I am grateful for all of you. I appreciate your advice and sharing.
Sunday presents another major milestone. It marks the 18th anniversary of W and my first date with each other. It also marks the 17th anniversary of when I proposed to W, exactly one year later.
For many, many months now I had entertained the thought/dream of renewing the relationship with W by asking her out on an anniversary date and proposing we renew our vows. I have since become so discouraged by W's strong persistence in maintaining and furthering the vast gulf now between us, such that I am almost welcoming her filing for D.
In fact, I am confident that W will file on July 7, the very first moment she can legally do so in this state. So my dream is nothing but, now a passing thought.
<journaling>
Wednesday morning I talked to S7 and he expressed the desire to come stay with me that evening. But I soon realized it was for more ulterior motives. First he mentioned the Lego Mindstorms kit we had acquired of late, which will stay in my residence. I see this as S7 seeking another fancy new toy. Second, W explained that he and she had butted heads over homework assignments the previous evenings, but S7 kept saying he would rather see his father and that 9 days apart is too long. W took this "9 days" thing as something I "planted' in S7's mind. She also said that S7 "knows" which parent lets him get off easy and not complete his homework.
I told the both of them that I am always happy to take S7 or his brother, but I warned them both that I was going to stipulate that the homework assignments were going to be completed first or else there would be no "fun" activities. Incredulous of me, as always, W agreed to give me a try.
I picked up S7 after school, took him back to my apartment, and instructed him on completing at least two night's worth of homework (jumping ahead in the homework schedule.) I then prepared dinner, we ate, and then for the last 30 minutes or so of S7's visit we looked at the robot project we began in the Mindstorms kit. Finally I drove S7 back to the house in time for his bath and bedtime.
W actually seemed slightly pleased. She took advantage of me having S7 by spending extra one-on-one time with S3.
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Yesterday, Thursday, W asked me again to be on standby in case she was unable to pick up our S's on time. And again, she made it on time without needing my assistance.
