It's harder when we carry the past uglies into the present. I feel left out in my husband's family and even feel like his family doesn't like him :-) He's the eldest sibling and I don't know if his younger brothers are in awe of him or just think he's unapproachable or what. His sons are the same way. We're always last to be invited anywhere there's going to be a family get-together. And it feels like it is assumed we'll show up (like we don't have anywhere else to go). I don't know how much of what I feel and think I see is "true" or just leftover stepchild stuff from my own family.