I don't post all that often but have posted in the past on my disgust with SS14.  If you've seen my posts, you know I am very strong in my opinions. However, I can also be open minded, take feedback and change my thinking. Here is just a small overview of what DH has done for my kids, especially DD14:

-He has always been there for the three of them, DD19, DS18, and DD14. They met him 5 years ago. DH let them get to know him at their own pace and never tried to move into the enormous space left by their ineffective and mostly absent father. But, they took to him immediately. 

-DH is their rock, along with me. They know they can rely on him much more so than their father, whether picking somone up from a party in the middle of the night, helping with 'adulting' like establishing credit, how to navigate LinkedIn, anything!

-He makes our house even more of a home to which they want to bring friends over and enjoy, with the great meals he cooks, the fact he can fix anything, the massive blow up spider on our roof with a rope web extending down to the ground for Halloween - just an example!

-My favorite of all - DD14 gets to be a Daddy's girl. She is finally too old for piggy back rides to put her to bed, but she is happy and confident in a way a teenage girl only can be when she is secure in the love from her father. 

So I am giving SS14 another chance; it's the least I can do. And you know what?! We had an amazing family vacation - every year we rent a big house either on the beach in North Carolina or Lake of the Ozarks - this year was Ozarks. I made an effort to talk with SS more, and he is getting much better. He was the only one of the 7 kids present who decided to make everyone lunch one day. I also noticed he holds doors for the girls/Moms. But even if he did not, I owe it to DH.

Just want to put this out there - somehow I am more accountable this way. Thanks for listening.