I never thought a dream honeymoon could turn into a lesson in gratitude, but one phone call from my stepdaughter, Brooke, set the stage for exactly that. The events that followed became a wake-up call she never saw coming.
When I married Gary ten years ago, I didn’t just gain a husband—I gained a family. Brooke was thirteen at the time, and while becoming a stepmom wasn’t without its challenges,
I poured my heart into building a bond with her.
By the time she turned twenty-three, Brooke had grown into a sharp, ambitious young woman. But truth be told, she was also a little spoiled.
