The journey begins

[ClingingToHope]

Thanks everyone. I do have a very good lawyer. He came highly recommended from a high school classmate. In his case, he was married to a doctor who made mid six figures. She started sleeping with another doctor who makes seven figures.

She filed for divorce, full custody (even though she works on-call and has crazy hours), child support and alimony.

It cost him $60,000, but he got custody, child support and alimony. He's a photographer.

In terms of legal reputation, I'm happy with my guy.

I just hoped I would never really need him.

I went to the second conference, which went really well. D7 is in her fifth school in four years because of ADHD issues, but she started out this year in a special program. She's done so well they've transitioned her back to regular classes 90 percent of the time.

They believe next year she'll be 100 percent back in normal classes with just slight Para supervision.

I am extremely proud of her and grateful for this program.

I'm also a little sad.

Last year, both D10 and D7 struggled. D10 was in her first year in the gifted program and all of a sudden everyone was as smart as she was. She was used to easy success and not having to work at things. So she whined all year about how hard things were. And D7 was rarely in class. She was usually in trouble or working one-on-one with a para. We were getting calls at least once a week.

It made a tense situation way more so. We learned our lesson and hired an after-school sitter who could help D10 with her homework. D7 got placed in this special program and now ... everything is better scholastically.

I just wonder if this stuff had happened one year earlier then would we be in this situation. We worked so hard on the kids but never worked on us.

I just got off the phone with my aunt. The truth is there's always going to be that 1% deep down that won't let go, that will hope that something will open W's heart again. Even if my brain tells me there's no hope -- especially considering W is the type who NEVER admits she's wrong. She has such self-esteem issues she just can't admit when she's made a mistake.

One thing in the conference. I couldn't look at her. A few times she looked over at me for input or to ask a question and I'd just look at the teachers or the paperwork in front of me.

I couldn't look at her. Not today. I've got one more event tonight and it is D10's birthday, but it'll be late when the event is over so hopefully they'll just go home.

Small consolation. My girls love me. I know that. W knows that. She also knows I will not let them down. So if this is how it is to be she'll be faced with their questions and their looks for 10 years on why she chose to break up the family.

At least I don't have to live with that.