I want to recognize & appreciate this human for a sec.

If you’re infuriated by this sham SCOTUS, know that good folks are invested in this fight (and it’s heavy).

He’ll likely deflect this praise to others but without fighters like Mark, the future would seem even more bleak. pic.twitter.com/nAxXriYQ1U

— Wes 👨🏻 (@_WhatWouldWesDo) May 4, 2022

Being called a fighter has been bouncing around in my head all morning.

Me? A fighter? Literally how?

I have panic attacks almost every day. Some days I can barely get out of bed. Other days I cry at my desk and barely have the mental strength to send one email.

How am I a fighter? I'm just a gay midwestern with severe anxiety, depression, and imposter syndrome who happens to run digital for the biggest reproductive health organization in Wisconsin.

But then I realized... that's it, isn't it?

It's not about how we show up. It's about showing up.

A fighter brings whatever they have in the tank that day and chooses to keep going. A fighter uses whatever talent and skills they have to make the world better. No matter how insignificant it feels at the time. A fighter chooses the righteous fights not because they are easy but because they are essential.

All of this is to say right now, our country and the world may seem bleak. SCOTUS is ready to turn back the clock on so many inalienable rights and make life harder for millions.

It's hard to have hope. But we need you.

You may not feel it, but you're a fighter too. We need you to show up in whatever way you can. Bring your talents, your skills, and your passions.

It's going to be hard, and some days, you won't be able to get out of bed. But I will.

And when I'm crying at my desk, I know you'll be there giving your all.

Together - with all of us doing our small part - we can create the world we want to see.

SCOTUS doesn't represent the majority. We do. And we sure as hell won't let them have control over our bodies.

It's time for all of us to see ourselves as fighters. In the words of one of the strongest fighters I know:

"Choose to fight only righteous fights, because then when things get tough—and they will—you will know that there is only one option ahead of you: Nevertheless, you must persist." - Elizabeth Warren

So let’s go persist.

Every year, the moment Thanksgiving over, we immediately decorate for Christmas. We wake up as early as physically possible to start setting up - and by physically possible I mean we are recovering from the night before. We start by brining up two trees, garland, and 500 lbs of glitter from the basement. It’s quite a production to bring everything up from storage.

This year we thanked our past selves for perfectly storing everything last year. Good job past Steven and Mark! All the decorations for our main tree were divided into ziplock bags and stored together in the tree box - this included 3000 extra lights that Steven insists on putting on our pre-lit tree.

The holiday season is one of our favorite times of the year. The snow on the ground and festive decorations bring us so much joy. What are your favorite parts of the holiday season? One of the best things for us is snuggling up to a Christmas movie while our cats play under the tree. By playing under the tree, I mean they bat at all the low hanging ornaments and we have to yell at them. Luckily we bought all plastic ornaments so they won’t hurt themselves - HIGHLY recommend for pet owners.

Once everything is out of boxes, Steven starts putting up the garland over our window in our living room and dining room, while I set up the tree. Next, all the lights, ornaments, and glitter are put up. Then bam we are done. (That sounds a lot easier than it really is. It’s like an 8-hour process). Once everything is up its time put light our fireplace, and by that, I mean put on a youtube video of a fireplace.

This year, as we were setting everything up, we decided to scale back a bit. Instead of taking 10 hours to set up two trees we decided to only put up one. Steven had the brilliant idea to break down the extra tree and use the branches to make centerpieces and filler decor. But holy cow was it still a lot of work. I always forget the number of decorations we bought at Michaels a few years ago. I remember hyperventilating as Steven filled our cart to the top with glittery sticks and poinsettias - thank god for coupons and sales! Have you ever had a mental break down in a craft store?

The holidays have always held a special place in my heart and getting to decorate with Steven makes it even better. How do you all decorate for the holidays? What’s your favorite thing to put up?

Watch the video below to see exactly how we made it all happen: