Wedding day is one of the most important days of a couple’s life. It is the day two people in love take a vow to be with each other forever. It is the most magical day of their life when all eyes are on them but their eyes are on each other. Looking deep into each other while taking their vows, the couple goes through so many emotions that we can only imagine. There is so much to say and just a few lines to express that it can become overwhelming for the love birds. Something like this happened to 24-year-old Katie Musser on her wedding day when she broke down into tears. But it wasn’t her feelings for her would-be husband that made her emotional but rather his ex girlfriend. What Katie did midway her wedding ceremony shook everyone.
Young Hearts In Love
Katie Hild was a beautiful teenager in the early 2010s when she met Jeremy Musser. It wasn’t long before the two fell in love with each other and started dating while they were still in college. The Pennsylvanian couple developed strong feeling for each other and became inseparable as Katie would later realize. Their love was blossoming but in the early stage of their relationship, the two had to face a hiccup that changed their relationship completely. Overcoming something so big in a relationship so young shaped their bond in a way Katie had not imagined.
The True Test Of Love
When two people start a bond they want to cherish for a lifetime, they share a lot more than mutual love. They share each other’s emotional baggage from the past. Opening up to your partner without the fear of losing them is a big step. But compassion, understanding and acceptance can work magic in breaking the ice and resolving these issues. But what Jeremy was about to present to Katie about his past could be a deal breaker for any woman. But he was about to find out that Katie was like no other girl.
It Takes Courage To Reveal
Jeremy and Katie were a young couple in love who wanted to take their relationship to the next level. But Jeremy wasn’t ready for it just yet, he had something important to tell Katie. Jeremy sat down Katie one day and told her something no woman can be prepared for. Before taking their relationship to the next level, a different level of trust between the two was needed and this was the time for Jeremy to tell the truth. With every ounce of courage in him, Jeremy broke the news- before meeting Katie, he was dating a girl named Casey who was carrying his child.
A Difficult Conversation
It is hard to imagine what went through Katie’s mind when she heard the news of her boyfriend’s ex girlfriend being pregnant with his child. It was difficult situation for them and Jeremy was having the toughest conversation of his life. It is a lot to take in as a mature woman and Katie was just a college student. She was ready to be bombarded with so much information at once. But Jeremy and Katie came out of the tough waters as a stronger couple. They figured out a way to make this work but not all was sorted, not so soon!
One Complicated Mix
Relationships are getting more and more complicated with time and the option for “It’s complicated” relationship status on Facebook is proof. While Jeremy and Casey had officially broken up and accepted that one day the other will start dating a new person, it did not change the dynamic between them, it was complicated. Having a child in this mix was making things more complicated. But there was more drama pending in this bubbling cauldron.
Rumors Ensured More Drama
College life is all about drama and with Jeremy’s life being unusual, students were talking. Unfortunately soon this talking took the shape of rumors and gossips and everything came crumbling down for the young lad. Amid these rumors things started getting salty between the two girls who shared a romantic bond with the same guy at different times. Katie soon figured out that she needs to do something about this friction between them. Casey being pregnant, additional stress wasn’t good for her or the baby. But how was Katie going to put things right?
A Boyfriend Becomes A Father
Around the time Jeremy and Katie got into a serious relationship, Jeremy had another new relationship knocking in his life. He was now a father to a lovely young boy, Landon. As Casey and Jeremy both wanted to be involved in their son’s life, Katie was also towed into this mix as her relationship with Jeremy was getting serious. But the trio needed to find a way to co-parent keeping the drama at bay. Thanks to some college rumors, Casey and Katie were not on good terms. But Katie had decided that she wanted to be a part of Landon’s life and his mother came in the package deal. It was around Landon’s first birthday when Katie stirred things a little.
When Priorities Change
It is hard being a teen and harder being in your early 20s. This is the first taste of adulthood a person gets and it comes with its own set of struggles. The pressure to do well in college, start a career and be a responsible adult becomes too much to handle for most. But here Jeremy had another complication. He had to do all that plus be a good father to Landon. Jeremy was barely an adult himself, how was he going to raise a child? Landon’s presence in their lives changed the way Casey and Jeremy were living. But having him in their lives made it even more beautiful and the young adults made Landon their top priority.
Accepting The Package Deal
It was a hard time for Katie, her relationship with Jeremy had just begun and she was bombarded with the biggest truth of his life. Her boyfriend was raising a child with his ex-girlfriend. This complex scenario is enough to drive away any loving girlfriend but Katie had accepted that Landon came in the package deal. Not only that, this little baby boy had his mother in tow. Since Katie was beginning to enjoy Landon’s presence in her life, she realized that mending things with Casey was important. And thus, her steps moved towards resolving differences with Casey.
Here Comes An Olive Branch
In an interview with The Today Show, Casey revealed that dealing with the drama between her and Katie was hard on her. “I was very upset and very hurt at the time,” Casey shared. She explained that the rumors going around the college were the reason for their feud. But as Landon was turning one, Katie decided to take it upon herself to mend the bridges between them. She sent an olive branch to Casey, looking for amends. And while Katie may have been the bigger person here, Casey was not letting go off her grudges. She was extremely hurt and wasn’t ready to face Katie and talk it all out.
