Double the Mom’s Day cards, double the love at the Zopp-Henderson house

Double the Mom's Day cards, double the love at the Zopp-Henderson house|

Having two moms is doubly special for Kavvy Zopp-Henderson, who has dual reasons to celebrate on Mother’s Day. She will show her love for Mommy, Ursula Zopp, and Mom, Alix Henderson, and make their day as wonderful as they are.

“It’s special because a lot of families have a Dad and a Mom and it’s just nice having two moms because it’s different and a lot of fun,” Kavvy, a third-grader at the Presentation School said.

Her mothers, Ursula and Alix, have been together for 18 years, and Kavvy is their only child. They met in San Francisco, moving to Sonoma in 1999 after an impressive weekend visit. “We were driving around the Plaza and I thought, ‘This is the cutest town I’ve ever seen, and the people are so nice,’” Ursula remembered.

The couple had a formal commitment ceremony at Nicholson Ranch Winery in 2004, and Kavvy was born in 2006.

With marriage laws now finally in their favor, they were legally married this year. Alix proposed to Ursula on Christmas morning, presenting her with a glass of champagne and a marriage appointment date at San Francisco City Hall for Jan. 16.

Kavvy says it was all very exciting, and that she got to wear a nice dress and have lunch at the Slanted Door in the Ferry Building. She thought City Hall was beautiful, and was thrilled when they happened to meet celebrity chef Tyler Florence at the restaurant. “Watching the Food Network is our little guilty pleasure,” Alix said, explaining she and Kavvy especially like to tune in if Ursula is on a business trip.

Ursula is a human-resources executive with a prestigious resort chain, and Alix recently completed an almost 20-year stint in sales analysis with Levi Strauss, the past 10 years working from home to be with Kavvy. She is looking for a new career challenge but, as always, Kavvy comes first for both moms.

Kavvy is already giving her future career options some thought and said she is deciding between being a professional singer and President of the United States. “You could be the first singing president,” Ursula encouraged her.

“We have so many great friends and this is a great place to raise a child,” said Alix, a Georgia native who’s retained her charming Southern accent. She was named after her great-grandfather, a Southern tradition, and Kavvy, who’s full name is Kavanaugh, was named for Ursula’s grandfather. Ursula is from Kentucky, and both women graduated from college in Virginia – Ursula at the University of Virginia and Alix at Hollins University.

The couple recently co-chaired the golf tournament fundraiser for Presentation, and they are committed to being involved at Kavvy’s school. They are the only two-mom family at the school, but they casually know another family like theirs in Sonoma. They are totally accepted. “No one treats us differently,” Alix said.

“About the only thing different about us is that when there is a ‘just girls’ event and other kids stay home with their dads we have to get a babysitter because we both go,” Ursula laughed.

“We are not unique. We get up in the morning and scramble to get to school and work just like everyone else,” Alix added, petting their cat Rocco while the family dog Fargo sits on the sofa with Ursula.

“People are very welcoming and our group of friends is constantly expanding,” Ursula said, while Alix added, “Everyone is very supportive. We all have each other’s backs and it’s a nice feeling.”

“We may be non-traditional, but we are very accepted,” Ursula said. “We are living at a very good time.”

The family travels sometimes, to Georgia, Texas and Maine to visit family, and to Hawaii for vacations. They say it is hard to be so far from relatives, but that they are now deeply rooted in Sonoma. Living in a lovely custom-built home on the east side, they may well live there forever.

“We have no plans to leave,” Alix said. “We are very happy and we have a lot of fun, our little threesome.”

(Kavvy) is deciding between being a professional singer and President of the United States.

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