Step by Steps has evolved from my personal experience as a stepmom and my passion for wanting to help others. I live in California with my incredible husband, and most days our home is filled with four great kids. When these little people first entered my life alongside the man of my dreams, I met a side of myself I never knew before, and I loved her. Could we really be a family? Would they make room for me in their little lives? They were open and willing, and so the challenge was accepted. I vowed to always try my hardest. I have never wanted to give up on my marriage, but in all honesty, there were times I felt like I was not going to find the strength to handle it all. Ten years later, after years of questions, amazing memories, stressful circumstances, and very high conflict situations, all of us are thankful that we found the love and strength to make it through those unpleasant times. Have I made mistakes? Ha! You better believe I did. I’ll let you in on those so you can learn from them and hopefully create a quicker path to serenity. Stepparent life can be beautiful! It just takes time, patience, self-love, communication, and a big dose of CONFIDENCE!