Another one joins the flock (Part II)

[Mike85]

Thoughts after a loooooooooong hot shower (in a freshly-cleaned bathroom):

- Wife dropped off kids Friday, left me with a positive vibe. We've had no contact since then, meaning that SHE has given me no reason to feel negative since then.

- We're TWO AND A HALF MONTHS into this. I'm still a "short-timer!" Hell, wife has left a bunch of stuff in the house, still hasn't gotten around to dealing with a mediator, and has gone from a seething hatred of me to hugs and friendly kisses in less than six weeks. Are we where I want us to be? Of course not. Are my wounds still fresh and smarting? Hell yes! But, as you all keep reminding me: "PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE!!!"

- My son's counselor has thus far sort of refused to listen to more background info on our home situation, as he feels that it focuses "too much" on me and wife and not enough on kids. IMNSHO, this means he's working on incomplete information. I'm going to remind him at our next visit that HE works for ME and, like any "hired gun" (even one with a Master's), he should take his employer's concerns seriously or be prepared to have my business go elsewhere.

- He disagrees with my counselor's views on DB. But, MY counselor's PhD trumps his Master's. Neener neener.

- The fact that he admitted that his "experience" is that most of the couples he counsels split should have been a red flag to me regarding the value of his opinion. In fact, I think I recall Michele warning of that attitude in marriage counselors.

The guy made some valid points here and there, he comes highly recommended for child counseling, and my son seems to like him. I'll have the conversation I mentioned above with him (in a mature manner) and see how he responds. If he refuses to bend, then I *will* seek someone who won't send negative messages regarding the prospects of our reconciliation to my son. It's one thing to explore his feelings regarding the possibilities, it's another to pitch divorce as the most likely option.

Today, I resolve to not let my son's counselor's opinion put a cloud on yet another day. I'll meet his words in my mind with Oddball's retort: "Always with the negative waves Moriarty, always with the negative waves." The mental image of Donald Sutherland saying that alone will make me smile.