A few weeks ago on TheDuoPodcast Allison and I shared with everyone the story behind our blended family. When my late husband and I got together he had been married before and had fathered two children. When we started dating his daughter, Coco was eight and his son, Chaz was three.
Once I met the kids I began to form my own relationship with them, especially Coco since she was older.
This was made a lot easier because his ex-wife Prudence is a truly wonderful person. She and I instantly clicked and that helped to make the relationship work. It was also made easier because Charles and Prudence had remained good friends despite their divorce.
Charles and I subsequently married and we had Allison and she was the completion to our family. Coco was sixteen when Allison was born and Allison became her living baby doll. LOL
There were many occasions that Prudence and Coco would take Allison for the weekend or sometimes weeks at a time. Sometimes I would have to beg them to let me have my baby back. We would also take family vacations together and spent most if not all holidays together as a family.
I love Coco and Chaz as if I had borne them myself and Prudence feels the same way about Allison. She is actually Allison’s Godmother and she is like a sister to me. She and I share our own special bond and I love her dearly. Whenever anyone would ask me how many children I have my reply has from day one remained the same, three.
Coco, Chaz and I have many cherished memories of trips and especially talks we’ve had over the years and we all share a very special connection.
Since Charles’ passing a little more than six years ago people have often questioned me, Prudence, Allison and Coco as to whether we still see each other. That question to me is ludacris; we are a family. We see each other on most Sundays for family dinner and we also attend outings and kids sporting events together. Both Coco and Chaz have children of their own now and I consider these my Grandchildren.
Blended families don’t always work the way ours does so I consider myself very lucky to have such a loving family. We don’t consider ourselves blended; we consider our family additions as bonuses. We are all just as close as we always have been and now as adults we continue to share very special memories together.
Charles was the catalyst that brought us together but it’s a genuine love and respect for each other that keeps us together as a family. And that is exactly what we are a family.
