In the News...

Here lately, there have been alot of stories in the news that have really ticked me off. Boyfriends killing their girlfriends kids, stepdads starving their step children who are tiny kids, parents just having total lack of consideration for kids. Just makes me mad.
I am a product of what you would call "broken home". My parents divorced when I was 6 years old and I grew up living with my Dad and younger brother Jimbo. My dad dated women throughout my childhood and teenage years- some were very sweet and good to us and a few were not. But I learned alot from the people that my dad was with and especially from the people that my mom was with. I really don't think my home was "broken". Both of my parents loved me and my brother, they just fell out of love with each other. Would it have been good to grow up in a home where I saw my mom and dad fight every single day? Yelling at each other and just not being happy? No! It was a much safer environment for us to be in a stable home with our parents not being together. This business about staying together for the kids... its a bunch of bull in my opinion. Its the selfish thing to do because its the safe thing to do.
In my case, I knew when I met Steven that he had a daughter. Emily was very important to him and he stressed that to me the 2nd time I was around him. Although I was a little taken aback that he had a child, it never made me not want to be with him. And I felt a connection to Emily right from the start. I took my experiences of growing up in a "broken home" and how I was treated by people that came and went in my life and I knew that I wanted Emily to always feel special. Like she belonged. Like she was my own. I never wanted her to feel uncomfortable or like I didn't love her. I have a special bond with her because I know how she feels- I've been there when my mom and dad weren't together- and they both were with new people. Coming from what people refer to as a "broken home" made me want to love her even more. And I do. Alot of my friends comment to me that they wish they had a step mom like me when they were growing up- that I treat Emily like she was my own. She is one of my own... and that will never change. I would never make her feel less important or like she isn't a part of our family. Its not her fault that her parents aren't together- and her mom and I are friends. We've come along way from when STeven and I first got together and we talk alot and communicate well with each other.
I'm not saying Steven and I are perfect- we fight, we get on each others nerves, we sometimes need some space from each other. But we love each other- we are committed to each other- and we are a team when it comes to our kids. We are in this together and thats how it should be.
We do NOT fight in front of the kids- we both agreed in the beginning that we would never do that. I saw many fights between my parents and I don't ever want my kids to feel like anything is their fault. And I don't want my kids to think that fighting and yelling is the correct way relationships should be- especially with Travis. I dont want my son growing up thinking its ok to yell at his wife- or treat her or anyone disrespectfully.
So today- I'm tired. Tired of seeing all these stories about kids getting hurt by step parents... a woman's boyfriend getting upset with a 4 month old for crying and he beats the kid to death because he won't be quiet.
Know what you are getting into before you start it. If you can't handle the situation, if you can't handle having a child that isn't yours physically, be the big person, be the unselfish person and walk away.
Thats all....