"My ex-husband is about to get remarried. And I couldn't be happier."

I’m not being sarcastic, I really AM happy. I am happy for them, I am happy for myself, but most importantly, I am happy for my daughter.

In 12 days time, my daughter will officially have a step mum.

When my daughter was six months old, her father and I separated. It was probably the easiest separation known to man kind (of course it had awful parts to it, as they all do) but we were extremely lucky.

Four months after we separated, he told me that he had a new girlfriend…and it just so happened to be his ex-girlfriend of three years.

I used to really struggle during the times when my daughter left me and spent days/nights with her father.  I was still breastfeeding, I was young (22) and I was scared (and hormonal).

I used to take a sleeping tablet the moment she would leave so I could sleep all day and night until it was over, and she was delivered back to me.

I would cry in the shower until the water had been running cold for five minutes without even noticing.

I was put back on anti-depressants and I lost a lot of weight (successfully put that back on and some more!) *lel*.

Anyway, it was terrible and I was NOT coping.

This went on for about a year, until the best thing ever happened to us.

The girlfriend and the Baby Daddy moved in together.

My anxiety slowly backed off, I started going out, I started dating again, I started back at work, I started living my life again on the days when my baby wasn't with me.

Olive stated coming home with her nails painted, her hair braided, she was settled and happy, she would tell me about her daddy's special friend and all the fun they would have together.

This woman was caring for and loving my daughter, and I couldn't have asked for anything more. There is something about a woman's touch. No disrespect whatsoever to men because they can be pretty amazing - but there was something comforting about having a girl around.

Four years on and we are friends. Not at the tagging-in-all-memes and having pillow fights stage in our friendship, but we ARE friends.  We message each other often and send photos to each other of our girl. Olive now has a one-year-old half sister, which has given her and I so much happiness.  You were able to give her something I wasn't in the position to do and I am forever grateful for that.

I want her to know that I never want to lose her, I want her kindness, her values and her guidance to keep rubbing off on our girl.

Every time they are together, Olive is showered in love. Not only by her soon-to-be step mother, but also by her friends and family.

I also want to take the chance to tell her that I believe your soon-to-be-husband always loved you, even when we were married.  And I believe that you both belong together.

It really is crazy how life works. When you were that little girl running around with a pillow case on your head pretending to be a bride, I bet you didn't think it would turn out this way?

I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and that you were always going to be a part of our lives.

Officially, welcome to the crazy dysfunctional but loving Hall-Haydon family.

Listen to the latest episode of Mamamia's parenting podcast This Glorious Mess.