Embracing the Chaos: My Journey as a Blended Family Mom

I’m a 34-year-old mom navigating the wild ride of a blended family. My husband, George, and I each brought a son into our relationship. Then we created a daughter together, adopted another daughter, and recently welcomed baby boy Ethan. So, here we are—a family of seven! The real kicker? With Ethan, we now have a child in every stage of life: an infant, a toddler, a kid, a teen, and an adult.

The Daily Hustle

Each of our kids is involved in extracurricular activities. Every night, we gather for a home-cooked meal. But with such a wide age gap, hand-me-downs are practically non-existent. Birthdays? They’re a big deal around here! Are we wealthy? Nope. Are we living off government assistance? Not at all. You might think we’re super organized and on a tight budget, right? Well, not really!

I’m currently unmedicated, bipolar, and knee-deep in postpartum chaos. I forget everything that isn’t written down. Our life is a whirlwind, and we’re always busy and broke. But you know what? Our kids are healthy, happy, and well cared for. We’re just trying to keep our heads above water and show our kids they’re our top priority.

How It All Started

Let me take you back to where it all began. George and I met at work. We quickly became friends, and before we knew it, we were more than that. In just five months, we blended our families and moved in together. We tied the knot four months later. I know it sounds crazy, but it worked! Fast forward almost eight years, and here we are—five kids and two dogs later.

Meet Our Crew

Now, let me introduce our little tribe:

• Devon (18): He’s my husband’s son from his previous marriage. Devon graduated in May and was supposed to start college last month, but that didn’t happen (more on that later). He dreams of being a programmer like his dad and is a talented musician. He plays the tuba, guitar, and keyboard. He’s also an avid gamer and a yo-yo pro. While he’s the most antisocial of our kids, he’s definitely the cleverest.
  
  
• Aiden (13): My son from my first marriage. Aiden is in middle school and plays the saxophone in the band. He picked it up quickly! If we let him, he’d be glued to Fortnite 24/7. This boy struggles to manage his “superpower”—his ADHD brain speed—without medication. But he’s also our kindest and most thoughtful child, dreaming of opening a homeless hotel one day.
  
  
• Addison (6): She was the baby and the princess until last year. Terrifyingly smart and sassy, she loves all things pink, purple, and girly. Since she was three, she’s known she wants to be a doctor. She does ballet and is the most helpful of our bunch.
  
  
• Felicity (2): Felicity was removed from her parents as a baby. I was her court-appointed representative for almost a year and grew to love her. Her parents gave her up last year, and her foster family couldn’t keep her. They asked if we’d be interested in adopting her. After a long and complicated process, she officially became ours this summer. She’s the DEFINITION of a sour patch kid! Living up to the terrible twos stereotype, she’s also the most accident-prone child I’ve ever met. She does toddler gymnastics, and honestly, I could write an entire blog about her journey and my experience as her mom.
  
  
• Ethan (5 months): We welcomed baby Ethan five months ago. He surprised us by arriving over a month early due to preeclampsia. After three miscarriages, an autoimmune disorder diagnosis, and starting the adoption process, he was a bit of a surprise. The pregnancy at 34 with a toddler was tougher than the others. I had a MISERABLE pregnancy, filled with OB appointments, high-risk doctor visits, and endocrinologist check-ups in another city an hour away. But Ethan is such a joy! He’s happy unless he’s tired and is meeting all his milestones. You’d never guess he was early; he was even the biggest baby in the NICU!
  
  

Finding Community in the Chaos

If you’re curious about how we handle this chaos, or if you want to learn about the realities of a blended family with kids at every stage, you’re in the right place. Maybe you’re just looking for something relatable to make you feel better about your own messy household. If you’re judgmental, that’s okay too—maybe you’ll learn to have some grace and understanding.

I don’t claim to have all the answers or be a go-to resource for parenting advice. I just want to create a space where it’s okay to not be okay. It’s perfectly fine to feel a little messy and flustered. Maybe you feel like you’re failing your kids every single day. But let’s be real—I’ve never met a parent who made all the right choices or had a perfect parenting plan.

So, let’s embrace the chaos together. We’re all just trying to do our best, one day at a time.

---wix---