Two weeks ago I posted here about my wife and my stepkids going on a yacht trip with her ex (their dad). A lot of people replied and were very kind, so thank you for that. After that, I planned a 3-day trip with my own kids. We had a good time and genuinely enjoyed ourselves, but for the first time in 10 years I felt like I had an incomplete family. My kids were happy, but I could tell they also felt that something was missing. What surprised me is that I didn’t feel jealous when my wife posted photos and stories from the trip. I felt empty. The more photos I saw of my wife with her ex and the kids, the more I felt like they were the “real” family and I was just a guest in their lives. I kept trying to tell myself that it was only a trip for the children, but my mind kept going to the thought that if they had never divorced, this is what their family would have looked like. On his birthday, I called my stepson. He didn’t answer, so I sent a text wishing him a happy birthday. He replied “thank you.” I wasn’t trying to interrupt his day, but the whole interaction made me feel even more distant. Now my younger daughter are asking for a trip with just me and their mom. I don’t know what to do. I can’t really tell them no, but it also feels complicated because she has her own family My wife came back from the trip, but the stepkids stayed at their dad’s place and have been there for three days. I haven’t asked questions because, honestly, I don’t feel like I have the emotional strength to dig into it right now. The worst part is that my wife and I aren’t really opening up to each other. Before this trip, I felt close to her. Now I feel like an outsider, and that closeness isn’t there anymore. I don’t know how to get back on track or whether this feeling is temporary or a sign that something deeper has changed in our marriage.