Kansas same-sex couple and their kids celebrate at White House Easter Egg Roll

This weekend, on a beautiful Easter holiday that previewed the imminent relief of spring weather coming to the East coast, families from across the United States convened on the South Lawn of the White House for the 136th Annual White House Easter Egg Roll. At the event, families celebrate Easter and the approach of spring with a day of festivities, games, and connecting with Americans from all over.

This year, Susan and Shannon McSpadden, who shared their story with Freedom to Marry last year, were invited to attend the Easter Egg Roll with their children, Davis and Georgia. The family, who hail from Merriam, Kansas, were thrilled to take the trip to DC and be a part of such a high-profile and exciting day full of celebrating all families. 

At the Egg Roll, Georgia and Davis got the chance to hang out with other kids from across the country and have a fun day in the sun, playing games, doing yoga, and hanging out with their moms. 

Before the Egg Roll on Monday, Susan and Shannon took Davis and Georgia around to the sights in Washington, DC, and they loved having the opportunity to show their children some of the nation's most cherished landmarks in the capital. 

When Susan and Shannon shared their story with us last year, they recounted the day that they promised their love and commitment to each other in Kansas City, MO - another amazing memory that they created with Davis and Georgia. But Shannon and Susan are not legally married - and even if they did marry, their commitment would be denied any and all respect in their home state of Kansas.

"We do everything in our power to teach our children to treat every single person with the same respect regardless of age, color, religious background or sexual orientation."

"We do everything in our power to teach our children to treat every single person with the same respect regardless of age, color, religious background or sexual orientation," the couple said. "We long for the day when our country will stand behind this principle and beside us as a family."

At the Easter Egg Roll, Shannon, Susan, Davis and Georgia stood alongside hundreds of other families and enjoyed the same great day. But while many of the couples who attended have the freedom to marry and are respected as such wherever they live, same-sex couples in 33 states do not and are not.

Susan and Shannon are hopeful that soon, they are granted the same freedoms as millions of couples - including same-sex couples in 17 states and the nation's capital. They are hopeful that soon, all couples in the United States are treated equally and can be viewed with the same respect and dignity. 

Photos By Susan McSpadden Photography