The Bonding

My stepfather tried his best to provide my mother with a decent life, getting close to me wasn't an easy thing. Regardless, he kept trying. No fault to my mother, she wasn't able to discipline me. So, my stepfather would. At the time, I would get angry and say some really harsh and mean things to me, but he was doing what was needed to be done.

He would help me with my homework, especially math since both mother and I failed at it. He taught me many things growing up. How to be aware of my surroundings (though from time to time I failed at this), he also taught me how to get out of sticky situations with my dignity intact, -though most of this came about during my middle school years)

But most importantly, he was a mediator between my mother and me. Growing up, she and I hardly saw eye to eye. We were constantly fighting and arguing. My stepfather would have to step in and help us see reason. Looking back now, I can't imagine how difficult things must have been for him.

He had plenty of opportunities to leave our family. Honestly, I wouldn't have blamed him. We were... what some would have called dysfunctional. But he didn't, he endured the wrath of both my mother and me.

In 96’ my stepdad took me to go see the movie Twister in theaters. I was so engrossed in the movie. He had a feeling I would enjoy it because of our shared hobby. He knew before I did, I would start my path or meteorology. This was now my second passion I developed.

During the spring and summer, we not only would watch the clouds move in, but we would drive around and spot potential storm systems developing. I loved every moment we spent together doing this.

After some time, he would take me to the Skywarn weather seminars, though I was too young to be certified, my stepfather would "deputize" me to being his little weather watcher assistant. Any time it started to storm, I would run outside and watch the clouds swirl around. I would call and tell him what was happening. I had so much fun doing this, I felt I was serving another purpose in life.

Between studying weather, storm chasing, reading and writing, I was a very busy girl. My stepfather had pushed and encouraged me to keep going no matter how difficult things had gotten.

The start of a long-lasting friendship