Whether or not I am ready for it, it won’t be long at all before I become a “family man” so to speak. I am marrying the most wonderful woman in the world who also has two children…a son who is 3 and daughter who is 6. While the debate still seems to go on about my fitness to be a parent, there is something that really made me smile this morning.

Shannon, 6, was staying with her grandmother overnight as Shelley had to work. Since her bio father doesn’t have a place of his own, he stays here as well. This can, as one would imagine, cause some tension.

While I don’t know the whole story, this I know. Shannon and her bio father had a bit of a….well….”falling out” this morning….more than what is usual. As I understand it, she stated that “he was mean but I wasn’t and she wished she was with me this morning”  That of course has been tweaked to reflective the fact that it’s coming from me and not from her.  Not being a grammar major, nor really being all that great at grammar, I don’t really know the proper term here.

What makes this better still, is that he was more that a little upset with this.  He promptly left, didn’t say goodbye, didn’t stop at the stop signs, and just took off.  I know I shouldn’t find this nearly as amusing as I do, but I cannot help it.  I really don’t know how to describe it.  I’m overcome with a strange sense of proudness (shut-up, I know it’s not a word!)….for her standing up to him.  The voice in the back of my head telling me that I will be just fine as a parent also seems to be getting stronger.

I don’t know….I don’t really know how to define this.  While they are not my bio children, I have this connection that seems to be stronger than any physical connection could ever be.  I really don’t know how to describe it….I may never be able to honestly.  I feel like….I know that I love them, that I am proud of them, that I truly value our time together.  I….I really cannot explain it.

I know it’s not what would be expected…bit sometimes it really takes a rather odd event to really shed light on the situation.  Meaning, I have always been proud of the….my children that is….but I don’t know that I really realized how much until today….