1. ”Blended families are a beautiful mix of diverse people who each serve an important role in our lives. At times, it can be challenging to appreciate everyone’s unique beauty.” – Deana Keller La Rosa

2. “There will always be steps you can take toward unity in your blended family. You will make—one step at a time!” – Donna Houpe

3. “Becoming a blended family means mixing, mingling, scrambling, and sometimes muddling our way through delicate family issues, complicated relationships, and individual differences, hurts, and fears. But through it all, we are learning to love like a family.” – Tom Frydenger

4. “Families don’t have to match. You don’t have to look like someone else to love them.” – Leigh Anne Tuohy

5. “The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” – Richard Bach

6. “Family isn’t defined only by last names or by blood; it’s defined by commitment and by love. It means showing up when they need it most. It means having each other’s backs. It means choosing to love each other even on those days when you struggle to like each other. It means never giving up on each other!” – Dave Willis

7. “Bright families are just like bright colors; when you blend two, you get something beautiful!” – Anonymous

8. “We aren’t ‘step,’ we aren’t ‘half,’ we’re just family.” – Anonymous

9. “Live one day at a time, or one moment, if you have to. Blend little by little and celebrate even the smallest breakthrough.” – Andi Parker-Kimbrough

10. “Co-parenting is not a competition. It’s a collaboration of two homes working together with the best interest of the child at heart. Work for your kids, not against them.” – Anonymous

11. “Blended families, woven together by choice, strengthened together by love tested by everything and each uniquely ours.” – Anonymous

12. “By the grace of God, every blended family can become an opportunity to see His redeeming and restoring love at work.” – Debbie Alsdorf

13. “The blended family isn’t just an ordinary family times two. It’s a special kind of family with special needs.” – Maxine Marsolini

14. “Praying together as a family, unites the blended family.” – Anita Dunn

15. “Establishing living arrangements is an important part of setting up a blended family, and it plays a big role in how well your stepchildren will adapt to their new home life.” – Elizabeth Bryant

16. “Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” – Jane Howard

17. “The family is one of nature’s masterpieces.” – George Santayana

18. “Family means putting your arms around each other and being there.” – Barbara Bush

19. “Family is not defined by our genes, it is built and maintained through love.” – Anonymous

20. “Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.” – Brad Henry

21. “The most important thing in the world is family and love.” –

22. “The secret to blending families is—there is no secret. It’s scary, and awesome, and ragged, perfect, and always changing. Love and laugh hard; try again tomorrow.” – Mir Kamin

23. “When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses.” – Joyce Brothers

24. “All families are different and unique, but they all have one thing in common—love.” – Anonymous

25. “When trouble comes, it’s your family that supports you.” – Guy Lafleur

26. “The hardest thing about being a blended family is knowing when to fight and when to let it go.” – Anonymous

27. “It’s about prioritizing. Just take it one step at a time. Do the best you can. and I have two husbands—an ex-husband and a next husband. It’s a blended family and it’s very hard to keep things together, but we’re happy and we live in love.” – Kimora Lee Simmons

28. “Stop thinking that things are going to be perfect. It’s not going to happen. The kids will not get along all the time, the house will not always be quiet. You will not always hear ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ It isn’t realistic. What is realistic is taking stock of how incredibly lucky you are to have more children to love and to guide.” – Kellee Mulkerin-Ford

29. “In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.” –

30. “Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family.” – Anthony Brandt

31. “Don’t worry if you’re not an instant, happily-ever-after blended family. Expect to endure ‘I give up,’ days and rejoice in the ‘I can do this,’ days. It will take work, dedication, an excellent sense of humor, and strong resolve. But hey, since when has any family taken the easy route? Don’t do ‘easy,’ do ‘worth it!’” – Jessica James

32. “The first key to balancing your busy life and creating a peaceful environment for your blended family to thrive lies in defining your family values, first as a couple, then as a family.” – Kellye Laughery

33. “Do not easily give up or lose your patience when they do not show any enthusiasm, or when they show a negative attitude toward all your efforts to get to know them better.” – Matthew Massimo

34. “My advice to the newly blended family would be to spend some time alone with not only your biological kids but also the stepkids. Take time to make each child feel special.” – Anita Dunn

35. “A patchwork family needs extra effort and care, and even then there is no guarantee of happily ever after.” – Ariel Gore

36. “One of the most important things that parents need to do while planning a blended family, is to sit down and discuss their methods very openly and honestly with each other.” – Mary Johnson

37. “There is no such thing as a broken family. Family is family and is not determined by marriage certificates, divorce papers, and adoption documents. Families are made in the heart.” – C. Joybell C.

