Newbie needs advice and encouragement

[Kramer]

I'm not sure how much I can slow things down, but will certainly try. I will be filing my response to her divorce petition within the allotted 30 days, and it will be conflicted from hers. This will make our case contested. California already has a mandatory 6 month waiting period from the day that I was served, so I'm not sure how to extend that. Perhaps request and drag out mediation?

Of course I will continue to work on me. I have already made great strides and fully accept my part in our relationship issues. Currently, I am not speaking with her other than legal issues. When I do communicate, it is via text or email. I keep my responses short and business-like in nature. I cook dinner for her adult kids every week, and I keep in contact with them for support. I do not bring up their mother with them, only to say that I will not badmouth her and that I love her. Her kids want nothing to do with OM, and she seems content to stay with him on weekends as a fantasy parallel life.

I'm not sure what else to do.