Being Included Feels Great

So, like I've said previously, I went to back to school night for the boy 2 weeks ago, so last night was back to school night for the *ahem* 7 year old. Yes. I have been calling her 6. But it's not my fault! Her dad said she was 6! From now on out, she will be 7K...lol. 2nd grade was way cute. We walked in, met the teacher whom I believe probably got her credentials when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and proceeded to admire all her 2nd grade art. All her little drawings and stories were cute. We got there before the ex, and she had this one that had 3 pictures, one of her swimming with someone, one of her camping and one of her just standing with 2 other figures under a rainbow. her story to go along with it was "I like going swimming with my mom" (What?! We both said, when the hell does she swim with her?! Later even ex said, I dunno, I really don't ever.) then "I like to camp with my dad and little sister" (Hmmmmpf, fine don't include me or Kyle) and "My family loves me because I get dressed" (huuuh?? none of us got this one.) So the ex gets there and we point out all the art/wall postings we've seen then sit. The ex sits in her seat, luckily there was an empty desk next to it which my fiance squeezed under and I sat in a chair next to him. I sighed, getting ready to endure more weird looks being the youngest there, and feeling bad because I want to volunteer and stuff like that but I just don't know what the etiquette is on that. Well anyways, the ex pulls out a notebook under all the pages where 7K had written a letter. and OMG OMG OMG GUESS WHAT IT SAID!?!! *clearing throat* verbatim. "Dear Mom and Dad and StepMom" I almost stood up and did a dance. This is my first reference from one of them as Stepmom. And in school no doubt! Where other people saw it! I'm not a secret! I thought maybe she would have written my name, but no, I got the pedestal of a pronoun. *yeeeesss!* I almost screamed HA! I DOOOO belong to this family! I. Am. Loved. I sat there with this huge huge huuuuge grin for the whole hour on cloud 9. C squeezed my arm and smiled a lot, knowing how good it made me feel to be included. All warm and fuzzy inside. :) I wanted to rip the page out and keep it. Hehe.

I found my place in this world. And it's right here with my family. I belong. I can't say how good that makes me feel, there are just no words to describe it.

Thank you everyone that has left comments, it's great to feel like people hear me and I'm not alone. I really really appreciate it!!!