Your plan is exactly what I have been planning to do!
I am just going to have to pick S7 up from school on the days that JA is coming for them.
So yesteday the realtor that he recommended came. She seemed pretty good and the company she works for does A LOT of advertising. I am going to call up another 2 realtors to get their opinions too.
She was very nice but I still hated the fact that I even have to sell my house so the thought of her being there was making me ill.
Plus she is very attractive so the whole time she was here I was wondering to myself if JA is screwing her too.
Blah.
Anyway, JA took the boys afterwards for his visitation night. When he brought them home he actually walked them to the door instead of just dropping them off and taking off.
We stood outside for about 10 minutes just talking about selling the house.
He told me that I could probably use the realtor to buy another house.
I mentioned that there was no way I was going to be able to afford to buy a house for a few years and that the boys and I were going to have to rent an apartment.
He asked why I couldn't buy a house and I told him with no job, it's hard to get approved for a mortgage.
He asked why I don't just pay cash for a house with my share of the money I will be getting from the house.
Is he an idiot? Does he realize how much it costs to own a house in the lower part of NY?
Of course I said that to him in a nicer way.
Then we got back to me renting an apartment. He said the kids will love it as they like staying in his apartment.
I said "that is because they are not living there full time. They still have this house to come home to, but it's going to suck for them when they have to give up having a yard, a big house to run around in, a driveway to ride their bikes on and all their friends in the neighborhood."
He said that when he was young he didn't have any friends in his neighborhood and grow up in a crappy house and he grew up just fine.
Then S7 came outside and asked his Dad to come see his new bedding set and pirate wall stickers.
I allowed JA to come in as he was being really pleasant.
He didn't want to seem to leave.
I kept mentioning to s7 that he had to get his homework done.
After about 20 minutes JA finally said "Ok, S7 I better let you get your homework done."
On his way out he said to me have a good night. Something he never does anymore. I was waiting for the punch line.
It came. Right as I was about to shut the door he said "Make sure you have the boys call me."
He's always got to feel like he has the upper hand still.
JA seems quite content with this divorce. I don't think it has affected him and I don't think it ever will.
