I do have a stepmom. My mother died when I was 5 years old. My father married a single woman. Me and my siblings are really blessed to have a kind stepmom who really cares for us.  I have never a memory that she hurts us physically. She is really rare and I love her for being a real mom to us.

in our family it is slightly odd because my step son has a mom, and I'm more of a sounding board or someone to joke with … we have the more common sort of relationship.  with my daughter, my husband is her step dad, but he is also the only dad she has really known.  I think that spun a little jealousy and competition in the beginning, for my step son anyway.  he had never shared his dad and here comes this girl that is not his, but yet still doesn't know another dad and isn't being shipped back and forth between families like he was.  fortunately it didn't last long and the two older children get on fine.

of course, we took a step beyond the blended family and added an adopted child to the mix after my husband and I had one together … my SIL calls us the  “it's a small world” family

and you're right lheylhey, some people do automatically pull out a bad picture in their minds about step families, or at least think you have been through some horrible divorce (or heck, any divorce at all!).  I have also run into the people that feel every little issue my 2 older children face is due to the fact that they come from “broken homes”.  I can't speak for my husband's life before me, but I can speak for mine and there was nothing broken about it :D  and the great thing is, it only gets better!  lol  It's been tough, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

missed that one :)  on my way …