Blending Families-the ups/downs

My wonderful love and I blended our families 3 years ago.  This time has been tricky, fun, painful and a growing process that still continues daily. 
We have five children that range in age from 16 to 5...and honestly speaking it is not always a bowl of cherries, maybe more like a chair of bowlies some days.
I picked up a book entitled "Blissfully Blended"-Isn't that the dream really to be blissfully blended.  I think we are doing okay-like I said some days are better than others but that's true in a traditional family structure. 
I now have a teenage daughter and a son who has an autistic spectrum disorder called Aspergers Syndrome.   Glenn on the other hand has three younger children again that are each 20 months apart-not really what he was ready for given that his were definitely more self sufficient and not as "needy" in some ways and just as "needy" in other ways.
So as you see we each have different mind frames coming into this.  I can't speak for my sweetie so this blog is about me and my feeling, views etc.
My three daughters are high energy and very dramatic.  They can be sweet, kind, loving and they can also be the opposite.  They are Mommy's babies and when their Father up and left us (when my youngest was a newborn)-I pulled them in close (perhaps too close) but I wouldn't have had it any other way at the time.  I vowed to them and still do, that Mommy will NEVER leave, Mommy is ALWAYS here.  I love my girls very much and I am truly a Momma bear when it comes to them.
I also love my step-children.  They have accepted me as a part of their life but even then it is not always easy.  I was not ready for a teenager, as a write that I wonder who is really?  They are emotional wrecks and some days you aren't sure if you are being heard or if they even care and the next day a whole new kid appears.  My daughters are still young so all of a sudden having this teenager in my midst was (and still is) a sometimes difficult challenge.  She does however respect me even on the days that she isn't listening or doing what she should be I do know that she does love and respect me.
My step-son has Aspergers Syndrome and like me, most of you are wondering what is that?  Well it's an autistic spectrum disorder.  To look at him you would never really think anything was "wrong".  Although that is a poor word to use "wrong".  He has started to outgrow some of the symptoms of aspergers, like now being able to control some of his stimulatory behaviour.  Each child that has this syndrome is unique and no two cases are alike, similar but not the same.  I think because you don't really see anything "wrong" with him, I have had a much more difficult time accepting the realization that he does do some of the things he does because of this disorder.  I have a harder time relating to him or finding some sort of common ground with him.  It's a work in progress.  I do know if he was more of a boy-boy who liked hockey, baseball etc... I would be the first out with him, shooting the puck or whatever.  I have however taught him to swim, got him on his skates, enrolled in skating lessons, and riding his bike.  He is super smart, especially with his math and sciences but on the flip side he is quite immature for his age.  My dear friend told me he is my grace child.  I am still trying to figure that out.
Sometimes I wonder why God gave me two additional children.  But then again I am not to question, and not to know.  They were given to me and this is God's desire for me to raise these two bonus kids as my own.  As I continue to grow spiritually, I am hoping that I will impress upon these children (all 5 of them) the importance of family and of a relationship with God. 
I am NOT perfect.  I make MANY mistakes.  OFTEN.  I have said many times I am not getting a mother of the year award.  I say things before thinking, or praying. 

"Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips" Proverbs 4:24

I am going to log off for now. 

Blessings from my family to yours.
xo