(CNN) — David Mayer and Keith Kennard's family is a modern-day Brady Bunch, with a twist. David, 43, has three sons and a daughter. His partner, Keith, 47, has three boys of his own. Together they are two gay men raising seven children. Their story reflects the changing face of the American family. The Williams Institute, an independent research group and UCLA think tank, estimates 20 percent (about 155,000) of same-sex couples in the U.S. are raising children younger than 18. “It's a chaotic day keeping up with kids and doctors appointments and just their daily lives,” says Keith, a nurse at an Atlanta hospital. “We don't get a lot of rest.” David, a manager for a security firm, and Keith say they've developed a regimented system for raising their children. Between getting everyone up and ready for school and shuffling around basketball practice and JROTC, their family's schedule is pretty full. By the end of the day, Keith says, “[We] get dinner on the table, homework checked and have them in bed by 10 o'clock, and the day starts all over again.” For this couple, the joys of family life outweigh the challenges. “We really couldn't ask for a better opportunity to really raise our kids together … you don't really hear that in our gay community, especially with black men.” In the U.S., one in six gay men has fathered or adopted a child, according to the Williams Institute. David and Keith each had children before their relationship. Three of their sons and their daughter are David's biological children from a heterosexual relationship. Their other sons are children Keith adopted when he was single. “I always knew that I wanted to be a dad ever since I was little,” Keith remembers. “I really was very much interested in adoption.” For gays and lesbians, adopting children can be tricky because adoption laws vary by state. Keith started the adoption process in Georgia and says he was upfront about his sexual orientation. “I brought it up because I wanted to make sure that there wasn't any problem,” he says. “I had heard about the laws they had in Florida against [homosexual] individuals adopting children … and I wasn't really sure what the laws were here in Georgia.” (click story link for rest of story) added by: TimALoftis
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