Welcome Diane! Looks like you belong here big time!

I met a woman once who had three children, one of them was adopted.
Although we didn’t really know each other, she told me that her adopted child is the one who has the most special place in her heart. She then said, she never admitted that to anyone, and probably is just telling me that because I will never meet her again.

I can definitely understand loving a stepchild just like your own. The respect and love you have for one another counts more than being related.