by Gayla Grace | May 7, 2015 | Blog, stepmom help, stepmom support, stepmother role
It’s the hardest holiday of the year for stepmoms – Mother’s Day. Have you made plans for it yet? I wrote an article last year on how to celebrate as a stepmom. It was recently published again and can be read in Western New York Family Magazine....
by Gayla Grace | Oct 14, 2014 | Blog, loyalty conflict, stepfamily marriage, stepmother role
My husband and I celebrate 19 years of marriage today. All four of the kids in our wedding picture are grown – we have only an “ours” child still at home – 13-year-old son Nathan. I love the way my friend Heather Hetchler counts years in...
by Gayla Grace | May 7, 2014 | acceptance, Blog, expectations, stepmother role
If there’s one holiday that stepmoms would rather not celebrate, it’s Mother’s Day. It can be a hard day because we’re reminded of the time and energy we invest in our stepchildren’s lives with little or no reward. And if our stepchildren do try to show their...
by Gayla Grace | May 13, 2013 | Blog, Faith, love, Prayer, stepmother role, Uncategorized
I love introducing new resources for stepmoms because as you know, if you’ve been a stepmom long, the journey isn’t easy. I’m participating in a blog tour this week and can’t wait to tell you about a new book, Recipe for Joy: A Stepmom’s...
by Gayla Grace | May 9, 2013 | Blog, feelings, stepmother role, take care of yourself, Uncategorized
One of the hardest hurdles to cope with as a stepparent is the reality that we make the same sacrifices as a biological parent but reap very few rewards for our efforts. In his book, The Smart Stepfamily, Ron Deal gives three reasons why the stepmother role is even...
by Gayla Grace | Mar 15, 2013 | Blog, co-parenting, stepfamily relationships, stepmother role, successful stepparenting
When we moved to Louisiana a year and a half ago, my two biological daughters stayed behind in Conway, AR. They both had summer jobs and wanted to stay close to their friends the rest of the summer. At 18 and 21 years old, I knew they could manage on their own but...
by Gayla | Jan 22, 2013 | Blog, expectations, hope, patience, stepfamily relationships, stepmother role, Uncategorized
As I listened to my husband on the other end of the phone with his daughter, I knew something bad had happened. He handed the phone to me and said, “She wants to talk to you.” Through tears, my stepdaughter, Adrianne, relayed that her boyfriend of six...
by Gayla | May 9, 2012 | Blog, loyalty conflict, peace, stepmother role, take care of yourself
One of the hardest hurdles to cope with as a stepparent is the reality that we make the same sacrifices as a biological parent but reap very few rewards for our efforts. In his book, The Smart Stepfamily, Ron Deal gives three reasons why the stepmother role is even...
by Gayla | May 2, 2012 | attitude, Blog, love, stepmother role, successful stepparenting
As I continue my stepmom stories from our Stepping with Purpose e-book, I’m including one today from Laura Petherbridge, co-author of The Smart Stepmom. I think you’ll find her story encouraging. “If I’m being totally honest there were times in...
by Gayla | Mar 15, 2012 | Blog, Faith, Grace, stepmother role
I’m posting a devotion today that I wrote for NIV devotional contest for Mom’s. Hope you find it helpful. 🙂...
by Gayla | Dec 14, 2011 | Blog, Faith, Prayer, stepfamily holiday tips, stepfamily relationships, stepmother role
Our three college children have been taking semester finals last week and this week. I’ve been praying for them diligently as I remember how overwhelming final exams can be.As I was finishing my Christmas shopping this week, I ran across a merchant inside...
by Gayla | Oct 19, 2011 | Blog, Faith, stepmother role, stepparenting heartache
I’m not a childless stepmom. But I have the greatest respect for those of you who are. For many years, I didn’t give much thought to what it would feel like to be a childless stepmom. But after talking to several of you and watching how you do life, I...
