Hello. I am new to this forum.

I have been a step-mom now for a little over 8 months. I am 23 and have 2 wonderful stepsons, aged 4 & 1/2 and 1 & 1/2.

Their father has given me full parenting rights (choices, discipline, etc) over then because he is kind of clueless and they seem to walk on him and he is unsure how to enforce rules, but they have changed so much since I have implemented them, and they listen to me, and they have told me that I am very "fair" and they understand why they sometimes get punished.

Me and their father are engaged, and are going to be moving in together next month.

I am already basically living with them, and I do full-time step parenting anyways, we are just actually making it official next month.

Their bio mom has no custody and no visitation rights due to abuse and neglect.

I was terrified coming into this relationship that maybe the children wouldn't like me or that they wouldn't accept me, and I was scared that things would end badly or something like that, but now I have not a single doubt in my mind.

My stepsons love me, and I love them. And we remember to remind each other with every chance we get.

They have both grown so much in the past 8 months I've been with them. Not just physically, but emotionally as well.

I remember back to when I first met two little terrified boys, hiding behind their father's legs, unsure of what the future would bring. Unsure of if I'd stay, or just disappear, exactly like their biomom did.

And all of those nights I spent reading to them, singing them to sleep, running up and down the hallway playing "good guy, bad guy", making paper airplanes, chasing seagulls at the park, introducing them to arts and creativity, going on long day trips with them alone while their dad was at work, watching them fall asleep in my arms, hearing them tell me that they love me, etc.

Life is perfect with them, and perfect with their father. I wouldn't change it for the world.

It has been SO rewarding to me. I have been much more of a positive and happy person than I have ever been, and I know that at the end of the day, no matter what I do, or what mistakes I have made, that those 2 little boys and their father will love me regardless..

And since we are moving in together next month, the next chapter of our lives is only beginning, and we are all quite excited. (: