I'm Amazed

I'm not looking for anything with this post but maybe I can give another step mom hope. Me and my husband got custody of my step son in June. We hadn't been around him due to his mom keeping him from us and the courts siding with her. Well fast forward to now and I have to say it was very bumpy at first. Me and my step son fought all the time and we didn't get along. In our home we have rules and responsibility and at his moms he didn't. So trying to make the switch was hard. Well we have come such a long way from where we were then. Yes we still have bad days and we argue but we are learning how to live with each other. He's learning how to be a big brother when he wasn't before. He's come so far in almost a year. We have an actual relationship now we laugh together and we joke around with each other. He's called me mom not by anyone telling him to but on his own. He listens to me more and our good days outweigh the bad. I had to have lots of patience and be very understanding of where he was coming from. Hopefully I can help another step mom know that she's not alone. Just have patience and know that the kids are confused to. They are scared to love you and accept you as a member of the family not because your a bad person but because they want what they are used to. If your partner or s/o truly loves you they will be your rock through this transition. They won't make you feel like your opinion doesn't matter. They will make sure that your step child knows that they have to respect you. Once this is done being a step mom or a parent period is amazing.