Step Parents Poem by Jim Yerman

Yesterday Taylor's step mom, Maria, wrote him on his birthday
a fact all step parents know to be true…
She wrote: "I didn't give you the gift of life…
life gave me the gift of you."

Deborah and I are parents and step-parents
but long ago we all agreed
there are no steps between us
because we're all one family…

Because when it comes to family
at least the family we're part of
we love the children we helped create…
and the ones we chose to love.

Because we want all our children to know
even the ones without our DNA
that when it comes to loving them
we'll be there…every step of the way…

That's why we echo Maria's words to Taylor…
for we know them to be true…
We may not have given you the gift of life….
but life has given us the gift of you…