Our story is, well, unconventional—to say the least. Chris and I have actually known each other for a long time. We weren’t really friends in high school, but we had mutual friends who kept us in touch with each other’s lives over the years. Then in March 2021, Chris shot his shot—with a Facebook message, of all things. Classy, I know. Me, being the brat that I am, made him work for it for about a year before he finally decided we were dating. If you know anything about us, you know our kids are everything. That’s one of the biggest reasons I fell in love with him—he’s the most incredible dad to our boys. Many lunch dates later, I met Pat and Hay. Patton, the little lover boy he is, stole my heart in about five minutes. Hayden wasn’t far behind, but I could tell I’d have to earn his trust. A two-year-old didn’t scare me off, though. We’ve had our battles, but these days, Hay is my right-hand man. Kaydon was a whole different story for Chris. Not only did Kaydon have to get to know Chris—he also had to learn how to be a big brother. And he’s grown into the best one. We couldn’t be prouder of all our boys. Blending a family isn’t for the weak—but we made it. And it’s turned into this beautiful life that neither of us expected, but both of us are so incredibly grateful for.