| Once upon a time there were three little
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| | other, got their
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| pigs. They all
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| | licenses, and hit the road ... to
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| once had families, but unfortunately,
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| | divorce court!On the other hand, couples
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| they were all now
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| | who have strong homes tell
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| divorced. So they decided to re-marry
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| | me they laid out very specific plans
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| and build brand new
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| | together. They are just
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| homes with their new families.The first
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| | looking for some guidance and
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| little steppig (as they were now known)
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| | encouragement through the
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| was in a
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| | storms (which always come).If you're a
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| great hurry to start a new family. So
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| | single parent, divorced, or engaged to a
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| she didn't even think
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| | single
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| about foundations, or rules, or how they
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| | parent, NOW is the time to get help
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| would build their
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| | planning how to build a
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| home, she just went straight to work,
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| | successful stepfamily. If you're already
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| using whatever was
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| | in a stepfamily, NOW
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| quickest as material, which was straw.
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| | is the time to get help in developing
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| Too bad! The first
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| | your short, mid-, and
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| storm that came along blew their straw
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| | long range plan to stay together and
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| house away. They
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| | raise healthy kids
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| gave up and got another divorce. And
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| | together.The only way to build your new
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| everyone was
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| | home together so it will
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| miserable.The second little steppig was
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| | withstand the storms (that always come)
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| also in a hurry, but she had
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| | is to build on a
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| watched her friend and learned a lesson
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| | Solid Foundation (I'm talking Jesus
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| - sort of. She laid
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| | here) and to draw up
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| down the rules for her new steppiglets.
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| | good, detailed plans. You need to
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| They decided
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| | develop household
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| together to use good strong sticks for
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| | Rules, exceptions, and discipline, and
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| their new home.
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| | lifelong plans, such
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| Huh-oh! A few storms later and their
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| | as your Couples' Mission Statement and
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| commitments and
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| | your personal
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| rules fell apart, just like their stick
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| | goals for every step of your family's
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| house. Another miserable
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| | change and growth.
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| divorce!Now the third little steppig had
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| | You've got to be prepared for and
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| been paying close
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| | expecting the storms and
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| attention, so, before they even married,
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| | have definite procedures you'll follow
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| she and her new
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| | to survive.It ain't brain surgery, kids!
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| mate sat down with a good friend they
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| | But then, maybe it is a little like
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| trusted and talked - a
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| | making alterations to your way of
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| lot! Together they decided about their
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| | thinking. Don't try to build
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| family rules, but they
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| | without your Plans, and if you need us,
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| also agreed on how they wanted their new
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| | we'll help!Bobby Collins is a stepdad
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| home to look and
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| | first, then a minister, a certified
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| about any new additions they might need
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| | family mediator, and founder of
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| to build on. They
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| | STEP-Carefully! for
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| discussed their fears, as well as their
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| | Stepparents!, the largest faith-based
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| dreams, and what
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| | support organization
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| kind of parents they wanted to be to
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| | for stepfamilies in the country. His
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| their piglets. Finally, they
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| | articles have appeared in
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| chose their building material - solid
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| | national publications and he has
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| stones with sturdy
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| | appeared on national TV
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| mortar between them.Storms came (they
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| | and radio programs always teaching
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| always do!) and beat on the little
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| | stepparents how to
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| steppigs' home, but they were able to
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| | have healthier, happier families. His
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| batten down the
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| | organization can be
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| hatches and ride them out - together.
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| | reached on the Internet at
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| The piglets grew up
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| | .com
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| and left home to form healthy piggy
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| | where visitors will find free articles,
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| families of their own,
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| | a free newsletter, and a
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| always remembering how their parents had
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| | book store with proven stepfamily
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| worked
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| | resources for sale.
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| together as a team. And the piggy couple
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| | Collins is best known for his private
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| lived happily ever
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| | family mediation
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| after.The Moral of The Story:Second and
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| | between husbands and wives, ex-spouses,
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| third marriages experience 65 percent and
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| | and
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|
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| | stepparents and their stepkids. With
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| 85 percent divorce rates. Most
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| | over a decade of
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| stepparenting couples had
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| | experience, he has helped thousands of
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| no - or very slim - guidelines drawn up
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| | stepfamilies
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| for their family before
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| | survive and succeed.
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| they married. They just bumped into each
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|