38. “You are facing one of the most important challenges of your life. Yet being a member of a blended family can be an exciting adventure for all concerned.” – Kathie M. Thomson

39. “Blood makes you related; love makes you family.” – Anonymous

40. “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy, for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves. We must die to one life before we can enter into another.” – Anatole France

41. “If the family were a boat, it would be a canoe that makes no progress, unless everyone paddles.” – Letty Cottin Pogrebin

42. “Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there, unless everybody gets there.” – Virginia Burden

43. “You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” – Desmond Tutu

44. “Give a little love to a child, and you get a great deal back.” – John Ruskin

45. “Family is family, whether it’s the one you start out with, the one you end up with, or the family you gain along the way.” – Anonymous

46. “Some families are created in different ways, but are still in every way a family.” – Anonymous

47. “The last names may not match, but the hearts certainly do.” – Anonymous

48. “Alone, you are strong, but together, you’ll be stronger than ever.” – Anonymous

49. “DNA doesn’t make a family—love does.” – Anonymous

50. “Blood doesn’t always make a parent; being a parent comes from the heart.” – Anonymous

51. “The love of a blended family never ends.” – Anonymous

52. “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.” – Beth Happiness

53. “In truth, a family is what you make it. It’s made strong not by the number of heads counted at the dinner table, but by the rituals you help create, the memories you share, the commitment of time, caring, and love you show to one another, and by the hopes you have for the future as individuals and as a unit.” – Marge Kennedy

54. “There is nothing so rewarding as bringing two families together and making it work.” – Anonymous

55. “Taking two families and blending them into one takes dedication and effort, but it will be one of the most rewarding undertakings of your life.” – Anonymous

56. “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” – Phil Jackson

57. “Blended families are stronger together than they are apart.” – Anonymous

58. “Anything is possible when you have the right people to support you.” – Misty Copeland

59. “Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and love you no matter what.” – Anonymous

60. “Your family is a circle of love, strength and love, with every birth and every union, the circle will grow. Every joy shared adds more love, every crisis faced together makes the circle stronger.” – Anonymous

61. “You have to take things slowly. Just because you love someone, doesn’t mean 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 they need; it will come.” – Kelly LeFurgey

62. “You were born with the ability to change someone’s life; don’t ever waste it.” – Anonymous

63. “There are so many beautiful reasons to be happy in a blended family.” – Anonymous

64. “Being a family means you are part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life.” – Lisa Weed

65. “Bringing two families together is never easy. But in the end, it’s more than worth it.” – Anonymous

66. “Govern a family as you would cook a small fish—very gently.” – Chinese Proverb

67. “Blended families are beautiful. Every member has their own color, but it’s only when you bring them together that you can see the rainbow.” – Anonymous

68. “The memories you make with your family are everything.” – Candace Cameron Bure

69. “Family, no matter what it looks like, is always filled with love.” – Anonymous

70. “Family is a unique gift that needs to be appreciated and treasured, even when they’re driving you crazy. As much as they make you mad, these are the people who know you the best and love you.” – Jenna Morasca

71. “Family is a lifejacket in the stormy sea of life.” – J.K. Rowling

72. “Think of your family today and every day thereafter. Don’t let the busy world of today keep you from showing how much you love and appreciate them.” – Josiah

73. “Be grateful for the home you have, knowing that at this moment, all you have is all you need.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach

74. “It doesn’t matter how big or small your family is; it matters how much love you’re willing to put into it.” – Anonymous

75. “Sticking with your family is what makes it a family.” – Mitch Albom

76. “Life feels complete when you’re together with your family.” – Anonymous

77. “The recipe for a unified family—three cups of love, one cup of empathy, one-fourth cup of patience, and one tablespoon of teamwork.” – Anonymous

78. “Being happy in your family is more important than being perfect.” – Anonymous

79. “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is a success.” –

80. “There’s not one right way to be a family and to me ours is just as it should be.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

81. “They call it a ‘stepfamily,’ because together we took a step in the right direction.” – Anonymous

