Grant reflects on what it really looked like to blend two families—and how trust is built slowly, not forced.

When he and Diana start dating in the early 1990s, they keep the relationship quiet and casual at first because of their kids. Both of them hesitate to introduce their children to a new partner too quickly—they don’t want the kids to get attached and then be hurt if the relationship doesn’t last.

Once the kids begin spending time together, Grant remembers how protective they were. Ginny is protective of him, and Ryan is protective of Diana. They would try to sit together on the couch, and one of the kids would wedge in between them—literally separating them.

Ryan is still in the stage where he hopes his mom and dad will get back together, even though they are divorced. For a while, Grant feels like the enemy. Instead of pushing or trying to “win” Ryan over, Grant and Diana take a patient approach. Grant doesn’t take over Ryan’s upbringing, and Diana doesn’t take over Ginny’s. Even while living in the same household, they continue parenting their own children, letting the family dynamic unfold naturally over time.

Grant explains that Ryan protects his mom for years. Diana eventually sits Ryan down more than once and tells him that he’ll have to accept the reality of their relationship—or he’ll make his own life miserable by fighting it. Over time, Ryan begins to change. His resistance softens into acceptance, and then into genuine affection. Grant reflects with warmth on how Ryan eventually becomes one of the most loving people in his life, treating him with love and respect.

The chapter ends with a full-circle moment that still humbles Grant: Ryan asks him to officiate his wedding to Kristen. They are living in New York at the time, but decide to have the wedding in Tampa so family can be there. Grant writes the ceremony, performs it, and describes the experience as deeply moving—proof of how far their relationship has come.

Looking back, Grant marvels at how life unfolded—becoming part of a “splendid family,” being included in major milestones, and getting to participate in weddings and family moments he never could have predicted. Above all, he returns to the feeling that runs through the chapter: gratitude.