Around 1300 new stepfamilies are formed each day with around 16% of children living in blended family homes. Welcome to our little thick and thin, ride-or-die crew. These girls have been through divorce, remarriage, rollercoaster parenting schedules and a combined dozen domestic moves across the city; All in the last 5 years. It’s been tough. It’s been emotional. And it’s crazy to think about the grace required not just of the adults, but the children involved. Kids from four households who experienced grief, loss and pain. Each of my girls have been asked to show grace beyond their years in light of my choice, the choices of all the adults around them. The meshing of new family units. The growing pains between new siblings... I’ve been meditating a lot more about the world through their eyes these last two months. Wondering how each of their experiences continue to mold them and where we go from here. Because the journey is not over- their childhood and my own journey of growth (and more mistakes) continues... As these girls stretch their wings one at a time, I challenge my own heart to grow- in both firm guidance but also timely gentleness. Always with more love, more grace and drawing from a God of grace and mercy when I fall short along the way. “ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-“ Ephesians 2:8 Photos by the talented @lightbyiris #blendedfamilies #portlandfamilies