I have been asked how I will be celebrating my first Mother’s Day. Although this is my first one 
with a biological child, I have been quietly celebrating Mothers day for 5 years. For those of us as step-parents (this applies for stepdads, too), being recognized even in a small ways can help you survive another day, month, and year, knowing there is some small appreciation for the sacrifices you make for your step-children. I was never planning to have children of my own so my approach to step-parenting was simple; treat the kids as if they were my own.
Being a step-parent has been both the most difficult and the most quietly rewarding challenge of my life. This Mothers day I share some things that have guided me on my journey as a step-parent.