hey - cloudy - great topic...
I've recently married into a blended family - two kids from her two previous marriages - and it's not easy. Takes a lot of patience dealing with the other families. Bad enough trying to schedule with my parents and hers, try adding four others into the mix.
**BUT** I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love my wife and OUR two boys. The only steps in our house are the ones going upstairs.
ADVISE - try to be the neutral third party or trying seeing the situation from their point of view. Having legal documents tell you what SUPPOSE to happen is a good starting point, but not the be all end all...we've been working on getting everything situated to get both boys at our house for Christmas day and it is taking a 2 hour drive on the night before and a two hour drive Monday BEFORE work, but it is gonna happen.
Either that, or just give yourself a large bottle of our favorite tipple and start new's years a week earliy
Later,
BK