I’m a wife to one great guy, and mom and stepmom to five young adult kids I love dearly. My husband, Randy, and I have been married since 1995 in a “his, hers, and ours” family and recently became empty nesters.
Our early years of marriage were difficult and blending our children didn’t come easily. Still wounded from a messy divorce, I struggled to embrace my new stepmom role. Disharmony ruled in our at times and relationships were tenuous for many years.
In time, Randy and I learned how to parent together and form a united team with our stepparenting efforts. We gained the respect of our stepchildren and began to accept each of them unconditionally. Slowly, our relationships grew and stretched in understanding and love for one another.
I’m passionate about helping other stepfamilies create harmony in their relationships because of the bumpy road we’ve traveled. I understand the difficulties of stepfamily life—loyalty conflicts, birth order changes, rebellious stepchildren, holiday strife, competing schedules, financial struggles, and difficult ex-spouses, to name a few. I have a master’s degree in Psychology and Counseling and have been helping stepfamilies for almost two decades.
My book, Stepparenting with Grace: A Devotional for Blended Families, released by Worthy Publishing, is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I’ve also co-authored a stepmom devotional, Quiet Moments for the Stepmom Soul and holiday e-book, Unwrapping the Gift of Stepfamily Peace, both available on Amazon.
I joined Family Life Blended, a ministry of FamilyLife, in 2019 to pursue God’s calling and continue my ministry with blended families. Check out our events, podcasts, and other ministry help at FamilyLife Blended.
Please sign up for my mailing list to stay informed of upcoming resources and stepfamily announcements. Check out my blog to find encouraging posts that will empower you on your stepfamily journey.