By Anna McAllister
I’m lucky to have five sisters: four I grew up with, and
one that came to me by love. All of us have— or are about to have— children.
And all of us are in strong, loving committed marriages. Except one of them
isn’t recognized by law.
Here’s another way I’m lucky: my sister Molly is also
just about my very best friend. She’s got a huge, loving, generous heart. She
couldn’t be a more devoted aunt to my two daughters. She makes me laugh, she
cries with me, she loves and supports me always. I like to think I do the same
for her.
Just about 10 years ago, Molly told me she was gay. She
was married to a man at the time— but even so, I wasn’t surprised to hear the
news she shared so anxiously with me. It was like a subconscious part of me had
known it all along. Throughout the difficult months that followed, as Molly
ended her marriage and began dating women, we reached a whole new level of closeness.
I couldn’t have been happier when Molly and April became
a couple. Not just because of how great they were together, but because of how
much I connected with April. Almost instantly, she became an integral part of
our family. I warned Molly that we might have to keep April around instead of
her if they broke up. I was only half kidding.
So naturally, I was thrilled when they decided to commit
themselves to one another. And beyond honored when they asked my husband and me
to lead the ceremony, our elder daughter to sing, and our younger daughter to
serve as their flower girl. I had already been thinking of April as my sister
for months, but on that joyous day I started referring to her as my
sister-in-love.
Now, nearly five years later, Molly and April have a
family of their own: a sweet and hilarious 2-year-old daughter and a son due any
day. And although I have been married to a wonderful man for 21 years—and gave
birth to my first daughter five years after that—I am constantly learning about
the true nature of love from Molly, April and the family they’ve created
together. I am so lucky to have April as my sister-in-love. Someday soon,
though, I hope she can be my sister-in-law as well.
Anna McAllister is a Pride Foundation Parent
Ambassador, sharing her story in order to change hearts and minds around the
freedom to marry.
Anna's story first appear at Why Marriage Matters.
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