[blparent] Blending Families, any advice?

[Gabe Vega]

Good Morning All:

For a wile Katie and I would at times write back and forth, resulting in us agreeing or at times not agreeing by a long shot.  At one point Katie and I disagreed so badly I completely  wrote her offas a winy self-entitled blindy and wanted nothing to do with that sort of person both on or off this list. but oh how that was going to change. :-)

There was a point on this list where I explained that I was a mac computer trainer/consultant and Katie wrote me off list for a little bit of help. so I invited her to call me and I would see if I could answer any of her questions.

We began to talk through e-mail and then moved on to the phone.  Recently we met in person and things went so well we are now engaged.

If it hadn't been for this list I would of never met such an amazing woman.  I will be forever thankful to this list for giving me a blind professional focused woman employed in the blindness rehabilitation field, who is caring, loving to me, and the strong independent woman I want by my side.  This would not of happened with out my joining this list and now I am eager for tips on how Katie and I can blend our families.

You see, Katie's two children  will be relocating to be with me and my 3 children.  My oldest daughter, age 11 is still dealing with the abandonment of her mother (going on about 3 years now) since about September 2009 and though is open to having a relationship with Katie, I am interested in what I should expect my child to go through as her and Katie learn about each other and begin to interact as a child and step parent.  I am confident things will be Ok between my Daughter and Katie's older child Ashly, though some what to expect when children get use to being step siblings would be helpful.

I want to thank the NFB blind parents list for opening a door for a single Blind Father to meat such an amazing Single Blind Mother.  This would of never happened if Katie and I never joined this list,.

Again, Thank you.
Gabe Vega  and Katie McEachern