"A True Love Story..."

Devon & Rob

Salt Lake City, Utah

"Coming out was a long and painful process that took me many years. I first had to admit it to myself before I could admit it to those closest to me. I was a Mormon in a heterosexual marriage with children, so I had a lot at stake and a lot to sort through.

I certainly did not want to be selfish, but I knew that by staying in the closet (and my marriage) I was depriving myself the opportunity to grow and connect with others in a more meaningful way. I was also keeping others, including my kids, from knowing the real me. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life without expressing my true self or without ever experiencing the love of another man.

When I did finally come out, it was difficult to do it in a way that was loving and sensitive to those I care about, but it's a decision I've never regretted. Not long after my divorce, I decided to download a dating app for the first time. It took me a mere 5 minutes before I swiped through all the men in my small town of Northern Utah. However, 85 miles away in Salt Lake City, Rob had just expanded his dating radius to see what other options were out there.

We matched, sent a few flirty texts, and then agreed to meet halfway for wings and beer. We fell for each other quickly and started spending every weekend driving back and forth between our two homes. Rob knew when we started dating that the kids came as a packaged deal. Even though it wasn't something he was fully prepared for, he stepped up to the plate and has been a great second dad to our boys.

We love being dad's. We feel it's important for others to see regular gay people as parents in order to break down stereotypes and false perceptions. We hope we can inspire others who want to be parents but don't want to give up another part of their identity. We realize we were lucky and our kids came into our lives much easier than it does for others, but we live in a time where there are more options now for same sex couples to start a family.

The bottom line is, to anyone reading this who might be living their life inauthentically: Free yourself. Gay, straight, or otherwise- we all deserve to live our truth and be loved for it."

Story from: The Way We Met