"That This Group Must Somehow Form a Family. That's the Way We All Became the"...Reality Check

We all know the song, we all have seen at least one or part of an episode, if not I highly recommend it. The Brady Bunch was a show ahead of its time really. A time when blended families were the exception and not the norm. Heck being in a family with a history or forever marriages I couldn't even relate! The premise of the show is a man and woman who love one another enough to join in marriage. Seems simple enough, happens every day. Ah, but the twist is that are both raising children so now it is not just about them joining, but the families as well. Crazy! As each episode plays the audience can see the laughter, the tears, the memories of this group as they form a family. At the end of every show all the issues and problems are resolved and the blended family is easy as pie. What a lovely concept!

In today's world we see blended families all around us. It is so common that when you call, schools, doctors office etc., the question is asked "what's the child's last name?". Like I said, growing up in family of marital longevity this was a strange concept. Until a change of events in my life (see previous post 16 and Pregnant) that landed me right in the middle of a slew of statistics! As a single mother I knew it was important to find the right man or no man at all to help raise my son. With the example of my family and of course the Brady Bunch, I knew the blended family thing would be a piece of cake! So when I started dating my husband at the age of 31 (by now I was mature enough to know what it was all about right?!), it was no big deal that he had two children. In fact they were the same age as my own son..does it get more perfect! And when I met and fell in love with the kids, the Brady Bunch tune rang loud in my heart. My husband and I were in love, I loved the kids, this group would certainly form a family.....REALITY CHECK!!!

What I have come to learn through many trials and tribulations over the last two years is that all marriages are hard and take work. Now add in kids. Now add in teenage kids. Now add in teenage kids who did not grow up together or even grow up similarly to each other. And so on and so on... Let me be the first to tell you that my Brady Bunch fantasy was short lived. Getting to know my husband's routines and behaviors so we could co-exist (remember I was single until 31) was tough enough, we also had to learn each others parenting styles. What were non-negotiables, what lines were too far to cross with each other's children. Whoa, you mean love is not all you need to make this work?! There are many times when not only are we not on the same page we aren't even in the same book, maybe not even the same library!

After two years of marriage I think it is safe to say we finally have found the same library, sometimes the same book and on those glorious rare occasions we end on the same page. Again, marriage is tough! Blending families, even tougher! People will tell you that there is no instruction book, that love doesn't conquer all. I will agree that the Brady Bunch is the Utopia of a blended family and not the reality, but there is hope. Love IS the foundation to keep your marriage and family strong these trying times. And if you don't believe me, there IS a book of instructions. Perhaps you have heard of it.. it's called the Bible. If there is anything that I have learned over the last few years or in my life it is that if you turn to the word of God all of life's instructions are there. You simply have to keep Him in the center and don't just talk when you pray, but listen too.

Today's Blessing: Though blending families is not always easy and there will always be bumps along the way, I have been blessed with a husband who I truly love and who shares my love of Christ. Although we may be in different books at times we both know that there is one book we can turn to and get back on the same page. Thank you Lord for your book of instructions.