b"60 Ir eghKoonuesttr,oitusbeyemeMdylikSeteaphMeaodmachDe.iaNnonteoHnlyowwearmeayzoiungbringingasignificantotherintoyourfGI 'mlife,andalltheresponsibilitiesandupsanddownsthatwouldcomewiththat,butnowsuddenly Moyu'sdishtearvTeaarachainlddiInhyaovuerexlipfeeraisenwceeldl.tOhrrecehsitledpre-pna.rOenftvsairnioouusralgivees.s.DAelpletnhdreinegwoenrethdoifsfeeraegnets,youypeiogphlteh,aovfecomuisrsseed,aanldltahlelitrhfroeremwaetirveeayroeaurnsd.Yfoorudmififgerhetnhtaavmeomuinsstesdotfhtiemoep,paonrdtuthnirtoyutgohrdaiifsfeetrhenotsemchariltdsroefnoausrycohuilsdahwoofidt.sAannddaadsuslutclhiv,etsh.oTsheacth'siltdhreenlumckayofacthteanddrarwea.cBtumtuitcwhadsinff'etruennttillyItwhaansyinou'dplikyemonida-3d0asyt-htoat-dIasytabrtaesdis.toreallythinkaboutparenting,andmorespecifically,everythingthatm wentintobeingastep-parent.Andthosewerejustsomeofthebig,blunt,in-your-facewaysyourlifewouldchange.You'dalsohaveallthesubtleties.Exactlyhowfardoyouencroachuponthoseyounglives?Howmuchparentingdoyouactuallydo?Whenthere'satensemoment,howdoyounotmakethingsawkward?Eventhestandardintroductoryconversationyou'dhavewiththekidsfeelsawkward.IunderstandthatI'mnotyourparent.AndIjustwanttoletyouknowthatI'mnottryingtoreplaceyourparent.ButyourmotherandIreallyloveeachother.Nothanks.SothosewerethethoughtsIhadbackinmymid-30s,whenIfirsttriedtoputmyselfintheshoesofmystep-parents.It'saheckofalotofwork.There'salwayspotentialformomentsoffrustration,negativity,angst.Thethingis,Idon'tremembermanyofthosemomentsoccurringacrossthealmost40yearsthatDiannewasinourlives.Wehadalotoffunthroughoutourchildhoodswithherasourstepmom.TherewereweekendsinManhattan.WinterbreaksupstateorinVermont.SummersinOldForge.I'llputitsimply:Backthen,shewasalwaysjustDianne.Sheletusdoourthing.Shegaveusalltheroomweneededtogrowup.Shegoofedaroundwithus."