"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you,                      then they fight you, then you win."
Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi

Our Marriage Day, February 16. 2004

Our Hero - Gavin Newsome           Mayor of San Francisco, California

February 16, 2004. Hundreds of couples, some (including us) waiting all night in freezing cold and fierce rain, stand in a line that stretches   around all sides of City Hall.

(Chron Photo by Frederic Larson)

Hundreds of same-sex couples lined
up for blocks in heavy rain outside of
San Francisco City Hall, Monday, Feb. 16, 2004.
The couples were waiting for city offices to open so
they could join more than 1,700 other gay and
lesbian couples who have exchanged vows
in the last few days. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

We followed the events of February 14th,Valentine's Day in San Francisco with interest and decided to visit the City and get married the following week. By Sunday, February 15th, there were so many couples and families lining up to get married, that officials began turning them away. We became alarmed that maybe we would be too late and decided to leave after Alberto finished work on Sunday. We were dead tired, but we got into the Jeep around 9 pm and drove straight through to the Bay Area. We arrived in a rain storm and cold weather. We immediately drove to City Hall and got into line. There were already hundreds of people in line, covered in tarps or blankets. It was nearly 4 am. We were soaking wet and freezing by dawn on Monday, February 16th (President's Day).

I had alerted Jeff Crocker, a high school buddy and lifelong friend, that we were coming. Jeff and his wife Elizabeth live in the Marina District in San Francisco. Jeff had the day off because of President's Day and came down at dawn for moral support, bringing coffee and donuts. He also loaned us wedding rings, functioned as best man during the ceremony and Official Photographer throughout the day. I love you man, thanks. 

Several people came throughout the night to offer hot coffee and bagels. We were deeply moved by all the people who came down to support the families waiting all night. We waited in a long line for several more hours. There were hundreds of volunteers at every checkpoint. The air was electric with the feeling that history was in the making.

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