When a couple gets married, the focus is usually on their relationship exclusively. However, the real fact is that when two people get married, they are usually taking more than one new person into their lives.
One bride didn't want to pass up the opportunity to show that she was taking her vows seriously - not just to her husband-to-be, but to his son, his son's mother and step-father.
Co-parenting is something a lot of families find very difficult to manage, usually because adults have a hard time putting aside their petty differences for the sake of the kids. Like it or not, when you marry someone with kids, you're not just committing to a person; you're committing to a family.
Katie Hild knew this and wanted everyone to know that she understood what she was getting into.
Hild was marrying Jeremy, and the two exchanged their vows. But when she was done committing to Jeremy, she turned around because she had more business to attend to that day.
In the middle of the ceremony she stopped and turned to the guests. The bride then asked Casey and Tyler to stand up.
Casey and Jeremy have a son, named Landon, from a previous relationship. Casey is now married to Tyler, who is Landon's stepfather.
Jeremy, Casey and Tyler had been successfully co-parenting Landon, and Hild wanted them to all know that she was on board with the family.
Hild gave Casey and Tyler an emotional, impassioned speech. She thanked them for accepting her, and she vowed, "I promise to be an amazing mother to your son... I promise to respect, work, listen and communicate together as co-parents."
She promised to love them no matter what. "We are one family, always," she promised.
Whoever was filming the situation was moved to tears, as you can hear the sniffling from behind the camera. But Hild wasn't finished.
She then called Landon up to the altar. She knelt and gave her vows to Landon.
"I love you more than you will ever know," she said, noting that she'd loved watching him grow up in the past few years. "I'm so happy that I now officially get to be your bonus mommy."
"I promise to stand by you, listen to you and love you every day," she continued. "I promise to love daddy with all my heart, and to be a best friend to mommy and your daddy Tyler."
"We will be one big family that I promise you will have for the rest of your life. I love you so much," she concludes.
This got a big hug and kiss from Landon as even Jeremy broke down in tears. There didn't seem to be a dry eye in the house.
Successful co-parenting requires many of the ingredients Hild mentioned that day. It takes a lot of cooperation between adults, but if they’re able to put egos and hurt feelings aside, the children will be able to grow up feeling safe and loved by everyone involved.
It’s not just better for the children, either. It saves all adults involved a lot of headaches and heartaches, keeping the peace and allowing them all to embrace the joy of raising kids.
Source: Faith Tap
Photo: Love What Matters/Facebook
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