From the beginning there are two things to know.
(1) It's hard!!!!
(2) It's wonderful!!!!
I'll start with the wonderful.
Yesterday I rushed from work to pick up Laurel, the 11 year old from her Bus ride to Tybee and as soon as she gets in the car she tells me the grossest jokes that she and her fellow 11 year old students at Stem Academy delivered this week. (To be honest, some 12, 13 and 14 year olds are involved because it's a Public School and some students set their own schedules).
Laurel is funny and happy to be home which is contagious because I've been gone all day too and am ready to enjoy a happy night.
Arriving I say hello to Cassidy, the 9 year old, mindlessly watching a movie on her phone, quietly in her room, but she jumps up and hugs me tight. "Let me tell you what happened ..." she excitedly says ... and does in vivid detail!
A boy at school said something snotty about Cass so another girl, her best friend, beat the boy up!
You have to admit that's an exciting start to the weekend.
The bad part is the "Munchkins" ... as I call them ... live with their Dad Monday through Thursday.
It's good they're with their Father and Sarah and I sure enjoy some down time but ... I miss them when they're gone ... though I can often kill them when they're here.
You "Blended" family fathers and mothers know what I mean.
Mostly I miss them when they're gone.
The other bad part is sometimes they just want they're Mom and I struggle to know when that is.
I understand it ... to this day there are times when I only want my Mom ... but I'm learning when to shut up and give them their space ... or even leave the room when I really have lots to say.
On the flip side, Sarah has Jeremy, Terenca and their girls, Kristen and Chelsea and Sam to do the same things with.
When all's said and done though ... Maddie, the 14 year old who knows EVERYTHING tenderly lays her head on my shoulder and I cry.
It makes me sad for the "Unblended" people.
