Divorced, Dating, and Parenting

[~Sol]

I got some good news to share - it's good cause it touches many levels of my life right now. No ~ I don't have someone I "met" (still working on that part, I am very much the available bachelor still).

Today I go to pick up D for her martial arts beginners class, and when I knock on the X's door, she hands me an envelope and tells me I need to get D's instructor to fill out the form so D can go to her gifted middle school (you know, the one that X was adamant about not letting D go to?) So I was a little surprised...OK, a LOT surprised...about X's change of heart. Of course I didn't complain at all, I rejoiced inside my head about this whole thing. What changed my X's mind you ask? I don't have a clue but I have a theory. I figure it's 2 things - X had to get more info about that school and how it will benefit D, so I think a friend of X's - another parent I assume - told X that she better do whatever it takes to let D go to a gifted school and receive a far better education than an average middle school can provide. The other part I theorize is that my D had a lot of influence over her mom by being persistent that she wanted to go really bad, crying and being upset about it - to the point where my X caved in. So that's the logical conclusion I came up with about what went on inside my X's head - but to be cotton pickin honest - I haven't a clue!!!! I'm just releived and happy D is going to go to a prestigious school that is still part of the public school system and doesn't cost us anything extra.

So to add to this new development - my X insisted that she will drive D to school - something like a 45 min commute in morning rush hour, on an interstate and a whole lotta red traffic lights. It will take patience on my X's part (and mine when I drive D too), and then go back to pick her up 5 times a week. Knowing this, and the route I used to take to get to my ship at the base some years ago, I volunteered to help out my X with gas money for the commute. I don't want my X to get all the burden (and guaranteed bitchin at me) if I don't help out in some way. I'm doing this for my D, and only my D - her education is what matters most - not the bickering and senseless arguing me and my X take part in. My D will get so many new opportunities while attending that school, it's going to be amazing! I kinda envy my little girl - I never had this kind of opportunity growing up even though I was an A student (that's another story).

I'm happy on many levels about this, it's almost as if my D is going to go to Harvard or Yale - well that's the middle school equivalent of this school. It's hard, very disciplined, but they really teach the kids and push them to excel in everything, and if the student has the backing and support of their parents, the kids do excel. Like I said before in a previous post - I'm prob going to be the one giving all the academic tutoring for my D, and mom will be the, well - mom. My X just gave my D one condition - that she listen to her mom from now on (they head-butt a lot - imagine when D is a full-blown teenager?) I hope that they get along better, but one thing I know for sure, my D is a happy little girl right now.