Meet Rachel And Scott’s Family
“Pick your battles. I so badly wanted everything to be perfect but perfect is not realistic. When one of your kids wants to dress like Nacho Libre for a year, just let him.There are bigger battles ahead that will need your energy, and the small stuff isn’t worth fretting over.”
Read Rachel and Scott’s full Blended Family Friday profile.
Rachel Pross
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Meet Brynn And Michael’s Family
Brynn B.
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Meet Kacy And Glen’s Family
Leah Jennings
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Meet Kate’s Family
“One of my favorite little things is when people mistake me for being my stepmother’s biological daughter. It happens pretty often, and it puts a big smile on my face every time. I love feeling like her one and only!”
Read Kate’s full Blended Family Friday profile.
Kate Fisher
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Meet Stephannie And Troy’s Family
Stephanie Stephens
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Meet Lisa And Jeremy’s Family
Lisa Liggins-Chambers
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Meet Jackie And Aaron’s Family
Jackie McDonald/Eye Candy by Candace
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Meet Lori And Kristen’s Family
“It’s been a learning opportunity, though. We get to show my girls that love really is the only thing that makes a family a family. They are able to see that all families are different, but that love is the one thing they have in common.”
Read Lori and Kristen’s full Blended Family Friday profile.
Lori Gomez
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Meet Felicia And Henry’s Family
“To be honest, I never wanted to have kids of my own. But I knew what I was getting into before marrying Henry. I knew what my life would entail once I married him. I recognized that if you love the man, you have to love the kids. And I do.”
Read Felicia and Henry’s full Blended Family Friday profile.
Felicia Campos
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Meet Veronica And Martin’s Family
Photos by Adam Heimerman
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Meet Brenda And Gil’s Family
“Out of survival, you really learn to be flexible, otherwise you will snap! In a lot of ways, it forces you to grow up — and I’m talking about the adults here. If your previous relationship or marriage was not good, you get the chance to model a loving and healthy relationship now for the kids.”
Read Brenda and Gil’s full Blended Family Friday profile.
Brenda Stuart
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Meet Kristen And Dave’s Family
“You and your spouse need to be on the same page as parents. My husband and I have an agreement that I discipline my children and he disciplines his. If one of us isn’t home, we diffuse the situation, but the bio-parent handles the discipline later.”
Read Kristen and Dave’s full Blended Family Friday profile.
Kristen Thompson
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Meet Vanessa And James’ Family
“Be supportive, yet insist that everyone follow the same rules at your house. Align yourself with your spouse, always, and not your children. They will one day leave and start a life of their own, but your spouse is going to be there to wipe your mouth when you’re old.”
Read Vanessa and James’ full Blended Family Friday profile.
Vanessa Lacey
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Meet Craig And Lisa’s Family
“Sit down and talk about what your core values are with your partner, and also what you will absolutely not tolerate as parents and as partners. By clearly defining your boundaries and ensuring everyone understands what those are, each family member will travel on a path that works for them as well as the family as a whole.”
Read Craig and Lisa’s full Blended Family Friday profile.
Craig Hurda
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Meet Kama And Tom’s Family
“You have to be patient. Changing any family dynamic takes time. There’s no special “fix” that will take the place of time to heal wounds. But I would also say that, as time goes by, it’s so important to be consciously looking for ways to make peace and for ways to connect ”
Read Read Kama and Tom’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Joel Weiss
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Meet Jodi And Robbi’s Family
“Keep your expectations realistic — remember that everyone is learning in the process, including you. Choose your battles wisely. It’s OK to seek out guidance and support when you need to. Nobody is going to learn everything about being a peaceful blended family all at once.”
Read Jodi and Robbi’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Jodi Green
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Meet Matt And Ashley’s Family
“Find a way to let go of the things that ended your previous marriage. The quicker you can find a way to work with the other parent, the happier everyone will be. Coming to the realization that you will not always get what you want is difficult, but essential, in order to move forward.”
Read Matt and Ashley’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Kevin Meador, Open Shutter Photography
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Meet Joel And Julie’s Family
Ashley Bremer Photography
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Meet Jen And Warren’s Family
“Peace in a blended family starts with the parents’ marriage. A blended family gives divorced parents a second chance for healthy, fulfilling marriages. Your marriage is your opportunity to cultivate a framework and an expectation for how your children and stepchildren should treat one another and others outside the family.”
