We Are Family...

Whenever someone asks me how many siblings I have I hesitate, take a deep breath, and start explaining. I have three brothers and three sisters, but I am my parents only child together. Let me explain.

My parents were married and had me. They divorced when I was seven years old.

They both remarried when I was about 12 years old. My new stepmother had a daughter who was the same age as myself. My new stepfather had three children (one girl who's older than me and two boys who are younger than me).

I spent my childhood growing up with my new sisters and brothers. No one ever made us feel like we weren't real siblings. Of course we had our moments of selfishness and hurting each other with comments like "You aint my real Daddy!", but as we got older we valued our unique relationships, well I know that I did. On Christmas and birthdays, I received double. That made things all the more sweeter. :)

When I was twelve my mother gave birth to a baby boy. Now my step siblings and I had more in common and shared blood through our new baby brother. When I was seventeen my step-mother gave birth to a baby girl, forever connecting me to my step-sister and step-mother.

I have three brothers and three sisters. Period.

Today's blended family can be looked at as a negative thing if not handled properly. I'm not saying that our experience has been 'peaches and cream', but as we got older we cherished our relationships.

I would be devastated if one of my siblings didn't acknowledge me as their sister, because we don't share the same blood. I thank God they never will. We share more than blood. We share experiences. We share memories. We share ups. We share downs. We share love. 

My grandma, mother, myself, Daddy, and Step-daddy

My sister Lanera, brother Brandon, and brother Preston

My sister Lanera, baby sister Jayla, and sister Takara.

A picture of my baby brother Braxton is missing. :(

Do you come from a blended family? Was your family able to make the best of it?