Kyria

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Thriving In a Stepfamily

"Being a stepmom is much more difficult than I imagined," Nancy, a stepmom of four years shared with me. "Since my husband and I are excited about our marriage, we assumed the kids would be happy too. But they're really struggling and I'm not sure what to do."

As a stepmom of more than 24 years I understand her concerns. A few months into my second marriage I was discouraged by the complexities associated ...

Related Topics: parenting, Relationships, Difficult, Respect, Stepfamily, stepparenting

Succeeding at Second Marriages

Couples entering a second marriage are often seen as lugging too much baggage to make a success of their next go-round. This assumes, however, that people can come into any relationship without baggage, or a history that impacts the relationship—an assumption that is, of course, untrue. Childhood, previous relationships, even relationships with siblings and friends over the course of life all ...

Handling the Angry Ex

Ken's side:

I was trying to keep peace When I first met Lucky, I wasn't ready for another relationship. With a divorce only three years behind me, the thought of marriage left a knot in my stomach. But Lucky's zest for life and outgoing personality soon changed my mind. She made life fun again—and introduced me to Christ in the process. We got along so well that I soon forgot the misery of my ...

Clearer Connections

My husband's favorite proverb is, "Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife." He usually quotes that right before I agree with him by sending him to sleep in the garage.

How is it that the one topic we've had drilled into our heads over and over is still one of the most difficult for us to master—especially for those couples in remarriages? We know how ...

Dangerous Crossing

If you were injured and trying to reach a safe place, would you step onto a rickety, swinging bridge?

That's a fair description of too many second marriages. When the remarriage creates a blended family—in which at least one of the spouses becomes a stepparent—the footing's even more treacherous. Couples may have charged ahead, stepped on a couple rotten planks, and now dangle, holding ...

The Jesus Stocking

On Christmas Eve at Dann and Michelle Bellah's house, a Nativity scene dominates the living room bookshelf. The family tree is lit and sparkling, and an electric-powered train winds its way between the colorfully wrapped presents. The couple's adult children—sons Andrew and Levi, daughter Kiesha, and son-in-law Rick—settle comfortably on the couch and floor. The house is silent, save for ...

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The ''Ex'' Factor

On my wedding day, I married the man of my dreams. But … my new husband wasn't what I imagined while growing up. The man of my childhood dreams came without the baggage of a first wife and a child. The man I married, Scott, was divorced as a result of his first wife's infidelity.

In the six years I've been married to Scott, his ex-wife has popped into our lives myriad times, disrupting our harmony. ...

Related Topics: Boundaries, Comparison, Divorce, forgiveness, remarriage, Spouse, Former