Im a mature BM & SM of 5.  We have been thru each and every step-hell & now DH is 83 and I am 75.  I read the blogs and forums and it all comes back so clearly and painfully.  I often wonder if all the time, effort, money and anguish were worth it.

My DS56 sent me an emsil:

"Mom, on this Thanksgiving eve, I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU ( to both yourself and DH).  You have ALWAYS put your kids first in your lives and made sacrifices for all of us (and continue to do so to this day)...THANK YOU for being such awesome, dedicated parents.

You taught all of us to think on our feet, make decisions quickly, and MAKE THINGS happen in our lives.  You taught us to believe in ourselves and our own actions and TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for our own happiness and our own future.  You taught us to look forward and not dwell on the past.  You taught us that we can change our future but we can't change the past but we can learn from our mistakes, adapt/change/recover and move forward...

I always chuckle when you say, " You kids are gonna do what youre gonna do". OF COURSE we are.  That's what you have raised/taught/trained us to do. You all did NOT raise sheep.  You raised a wolf pack!

Thank you for not raising us as wimps

Thank you for tough love

Thank you for teaching us the value of a dollar, how to earn and how to stretch it

Thank you for teaching us how to endure life/marriage challenges, kid challenges, family challenges and work issues.

Thank you, both of you.  You did right by each other thru thick and thin.  VERY FEW people could indeed survived all the shit that you two have been thru.  

So on this Thanksgiving, we say Thank You!!  All of us are thankful and thank our lucky stars.

Hapoy Thanksgiving to you two turkeys!!"

I cried when I read it.  Step-parents, some times it can work out.

Hapoy Thanksgiving!