Laura Petherbridge

A few years ago, my husband and I attended his son’s 40th birthday party. It’s hard to believe he was only 11 when Steve and I married. Now he is grown, with a wife and daughter of his own. His celebration prompted me to reminisce about the years that he, his older brother and I

“Laura, my husband hates my son,” stepmom Megan lamented. “I’m not exaggerating. It’s so obvious that even our friends and family notice,” she continued. “My spouse denies it and says I’m too easy on him and that I’m raising a ‘mama’s boy.’ But the tension and anger are real. “My child becomes so nervous and

In part 1 of this blog, I shared why I have chosen to relinquish the exhausting and tedious work of trying to be a warrior. It’s God’s job, not mine. Changing Roles and Ideas That is easier said than done, isn’t it? Especially for those of us who are strong-willed. Exactly what does it require

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series. Watch for Part 2, coming soon. Not long ago, a friend of mine was dying of cancer, which she had battled for many years. In one of her last Facebook posts, she stated how tired she was and that she was ready. Numerous people responded

Recently, at a stepmom event, I observed the large number of full-time stepmoms. These are women who have their stepkids full time, and mom is no longer in the picture. There are a variety of reasons why the numbers have significantly increased over the years. The most common are that mom is: —Coping with a

“My husband never even gets a call or a card from his kids on Father’s Day,” the stepmom shared. “He tries to pretend it doesn’t matter, but I know it hurts him. I get so angry with them, but there isn’t much I can do about it.” I wish I could say this is a

“Oh, Mom, the dress you bought for the wedding is gorgeous,” Jessica gushed. “The color is perfect; the blue makes your eyes sparkle. You look 10 pounds thinner. “But I’ve got some bad news,” she continued. “Dad’s new wife just bought the same dress for the wedding.” Pausing for a moment, the mom replied, “It’s

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” ―Corrie ten Boom Did you ever notice that when angels show up in the Bible, people get really scared? Poor Mary. She was shaking in her, uh, sandals when Gabriel showed up with baby news. Wouldn’t you think God would send a female angel

“My mom refuses to treat my stepchildren the same as her grandchildren,” the dad attending my stepfamily event lamented. “My wife is hurt and furious, and I don’t blame her. I’m caught in the middle between my parents and my spouse. I’m starting to dread the entire holiday season. “ After 26 years as a

“I feel bad for my kids and stepkids during the holidays,” Amber, a stepmom, explained. “They are shuffled between homes, unfamiliar traditions and stepfamily members. I can tell it’s stressful for them. I wish there was something I could do to make it easier.” Amber is one smart stepmom. She recognizes the complexities and tension