By Daniel Hicks

 A traditional saying among heterosexual or straight couples:

“First comes love… then comes marriage… then comes baby in a baby carriage.”

But for gay and lesbian couples in Florida, there’s been a twist:

“First comes love… then comes baby in a baby carriage… then comes marriage.”

That’s because until this week in Florida, many same-sex couples in Broward County, who had been heretofore denied the right to marry, chose to become foster parents first. And only after fostering children in South Florida who desperately need homes, did they decide to adopt. Now finally, only after becoming legal moms and dads, have the courts allowed same-sex couples to tie the knot across the state.

In other words, despite Florida’s barrier to gay marriage finally crumbling on Jan. 6, gay foster parents have been quietly flying under the radar for years, caring for children and blazing the new, emerging trail of same-sex families.

Through his new documentary Finding Life, and with assistance from a local, state-run foster agency Kids in Distress, Kentucky-born director-producer Carlton Smith follows a group of same-sex couples through the entire process of fostering and caring for South Florida’s neediest children. Although some places in the U.S. still do not allow gay couples to become foster parents. Finding Life focuses on the lives that are changing forever.

“More gay couples need to foster children,” said Smith. “A lot of people just don’t know it’s possible and a lot less expensive (than rearing kids).”

All of the seven families in the following posts are featured in Smith’s film.

Look for their stories in our special 7-part series: LOVE & CARRIAGE

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