You sound almost like a carbon copy of me. Honestly I would not try any reverse psychology or try to "show" her what it would be like without you... My guess is she would not look at it that way, she would probably use it as yet another reason to back up her ill feelings for you.
If it were me, I would think of the kids and say, well at least they will have a nice clean back yard to play in and leave it at that. Do a good job, leave everything ready and cleaned up for the homecoming. As for being alone while she is gone and feeling betrayed, tossed aside, feeling like a piece of crap on the bottom of her shoe probably has better standing that you do right now kind a thing.... i feel you. How old is your wife? Is she maybe having a MLC? My situation is similar... I think there are a lot of men out there, good men, who want their kids, their families in tact, their marriages safe and secure... I just wonder if that is reality anymore in our society. As desperately as you or I want these things, when a wife takes this position, you can control none of her behavior and in the end are only responsible for your own personal behavior, that is all you can have command of. You wife will make the decisions she makes and sadly, men like us suffer as we wait for the "decisions" being made it feels I think... I am pondering why so many women and men don't seem to "get" it and take the cowards way out. Personally I think your ability to stay the course, stay strong and reach out to try to save your family is a very courageous and noble thing. Stay strong and plan on this taking a very, very long time... I am now waiting almost a year for some peace.... not yet for me either sadly... but some faint signs that I try to hold my strength on... Take care, spend a lot of time with the kids and just play with them and enjoy "living for the moment" with them.. they need you too... Sorry, I am sad that you have this going on, I bet it feels really unfair.
