5 Minutes For Mom is hosting a blog carnival called Say it FORWARD. It’s a time when you can say thank you to your loyal commenters.

I don’t do blog awards very well, you can ask my husband, taking compliments is not something that comes easy. Usually because it leads to an ugly cry, like this post did. Debbie has been such blessing in my life. She has become a confidante and someone I know I can turn to in the time of need. (And guess what she gets to meet my Mom and Sister before I even meet her face to face, HOW UNFAIR IS THAT!) Oh well, they will have a blast. Thank you for your kind words Debbie.

I would like to pass this award on to someone who may be surprised at how much her words have blessed me. Shanna at She’s So There is an Alabama southern girl raising a blended family. Trying to raise children correctly is difficult under normal conditions but there are even more challenges when you are blending two families into one.  Peoples toes are bound to be stepped on.  In her own words Shanna shares some of struggles saying:

“…..blended families have a lot to blend. The dynamics at home are hard enough, but when the public perceptions, even in the church, are so strongly ingrained in “Step Family = Discord and Upset, Messy” its an uphill battle. On top of that, imagine learning all the new grooves a family of six requires after being a single mom of two small children, or two teenagers, and combining it with a cross country move, a new job, and very different financial boundaries….well, you understand right away while 70% of remarriages with children at home fail in the first 18 months. I’d say from our experience, that most of them are having a hard time finding a support system within their church as well, for its simply not something most churches recognize nor develop programs for, though 4/6 children are facing stepfamily issues in today’s society in America.”

She has blessed me personally by encouraging me in my journey of raising teenagers. There are just some ugly days that you may or may not say ugly things, and I have had the opportunity to share some of that with Shanna either via email/twitter or Facebook. Each time I walked away feeling like I could live through the next hour.  She has encouraged me with her words (daily!) and let me know I have not failed as a mother.  There is so much joy in raising teenagers but it is also scary, and to have someone I can go to and say “hey I blew it with this parenting thing has this ever happened to you” is a blessing.  Thank you Shanna for blessing me!!