Mixed. Combined. Blended. There are all sorts of names given to families with children from a previous relationship. I just call them my daughters.
When I met my wife Sara, she had the fortune of already having two precious little girls. There was Katlynn(like Caitlyn)5 and Rylie 3.The day before Sara and I went on our first date, I took it upon yself to meet the girls and let them "evaluate me." I was immediately stricken by these two beautiful little ladies and I think the feeling was mutual, because they took to me like ducks to water. Maybe it was because I brought gifts for them in the form of Care Bears. Katlynn was by far one of the sweetest little girls I had ever met and had the cutest little button nose. Rylie, for a three year old, was already wise beyond her years and the craziest little darling. So crazy, in fact, that she came running across the room at me, stopped and mooned me! As the event was unfolding, I could slowly see Sara's eyes widening and a slow motion "NOOOOOOOOO!!!" reverberating across the room. Sara told me later, she thought that would scare me off. I actually went home that night knowing this was the woman and family I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
It has been 5 years since the day I met my family and since then we added one of our own, Shelby who is now 4. Even though Shelby is "mine", there is no way I could love her more than our two oldest. I would like to thank my "step parents" for instilling that quality in me. I came from a set of parents that devorced when I was 6. My parents were honestly better off apart. Shortly after their split, they both found their true soulmates in their next partners. My mom remarried a man that had 3 sons of his own while she had me and my two sisters. My dad remarried to a woman with a son and a daughter. I was blessed with a set of "step parents" that treated us all as equals. When we were rewarded, it was the same as their own kids and when we were punished, it was the same. Although I could've went without THAT part! Seriously though, they provided a template of what my life would become and I sincerely don't think the Good Lord could've handpicked two better examples for me. I am eternally grateful for the guidance and love they've shown me over the years. I ,now, try my best to follow their lead with daughters of my very own.
Mixed. Combined. Blended. There are all sorts of names given to families with children from a previous relationship. I just call them my daughters. A tribute to those two people that loved me as their own, not because they had to but because they wanted to. This song and video is for you. Thank you for all you've done for me. I love you.

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