Happy Birthday, Amy!

22 years ago, I was blessed to have an additional member added to my family. It was the year that Dad married Amy. While it might have been a rocky start, mainly because I was 12 and did not want to give up my time with my dad to another woman, that rockiness did not last long. I have loved having Amy in my life. She has been a great sounding board for many emotional ups and downs. She has supported decisions I have made and counseled me when she thought decisions were not great.  I love that we are in the same profession and that as I started out as a therapist, she was there to be a sounding board with much more experience.  I love that she pushed me to try new foods during the early days of our relationship.  I love our late night chats when we should both be sleeping but it is the best time for girl time. I love that she does not like for me to introduce her as my step-mom because she does not like the negative connotation that goes with that word (even though we have never come up with a good alternative to introduce her because, "Hey, this is my dad's wife" makes it sound even less like I want to claim her!).   I love that we are just family and we don't have to explain it further than that. 

Thanks for doing life with me for the past 22 years, Amy!  My life is blessed because you are in it and I couldn't imagine it any differently!