The Rules... Today

After being reminded of my rights last week, I was emailed by the bio-mom this week with questions about my step-daughter's eye doctor appointment. So apparently, I am an appropriate person with whom she can discuss such matters... this week.

What I wish for is consistency on her part. Why is she unable to decide on our level of communication and leave it at that? I am tired of guessing whether or not it's appropriate for me to communicate certain information, but I think I may have found a pattern:

• Monday = I'm ok to discuss school issues, clothing purchases and lunch accounts
• Tuesday = no communication allowed; it is not appropriate for me to discuss anything regarding the children
• Wednesday = I'm ok to discuss only via email, and only regarding clothing purchases
• Thursday = I'm allowed to transport the children or their items
• Friday = no communication allowed; it's not appropriate for me to discuss anything regarding the children
• Saturday = I can send emails regarding the children, but they will not be replied to until early next week. At that time, the level of response depends on the date of the response - not the date the communication was initially sent
• Sunday = lottery day; depending on what the bio-mom's week has been like, I may or may not be an appropriate communicator of any information regarding the children

That pretty much sums it up. Ok, ok... maybe it's a bit sarcastic, but it does seem like the bio-mom's feelings regarding the level of communication she has with me are truly this random and ridiculous.

It's kind of a fun game. Kind of. Unfortunately, I've lost the rules and I'm playing with a 5-year-old who is deciding on the rules with each shake of the dice. It's hard to keep it all straight in my head.

Happy Friday!

Being "Reminded" of my Rights

I am so tired of the kids' bio-mom "reminding" me in a very unfriendly way that I have no say about anything having to do with my step-kids.

I cannot encourage or discourage them from participating in activities

I cannot tell them we do not have a budget to pay for every activity they would like to be in

I cannot communicate to the bio-mom that there are fees we've paid, requiring reimbursement

I cannot speak with teachers

I cannot contact the school for any reason

I cannot access the kids' lunch account information to check the balances

I cannot... I cannot... I cannot...

How much TIME does this women have, to be able to govern not only her own household, but mine as well?!?!

Within my home, and within my "family" (my husband, and my three step-kids), I am the keeper of the schedule, the planner of the budget, the doer of the dishes, the cleaner of the floors, the... well, you get the idea.

So to be "reminded" again and again that while I do these things, I shouldn't; and while I do a darned good job at it, it's unappreciated and downright unwelcome, I get frustrated. Not only do I work hard at all of these things, but now I have to defend my labors? Some people have nerve. Or maybe I should say some people have no shame.

After all, I am the one making sure school information is communicated to the bio-mom (conferences, field trips, etc...). If not for me, she might not have that information. I am the one who reminds my husband to put money in the kids' lunch accounts. I am the one who remembers the Jr. High choir concerts come with a requirement for black pants and white shirts. Yet every few months, I'm "reminded" that it is completely inappropriate for me to be doing these things.

Part of me is eternally grateful that my husband's first wife is not normal (or even human), because if she were, they might still be married. So I guess I get what I get, and her craziness and unrealistic expectations come with the territory. I guess that's mainly why I blog. Because even though I "asked for it", sometimes it gets to be too much crazy for me to contain in my head, and I just have to let it all out.

So I do my best to remain the "silent partner" in my marriage. Of course, I'll never stop discussing issues with my husband (poor guy is always stuck in the middle; it's like he juggling two wives sometimes) and voicing my opinion when it comes to how things are handled within my home. I'll keep plugging along, until the next "reminder" shows up, and I'll have to - yet again - justify in writing why I do what I do.