Blended, Not Broken: Our Journey as a Married Couple with a Blended Family

By: Christopher (Chris) King

When we said, “I do,” we weren’t just vowing to love one another — we were also

making a lifelong commitment to love and lead a blended family. Blended families don’t always get the fairytale reputation they deserve. The truth is, the process of merging lives, routines, parenting styles, and emotional histories isn’t easy — but it *is* beautiful.

Learning Each Other’s Rhythms

When we first got married, it was a whirlwind of excitement and awkward

transitions. Camelia brought two children into the marriage, I had three, and

suddenly we were seven people trying to figure out how to become a family.

We had different traditions, bedtimes, favorite meals, and even different ideas of

what “family time” looked like. But the biggest shift came in our roles. I wasn’t

just becoming a husband — I was becoming a bonus dad. And Camelia wasn’t just a

wife — she was now part of someone else’s parenting story.

Love Doesn’t Happen Overnight — But Respect Can

We quickly learned that love in a blended family often grows in layers. You don’t

force it — you build it. What made the difference? Respect. From the start, we agreed to always back each other up, even when parenting got tough. And we made space for our kids to express their feelings, even when those feelings weren’t easy to hear.

Creating “Us” Moments

One of our biggest priorities has been intentionally creating memories that are

unique to *our* new family. Whether it’s routine meals, tv nights, or road trips that never go according to plan, these moments help shape our shared story. It’s not about replacing the past — it’s about building a new chapter, together.

Grace, Grace, and More Grace

There are days when someone feels left out. Days when one child is missing a

biological parent, and no amount of love from us can fill that space. On those days,

we remind ourselves that blended doesn’t mean broken — it just means different.

And “different” takes patience, flexibility, and loads of grace. We’re still learning. Still growing. Still figuring it out.

If You’re in a Blended Family Too...

To anyone reading this who’s navigating life in a blended family: we see you. We

know how complicated the calendar coordination, the custody expectations, and

the emotional balancing acts can be. But we also know the incredible strength it

takes to show up, again and again, for each other. You’re not alone — and you’re not doing it wrong. You’re just doing something real. So, here’s to second chances, bonus parents, and the beautifully imperfect art of blending love.