Oh man it’s been a busy couple weeks-and I even have some BM-related things to share! 

First we will start with the good news-I proposed to SO-he said “what the hell” *mail1* then he said yes! Needless to say e was surprised. SD9 apparently is the only one that saw it. SS14 and DD5 were busy playing in the water/looking for bugs and splashing in a mud puddle-I mean I’m the closest to the two of them-they’re my “live ins” but yeah. Whatever guys. At least SD9 was paying attention. 

I uploaded the pics to FB about a week after they were taken (I proposed in the middle of a family photo shoot) but I had downloaded and sent copies of the single photos of the step-kids to their prospective families (BM 1& 2, their mothers, any relevant involved family etc). And when I uploaded all of them, FB wanted to tag SD9 as BM2. Since they are also photos of our engagement and it was a long post about it, i I un-tagged her thinking it would be weird. 

They were up for about 20 minutes and she requested to tag HERSELF in them. Which-whatever but my family and friends were like “uhhhh rubbing it in much?” And I had to explain that she tagged herself and I screen shorted the requests so *shrugs* whatever works boo. She also hugged me that night when dropped SD off and said “welcome to the family”. Not gonna lie, kinda wanted to gag, kind of liked it *shrugs again* 

Now BM1-I didn’t tell her anything. I told her mom and sister prior because I’m close to them and I wanted their support. After I uploaded the pics-like 3 or 4 days I get “omg congrats I’m so happy for you all” blah blah blah. Yeah. Thanks. Again-gag and ehhh (not quite aww). 

Prior to all this engagement hoopla, I had to go to NYC for a conference. I got a full scholarship to said conference and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to interact with people who are doing what I hope to one day do full time-teach adaptive yoga. I had to miss a wedding I RSVP’d to-I know I’m an ass-but my mom went as SO’s date instead and they had a blast. Their relationship and my family’s respect for my SO has improved a lot over the last 3 years. I just can never live with my parents again. I’ll live in a box first, but I digress. Anyway, SO at a wedding, me out of town and SS14 tells me the day before I leave he wants to go to homecoming. BM1 lives 2 hours away, she doesn’t see him, barely talks to him, my gram could bring him but he wouldn’t get the proper amount of razzing-so I called BM’s sister who lives close by. She of course, is overjoyed and calls Big Daddy (you know that bloke who thought he WAS SS14’s bio dad until he was 3? Yeah) and they take him and his date out and baisically stood in for SO & I. SS14 had a great time. But the day I was leaving BM’s sister emailed me and said “I f-ed up”. She then told me she invited BM to be a part of this, like she usually does, and BM was pissed because she knew nothing about it and I worked it all out with her sister. She sent me a text about wanting to be “involved” with these things. BM gave SS a cell phone a year or so ago. He uses it regularly just not to call her. That’s not my fault. He’s 14 if you held any value in his life at all, he’d have told you. She hasn’t seen him since July-ish a little before that. So I told her just that. He’s old enough to communicate with her if he chooses, he has the means. He’s not 8 anymore. Her relationship with him is what she makes it-or not. 

SO’s mom continues in the