Hi, I'm Marrying Your Mom

I know what you're thinking. This will be a sappy story about a random guy that comes into my mom's life and completely changes our world. You would be correct.

I lived with my dad at the time, and my mom was 1,600 miles away in Rapid City, South Dakota. She reconnected with an old friend from high school, and they clicked pretty quickly.

Now, Joe is super cool, but he wouldn't believe you if you told him that (but everyone thinks it). He was born in Pensacola, Florida, on September 28, 1970, which is already cool because before meeting him, I didn't think I had ever met someone born in the 70s.

He will tell you that he was not always the person he is today. The person that helps everyone to the best of his ability, ministers and mentors, and supports and encourages people. From my understanding of the decisions he has made in the past, Joe really has always been that guy.

The first time I met Joe, I worked at a Waffle House in Florida. I was eighteen, and it was my first job. I'd only been working there for a month or two when this guy I'd never met walked in. He looked like an older version of Charlie Brown.

When he entered the restaurant, he was talking on the phone and looking around as if trying to find someone. Since Joe was headed toward my section, I followed him so I could be prepared to do my job. He made eye contact with me, and things got weird.

He said, "Yeah, I think I see her. I think this is her." The voice on the other end was loud enough for me to tell it was a woman but not loud enough to distinguish my mom's voice. He stood, still looking at me as he told the woman he loved her and would talk to her soon.

Then, he put his phone in his pocket, stuck his hand toward me, and said, "Hi, I'm Joe. I'm marrying your mom." Talk about the funniest, most awkward moment of my life, right?

My coworkers didn't know me, him, or my personal life. They knew I was in high school, and my step mom also worked for Waffle House. But here this random guy comes like, yep, I'm your new dad.

But you know what's crazy? It was meant to be. From the moment Joe entered my life, everything was different. I saw another side to love, life, and family. I saw my mom being loved unconditionally for who she was and myself being loved at a time I felt anything but loved.

I saw him fit into the role he signed up for consistently and genuinely. He took me in when I had nowhere to go and helped me when I didn't know what I was doing.

Not many men can say that they have accepted children that don't belong to them like their own children. However, Joe did exactly that multiple times. When he married my mom, he took on two more daughters and three grandchildren (and we all lived with him).

I have never felt like I was second best or didn't matter as much as my mom. For as long as they have been married, he has always made me feel like I was worth something and mattered. He saw me when I was broken and traumatized and helped me see love, compassion, and forgiveness.

He showed me what a father is, even though I already had one, and he never tried to take my dad's place.

Even though we no longer live together or see each other daily, I will never forget driving down the road and singing along to the radio. We harmonized and made the songs our own. I'll never forget when the radio host played songs just for us when he knew Joe was driving me to work.

I'll never forget the nights we sat and watched TV or when he would listen to me talk for hours about the stuff I had going on. He is one of the only people that have come into my life and accepted me for who I am.

There are many horror stories about stepparents, but some people are just meant to be a part of your life. They're meant to be your dad.