Read Jen and Warren’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Jen Simmons
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Meet Shelley, Kimberly And Jill’s Family
“It was important that we all came together for the love of our children and so our kids can depend on all of us at any given time. It’s truly an extraordinary friendship -– we gather happily together on holidays, vacations or just a casual dinner or movie. There is no denying we all have a good time together. It’s more than friendship -– it’s family.”
Read Shelley, Kimberly and Jill’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Shelley Wetton
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Meet Jennifer And Jason’s Family
“One of the most important lessons our children have learned from our divorces is that some things in life can come to an end, but that’s OK because something new is manifested. In our case, it’s a blended family that has respect, love, trust, authenticity and a sense of fun.”
Read Jennifer and Jason’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Jennifer Kessler and Thompson Image
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Meet Prentiss And Angels’ Families
“Pride, ego, jealousy, and anger are not your allies in a blended family. Focus on what’s best for your children and find a way to build that bridge. It was hard for us to invest in each other years ago, but that investment is and will continue to pay dividends until our time is up.”
Read Prentiss and Angels’ full Blended Family Friday profile
Prentiss Earl
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Meet Miko and Maddy’s Family
“The key thing to success is to remember to focus on your marriage first. This weekend we did a date night, leaving the kids with their other parents. We also have to remember to focus on the needs of the children, even to our own detriment. We try to address anything they need — they didn’t ask to be put in this situation and shouldn’t suffer from it.”
Read Miko and Maddy’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Miko
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Meet Kellee And Kurt’s Family
“Our kids learn from each other. They stick up for each other. Our kids are more bonded and are better friends than some blood siblings! We have great kids. Sometimes it is hard to see that through messy rooms or the rolling eyes of teens, but we are damn lucky with our herd.”
Read Kurt and Kellee’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Kellee Mulkerin-Ford
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Meet Mia And Brian’s Family
“The marriage sets the tone for the family. The marriage is the foundation of the family’s happiness. When the parents are happy, the kids are happy. It’s also important to focus on what’s really important, which is your family and your future together. Don’t get lost in small details and worthless battles.”
Read Mia and Brian’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Sam Clark Photography
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Meet Janice And Joe’s Family
“We represent the best of the modern family. No one benefits from staying in a bad marriage just for the kids. Divorce happens. I come from a divorced family, so it killed me to get divorced. If anything, that was the blueprint for what not to do. You have to put the kids first and make sure they are taken care of. ”
Read Janice and Joe’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Janice Bissell
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Meet Jessica And Michael’s Family
“Moments of craziness are quickly replaced with hugs, kisses, pillow fights and movie nights. The feeling of defeat gets knocked to the back-burner by feelings of more love than you ever dreamed possible. Pick your battles with everyone, including yourself.”
Read Jessica and Michael’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Photo by Amanda Evans
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Mindy And Crystals’ Families
“I find it interesting when I hear other parents speaking of the battles they are fighting with their exes or baby mamas. I always tell each of them the same thing: give it a little time, stop arguing over petty things, take a step back and do what’s best for the kids.”
Read Mindy and Crystals’ full Blended Family Friday profile
Mindy Plymale
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Meet Andrea, Austin, Kelley And Chris’ Family
3One7 Photography
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Meet Tim And Carrie’s Family
“The best thing is to watch our family grow together spiritually, physically and mentally. I have witnessed God’s love, reconciliation and grace through the addition of family members on Carrie’s side. It’s really cool to see how God weaves his people together to show love.”
Read Tim and Carrie’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Todd Melloh
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Meet Christine And Zeus’ Family
“Things start to get out of control or just aren’t going the way you had planned, be patient. Transition takes time. Zeus and I started seeing a marriage counselor before we were married to help us make sure we were doing things right for our family. This isn’t for everyone but it helped us.”
Read Christine and Zeus’ full Blended Family Friday profile
Christine Kerravala
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Meet Erica and Ashleys’ Families
“Get your priorities straight! You say you’d do anything for your kids — then do it! Find your happy medium and make the most out of the situation you are in, that you helped create. We’ve learned that it really takes less time to work things out than to fight.”
Read Erica and Ashleys’ full Blended Family Friday profile
Erica Surman
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Meet Nia And Max’s Family
Odyssey Patton Photography
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Meet April And Justin’s Family
April Ritter
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Meet Laurie And Bill’s Family
“The proudest part for me is watching my kids, biological or not, become brothers. It has been amazing to watch how all of our relationships have changed and grown. My husband and I have had to learn to be the same parent to our own kids as well as our step children. And our kids relationships have grown from ‘tolerate’ to ‘fondly tolerate.'”