82. “Blended families are the best project you’ll ever get to work on.” – Anonymous

83. “Remember, ‘This, too, shall pass.’ The good, the bad, the ugly—don’t get too attached to any one feeling. Also, use a chore chart, for the love of all that good in the world. Seriously, it changes everything.” – Raiye Rosado

84. “Family life contributes immensely to an individual’s happiness. Only in a happy home life can complete contentment be found.” – Dorothea S. Kopplin

85. “A family doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to be united.” – Anonymous

86. “No family is perfect. We argue, we fight. We even stop talking to each other at times. But in the end, your family is your family. The love will always be there.” – Anonymous

87. “Having somewhere to go is home. Having someone to love is family, and having both is a blessing.” – Anonymous

88. “Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” – Michael J. Fox

89. “It didn’t matter how big our house was; it mattered that there was love in it.” – Peter Buffett

90. “We had grown into one another somewhere along the way. We were officially a team.” – Shannon A. Thompson

91. “It takes a lot of work to put together a marriage; to put together a family and a home.” – Elizabeth Edwards

92. “The day I married you, I not only gained a new partner, but an incredible family.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

93. “I not only get to marry my best friend, but I also get to be a part of an amazing family.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

94. “Your family has accepted me and my children for who we are, and for that I am incredibly grateful.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

95. “I can’t wait to share in all the joys and sorrows that come our way. I know as a family, we can tackle anything together.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

96. “I never imagined myself being a part of a blended family, but now I can’t see myself being this happy any other way.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

97. “I’m filled with joy knowing that our marriage solidifies the union of not only our partnership, but our families coming together as one.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

98. “I never thought I’d be so lucky to marry into such an amazing family that now I’m a part of.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

99. “Together, we make a beautiful family.” – Anonymous

100. “Our union not only signifies our partnership, but our strong and resilient family unit.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

101. “For those of you that say, ‘This is not what I signed up for,’ remember that life is not built for your comfort. Life is built by lessons that test you, and push you with every possibility of either demolishing your foundation or reinforcing it!” – Jessica James

102. “I don’t believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at.” –

103. “The truth is that the way our exes, our partner’s exes, or even our stepkids see us isn’t always about us, it’s about them and their struggles, insecurities, fears or limitations. You don’t have to allow their judgment to become your truth.” – Danielle Koepke

104. “Stepparenting and being step-sibling presents a lot of exciting opportunities. When families break up and re-form, there may be less order, less certainty, and a bit more trauma involved, but kids can end up having half-a-dozen parent figures.” – Morris Gleitzman

105. “A family is a risky venture, because the greater the love, the greater the loss. That’s the trade-off, but I’ll take it all.” – Brad Pitt

106. “Behind a lot of great kids is a stepparent who stepped up, stepped in, and gave a shit.” – Anonymous

107. “Children can never have too many positive adult role models in their lives.” – Anonymous

108. “Stepparenting is like working at a late-night convenience store—all of the responsibility and none of the authority.” – Valerie J. Lewis Coleman

109. “One of the most important lessons our children have learned from divorces is that some things in life can come to an end, but that’s okay because something new is manifested. In our case, it’s a blended family that has respect, love, trust, authenticity, and a sense of fun.” – Jennifer Kessler

110. “Family is a struggle you’ll never regret working toward.” – Anonymous

111. “Every family is dysfunctional, whether you want to admit it or not.” – Shailene Woodley

112. “The informality of family life is a blessed condition that allows us all to become our best while looking our worst.” – Marge Kennedy

113. “Every family has a story to tell—blended families just have more chapters.” – Anonymous

114. “Having a close and caring family is a beautiful dream, but a dream without a plan isn’t worth a nickel. However, a dream with a workable plan may be worth a million bucks.” – Dr. Rich Melheim

115. “The relational process—be it the initial forming of the marital relationship, nurturing and guiding in the child-rearing years, building new family structures, or dealing with the end of life— involves the fundamental issues of forming unity while embracing each person’s distinctiveness.” – Jack O Balswick

116. “Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.” – Robert Fulghum

117. “Make a positive difference in your children’s lives. Act and speak about your co-parent with respect and integrity.” – Allison Pescosolido

118. “At the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child’s success is the positive involvement of the parents.” – Jane D. Hull

