A mum has recalled how an “utter surprise” at Pride in Liverpool ended with a “full circle moment” for her.
Emma Miller-McCaffrey was in “complete surprise” when she turned around and saw her partner, Ann, down on one knee in front of thousands. The 54-year-old, originally from Speke, asked the all-important question outside St George’s Hall – just before 2016's Pride in Liverpool’s annual March was about to set off.
The couple had already bought rings and had discussed getting married but Emma was left speechless as she knew Ann wasn’t much of a public speaker.
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The 38-year-old, who is head of relationships at Diversity Role Models, told the ECHO: “We both came from previous relationships and I had done the asking the last time so knew I wasn’t going to do it this time. But Ann isn’t the one for public speaking, that’s more me, so when it actually happened and Ann appeared on stage in front of everyone at the muster before the March started it was a complete and utter surprise and shock.
“It was something that was really lovely and something really nice to be proud of – particularly for Ann as she did it wearing her Navy uniform. With the historical ban on gay and lesbian people serving in the armed forces, her wearing her uniform was an extra nod to how far we have come as a community.”
The couple got engaged in the summer of 2016 and by November of the same year were married.
Emma added: “It was so quick because it was something we both knew we really wanted and didn’t see the point in waiting around. We got married at St George’s Hall which was a nice full-circle moment. To get engaged outside of the building to then be married inside it was lovely.”
Emma and Ann held their wedding reception at the Liverpool Royal Navy Reserve unit based, HMS Eaglet – making them the first same-sex couple to do so.
This year Pride will look a little different for the couple as it's their first as a family of three.
Emma and Ann Miller adopted D when she was 18 months old, just five days after initially meeting her. Ann fell in love instantly with D – but Emma’s bond didn’t blossom at the same pace.
The former warrant officer for the Royal Navy Reserves previously told the ECHO: “I am not one for showing or talking about my feelings, but when we first met her, I walked in and within 10 minutes I was bowled over and totally in love. She was so small and so attentive, I fell for her straight away.”
Whereas Emma, who always envisaged herself being a parent and a mum, didn’t have an instant connection.
She said: “I knew I had to care and fulfil the needs of this small person who was in my home, but I fell in love with D in the same way that I fell in love with Ann, we needed to form a relationship and a bond and get to know each other. Now, she is my number one.”
Adjusting to parenthood can be hard at the best of times, but Emma and Ann were thrown in the deep end during the pandemic, a time when they couldn’t reach out for “face-to-face help or create bonds with other parents.”
Emma added: “In some ways, it was something we really wanted as quickly as possible but then when it did happen and the day we were left in our own house with our daughter for the first time we both looked at each other and went ‘oh my god we actually have to care for this little one.' The responsibility hit us overnight, it was a whirlwind.”
The couple knew they wanted to become parents for some time but were unsure of the route to take. After three rounds of unsuccessful IVF and a miscarriage, they decided to research alternative routes. Eventually, they settled on adopting through SSAFA, a service tailor-made for members of the armed forces, as the company would understand the military lifestyle Ann lived.
Now, the family are preparing to host a family-friendly space as part of the city’s celebrations at St Nicholas Church on Saturday, July 29. Emma will be leading some LEGO building activities between 2pm and 4:30pm.
The following day, Sunday, July 30, Ann will be hosting ‘Navy Pride Family Day’ at HMS Eaglet – where attendees can expect inclusive books story time, bouncy castles, educational activities and a BBQ.