Read Laurie and Bill’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Laurie Finn
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Meet Gwen And Ricky’s Family
Gwen Rouse
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Meet Satara And Jake’s Family
“The best part (and the hardest sometimes) is that we both choose to love each other and each other’s kids unconditionally. Kids (and adults) can’t have enough people who love them without condition, so being blended is more unconditional love and security all around.”
Read Satara and Jake’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Gene Gullekson
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Meet Valerie And Joe’s Family
“When we talk about ‘our family’ with the kids, we include everyone — my children’s father, his wife and their daughter; my bonus kids’ mother; and all the grandparents and aunts and uncles on all sides. We like to focus on the fact that our family is still OUR FAMILY –- we just look different now.”
Read Valerie and Joe’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Valerie DeLoach
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Meet Amy And Tim’s Family
Amy Arndt
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Meet Josette’s Family
Josette Wedge
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Meet Jesika And Jeff’s Family
“The reality is, no matter how prepared you are, no matter how many books you read or how many experts you consult, there is no magic to this. It’s hard work. It’s dedication. It’s being the one true home that is safe, sound, and trustworthy. Divorce is so horrible, destabilizing, and scary. And we’ve learned that the only thing we can do in response is make our home safe, secure and loving.”
Read Jesika and Jeff’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Kate Correia
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Meet Kelly And Todd’s Family
“Love for your partner’s children isn’t automatic. Just because you love someone doesn’t mean that you’re going to automatically love their children. All relationships take time to grow and develop. Be willing to give everyone the time and space that they need. It will come.”
Read Kelly and Todd’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Tammi Hayne Photography
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Meet Wendy And George’s Family
Jenae Neeson
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Meet Rochelle And Philip’s Family
“The best part of being a blended family is that you have a bond with another partial nuclear family who shares your pain of going through a divorce and you just get each other. You grow to love each other and over time you heal and start to feel like a whole family again.”
Read Rochelle and Philip’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Rochelle Roos Ekman
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Meet Justin’s Family
“When my stepdad and I went out to gather wood, we would talk about everything from school and sports, to girls and manhood. He also let me drive the truck, which was one of my first experiences behind the wheel. At the time I hated going out in the cold and gathering wood, but looking back on it now, I would not have traded it for anything. I would not be where I am now without my stepdad.”
Read Justin’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Justin Satzman
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Meet Beth And Dominic’s Family
“We are happy overall, but still struggle on many day-to-day issues. My only advice would be to remember why you chose to come together in the first place — the love that you have for your partner. Your partner’s children are an extension of them and this makes them just as important to your happiness.”
Read Beth and Dominic’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Beth Huber
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Meet Raiye And Tobias’s Family
Debra Mae Photography
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Meet Andi And JD’s Family
“Some of our kids have all their parents looking out for their best interests, and some of our kids have a biological father or mother who gives them no emotional or financial support. Everyone comes from a different place, and carries different hurts. Our job as their parents is to love them through all of that, and to provide consistent boundaries no matter what.”
Read Andi and JD’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Amanda Gross
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Meet Kate And Chad’s Family
“The love is the best part. There is so much love in our family; it is breathtaking. Holding the love of a child that you did not create is an amazing thing to experience. Both of us agree we could not love each other’s biological children more. ”
Read Kate and Chad’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Jennifer Tucker
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Meet Pam, Mac And Tony’s Family
“I’m proud that we all made a conscious effort to put our differences aside, forgive what happened in the past and commit to raising a child who feels ‘whole.’ It has never been about what I want or what he wants as much as what is best for our daughter.”
Read Pam, Mac and Tony’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Pam Lilley
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Meet Matt And Nicole’s Family
“It takes a lot of work but it’s worth it. Every hug proves you are doing something right! Every laugh shows there is joy in the family. And every time someone wants to hold your hand or sit with you on the couch, you are building your connection to each other.”
Read Matt and Nicole’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Nicole August
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Meg And Jeritt’s Family
“The ‘blending’ will test the bounds of your compassion, but you want to come out of this feeling like you did the very best that you could. You are helping the children to write the story of their lives. You want it to be as positive as possible.”
Read Meg and Jeritt’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Megan Robbins Photography
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Meet Clarissa, Keith And Rick’s Family
“My advice would be to take a few steps back, try to think outside of the box and look at the potential for minimal drama and maximum happiness for your family, especially for the children involved. Sometimes you need to look past yourself, and be very selfless.”
