Or even SMILF material
SMILF, haha, took me a minute. My brain is foggy this morning.
To be clear, M was a legal adult when we first met. His youngest was 15. Though I didn't get along great with the younger one, we still respected each other. And over time we grew to truly enjoy each other's company. M and I have been like besties since the moment we first met.
They don't call me 'mom', they call me by a shortened version of my real name. (For those that know my real name, take off the last two letters)
I didn't do much parenting. Dan and their mother did an excellent job of raising two very bright, very smart, strong women. Their mom perhaps should get most of the credit. And now raising one of my own that has just entered her teens, I realize how hard of a job it must have been on her. M even admits that she and her sister put their mother through hell.
So technically I am "the step mother ", but I lucked out and gained friends instead of step children.