FOUR. Pioneers indeed. Only the fourth same-sex couple to receive a County-stamped piece of paper that said we could share in each other's work benefits, in all of Salt Lake County. Crazy.
This may not come close to the benefits we'll have when we can finally legally marry, but we're grateful for this small step forward. Yahoo for progression!
-Sam