Bonus Love

So often my clients are working through traumas from childhood and/or their teen years. Those events that rock our boat (even if we don’t notice it at the time) mold our every move from that moment on. Most of the time we have experiences that hold lessons we don’t understand until we’re older. So much of life is that way, isn’t it? Have you seen Frozen 2 yet? Olaf has a song that is all about how all the things happening to him will make sense when he is older. There is so much truth to that. But oftentimes, it doesn’t all sink in until someone comes into our lives to help bring that lesson to fruition. We have talked about how it takes a village to raise a child, and how we never stop growing, so we always need our village. We learn as we go through this life that it is so important to have people of many talents in our life to guide, support, and hear us as we walk along in this journey.  

This week I will marry my best friend. He has a daughter and that means I will officially become a Bonus Mom. In my journey with her, and my experiences with all of you, the concepts from above have become even more evident. My goal for her is the same as it is for you. To process, grow, and evolve through all of life’s challenges, so she can become Purely You. There is a well-known stereotype of the Evil Step-Mom. That is not the life I wanted for our family and not one I encourage for other families. It is the exact trauma that people have to heal from years down the road. Instead, the lesson that needed to come from this was one of love. The idea that having your family grow does not mean there is less love, instead, there is more. Having a Bonus Mom is just having Bonus Love.  

This book was designed to be a conversation starter for littles. A story of a little girl who walks the journey of dad allowing someone new into their lives. She experiences jealousy, acceptance, and then excitement. She learns what the word fiancé means, as well as husband and wife. And she learns that having more people in her life who love her makes her a pretty lucky kid.  

I share this with you today, 3 days before my wedding because my heart is bursting with love and support. Because I know that someone in your life could benefit from this story. And because I know that we all need a gentle reminder once in a while to share the love.  Even if this story isn't one that is a part of your life, the idea of allowing our hearts to grow as we welcome new people is part of everyone's journey. Whether it's new friends, new in-laws, new babies, or even a new version of yourself, allow your heart to grow. There is nothing wrong with more people in your life who love you!

If you’d like to order a copy and/or follow the story, a separate Facebook page will be set up soon. If anything from this story resonates with you, I’d love to see you there, hop on over and “like” the page!  If you know of someone on this journey, please share this with them! Be the supportive person in their village, for both the parents and the children. This is uncharted territory for so many, I hope this serves as another tool in your toolbox.  You can purchase a copy here.

May your home always be filled with Bonus Love!