An Introduction

I have decided to make my first post an introduction to my kids, and what is going on with them.

I first met Mike's kids in November of 2004, almost 6 years ago.  Joann was 9, and Josh had just turned 2, and in contrast, I just turned 24.  Without going into too much unnecessary detail, the kids had been solely with Mike for a year and a half, and his parents had been helping him out since that time.  I remember being so nervous the first time I was meeting them. We went to Macy's on State Street to see Santa. Talk about a surreal experience. I hadn't gone to a department store to see Santa in probably close to 20 years, and here I was meeting Mike's kids and his parents for the first time.  Most of the day was a blur, except I remember his mom pushing me to get in the "family picture" with Santa. Weird.  I'll admit, I was in so over my head.

How have I done it all these years? I have no clue.  My only real feeling is that I have stayed around, helped out, taken on more responsibility than I know what to do with, and given everything I have to the kids out of pure and overwhelming love. And, although I am not a Beatles fan, I do believe truly that "All you need is love."  With that in mind, I provide my introduction of my little ones, starting with Joann.

How do you describe someone you are in charge of who is just half your age?  Joann turned 15 in March, and believe me, she is 100% a teenager.  After this week, she will be on her way to being a sophomore, looking to start drivers training, and on her way to the magic age of 16, when she plans to start dating. Ha. Nice thought sweetie.  Joann has embraced me with more grace and love than I would have ever expected. When Mike told me about his kids, and specifically when he mentioned Joann, I immediately conjured thoughts of Cinderella and the wicked step mom (hence our love of the movie Ever After, and my blog name). We joke about it constantly, but Joann reminds me all the time that she really doesn't see me that way.  She has started/continued to change calling me "Kasey" to calling me "Mom."  This is something from Day 1 we told her was her choice. I am not her mom, never will be.  But, I will be her step-mom, and she is free to call me Kasey, Mom, or whatever.  She particularly loves singing out "Mommy" throughout the house.  I chuckle, but also feel a little weirdness that she is talking to me. 

The coolest/weirdest thing is how many of my quirks Joann has picked up over the last 6 years.  I am a little OCD by nature, which apparently the kids pick up on... imagine that.  A concrete example eludes me at the moment, but I always smile when I hear Joann doing or saying something at I could have just as easily said, but she has listened to me, learned my way of doing things, and taken it upon herself to imitate it.  It makes me smile.  The biggest bonus so far?  I have never once, even in the times of the worst yelling and screaming been told, "You are not my mother!".  That is honestly, my biggest fear.  Although I know I am not her mother, and telling me isn't really an insult, it's the truth, I really feel that I have to screw up pretty bad to earn that response.  Joann went through a lot growing up, more than I really ever wish on anyone as a child.  She has come out the other side, not perfect by any stretch, but definitely an amazing young woman.

Joshua, Joshua, Joshua.  What a character! What a handful! He is turning 8 next month, and I swear he looks more like a ten year old!  Josh was just 2 when I first came into his life, and he is quite honestly, a huge reason I stayed around. My helping nature and personality broke when I realized that his mother left him at six months, and has made no attempts at learning anything about him. Who does that? No one that "qualifies" as a mother in my opinion. From the moment I met Josh, he began to crawl into my lap give me a huge kiss and a hug, and crawled his way into my heart. We butt heads and argue about absolutely everything, but he wakes up every day saying he loves me, always can make me feel better no matter what.

I will be writing more soon - I think I am going to structure this as maybe one blog dedicated to each and our struggles/gains/experiences per week.  What do you think? Anyone have any questions or ideas they want to ask?  I am thinking of putting up a stereotype blog about step-parent myths, or step vs. real mom ideas. We'll see how it goes!! 

Hope you keep reading . . . .