119. “Think of it as an important business project; you don’t always love the person that you’re working with, but you work together to get the project done. Co-parents need to adopt this same business model when co-parenting their children.” – Kela Price

120. “Remember you are not managing an inconvenience. You are raising a human being.” – Kittie Frantz

121. “When you tell a child you hate their other parent, you are telling them you hate half of who they are.” – Anonymous

122. “I’m very fortunate because we’re committed to co-parenting our children together.” – Elle Macpherson

123. “Your children need your presence more than your presents.” – Jesse Jackson

124. “Parenting isn’t an easy job, but one thing I know for sure is that it’s easy being your or dad.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

125. “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” –

126. “To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today.” – Barbara Johnson

127. “The best security blanket a child can have is parents who respect each other.” – Jane Blaustone

128. “Pick your battles with everyone, including yourself, remind yourself every day that you have been given another chance at love and cherish that opportunity.” – Jessica Warrick

129. “Divorce isn’t the child’s fault. Don’t say anything unkind about your ex to the child, because you’re really just hurting the child.” – Valerie Bertinelli

130. “If you’re struggling with your role, be kind to yourself and remember that stepparenting is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. Not because of any flaw of yours, but because that’s the nature of the role.” – Jenna Kori

131. “Nothing in the world feels more personal than from a child upon whom you have showered love and emotional energy. But it’s not about you. Really. Moms can brush off the rejection because they know that their children will be back on track the moment a new emotional or physical need arises. A stepmom’s first instinct is to blame herself and consider what it is she may have done to earn the treatment she received.” – Brenda Snyder 

132. “What I’m doing isn’t about me, it’s about the two little kids that my husband brought into my life. It is about them and making sure that they feel safe, happy, and supported.” – Rose Quinn

133. “The hardest thing is to be a stepmom. To love your husband’s kids even when their mother is teaching them to hate you.” – Anonymous

134. “When it feels as if you can’t do right by the other parent, do right by your stepchild instead. You’ll never fail with their best interest at heart.” – Jessica James

135. “A stepparent is so much more than just a parent. They made the choice to love when they didn’t have to.” – Anonymous

136. “I’m grateful that being a stepmom has taught me that there is no shame in admitting you don’t have it together all the time.” – Jamie Scrimgeour

137. “There is no such thing as a perfect parent. So just be a real one.” – Sue Atkins

138. “Stepparents are not around to replace a biological parent, rather to augment a child’s life experience.” – Azriel Johnson

139. “Being a stepmom means they grew inside of my heart instead of my tummy.” – Anonymous

140. “Don’t hate me because I’m their stepmom, appreciate that I love them and are good to them.” – Anonymous

141. “Any man can help make a child, but it takes a special man to help raise a child.” – Tony Gaskins

142. “Lookin’ back, all I can say about all the things he did for me is I hope I’m at least half the dad that he didn’t have to be.” – Brad Paisley

143. “As a stepparent, you should be more concerned with your child’s happiness than your petty insecurities and jealousies. Just a thought.” – Anonymous

144. “A doesn’t just marry his wife, he marries her entire situation. He has to find a balance between supporting her and defending her, without overstepping invisible boundaries that may exist.” – Anonymous

145. “A dad isn’t defined as the man who makes the child, but rather the man who raises and loves the child with all his heart through anything.” – Anonymous

146. “A second dad, even though you’re not my dad I know that you’ll be there with the little things you do you let me know you care. You’re always there to help, whatever the need may be you’ve given of yourself, and so unselfishly. Now you’re becoming the dad that I have never known. I’m drawn to you more every day for the kindness you have shown. I just want to thank you and let you know I care for a second dad as great as you is something very rare.” – Anonymous

147. “You were made with love; you are destined for greatness. This big old world can be a scary place; I hope you know that with your kind heart and fierce mind and brave spirit, you can do anything. Be bold, be crazy, be loud, be everything that you want to be, but always remember to be yourself.” – Anonymous

148. “You can rise from anything. You can completely recreate yourself. Nothing is permanent. You’re not stuck. You have choices. You can think of new thoughts. You can learn something new. You can create new habits. All that matters is that you decide today and never look back.” – Anonymous

149. “There’s something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – Winnie The Pooh

150. “My stepchild has opened up my heart completely.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

151. “I thought I couldn’t love any child as much as I love my own, until I met my stepchild.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

152. “Your stepchildren hold a special place in your heart.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

