First, I wanted to say thank you to all stepparents out there. On behalf of all stepchildren, thank you for stepping up and trying to fulfill a newly empty spot. Thank you for doing your best to make us feel like your own kids. Thank you for trying to make an already awkward situation a little less awkward. Thank you for becoming my parents' new partner. I'm not sure if they would be able to be alone and take care of themselves at this point.

I know that you know that this whole stepparent thing is still very new and very awkward for me. I'm almost 20-years-old and my parents were together for about 18 of those years. My parents together was the only thing I knew and it was the only constant thing in my life up until a little bit ago. Growing up, I never thought that I would ever become a child of divorce. I grew up with both parents in my life and what seemed to be a happy family. My parents even made it seem like we would never be a family of divorce and enforced that all the time. They claimed that it's not the Christian thing to do and that it would never happen. They lied.

I had a lot of friends with parents who divorced while they were still young and the parents that they knew more of were their stepparents and they didn't really think much of that. Having their stepparents is what they knew and what they were used to. They grew up with their stepparents. But that's where it's a little different for me and other kids whose parents divorced later in life. Our parents didn't split up until we were adults. We don't have the same issues as a young kid whose parents split up.

You guys are kind of like strangers to us. I've only known you for a few months or so. It is so weird to have people that you don't really know live in your house. And since I'm older nothing was really talked about about with me. It was more like "this is what's happening and this is my new partner and we now live together and you're expected to be okay with this because you're an adult now." I'm also in college so I don't live at home anymore so I had no idea my mom and dad were even living with new people until I went back home for Winter break. What a surprise that was.

My whole life I have only had 1 younger sister. Now, I have 2 stepbrothers, 1 stepsister, and 1 biological sister. That's 4 siblings! For 12 years, I only had 1 sibling. It's really different having to share things with this many people who I also don't really know. So I apologize if I seem stingy or like I don't know how to share. I'm just used to getting what I want and not having to share much. I've also had my own space my whole entire life so now it's just really weird to not have that anymore.

Overnight, it seemed like everything just changed. Everything I thought I knew isn't true. In the blink of an eye, my whole life was 100 percent different. I'm sorry if I come off as rude or disrespectful. I really don't mean to. This is all just so strange to me still. It probably is for you too.

A lot of things still make me pretty uncomfortable and it probably makes all kids with newly divorced parents pretty uncomfortable as well. Affection. Yes, affection. Especially public displays of affection. I know that you guys love my mom and dad but it's really odd to see you kissing and hanging all over them when just a few months ago my mom and dad were doing that with each other. I think it's too soon. And honestly, I kind of think it's a little disrespectful too. All I ask is that you guys take it down a notch. That's all.

All in all, you are very appreciated. My parents deserve to be happy and loved and you guys really take care of them. Thank you for being there for them. Thank you for being there for my little sister and me. Thank you for everything you will do for our family.