Day 6

What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?

Without a doubt- sharing a child.

When I first met Tim, I knew right away that he was a packaged deal.  My jaw dropped when he told me he had a 5 year old.  I talked to my brother, Chris, on the phone later that night and told him about Tim.  He told me to stay away from men with kids.

I met Elyse in August 2007, just 6 months after I first met Tim.  Honestly, I was a little nervous.  This was the other lady in his life.  What if she didn't like me? haha.  I saw her standing in front of the hotel in Chicago where we would be staying.  She ran up to Tim and hugged him, hugged his mom, and then walked over to me, stuck out her hand and said "Nice to meet you."  We went up to our hotel room where Elyse pulled everything out of her suitcase to show me (which she still does 5 years later.)  We went out to dinner that night and I just watched everything that Elyse did and the way her and Tim interacted.  I listened to her laugh at everything Tim said.

We were only in Chicago for 4 days, Elyse and I held hands everywhere we went.  She kept getting in my face and kissing my noes.  She would whisper in my ear, "I like you."  We played together non stop the whole time we were there.

We were all sad when we had to come back to Tucson.  A whole year went by before we saw her again.  A very long year.  She came out to Tucson in August 2008.  I always say this is when I fell in love with her.  She is so sweet and fun.  She is an amazing little girl.  I spent every single second with her while she was here.  Tim & I soak it all in and really enjoy every moment we have with her.

 

Tim & I took her to the airport, she was flying back to Chicago with Tim's dad.  Elyse had already woken up sad that morning and was sad the whole way to the airport.  When we arrived at the airport I picked her up and she squeezed me and kept saying "I don't want to go."  My heart was litterally breaking.  Tears fell down my face and I had to give her to Tim.

When Tim isn't home, Elyse and I always lay in bed together reading books.  We cook and bake together.  We go on walks and play at the park.  We read books at the library.  We play school, restaurant, store and Pet Shops.

I love watching Tim and Elyse together. 

Elyse has been out here to visit 9 times since Tim & I have gotten married.  You think saying goodbye would get easier since we do it so often.  But it doesn't.  It gets harder every. single. time.  I hate it.  Every morning when Elyse wakes up on her last day here, the first thing she tells us is that she wishes she could stay longer.  I burst into tears every time she walks through the security check point.  It's really hard on Tim too, I hate seeing him so sad.  Worst of all, we go months without her.

I hate that we miss out on SO much. 

Someone once told me that being a stepmom is hard.  It's not.  Elyse is the best thing Tim ever gave me <3