153. “My stepchildren have proved that parental love has nothing to do with biology.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

154. “My heart is filled with love for all of my children.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

155. “My stepchildren are my children.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

156. “My life changed for the better the minute I met my stepchildren.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

157. “Sibling relationships outlast marriages, survive the death of parents, resurface after quarrels that would sink any friendship. They flourish in a thousand incarnations of closeness and distance, warmth, loyalty and distrust.” – Erica E. Goode

158. “Why call us step-siblings, to me we’re sisters.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

159. “A step-sibling is one giant step in growing in life, together.” – Sally Painter

160. “Though not all of my brothers and sisters are related, the love I have for them sees no bounds.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

161. “The relationships between step-siblings are complex, messy, and beautifully wonderful.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

162. “Step-siblings go through ups and downs, but are there for each other through it all.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

163. “Step-siblings are siblings by choice.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

164. “You’re the sister I always wanted, and I’m so happy that we’re forever bonded as step siblings.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

165. “I always wanted a brother and I feel so lucky to have such an incredible stepbrother.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

166. “Although we haven’t known each other since birth, I know that my stepsister will always be there for me.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

167. “Even God made mistakes when he was handing out families. Ours got switched at birth and only now discovered we were meant to be together.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

168. “Instead of raising children who turn out okay despite their childhood, let’s raise children who turn out extraordinary because of their childhood.” – L.R. Knost

169. “No matter the word that comes before it, every family is still a family at the core.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

170. “I didn’t give you the gift of life, but life gave me the gift of you.” – Anonymous

171. “When you and your spouse are able to work together to come up with creative ways to encourage your blended family, it will show the children that you are a team, and it will strengthen the relationship between the two of you, as well.” – Elizabeth Bryant

172. “We all took one step back when life didn’t go as planned, but now we take all our steps forward together.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

173. “Home should be an anchor, a port in a storm, a refuge, a happy place in which to dwell, a place where we are loved and where we can love.” – Anonymous

174. “We started as separate, but now we’re together.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

175. “Families aren’t built on blood and genes; they stand on a foundation of commitment and care.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

176. “The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works, is the family.” – Lee Iacocca

177. “I didn’t necessarily want a new family, but I’m glad this one found me.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

178. “If you’re struggling with a stepchild relationship that’s on a downward spiral, don’t give up. God redeems relationships every day.” – Gayla Grace

179. “Let them know it is okay to love both their parents even though they are now divorced. They must not be made to feel guilty for doing so; it is their right.” – T.K. Oliver

180. “The family, that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish to.” – Dodie Smith

181. “A family portrait is only complete with love to fill its frame.” – Wes Fesler

182. “Your greatest contribution may not be something you do, but someone you raise.” – Anonymous

183. “I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better.” – George C. Lichtenberg

184. “Enjoy the little things in life, for one day, you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Brault

185. “Divorce isn’t such a tragedy. A tragedy’s staying in an unhappy marriage, teaching your children the wrong things about love. Nobody ever died of divorce.” – Jennifer Weiner

186. “Be the kind of person you needed when you were younger.” – Anonymous

187. “Of course, there’s no formula for success except, perhaps, an unconditional acceptance of life and what it brings.” – Arthur Rubinstein

188. “A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” –

189. “We still encounter many examples of dual living on a daily basis—elderly relatives living with their children, grown-up kids still living with their parents, siblings living together in roommate-type arrangements, multi-generational family units move in together, usually for the purposes of cutting down on the cost of living and providing social support to each other.” – Justine Drejer

190. “One of the most powerful things you can do to make your blended family victorious is to learn how to release unrealistic expectations.” – Kellye Laughery

191. “The dynamics of a traditional family don’t even come close to the complications that stepfamilies face.” – Gayla Grace

192. “Children in blended families also tend to be more open to compromising and better able to negotiate in a meaningful and collaborative way.” – Matthew Massimo

193. “You know you’re in a blended family when your time is no longer your own, and you’re dancing around calendar dates to make everyone happy.” – Debbie Alsdorf

194. “It takes a strong man to accept somebody else’s children and step up to the plate another man left on the table.” – Ray Johnson

195. “To me being a part of a stepfamily means more love, more support, and more laughter.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

196. “All mothers are who have given life. And all stepmothers are warriors who can change a life.” – Anonymous

