Life goes on, but just seems to get harder...

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cat03, F_KITTY, and Gypsy - I'm glad to meet all of you, and thanks for the advice! I have to double check, but I think there is something in our divorce agreement about us living in the same town to facilitate the shared custody. I don't know how hard it would be for her to get that changed, or how hard she would be willing to push for it. I really hope we don't have to go down that road.

I honestly think that most of my ex's talk of moving is coming from frustration that her new post-divorce life is not the independent fantasy life she thought it was going to be. Her decision hasn't been well-supported by her family or friends (except her recently-divorced girl friends and single guy friends, of course!). She was the spender in our relationship and is already having financial issues. She's getting tired of her part-time bartending job that seemed so new and fun 4 months ago. She is having some medical problems but no longer has the health insurance that my job provided for her. And she still hasn't gotten her own place, most of her stuff is still at my house (she didn't want to keep the house in our settlement, she kept our good vehicle and I kept the house and all of our debts). She is still my friend and I would like her to be happy, but she is barely able to take care of herself right now, much less herself and our 3 young girls.

F_KITTY, I sympathize with your situation and wish the best for you. I hope that my ex will be able to put our kids' needs above her wants, and not force us into a situation where only one parent can be there for them.

Gypsy, you are correct that my priority is being a good dad for my girls and making the best of this bad situation for them. The tricky part is finding some time between work and kids to spend on keeping myself relatively happy and sane! So I just take it one day at a time and try to do the best I can. I will get through this, and I think in many ways I will be a better man for it.