The last time I wrote on here I made reference to the CPA’s grown children. We don’t get to see them often as they live a couple of hours away and everyone is busy. But yesterday was an exception. Yesterday the CPA’s oldest (who is his namesake) got married.
Their mother, unfortunately, passed away a couple of years ago. I would imagine as a child it would be very difficult to have such an important day without both of your parents there and my heart really went out to Junior. But he handled it with dignity and grace and I only saw him tear up once – when his bride walked down the aisle towards him.
It was a beautiful event – the weather cooperated and there was lots of sunshine and cool breezes. The service was held outdoors by the water and it was evening so the sunset made a spectacular background. All-in-all, everything went perfectly.
I write about this experience because it was a special one for me – it was the first time that I really realized my new role as a “step-mother.” I don’t often think of myself that way, quite honestly. I really just hope to be a friend to the CPA’s kids, and perhaps someone they can ask for help and advice when needed. And to give them credit – they have been great. Surely it can’t be easy to have this new person in their lives, especially one who is younger than their father (thankfully, I am several years older than the oldest boy which helps my credibility a bit I think).
Because the children are grown (as you can see by this picture, where I am being escorted by the youngest of the four), there is not a lot of true parenting on my part, and I don’t know that I would feel comfortable with that anyway, as I feel it is not my place. So to find myself suddenly in the role of parent, even a step-parent, was eye-opening. I found that instead of concentrating on my fears and worries of feeling out-of-place, I found myself just hoping and praying that everything would go smoothly for the bride and groom. I really just wanted to help get things ready or if need be, stay out of the way.
I guess you can call it a maternal instinct, I’m not sure. And I’m willing to bet that my experience was probably quite different than that of the bride’s parents. But, I definitely felt a closeness to them and to the family as a whole. I assume that is part of the parenting role, and I have to say that it was really nice.
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