Did anyone grow up with older half-siblings?

[wholeshebang]

Just wondered how it was x

Two older half siblings who were born 13 and 11 years before me. They didn't always live in the same house as me when I was growing up, but I am as close to them as most people are to full siblings. I would have liked another sibling closer to my age though.

In real life, I have never referred to them using the word "half". I just refer to them as my siblings.

I wonder whether that's the thing: if you lived in the same house as your 'half' siblings they're less half than if you didn't?

We shared a Dad and so grew up in different houses, but did have a lot to do with each other. I was bridesmaid to my eldest brother when he recently got married, and best man to another....so we're close, just don't see each other as much as we would like due to geography.

I am an older half-sibling - my sister is 4.5 yrs younger & brother is 7.5 yrs younger. We don't use the term half, and as our DM is divorced from both my and their dads, it is not something we often have to explain.

We grew up together, get on well & I love them just as any siblings. It is only recently I have felt the age gap as they like reminding me how old I am getting.

I also have two half-siblings from one of my father's subsequent marriages who I have never met - seems weird that I am just as genetically similar to them as my 'real' brother & sister.

I have older half siblings but never grew up with them because they lived abroad. The two older half sisters now live in the UK and they are 16 and 17 years older than me. I have only just got to know them and it is difficult. We are totally different types of people but remain amicable and friendly. I do not think we will ever be very close but that is fine. I accept things as they are and we meet from time to time (maybe twice a year for lunch). We do not talk on the phone or anything in between meets we just simply contact when we want to make another date for lunch. To be honest I am in no hurry to meet up anytime soon because we have met a few times and it has not really brought us any closer together. I am not sure whether to stop meeting and just send a yearly Christmas card since we have our own lives