197. “Learning how to adjust to joining our two families together was intimidating at first, but now I can’t imagine my life any other way.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

198. “Joining our two families together was the best decision I’ve ever made.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

199. “Two families have the potential to create one incredible, big, loving family.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

200. “We’re so lucky that our families just click and seem to fit together perfectly.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

201. “It can be scary to join two families together, but the love only multiplies.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

202. “Who would have thought that joining our two families together would make one perfect family?” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

203. “To create a stepfamily you have to be apartmental; a part mental!” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

204. “Safety warning; watch your stepfamily!” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

205. “Step into our family and see what the good crazy is all about!” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

206. “Some days we’re a step down, but most days we’re a step up!” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

207. “We combined our two families to make one mega, magical, super-strong, ultra powerful family.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

208. “Why have one family when you can have two!” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

209. “Stepfamilies are like a belt; some days you have to take them in, while other days you need to let them out.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

210. “Having step-siblings means double the wardrobe and double the toys!” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

211. “Having a stepfamily means there are more siblings to blame when I make a mess!” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

212. “It would take too long to explain how we’re all technically related, but it only takes one word to sum it up—family.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

213. “Some may not understand our blended family, but to me it’s pure bliss.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

214. “Our children are only ever lent to us. We never know just how long we will be able to keep them for. So kiss them, cuddle them, praise them and hold them tightly. But most of all, tell them you love them everyday.” – Anonymous

215. “Just like stepfamilies, there’s a reason you’re supposed to keep the lid on when blending, so all the ingredients don’t come flying out at once!” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

216. “Who cares if another woman or man loves your child, plays with your child, or builds a healthy relationship with your child—either way your child is benefiting. Did you read that? Your child is benefitting. That’s what’s important—nothing else.” – Jessica James

217. “Family, people in your life who are close to your heart, who bring out the best in you, who laugh, celebrate, and dream with you, who love you infinitely.” – Anonymous

218. “When two families combine, they create a new definition of love.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

219. “Things I’ve learned; to live life with no regrets for my choices, and to learn from the mistakes I’ve made. To wake up with a smile on my face, and sleep with a prayer of thanks on my lips. To cherish my family, and say ‘I love you’ often. To laugh until my belly hurts, with friends who’ll still be there when I cry. To discover my passions and focus my life on those things. To have faith that this good life is only the precursor.” – Anonymous

220. “You wouldn’t use a forceful effort to create something delicate, so don’t try blending families with one either.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

221. “Being in a blended family means there’s a lot of extra love to go around.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

222. “Our blended family is unique, silly, and filled with lots of love.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

223. “We weren’t with each other from the start, but if you met us, you’d think we had been together all along.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

224. “Blending a family isn’t about making everything the same, it’s about mixing two things to make something new.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

225. “Like a delicious smoothie, we’re blended to perfection!” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

226. “Blended or stepfamily? To me we’re just family plain and simple.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

227. “I married and she brought these two amazing kids into my life, and we were realizing, God there’s nothing out there in fiction about blended families.” – Jeff Probst

228. “In math one plus one equals two, in families one plus one equals too.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

229. “Yeah, we’re family. Psychotic, bizarre and a hodgepodge of personalities that should probably never be blended, but here we are.” – Sherrilyn Kenyon

230. “I can’t believe how lucky I am to have such a loving blended family.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

231. “Each child is an adventure into a better life, an opportunity to change the old pattern and make it new.” – Hubert H. Humphrey

232. “I wish we had joined our families sooner, but I’m grateful for all the moments we’ll share in our future together.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

233. “Family is what happens when two people fall in love!” – Anonymous

234. “Our family is beautifully blended together.” – Anonymous

235. “Family is family.” – Linda Linney

236. “Our family is just the right mix of chaos and love!” – Anonymous

237. “Recipe for a perfectly blended family: Combine two families and traditions, enfold in love, stir in a heaping measure of crazy schedules, add feelings and strain, chill with patience and respect, mix in honest communication, pour on fun and new experiences, and whip together until ‘his’ and hers’ become ‘ours.’ Yield; one new, strong blended family!” – Anonymous

238. “I wish we had joined our families sooner, but I’m grateful for all the moments we’ll share in our future together.” – Michele Meleen and Gabrielle Applebury

239. “Love is—you, me, them, us.” – Anonymous