Our family is special. We are a non-traditional family. We have value, and we also have values. We like to celebrate all of the holidays presented before us; most recently, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, and Independence Day is around the corner. But, we don’t celebrate in the ways that others may expect.
With each holiday, I highlight to my girls the reason behind it and its relevance to today. This is for sure biased in that I am imparting my beliefs and ideals onto them until they are of an age where they can establish those things for themselves.
We are a welcoming family. My girls are donor-conceived, so we celebrate donor appreciation day instead of Father’s Day. We celebrate Christmas but do not identify with any denomination or religion. We enjoy the “Stars and Stripes” while remaining acutely aware of the limitations of women’s rights.
We support all families (traditional and non-traditional), regardless of class, race, gender, etc. Our family motto is, “There is room beside us, whoever you are, wherever you are.”
And finally, we recognize that we are privileged to spend each holiday together, and I am eternally grateful for that.