Having a blended family is never easy. As stepparents, you might find yourself on tiptoes whenever you are in your stepchildren’s realm. As much as you want to fill in some love and care for them, you don’t know what is too much or too less.
That’s why it’s always nice to see when a stepparent and their stepchildren have a great bond. It means that they have a good relationship and that being unrelated by blood is no big deal. Family is family no matter what.
Change one’s last name to that of their stepfather’s, or when a stepparent goes through the adoption process, their relationship has gone past the adjustment phase. Both parent and child are now ready to step into their roles in each other’s lives. This is why this gesture means a lot to both of them.
The Watsons
Paul has been in Marcus’s life for a long time already. He stepped in as his father figure and loved him like he was his very own. He saw Marcus grow into a good man; for Paul, that deserved a pat on his back. He’s been an excellent stepfather to Marcus.
All that parenting that Paul did for Marcus was paid forward to his daughter (Paul’s granddaughter). Madison also grew up into a kind and cheerful little girl.
The Perfect Birthday Present
It was Paul’s birthday when Madison excitedly handed him a small pouch. The little girl hid it behind her back and looked too giddy when she gave it to her grandpa. Paul asked her if it was money which she answered confidently: “It’s better than money.”
He opened it, saw a dog tag, and was trying to figure out what was engraved on it. Madison demanded him to read it, and it said Madison Watson. It took Paul quite a while to realize what was going on.
He smiled in disbelief, unassuming what that gift meant. Madison told him that she and her dad, Marcus, went to court to process and change their name to Paul’s last name. Now, Marcus is a Watson, and so is Madison.
“That just made my life.”
Marcus handed Paul the papers they signed in front of the judge that made the name change official. It was only then that everything started to sink in. Paul hugged Madison and Marcus and said this news “just made his life.”
He sat down and buried his face in his hands, holding back tears. He took one last look at the dog tags bearing Marcus’s and Madison’s names with his last name. Paul, then, wore it around his neck with pride.
It may have taken them years to make this official, but it was all worth the wait when the day finally came. Adoption papers and the entire process could take a while, but when parent and child prove that theirs is a bond that isn’t defined by blood, it is undoubtedly a greater amount of love that led them to that moment. Marcus and Madison felt the love that Paul had for them.
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