Meet the kids

Mike has 3 kids, as i've written about. They have taken over the bedroom, and all 3 sleep in the same bed. Normally not a problem for kids, except they're teenagers.

Brandy just turned 13, is innocent as a white rose (now) and loves stuffed animals. She has shoulder length hair, which she clips to the side with a little butterfly that matches the color of whatever outfit she is wearing. She is also a skateboarder, so she carries a board with her most places. We bonded pretty quick, and she is a sweetheart. She is "Daddy's little girl", and is deciding if she wants to live with us full time.

Nathan is 15- we have full custody of him. He broke up with his "girlfriend" (A myspace girl that lives 1800 miles away) and when his sisters leave, it will break his heart. He is a sweetheart that jokingly calls me mom, but when we are alone, he tells me he hasn't seen his dad so happy in a long time, and he gave me his blessings to marry Mike. He's the kind of kid that i'll be proud to introduce as family.

Michelle. Michelle is 18, old enough to remember all the stuff her mother has pulled, old enough to remember the pain and the fighting. She sees her dad is happy, but i still get a sense of... not dislike, but hesitation. I'm not pushing to get close to her, just baby steps. We have more in common than Nate or Brandy, but i know she will be the one her mother pegs with questions about me. We have already been told by Nate and Brandy that Lena saw me at the graduation and flipped out.

Brandy wakes up every morning about 8 or 9 and takes a shower, cleans up her side of the room and comes to cuddle with Mike and I. Yesterday i tried to give them some alone time, and got up to clean the kitchen. She came to help me! Mike made a joke about helping mommy in the kitchen and i caught Brandy smiling. I hope she's happy and decides to stay here, she's a good kid.

Nate does the boy chores. He takes the garbage out, carries the laundry basket down for us, and walks the dog. But this is where typical teenage stereotype kicks in. We have to nag nag nag, and he does the bare minimum even at that point. But i cut him slack cause i do love him, and i can't be tough on him.

Michelle on the other hand... will spend all day alone on her computer, so absorbed she will forget to eat. (See? So much in common!) She will be here alone all day, and not feed herself, the cat or the dog. She wont do dishes, wont bring her dishes out from the bedroom (If it wasn't for Brandy bringing them out, they'd stay in there, i'm sure), wont seperate her laundry, wont make the bed, nada. I could go on and on, but whats the point? She is going back in august, because she won a scholership to Yakima Valley Community College. I would like to bind with her, but i dont see it happening.