It's going to be a bumpy ride

[Dom R]

He was irritated later with me being upset. This morning he was also kinda pissy with me when I got a little distressed about his impending departure.

I have tried a couple of times to suggest that he not go; ...

it is said that a child "needs boundaries to feel secure".
However, that same child will also complain, when they hit said boundaries

Also, about your "suggestions"... it depends on *exactly* how you said it. there's a big difference between saying "you cant go", or "you shouldnt go", vs whatever particular phrasing he thinks he needs to hear.

Also, the most important thing.. timing.
I've learned the hard way, that the same words that might win your husband over.. can completely drive him away, if said at a time when he's not ready to hear them.

try comparing the times when he got upset, vs the time he said, "no, no, i needed to hear those things".

I don't think he seeks moral standards. When I have suggested church he has declined.

Note that I said i think he wants YOU to show moral standards. I didnt say that he wanted moral standards forced on both of you

Set moral standards for yourself. you can only control yourself. it then becomes his choice whether to match your standards within himself.
maybe that's what part of him is looking for. to have you be a moral standard, that he might then choose to admire and come back to. Dunno.

His big compromise was to agree that he wouldn't have sex for at least 2 months.

well, that's a positive thing. 2 months of celibacy should have a noticable effect on him. During that time, you should make yourself incredibly appealing, attractive, sexy... and unavailable in that way to him

About the ring:
on the one hand, its not about being available to him forever. its a statement that you view yourself as still married, and wish to stay married.
If you take your ring off, that is a huge, huge statement, "I am DONE with our marriage, it's over". Dont react to him being stupid about rings. dont follow his example. set your own.

Coming back to the being available to him, though... in another way, it IS saying, "you are available to him if he comes back". And I think that is a statement that you should be making at this point.

I think you should take the ring off, if you get divorced, but not before.
If he hasnt noticed yet.. good. put it on again, quick.

In some ways, if your husband thinks you have given up on him, while you are still married.. that may encourage him to leave.
To put it another way, "if even you have given up, there's no reason for him to try at all".

He actually sounds like one of the incredibly rare cases who is HONESTLY trying out separation to truely figure things out.
As opposed to 99% of the other cases, who say they're "trying to figure things out", but are doing it to get deeper involved with an already ongoing affair.

as such, in my non-professional opinion, you should still try to show yourself as fully open to reconciliation.
Just, not open to booty calls, etc. while he is separated from you. maybe going "a little dark" then. not pursuing at all, but letting him miss you.

As for my situation... negotiations are still under way. sigh.