I’m the mother of a blended family of seven. Yes, seven. And it sounds very shocking at first. Seven people. Seven personalities. Seven mouths to feed. But blended families aren’t always together, so I only have to feed seven people a few times a year, ha! And ours is further complicated because three of our five children live over 2300 miles away from us.
Last year, my husband and I made the decision to move our family from the Southern California High Desert to Northern Michigan for a job opportunity that wouldn’t have been afforded to him in California.
Being a blended family, this was complicated and really hard. It’s been a full year and there have been moments of weakness where we doubt our decision, I won’t lie, and there have been bumps in the road (we missed Christmas this year!). But those moments are fleeting and at the end of the day, we are secure in our decision and our family loves it here in Michigan. Yes, even when we are 2300 miles apart.
Keeping a close relationship is essential. Regular phone calls, Facetime, care packages, and so much time at the airport. So. Much. Time. Haha! One of the most important ways we all stay connected? Pictures.
Pictures keep us feeling like we haven’t missed a thing and like we get to be there for each other even in moments we aren’t physically there.
For my stepson, we created this beautiful book of Michigan memories from the My First Photo Book for Kids. I love that it’s durable. He can take it anywhere, even 2300 miles away. His younger siblings at both his mom’s house and our house can look at it without any of us worrying they’ll get it dirty or tear pages because it’s made for kids and the wear and tear that comes with them!
In the book, I added photos of his summer visit. I asked each of the kids why they love Aiden and added sweet reasons in between the photos.
I love that this album will be a reminder of how much he is loved and missed and very much a part of our family, even when he’s not here physically.
Using Pinhole Press products helps us to stay close as a blended family. Like their photo puzzles, custom dominoes, and these fun photo booth magnets (great for lockers!). We can ship these fun gifts straight to them in California or order them while they’re here to enjoy together. Either way, they love being able to relive our moments together again and again in a way that is on their level.
About the Author
Holly Sosa is a Northern Michigan dwelling wife & hockey mom extraordinaire. Her favorite hobby is jammin’ on her planner. You can follow her adventures on HollyMarieSosa.com