00:00I've been holding on to something I wanted to say, but it's hard because it means a lot to me.
00:08Would it be okay if I...
00:09I can't even think of the words to describe how it made me feel.
00:13It's definitely a moment that I will never forget.
00:17Derek and I actually met when we were kids.
00:19He was my first boyfriend, my first kiss.
00:23We ended up getting married to other people, having kids, and eventually we both got divorced.
00:30We reconnected about four years ago, but this time it wasn't about us anymore.
00:36It was about combining our families and keeping a really special bond with all of our kids.
00:42My goal was for our kids not to feel like they were his and her kids.
00:46My goal was to make sure that all of our kids were blended and felt loved, as in one whole
00:51big family.
00:52I never went into it trying to replace anyone.
00:54I just wanted to be someone that Levi could always count on.
00:58The relationship, it wasn't built overnight, and it came from showing up every single day,
01:04helping with homework, cheering him on in sports, taking him in the bed and celebrating birthdays,
01:10comforting him when he was upset.
01:11I never expected anything in return.
01:14I just loved him like he was my own.
01:16Levi came to me one day and said,
01:18Hey, I want to do something special for Kristen on the wedding day.
01:21I want to write a letter or a speech.
01:24And I said, yeah, that'd be fine.
01:25We can do that.
01:26I just thought he was going to say something sweet.
01:29And then I started to realize that he put so much thought into every single word that he was saying.
01:35You made me laugh when I didn't feel like laughing.
01:38You made me feel seen when I felt invisible.
01:42And slowly, without even realizing, something changed in my heart.
01:48He stopped feeling like somebody who was helping me and started feeling like I'm.
01:52Like somebody who I could trust.
01:54Someone who I could go to for anything.
01:58Like someone who really, truly cares for me in a way that matters.
02:04And I don't take that lightly at all.
02:07Because that, because that kind of love, it changes somebody.
02:13So I've been holding on to something really important.
02:18I wanted to say, but it's hard because it means a lot to me.
02:22Would it be okay if I started calling me mom since you officially hated my dad?
02:27Because when I think about it, because I think about who you are to me.
02:32That's the only word that fits.
02:34It made the world to me.
02:36And when he called me mom, I can't even think of the words to describe how it made me feel.
02:42It's definitely a moment that I will never forget.
02:48I was incredibly proud of him.
02:50I knew how much courage it took for him to stand up in front of everyone and saying something personal
02:54like that.
02:55And our story has given even one family a little bit of hope that Flinda families can work and can
03:02thrive.
03:02Then sharing it has been completely worth it.
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