To My Stepmom

Dear Stepmom,

I really hate calling you that. You have become so much more over the past years. You chose to take me under your wing and look at me as your daughter, when you did not have to.

You stilled called me your daughter after my birth mother screamed in your face. You still called me your daughter after many people in my life spoke bad of you. You stilled called me your daughter after the endless fights and screaming matches I had with my mom. You stilled called me you daughter when you would say “I love you” and I couldn’t say it back. You stilled called me your daughter after the endless amount of times I ignored you due to thinking my mom was right. You stilled called me your daughter when I was a bitchy and emotional teenage girl. You still call me your daughter even when I have mental breakdowns and do not show you any sympathy for dealing with them. You still call me your daughter even though I still can not call you “mom” to your face. You still call me your daughter when you don’t have to but still continue to do for all of these years.

So thank you.

Thank you for fighting for me. Thank you for being my voice when I did not have one. Thank you for treating me like one of your own. Thank you for giving me a bonus family full of amazing people that also treat me like I am one of their own. Thank you for showing my brothers and I that “step” is just a word and that we are all one family.

Thank you for showing me what a mom is.

Thank you for loving me like I am one of your own.

Love,

Your daughter