Legal: Thai Iced Tea with Boba

-The end of conservative America looks like this apparently.-

So this weekend I didn't do much cooking. I was too busy getting married. You may recall last year that my husband Brian and I had a rather lovely wedding. Here's what though, that was just a ceremony. At the time we were unable to make it legal due to Prop 8 - the proposition that banned gay marriage in California - still being in play.

Well, now it's not thanks to some very smart lawyers and a civil-minded Supreme Court ruling.

So Brian and I went to the courthouse on our one year anniversary and tied the knot again.

It was a simple thing, we paid a fee, filled out some forms, brought some witnesses, and a had a quick five minute ceremony where we exchanged rings under an awning that had seen untold couples exchange vows under a cloud of silk flowers.

And now we're legally married in the eyes of the state and the federal government.

-A beautiful boutonniere from our friend and florist, Shannon.- 

For some this may not seem like a big thing, but for us it's huge. If you don't support gay marriage let me explain why this was so important to my husband and me. We are now eligible for survivor's benefits, we don't have to testify against one another in court, we will not be unfairly taxed, we can visit each other in the hospital, if we have children they will now be protected, and not possibly sent to a foster home instead of their other rightful guardian, we are now eligible for family medical leave, and a host of other rights. Before we would have been denied all of this.

What could possibly be so offensive about this? And if you quote religion, well religion has nothing to do with taxable income, does it? (Except that churches/temples/etc. don't get taxed, which I think is bogus considering many are so politically active.)

So yes, we're married.

At the courthouse we saw scores of gay and lesbian couples tying the knot and as each one took their vows rounds of applause filled the room. The poor city workers were incapable of answering the phones of the raucous joy that swelled with each "I do."

-Best. Anniversary. Ever.-

You know what didn't happen?

The world didn't end.

No one's marriage was demeaned.

No conservative people were fired or threatened.

No children were traumatized.

God didn't send a plague or a storm. (And for those of you who say God does these things because of gay marriage and not, say, because of human trafficking or child prostitution are awful and worship a  God so petty I imagine he also pokes blasphemer's with a cancer stick and ties tin cans to the tails of stray dogs.)

There was only love in that room.

-Love, and a lot of people in suits and white dresses.-

And money, because a state worker told us of the huge spike of revenue seen in marriage licenses. A photographer echoed she had booked eight more jobs this year. A bride said her sister, a cake decorated, was turning people away due to too many inquiries and a full calendar. My wedding planner has already booked her first lesbian wedding.

It seems gay marriage will help save the economy through tiered cakes and tasteful bridesmaid dresses.

Anyways, the next day we celebrated a quiet morning married with thai iced tea and cuddling in bed with a kindle re-reading Jeff Long's, The Descent together.

Here's to marriage.

Garrett (and Brian) out.

Thai Iced Tea with Tapioca Pearls (aka Boba)
The recipe I used came from Todd and Diane of White on Rice. I won't reprint it here so just go check them out. As for the boba?

Measure a cup of large tapioca pearls. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Add the boba and stir for a few minutes until the boba plump up and rise to the surface. Simmer at medium heat for 5 minutes. Strain out and allow to come to room temperature. You may want to sprinkle them with a bit of sugar and water so they don't stick to each other so fiercely. Place into tall glasses and fill with ice and thai iced tea or other favorite drink. Easy peasy.