Well I thought there was a bit of a shift. And it's possible there still may be. Or it's nothing at all.

A couple weeks ago I decided I am done with the firm NC. As i felt like it made me angry at everything. It wasn't what I wanted, so I made the change and was talkative and not dismissive. It felt much better to communicate this way

After that W initiated contact that night and we texted for about 20 minutes about the boys and little things like that. She said a couple things that were different from how she normally has been talking. Like calling s1 our son instead of by name.
I went on with the rest of my week and though she was on my mind a bit more than usual I was fine. Personally I have started to be open to looking to meet new people. I'm not about to go after someone, I am not closed to the idea of someone tho.

Then on the weekend I was away with my team I have been coaching for the final tournament of the year. I had a blast with them and the other coaches. I used te chance to try new things. To be happy and feel good. And it was! Then randomly Friday afternoon she starts texting me.

Asking about how this friend is. How this couple is. How my work is. etc. and I answered. It really threw me off because it is like she ran and never looked back.
Today when we met to switch the boys she was happy and talkative. Until I told her I am planning on taking all the kids out to visit her family. That pissed her off

She left right away and it didn't take her long to start spewing at me about how now her parent and mine are controlling and manipulative. How I became a wedge between her and her family. ( her family rarely talks to her since this).
However unlike previous times I didn't get sucked into a fight and stood up. I told her that her family are te type of people that make their decisions based on the info they are provided. That though I did talk to them at the beginning she would probably be surprised at how much less I talked to them than she thinks, regardless they are all adults and are able to make their own choices with the info they are given.

She stayed angry for a bit and then apologized for getting mad at me. That it was a kick in the stomach to her. And that the kids deserve to see the family. After that she started talking about the older 2 kids, asking how they've been and that she thinks about them all the time. Still loves them.

During the spew she said a lot of things like re stating what she said when she left. That we are done. This is why, Etc. then changed her attitude and realized she shouldn't be mad at me about it. Which was huge.
Most of me really believes she is talkative more because she wants a friendship, some friends said tho. She could have asked anyone the questions. And why care. After not talking for a few hours Friday she texts good luck in the tourney. I mean. Why bother reaching out to me

I still miss her and would love to be a family. I am also ok with where I am in my life right now. I am doing so much better deep down instead of telling myself I'm ok. I feel ok.

Everything is moving forward.

The person that you will spend the most time with in your life is yourself, so make yourself as interesting as possible.