I can't help it that she's a blessing!

No matter how much time passes there will always be a small piece of your heart that belongs to your first love.  Not always a large small part, but there will at least be a small small part that belongs to him and when there is a child involved you never have the chance to get 100% over him because you are in touch with him all the time because of your child. 

So what happens when your first love gets married?  Most people say you are supposed to hate the other parents significant other, but in my life it's different.  I can't help it and I know that people think I'm crazy, but I care for my son's step-mom. 

Marissa came into my son's life when he was 6 and since the first day she met Ethan she has been nothing but supportive of him and loving to him.  Now don't get me wrong, when I first met her I didn't care a lick for her and she didn't do anything wrong.  It's just that she not only was marrying my first love, despite the fact that I am over him, but she was also going to be the step-mom to my son and omg...if she ever tried to take my place all hell would brake loose. 

But man did I miss judge her and even though people think I am crazy I can't help but to care for her and to say that Marissa is truely a blessing to me, my son, and his dad.  I mean really...she is a blessing to our entire family.  We are definitely not the typical family.  I'm married now to the love of my life, Ethan's dad is married to the love of his life, and Ethan has the best of two fabulous families.  We all care for one another and we all have put Ethan in the center of our family to form one big happy family.  It's not often that step-parents get the love and support that Ethan's get and it's not often that you will find that both parents of the child get along as well as we do.

Marissa dropped Ethan off to me this morning and in the midst of our conversation about how great Ethan is and how much he has improved in the last couple of weeks she said the most perfect thing to me.  She said, "I know it's hard to raise Ethan and I want you to know that I don't want you to think I am stepping on your toes, but that I care for Ethan so much.  I also want you to know that if you ever need me for anything I am always here."  Seriously...that is not something that you typically hear from a step-parent and the fact that I know that she meant it in the most sincere and genuine sense made me cry. 

I love knowing that if I ever need anything I can count on Marissa and call her at the drop of a dime.  I love knowing that no matter what life throws at us, as Ethan's parents, we will all pull together to do what is best for him.  I love knowing that there is such a respect and comfort level between the 4 of us that we will always be open and able to talk to each other and hear what the other person is saying even if we don't always agree.  I love knowing that we will always be one big happy family and I love knowing that God loves me so much that He blessed me with my husband, my son, his dad, and his step-mom. 

Thank you God for blessing me with the best step-parents ever for Ethan and for blessing me with the best dad for Ethan.

I know you all still probably think I'm crazy for caring so much for Ethan's dad and for his step-mom, but man if you were in my shoes you would feel blessed too and you would love the family Ethan has too.

If you have a child in a split parent home I hope that you are as blessed as I am to get a step-parent that you care as much for as I do.

Blessings and Peace to you!!!!

Ethan and all his parents!!  Andrew, Ethan, me, David, and Marissa!  Ethan couldn't be more loved.