Read Clarissa, Keith and Rick’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Clarissa Laskey
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Meet Ivy Lifton’s Family
“If you can envision two trees so close together that their trunks and branches touch one another, you will see the connection but still see two trees. Blended families are like the two trees. The outside world sees two trees while the family strives to make it one by intertwining the roots, by nurturing it.”
Read Ivy Lifton’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Ivy Lifton
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Meet Michele And Barry’s Family
Sharon Quigley
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Meet Katie And Kurt’s Family
Katie Price
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Meet Kara And Richard’s Family
“Give it time! We have only recently arrived at a place where we all feel secure in our role in our family but it took years, tears and lots of flexibility. It might take one family a few months to have the wrinkles ironed out or it might take years.”
Read Meet Kara and Richard’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Kara Masi
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Meet Harriet And Joe’s Family
“When Joe and I first blended our family, our six kids were our number-one priority. Treating our kids like individuals and not as a ‘herd,’ as we called it, was a key component to making each of our kids feel special and feel like an important part of the family, which they were.”
Read Harriet and Joe’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Harriet Shaughnessy
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Meet Chelsea And Jeremy’s Family
Chelsea Flowers
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Meet Maureen And Tom’s Family
Maureen Turner
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Meet Stacee’s Family
“Both of my dad’s exes and all the kids lived under one roof. My brothers and I were raised as siblings — not half siblings but just siblings — and we had two moms (although Goonie and Mikey call my mom auntie). On the weekends, dad only had to make one stop to pick up all his kids!”
Read Stacee’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Stacee
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Meet Anessa And Keith’s Family
Anessa Staple
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Meet Wendy And Arlando’s Family
“Our children are all grown and out on their own, but when we get together there is no greater feeling. Sitting around a table and watching our adult children interact with each other is the best part of having a blended family. They look out for each other; in fact, sometimes we joke that they know more about each other than we do.”
Read Wendy and Arlando’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Wendy Gudalewicz
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Meet Samara And Jeff’s Family
“My stepkids have realized over the years how blessed they are to have a family situation where there is peace between their parents, where we all live within the same community and school district and where there is genuine love for all of the kids.”
Read Samara and Jeff’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Samara Postuma
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Meet Susan And Peter’s Family
Susan Hamilton
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Meet Amy And Eric’s Family
“Think of a blended family as being made or ‘cooked’ in a crock pot, not a pressure cooker. Each person has to find their comfort level and will do so on their own time. Be willing to give your biological children your blessing to love their other parent and spouse.”
Read Amy and Eric’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Chris Hultner/Hultner Photography
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Meet Mimi And Stu’s Family
“My advice to anyone working on blending a family is to always put the child first. Never, ever, say a negative word about your ex in front of your child. Be flexible and patient. It takes time. Always remember when the kids are acting out it’s because they are hurting. Take a deep breath and think of a way to lift them up.”
Read Mimi and Stu’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Mimi Hirstein
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Meet Valerie And Brandon’s Family
Picture People
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Meet Jen And Ryan’s Family
“The best thing about being a part of a blended family is being able to show the children what a real, loving marriage and family looks like … The lessons that they learn though the adjustment and the tough times are good ones. They see that two people who love each other can weather the storm of life and stay together.”
Read Jen and Ryan’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Ryan Morrow
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Meet Nicole And Nick’s Family
“Let kids be kids. Don’t expect too much of them. Don’t push new family members on each other but work hard to find in each a common interest and build on it. Our two girls bonded over the new ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ series and spent hours collecting gear and acting out each of the characters.”
Read Nicole and Nick’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Portland Photo Studios
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Meet Crissy And Jimmy’s Family
“We feel fortunate to show [our kids] what a healthy, loving partnership looks like. No one goes into marriage thinking they will be divorced one day. It is even more painful when there are children involved. The best thing, we believe, we could do is show our children that it is possible to be in a loving, stable relationship built on mutual trust and respect.”
Read Crissy and Jimmy’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Crissy Mombela
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Meet Karen And Shawn’s Family
“Every blended family has a different make-up of people and personalities and paths they have to take to arrive at the door to success. I’ve chosen to take one day, (and sometimes one glass of wine) at a time and here we are six years later.”
Read Karen and Shawn’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Karen Coover
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Meet Elizabeth And Donald’s Family
“We are proudest of the fact that we are a family — blended or not. When one has an event (swimming, lacrosse, dance, band) we all show up. It’s not always possible to be everywhere for everything, but we show up for each other and everyone knows they are important.”
Read Elizabeth and Donald’s full Blended Family Friday profile
Elizabeth Denham
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