Wow, it's been a year

This time last year I would come home from work and have the girls sit outside while I picked nits out of there hair. It was this time last year that they came up here infested with lice. Thankfully, we haven't had any issues since then.

The kids originally just came up for the summer, as planned and this was the summer that was going to be a game-changer in the long run. This was going to be the first time that I was going to be more of the mother figure and less of a "step" mom. I was going to have to figure out exactly what it was going to be like to be a full-time working mom of two kids.

You might be wondering why I mention this.

Last night we had orientation for 6th grade. Ya'll next Friday I will no longer have 2 kids in elementary school. I will have a child in middle school. HOLY MOLEY YA'LL!!!

But this morning I was helping Tracey get ready for school, I asked if she was in a grumpy mood. Her face was all crinkled and pouty lips out. She said no that school made her tired. I had to laugh. I told her that work made me tired, school made me tired, being a parent made me exhausted......but I wouldn't change that last one for the world. She didn't say much, but the crinkled nose relaxed a bit and I think I may have seen a small smile pop out.

This is getting real y'all

Dustin and I have been together for 3.5 years. 3.5 absolutely wonderful years. We've been engaged since November.

We've been living together for 3 years. We moved in four months after we started dating. We've had the girls full time for a year (custody since August).

This past weekend we bought a new fridge, a new fridge ya'll. A new appliance feels like we are actually becoming the future married couple. I dont know what about appliances makes me feel like this engagement is real, but it is!

We spent the weekend painting the kitchen and bathrooms. And our new fridge arrived today. Can I just say it is a beauty. I never thought I would love a fridge, but this shiny new appliance is pretty fabulous.

Where is you

I'm in a conundrum. Not sure what to do say or feel.

I loved my Mother's Day presents and card from my inlaws and family.  But I still feel as though there are some people who don't consider me a parent. I mean what classifies you as a parent? Birthing a child? Nurturing a child? 

I've been reading blogs about stepmoms who feel like they get the shaft on Mother's Day. Which from their viewpoint is true. This is another commercialized holiday that when created the norm wasn't to celebrate the joys of step-parenting. Go into any store and try to find a card for step-parents. Not an easy task. Does it mean that we are any less of parents? Does it mean that we shouldn't be validated? No. It just means that we, as parents, are that special that we don't need a stinkin hallmark card telling the world something we already know. That we are awesome. 

While I, in the generalized step-parent population, may be awesome, I would also like to have that acknowledgment from the nay-sayers. True I did not push for hours trying to squeeze a watermelon out of my pee hole, but I have had to take a crash course into being a parent. That, in my opinion, is not an easy thing to do. 

Say what you will and think what you do, being a step parent is NOT a job for the faint of heart.