We've signed up for Music Class on Saturdays. So, for the past couple of weekends, after breakfast, we pack a diaper bag, fill water bottles, grab a few snacks, and wrestle the kids into their coats and shoes. With any luck they're securely strapped into their carseats by 8:55 AM.

This morning I also had to run out to preheat the car. Even though it's a week before Thanksgiving, it seems that winter is already here.

Music Class takes place in a nearby church's basement. It's the kind of church with rainbow and trans flags hanging proudly on the facade and an "Everyone's Welcome" sticker on the side entrance door. To get to our designated classroom, we have to navigate through a maze of hallways with posters about Jesus and bulletin boards about fundraisers to support mission trips, but I've never felt like religion is being forced on me. The class is run by a secular organization who just rents the space.

"Hey Spencer, hey Nora!" the instructor, John, enthusiastically greets us as we enter. We say hello in return, take off the kid's coats, and find a place to sit around the periphery of the bare, carpeted room. We nod to the family who we are sitting next to, a lesbian couple with a little girl who is curled in one of their laps, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. The moms nod in return while patting their little girl's back. John is standing by a folding table, absentmindedly strumming his guitar as parents casually chat and several kids gleefully run free. Spencer and Nora leave our laps almost immediately to join the fray.

When the clock reads 9:15, John sits down and welcomes everyone to class by singing, "Hell-o everybody, so glad to see you!" We clap and sing along. While every other kid sits politely on their parent's lap, Spencer and Nora wiggle away from us and stand and bounce with the music. They're total hams.

Then we sing a song about animal noises. Spencer jumps up and down imitating cows and pigs and chickens like a pro. His smile is so wide his cheeks might burst. What a performer.

For the next song John rolls out some large flat drums of varying diameters, some quite large. They're to share, and several kids are expected to sit around each drum. Nora doesn't like this direction, and takes to walking around testing each drum out. She smiles and tells people hello as she passes by them. It's like she is running for mayor and she's on the campaign trail.

Spencer, however, decides he loves the drum in front of him and he is going to rock out as hard as he can. He slams his little hands on the stretched animal hide making loud boom boom booms. The little girl who is sitting next to us begins to cry, "Too loud!" One of her moms picks her up to go walk up and down the hall and calm down.

"Sorry," I mouth to the mom who is left behind.

"No worries," she whispers back.

I'm relieved when the drum circle gets broken up and we move on to free-dance time with ribbons. John puts on a song from the Moana soundtrack and everyone grabs from a pile of rainbow pom-pom-like strings. Neither Spencer nor Nora stay by our sides. They're off working the room, leaving Tiffany and I to awkwardly ribbon dance by ourselves.

Once the kids are all hyped up, John then calms them down by dimming the lights and playing a slow melody on his guitar. Then, music class gets closed out with all kids back in laps and signing the good-bye song.

So, after 45 minutes of singing, walking, banging, and free-dancing, the official music time is over and parents mingle as we try to cajole toddlers back into their cold-weather gear.

"Sometimes I wish Kelsey was more like Nora," one of the moms of the shy girl –Lisa, I think– says as Nora darts out of my reach, avoiding her coat.

"Really? Sometimes I with Nora was more like Kelsey," Tiffany laughs as I first try to catch the runaway and then have to quickly avert my attention over to big brother who is about to grab John's coffee from the folding table.

"Your kids just have so much confidence!"

"That's one way to put it." I successfully caught Spencer's hand before he made a mess, and now I finally have Nora. I get both of her arms in her coat, and if she would just stay still for a second I'd have the thing zippered up, too.

"No, no, really. Nora is just like a mini version of you." Lisa gestures at Tiffany, "And Spencer is your spitting image." She nods at me.

Spencer and I do happen to be wearing matching jeans and light-blue henley shirts today. We are also both sporting buzz cuts. And, our eye color is quite similar. But that's where it ends. My hair is darker, except where it has turned gray. Our eyebrows have very different shapes. His earlobes are more distinct than mine. My nose is much more triangular. I don't see my features when I look at his face. And that's because, as much as I am his father, he does not have my genetics.

But, why is it a secret? What am I ashamed of? Especially when talking to someone in a same-sex marriage! And maybe it's because of everything that's been swirling in my mind that what I say to Lisa is, "Wow, that's a huge compliment. Spencer is a good looking fellow. And so is his donor."

There's a pause. Tiffany looks at me in astonishment.

"Oh, I'm trans. I thought you knew, sorry," I laugh it off. It feels good to out myself to someone else in the queer community. A lesbian family. As we stand here in a church that proudly claims its inclusive values.

"Oh, that's cool. No, I didn't know," Lisa smiles. Her wife –Megan?– also smiles at me. "Well, he really is your spitting image. The power of nurture over nature, right?"

"Right." I agree.

"We should exchange numbers and have a playdate sometime. I'd love if Nora's exuberance rubbed off a bit on Kelsey."

"That sounds great," Tiffany rejoins the conversation. I guess she has recovered from her initial shock.

"Do you guys live nearby?" Megan asks. "Because we always go to the Holiday Craft Fair here at the church. I think it's on the first Saturday in December."

"Oh, yeah, I've seen the posters around, but we've never been. Are there a lot of vendors?" Tiffany asks.

I'm happily surprised by how open Tiffany is acting. Especially with the bomb that I just dropped.

"Kelsey loves the cupcake stand, but there are quite a few cute artist things. Always good for a few gifts. And it's very kid friendly. Depending on the weather, sometimes there are tractors to climb on," Megan answers.

"Oh, that does sound cool," I chip in.

"I'll text you the details," Lisa offers, taking out her phone to get our numbers.

I think I just made some new gay friends. Yay! Guess I should confirm their names.