In November of 2011, Randy Short and Eric Hudson will celebrate their three-year anniversary together with a ceremony of marriage. The couple owns a home together in Missouri that they share with their ten-year-old son from Randy’s previous marriage and two dogs. They, like so many couples, cannot get married in their home state. “As Missouri does not recognize same-sex marriages, we plan to travel to a state that does perform such ceremonies,” says Randy. “Upon returning home, we will have a commitment ceremony with family and friends in Kansas City,” he continues. This is but one small hurdle that does not deter this couple from growing and building a life together.

Randy and Eric met online at Gay.com and fondly remember their first days and weeks together. “One memory we still get a kick out of,” shares Eric, “happened one night before we moved in together. I was staying the night at Randy’s house and suddenly woke up at 3:00 AM with a song in my heart – well, one line of a song. Now I can’t sing worth a lick,” Eric says with a grin, “but I just had to wake up Randy and sing it to him! Well, Randy just laughed and said ‘Thank you, honey.’” They still sing it to each other, email it to each other, and still feel that sweet happiness.

By Angela Minor

Angela has had the good fortune to participate in several professional careers over the course of her lifetime. She has applied her skills to teaching English, and writing; small business ownership, and writing; sales and marketing, and writing; university graduate level research, and writing. As is evident, writing has been her companion throughout! She is the word nerd who actually takes notes at symposiums and events! And not just on the presented topics. She finds people, settings, interactions and conversations fascinating. The entire visual, auditory, kinesthetic experience is worth noticing and noting.

Angela has traveled the globe soaking in the scenery, culture and customs near and far. She has lived in the bush of Alaska to the Atlantic seaside of Savannah and various places in between. She is currently a full time freelance writer with pieces in various venues on the web and many local and regional publications. When she is not writing, Angela can be found at the latest Broadway show or communing with Mother Earth in The Great Smoky Mountains.