I’ve been called lots of things in my life, but StepMolly was a new one.
When Tim and I first started talking about getting married, we had lots of discussions about our future life together, and several of those were about his kids, then almost 5 and 7 years old. One of the things that needed no discussion was that the kids would not call me mom. They have a loving mom with whom Tim shares equal custody. We didn’t discuss alternatives to mom, both assuming they would call me Molly.
On November 5, 2014 we sat down with the kids and told them we were getting married. They grinned, looked at each other conspiratorially and asked, “Can we call you StepMolly?”
Tim and I were speechless. And emotional. I couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome.
It was the first of many heartwarming experiences I would encounter as we began doing life together. Perhaps most precious (and surprising) in that moment was that the kids had clearly collaborated on this nickname prior to our big reveal.
They continue to surprise me.
