Carol and Lori have now been together for 12 years and are the proud parents of a son—not to mention a few rescue dogs.

At first, Lori says she didn't think the relationship would last. "I was introduced to Carol as a straight gal, and I didn't want to complicate my life being with a woman who just wanted a fantasy," she says. "But it didn't turn out that way ... I almost got the fantasy sharing that transition with Carol."

Carol says she received a lot of support from her friends and family. "The most supportive people through this whole process were my straight male friends. I mean, they were like, 'Carol, I want to hear everything—totally and in great detail, please.'"

Even coming out to her parents wasn't as nerve-racking as she thought. "My parents really were quite great about everything. But I have to admit, my ex-husband was not Jewish. And Lori is Jewish," Carol says. "So to Jewish parents, they were, like: 'Hey, hallelujah! Let's break out the Manischewitz, you know? Happy days are here again.'"