[riley6]

Well, I can tell you that I've over-heard my older (teen) kids defend us MANY times to MANY people. My son has told his older sibling that we ARE his REAL family as is the older sibling. I have over-heard a phone conversation he had with his b-mom that he is ALREADY HOME. Later he told me that she said she wants him to "come home" when he's 18.

When people tell me that I can't possibly love my non-biological kids as much as I do my biological kids, bc they aren't "my blood", I remind them that my wonderful husband isn't "my blood" either, but I've loved him for 25 years! (more than half my life!)

The only proof I need that my kids KNOW I'm their REAL mom is when they come to me with open arms, give me hugs and kisses, and tell me they love me. There is NO doubt in my mind that my kids KNOW who their MOM is. When we go on visitation with their biological parents, they come to ME for permission, to kiss their boo-boos if they fall, to me to buy them something.

If blood were the criteria to be family, we wouldn't have spouses, aunts and uncles (related by marriage, not blood), and siblings related by marriage. To say that "blood" is the criteria is just IGNORANT!