The journey begins

[Cie la vie]

CTH,

As you may be aware I have been in mediation since 12/31/09 and our mediator is in the process of drawing up our settlement agreement. We ironically enough meet on the 7th to review this document before it is passed onto our respective attorney's.

So those of you who have gone through it, what's it like. Is it a lot of arguing? Is it he said, she said stuff?

In my case no. It really all depends on how you and your W go about things. I believe my W entered these sessions immersed in the affair fog and a touch of guilt. I took advantage of this and treated her with respect and kindness which thus far has translated into the best deal I could have imagined. Does she reverse field at the 11th hour? That is $125,000.00 question.

I can remember only one heated moment during our 5+ sessions and when the steam started to rise the mediator jumped in and defused it. It took great restraint on my part on several occassions during these sessions to not blow my top. Most of that anger for me revolved around her outrageous spending and her affair behavior.

All of our sitch's are different as are the personalities involved and your results may vary. As you have heard time and time again, hope for the best but expect the worst.