When I married Daniel, my daughter Ellie was just two years old. From the beginning, I needed to know if he would embrace her as his own. Unlike others I had dated, Daniel connected with Ellie instantly, sitting on the floor to play and making her laugh. Over time, their bond only grew stronger, and when he adopted her on her fifth birthday, it felt like the missing piece of our family had fallen into place.
But acceptance wasn’t universal. Daniel’s mother, Carol, never openly criticized us, but her actions spoke louder than words. She rarely acknowledged Ellie, even after the adoption, and her comments often felt dismissive. I tried to be patient, believing time would soften her views. For a while, I convinced myself it was simply her way of adjusting.
