Looking back now I really think I should have seen some warning signs and ran as far and fast as I could. I was "blinded by love" or some such foolishness and although it's been a long hard road I do feel like we will survive with our sanity intact.
An unfortunate consequence to our finally being able to see things as they are is that SD(13) no longer wants to come visit. I could write a book and maybe some day I will. The condensed version is this;

We're going on vacation for a week beginning July 21. SD13 has been here 3 nights so far this year and each time insists that she's not coming back. DH told her that she's invited on our vacation but we need to know if she is coming or not. He still hasn't gotten a response. I'm thinking this means she's not coming but maybe I'm just being hopeful. If I thought she would behave herself and not always try to start an arguement or always make insulting remarks toward us than I wouldn't mind. I honestly believe that if she comes she will only be doing it in order to cause trouble.

My husband is great and we have a great relationship. We have dated for 5 years and are now married since Jan. 2011. The main challenge for me (not for him) is how to interact with his ex wife on holidays. My husband and his ex and their children have had Thanks Givings every year since their divorce, which is 13 some years ago. So, he and his ex get along pretty well. However, I, my husband's mother and sister in law (all women!) can see that his ex is still attracted to him and she can't move on even though they have been divorced for 13 years now.

So today my step kids woke up and were ready to go swimming the moment i walked into the living room... I told them give me a little bit and I will think about it. Well this is 4 boys that are wining and crying and torturing for almost an hour and each time they got too much to handle I would tell them I am not going to take you if you keep wining like that, and my husband tells me to not talk to his kids like that said that i was getting on their level... i guess we need to talk bout what's the better way to communicate when they are torturing me like that...

My DH is thinking about getting a job overseas. I said okay whatever you want to do to make more money for us. But I told him think about it because you won't see your son or us while your over there. DH told me when its my time to have my SS4 to go pick him up but I said why do that if your not even here for SS4 to see you.I don't want my SS4 here while you are not, he visits you not me.

my answer is no....and that SUCKS! SS6 has been here since Tuesday (at 630am with pajamas and a damn pull up on...BM is really a GREAT mom to keep a 6 year old in pull ups) and doesnt go home until this coming Tuesday. He has done nothing but fight us on everything we say, not eat when told to, pushed his 1 year old brother into a bookcase for touching a toy, and back talked me and his dad all week. I am so ready for the week to be over it isnt even funny.

So glad I found a place to vent!! I can't stand my almost 18 good for nothing step daughter! She doesnt live with us for now but she barely graduated high school n my husband always feels bad cuz her mother died n gives in to her when she says he is a bad dad. He didn't really raise her because he separated from her Mom when she was a year old n so they are constantly at each others throat! She is lazy does horrible in school bad mouths everyone n Im sorry but she is not academically challenged she is stupid! I have 3 kids n one on the way ...

Well, this is my first time blogging, so bear with me if I seem to ramble.

I have been a step-mother for almost 4 years now. I have a unique situation. I have been more of a 'real' mother to my step-children than their biological mother.

My husband's ex-wife left him and their 2 children for another man when the youngest one was 6 months old. Not knowing what to do, my husband went to live with his parents with his 2 children until he could figure out his next move.

My SS18 swears when he is talking to DW all the time and she doesn't bat an eye. He drops the f-bomb like its nothing. I certainly don't expect to hear "no ma'am" come out of his mouth but "f*ck no"?? I am expecting him to say "pass the f*cking gravy" at the dinner table one of these days. Is this a "normal teenage" thing to do? DW seems to think that it is harmless and he will grow out of it. I feel like it is extremely disrespectful and I have told him that he should not get in the habit of using language like that. The comment went unheeded.

It was my fault, I was getting the feeling he felt that way and I asked him. I just wasn't prepared for him to admit it. I want another child maybe not right now but someday, he doesn't so the pregnancy I just lost was an accident. I mean I knew he didn't want another child but it hurts me that since we were he was relieved we lost it. I wouldn;t have been thrilled with the timing but I would have accepted that I was pregnant and then embraced the joy.