My step dad died today. That's our truth now. My heart is in a thousand pieces, as I'm the eternal optimist who did not believe this could happen so soon. We knew he was pretty sick. Yesterday, I knew he was VERY sick. Today, his life was over. Just like that.
I've been trying all day to make sense of this. I'm trying to put into words what this loss feels like from the perspective of a "bonus kid" who is so grateful for his love for my mom. He really did love her. Today it hit me- he really loved us too! The thing is, my real dad isn't in the picture of my life. I had (and still have) a great dad growing up. He was also a step dad who did not abandon us girls when the marriage didn't work out. I'm sitting here in stunned realization that two men stepped up to love 4 girls that don't share their DNA in a world where many men walk away.
I am SO grateful that when our parents got married, my step sisters made us feel a part of their family. They loved us too, because of their parents' example of a healthy blended, perfectly imperfect family. Y'all, love is this.
Dads love despite imperfections. Despite dumb decisions and plenty of regret. I'm blessed to have had THREE bonus dads (including my father-in-law) who loved me and my children to the moon. These men came into my life in totally different seasons, and I'm so grateful for their profound impact on my life. I am tougher, wiser, and more confident than ever that I was not abandoned, but blessed with something greater, a long, long time ago.
Gosh, this loss hurts a lot. I feel a million miles away from my family today (and every day since we moved, really). I can't wait to come home and wrap my arms around the ones who are my family by blood and by love, and celebrate a man who didn't have to love 4 crazy, loud bonus daughters, but he did.
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