Being The Bigger Person
One expects to forgive and forget the small feuds of high school and move on with life. But sometimes the teenage drama follows you around for years. In such situations when one party is not ready to let go, the other one has to raise the white flag for their own sanity. Here Katie was ready to do just that and be the bigger person but it didn’t win Casey over so easily. Though eventually she came around to mend the bridges with Katie since she realized that Katie was going to be involved in her son’s life and maintaining a healthy relationship with Jeremy and Katie was best for Landon.
Talking It Out
As baby Landon was growing, the lovely relationship between Jeremy and Katie was also blooming. But things weren’t smooth yet between the two ladies. For successful co-parenting, it was crucial that all parties involved get along well. This wasn’t exactly the case with Katie and Casey but for Landon’s sake they decided to give it a shot. So finally Katie and Casey made time to talk it all out between them and prepare for the life ahead. To their surprise it was easier to strike a friendship than they expected.
Not Just Cordial Friends
While the two women in Jeremy’s life started off on a rough road, things were beginning to look better after Landon turned one. The tables had turned over with Casey and Katie conversing with each other about Landon. Though initially their talks revolved around baby Landon, they soon found other things they had in common. They moved from enemies to cordial friends to actual good friends in less than 2 years. As Casey shared with Today, “We bonded on so many more levels than just Landon. And we realized we had more in common than we didn’t,” Their journey had just begun!
The Unexpected Was Happening
Katie and Casey were getting along way better than they had expected which proved that all the drama had stemmed from silly rumors. They were beginning to realize that the idea of an unconventional family was not just possible but also enjoyable. “At the time, I thought we would be able to be cordial and co-parent,” Casey told Today. “Never in a million years did I think she and I would be the very best of friends.” But the unthinkable had become their reality, Casey and Katie were friends and ready to show the world that co-parenting is not as hard as it seems.
The Fourth Parent Enters
Co-parenting can turn from a breeze to a storm real quick if even one of the parties cannot match their footwork in the parenting tango. The more individuals involved, the harder it is to rope them into a single family. Landon didn’t just have his dad and mom living separately while trying to co-parent. There were two more people involved in this co-parenting settling, Tyler who was Casey’s boyfriend and Katie. Now that Casey and Katie had resolved their differences, were the dynamics any better in this unconventional family?
Men Will Be Men
It is funny how 2 women involved in one man’s life are expected to indulge in some catfight. Since here Casey and Katie had worked out a friendship out of their circumstances and the boys were having trouble bearing each other, the stereotype was busted! Tyler Bender and Jeremy Musser didn’t get along well which was raising the tension in their modern family. But as they saw the girls growing above the petty rumors, the need to work as a team was understood.
Co-Parenting Is Not A Nightmare
Accept it or not but there is a stigma attached to couples who part ways but decide to co-parent. It is expected that some party or the other will complicate things and hinder in the child’s growth. Whether it is the biological parents who can’t stand each other after the split or the step parents who want nothing to do with the child, someone will mess it up. But co-parenting isn’t the nightmare it is presented to be. Though it is tough to raise a kid with a person you are not romantically involved with, it doesn’t have to be a total disaster and this family had learnt the secret behind it.
The Blended Family Of Mrs. Bender
The two couples were working their way around the struggles of co-parenting and had found a happy medium. They were not just Landon’s parents, a strong friendship had made its way into the blended family. Seeing thinks work out so smoothly, Tyler and Casey decided to take the big leap. In 2015, the two said their vows and Casey became Mrs. Bender. Happiness was all around and Landon was at the center of it. Part of this happiness was because they had set an example of a beautiful blended family where all of them were close to each other. But it was a couple of years later when they realized how close they really were.
What’s The Real Secret?
This blended family was functioning more efficiently than anyone expected out of them. Things were going smooth because they had unearthed the secret of co-parenting all those years ago. What started with Katie and Casey making amends had developed into a beautiful bond of 4 adults who had joined forces to raise a kid. But what was their secret that kept them going? Katie explained in a post with Love What Matters: “Co-parenting means sharing the duties of a child.” All 4 of them had understood that they had to be open about Landon with each other and prioritize him. 4 years had passed after discovering the secret and it was time to take the next big step.
And Enters Mrs. Musser
Jeremy and Katie had been with each other right from the rumors of college to raising Landon with Casey and Tyler. The two had been partners for years and shared the duties of Jeremy’s son even though he lived 3 hours away. 2017 rolled in and it was time for Katie to say “I do” to the man she had stood by for years. The lovebirds were excited to be engaged and while Jeremy couldn’t wait for the big day, Katie realized something.
Katie’s Pre-Wedding Jitters
Wedding planning can be very stressful for the couple. There is so much to do, from the décor to the food, everything has to be perfect. Some couples do have second thoughts before the big day but why was Katie so nervous? Jeremy and Katie loved each other and had been committed in this relationship through the toughest times. Katie had seen so many ups and downs that life threw at her and Jeremy and they had stood by with each other through this. So why was Katie re-thinking her ceremony?
