I have a question for you, you keep talking about your limited visitation as not being your choice, who made that choice and why did you not try to fight it? It seems really odd that a father would go from taking care of the kids all the time to seeing them 2 hours per week unless there's something we don't know (accusations of child abuse or such).
I looked after the kids when we were still together. W then left and took the kids, then we did days out etc. together as a family for a few weeks. Then she told me what access she wanted me to have for a month. I didn't want any conflict as I thought there was a good chance of us getting back togther. Now she is willing for me to do more but we have not yet agreed between us and I now realise that she wants a divorce.