We are a family with a history, some wonderful and some not so wonderful. We are a stepfamily trying to become a real family. Sometimes I can identify with Pinocchio wanting to be a real live boy, because I want – we want, to be a real live family.
Sometimes we do seem like a real live family, and other times we divide right down the bloodline; his children on one end of the dining room table and mine on the other.
I try to reconcile the differences, and blur the line of blood that divides us in as many ways as I can think of doing.
One of the ways I reconcile is to create our history through out the house with pictures in frames of silver and gold to remind us of where we have been, and of tender moments together. Pictures make us smile as, just for a moment’s glance, we travel back in time to that place; and, the crazy moments of stepfamily seems to fade away.
Memories:
Memories remind us from where we have come, and they remind us to whom we belong – we belong to each other. We may fuss and argue in the home but no one else had better cross us; we may be stepfamily but we are thick as thieves at times.
We have very few purchased pieces of art around our home, but we decorate with our history, our pictures – a visual story of our lives.
There are pictures all through the house, on every shelf, and covering the refrigerator, showing the progression of different hairstyles, new teeth, before and after braces school pictures, and the pictures of the children we sponsor in countries far away. There are pictures of cousins from the previous spouse with our children and there are pictures of birth parents with their children, and one or two pictures of birth parents together before the divorce.
To the children, these are the greatest treasures in our home. It gives them a sense of belonging, of being loved and accepted. Holidays are difficult on stepfamilies, but seeing your history and that of your parents, siblings and steps surrounding you, can give all of us the secure feeling of being home.
Linking today with Beholding Glory and No Ordinary Blog Hop

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Hi Diane! Dropping by from the “Faith Filled Friday” link-up. An awesome idea. Yes, pictures do create a sense of belonging and most definitely they allow us to reminisce. Blessings to you and your family on your journey to becoming one! Have a blessed day!
Prowess It is so nice to meet you. Thank you for coming by and commenting. Thank yo also for the blessings, we are blessed and I always am in need of more! ~Di
“. . . one or two pictures of birth parents together before the divorce.”
Love that you’ve included these.
THank You Sandra. At first my insecurity was not playing well with my common sense, but eventually love of the child won out and I can smile about the pictures. It is God working in me and not me, I assure you!