The Missing Puzzle Piece
Katie sat down to think about her relationship with Jeremy and what made it strong through the years. The realization hit her hard and she decided to not let this pass. “I realized I’m missing something, the piece that helped shape me and Jeremy’s relationship and helped us both grow up,” she explained to The Today Show. She had her resolve strong and without any doubts she prepared for her wedding day where she was going to do something unconventional. But she had no idea that her plan will leave everyone in tears.
The Speech Of A Lifetime
As Katie walked down the altar and looked at Jeremy, something dawned on her. The guy she was about to commit her whole life to was not the only person whose trust mattered to her. Katie posted a video on Love What Matters with the caption, “I wasn’t just going into a marriage with Jeremy, and needed [Jeremy’s] trust and respect, but I needed Casey's and Tyler's, too.” With her teary eyes set on Casey and Tyler, Katie took the microphone and started her speech unexpectedly with the words, “First I want to thank you for accepting me as your friend, and allowing me to be a part of Landon’s life.”
One Big Happy Family
Katie’s speech started on an unexpected note but soon some sobs could be heard. Her heartfelt speech had filled the entire room with emotion and amid all this, Katie had bigheartedly let the spotlight shift from her on her big day. Katie’s compassion had always wowed Jeremy and he appreciated this trait in the woman he was committing his life to. Including Tyler, Casey and Landon in her big day, she continued, “I will promise to respect, work, listen, and communicate together as co-parents. I will love you guys no matter what comes our way. We are one family, always.” This was just the beginning of Katie’s gesture!
Landon Gets A Bonus Mommy
As Katie was done with her appreciation speech for Casey and Tyler, she needed Landon with her on the stage for the last part of her speech. The teary eyed bride held onto Landon’s hand, got on one knee and said, “I’m so happy that I now officially get to be your Bonus Mommy. I promise to protect you, hold you when you need it, and clean all the booboos you ever get.” Tears stung Casey’s eyes and Jeremy was so emotional living this beautiful moment that as Katie ended her speech with a full circle vow and a big hug, Jeremy almost broke down.
Cementing It With The Final Vow
Katie had seen Landon grow from a baby to this kid who was wearing a tuxedo at her wedding. Her feelings for him came flooding through her speech, “I’ve had the privilege of knowing you since the beginning. I love watching you grow and I will for the rest of my life.” She further cemented her role in the blended family with her last vow. “I promise to love daddy with all my heart. I promise to be a best friend to mommy and your daddy Tyler. We will be one big family that you will have for the rest of your life. I love you so much.” This heartwarming moment lived even after the wedding.
A Heartwarming Act
Katie’s love filled speech at her wedding touched many hearts but the one person who was truly moved the most was Casey. After the wedding Casey couldn’t control her emotions and said, “Just being invited to the wedding was enough for me, but for her to take even three minutes out of her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the one day where it’s all about her and her groom, was such an amazing, selfless thing.” Katie added to this, “I needed Casey to know how thankful I am to her." She was so grateful for the relationship she shared with the Bender family that she wanted the world to know it.
It Is All About Landon
Katie was so honored to be a part of this blended family that she decided to share her story with the world. She believes that it wasn’t just the friendship the four adults shared that made their co-parenting venture a success. A lot of effort goes into it but it can be enjoyable too! “Obviously, we got a good friendship out of it, but in the end, we really wanted what’s best for [Landon],” Katie shared with Today. “We want people to see that the kid is what matters, his feelings and the love he gets."
The Face Of Change
Katie wanted to share her story with the world and inspire people to make co-parenting work. She believes that unconventional families can be just as happy and content. All it takes is understanding, honesty and respect to make co-parenting less of a hassle and more of a beautiful bond with the kid. In her words, “Not everyone gets the luxury of having a relationship like we formed; but it's possible to get along, communicate, and give the same rules/love/respect on both sides for your child/children. Go against the norm. BE that CHANGE."
Receiving Some Viral Love
Katie decided to share her story and spread the love that she nurtured with Landon, Casey and Tyler. But it wasn’t just Katie sending love across to people, she got some back too! People all around the globe were commenting on Katie’s post on Love What Matters and sending her love. Her video went viral and people couldn’t stop but appreciate her for being the change. But what are the Mussers and Benders doing now after a couple of years of the wedding?
When Love Expands The Family
Their family of 4 adults and 1 child was an inspiration for so many people but over the years some new faces were brought into the mix. A few years after Landon was born, Tyler and Casey brought into this world another son. Then in the summer of 2019, the family expanded even more when Katie and Jeremy gave birth to their lovely little daughter. Their story was definitely one of “the more the merrier” type because their dedication towards each other and towards Landon never faded.
An Inspiration For Life
Reaching the harmony of a blended family was not a cake walk, the 4 adults went through a roller coaster ride especially in the early years. But it was their dedication to make things work that has kept the family together. They figured out the secret to harmonious co-parenting early on in life and have never looked back. Their story is definitely an inspiration for generations to come.
