Gettin’ Hitched

LesFam Managing Editor Vikki Reich files this report as the last of our regularly scheduled “Lawfully Wedded Life” posts.  Some 37 more states continue to battle for marriage equality, and regardless of how or whether we’re partnered, the law’s recognizing that partnership (or not) will be a source for reflection and posts here. But the Supreme Court has weighed in, and different sorts of chapters – the long denoument, if you will – remain.

Hereafter we’ll continue this as an occasional series, with guest posts telling the stories that animate those next chapters. Meanwhile, I can think of no better way to conclude this regularly scheduled portion of the series than with Vikki’s closing lines below. ~Polly

When the Minnesota senate voted for marriage equality and Governor Dayton signed it into law, my partner Luisa was in Guatemala.

When the Supreme Court ruled the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, Luisa was in South Africa.

She mentioned that she might just leave the country every time an important political decision is about to be made since her absence from the country seems to be a good luck charm.

Luisa came back to Minnesota on Sunday and the very next day we headed to the Hennepin County Service Center with our kids in tow to apply for our marriage license.

The process was very Tale of Two Cities so I’m presenting the experience today in Best of Times/Worst of Times combination list!

Krasnotur’insk Worst: It was crowded and it seemed that every single resident of Hennepin County was getting his or her driver’s license renewed.

http://sunsationalhomeimprovement.com/sunsational-blog/page/1 Best: After waiting in the first line with our squirming children, we walked up to the counter and asked for a marriage license and the clerk was friendly, didn’t miss a beat and no alarm sounded to notify the other citizens that homos were in the house.

Worst: We received number G300 which was labeled “marriages”. They began calling numbers but there was no rhyme nor reason to any of it – A007, C174, Q227, P079 – so we had no idea how long the wait would be.

Best: Luisa scored us four seats so that we could all sit together while we waited.

Worst: Luisa scored us four seats so that we could all sit together while we waited.

Best: With approximately 3,624 people in the waiting room, people watching was at a premium. Hello Girl with the Green Hair sitting next to the Somali man! Hey there Smelly Hipster in Plaid hanging with the woman in the burka!

Worst: After 45 minutes, the children grew impatient and began to have a tickle fight while seated and had to be separated and then each child wanted to hang all over one adult and it was hot and NO KIDS YOU CAN’T HANG ALL OVER US! They asked how much longer and we had no way of knowing but I told them, “We’ve waited 20 years for this. We can certainly wait another 1/2 hour.”

Best: Our number was called! The clerk who helped us was from Venezuela and very sweet and told us she was happy for us and that she was also a licensed officiant and would love to marry us if we needed someone. She finished all the paperwork, we paid our fees and she handed over our license. She said, “Have a wonderful life together!” I said to Luisa, “We already have.”

Best: We went out for iced coffee and smoothies and, as we walked home, we raised our glasses to equality, “Cheers Queers!”

Now, we just have to figure out what’s next!