Tools of the Trade

Since I was a kid I have often kept a notebook with me to write down things that happened so I wouldn't forget, I am a storyteller and this blog is my way to develop that part of my personality. I have a wonderful leather bound notebook that a wonderful friend gave me for Stepmother's Day, it came in a care package that she mailed from the UAE. Since receveing it I have carried it in my handbag everywhere I go. Before that I had a small 3 inch notebook, I often still use this one because it is easy to carry when I am not carring a purse, it fits in my pocket nicely. Rarely I will find myself without a notebook in a situation that is so overwhelming that I feel like I have to write down what is going on for future blog enteries. In these situations I try to find anything to write on. I have things written on the back of a junk mail envelope, on napkins that I accidently washed in my pocket and lost that story. Last night we went out to a karaoke bar, I had only brought a small clutch so there was no room for a notebook. Honestly I didn't think anything interesting would happen, boy oh boy was I wrong! I have 3 or 4 "song request" slips from the karaoke bar. I just jotted down small tidbits and as fast as I could write another character would cause a scene. I will fully describe everything for you guys once I have had a chance to descipher all my chicken scratched notes.

Stepmother's Day

I have talked about the Munchkin all week, today is Stepmother's Day and so far has been everything I could have wanted. Dear Hubby took the rapscallion out this morning and they got me a "fun in the Sun" gift. Basically a new pool bag, a hula-hoop, a toy for the rapscallion, sunblock, a gossip magazine, some pool shorts and toe rings and anklets that the rapscallion picked out for me. They drew me a bunch of pictures of cats and Dear Hubby also bought me a gift certificate for a pedicure, which I am in desperate need.

This link to my friend AmyK says alot and I want to share it with you also:
http://ithenshalllive.blogspot.com/2009/05/stepmom-confessions-happy-stepmothers.html

Happy Stepmother's Day to all my dear friends and if you have a Stepmother let her know she is appreciated today!

Biology

To quote Their Wicked Stepmother:

"If you think it's hard raising your children, try raising someone Else's. "

At the end of this month I will have been with Dear Hubby for 6 years. We met at a concert (Good Charlotte, something he doesn't like to mention) he was on date with a girl he wasn't interested in and I wasn't going to let a good thing get away.

He was very honest about his son from the beginning, I met the rapscallion after we had been dating for about 3 weeks. He was 18 months old and he was hard not to fall for, I think he made Dear Hubby even more attractive to me. Here was this funny, kind man and he was a father. If I hadn't already had inklings that I was falling for him, I would think that I fell for him when I met the rapscallion.

I have never waivered in my feelings towards the Rapscallion, he is a wonderful addition to my life. He got his dad's looks, his mom's coloring and my sense of humor. We butt heads because we are so alike but I have never questioned my role in his life as his stepmother.

I have happily helped him make Mother's Day cards and gifts without expecting anything in return. I have washed underwear, jockstraps and hunted down baseball socks. I have held him while he threw up and cut his toenails every week without fail. I work on homework, make him eat his vegetables and try to impart a love of reading.

I am a better person because he is in my life and because of this I can honestly say biology is the least of what makes a woman a mother. We will celebrate Stepmother's Day on May 17th.

Not flesh of my flesh,

Nor bone of my bone,

But still miraculously my own.

Never forget for a single minute,

You didn't grow under my heart

- but in it

- Fleur Conkling Heylinger