Hi JRuss, I get what you are saying and not going out as a 'family' of 4 was best for me. I took my kids out for D's birthday as a 3 and had a great day with them.
Bearing in mind that over the past couple of months, W has been telling me that she will only talk to me with a mediator present, her L is still on my case which has been directed to my L. Now all of a sudden, she wants to spend a few hours together over dinner and wants to tell me her health issues (which she did in front of the kids) where she may have to go into hospital next year for some surgery and won't be able to do very much for a few weeks.
I talked with some trusted female friends and they saw this as a sympathy play and temp check to see if I was still here for her. That she is just looking to see if I will support her but are sure that the pattern will repeat.
In the end it didn't really matter as I was ill on my D's birthday but had already replied saying thank you for the offer but no thank you.
