Hello Emily, I "dropped in" on this thread last night & read your posts. You have been through hell, girl. After reading the posts from today I wanted to make a comment or two that I hope will not offend. I notice that you had planned on doing a vet assistant course. I had though about that ,too when I was in my 20's (35 now). I ended up getting a 2 year degree in horticulture but now am having major problems finding a job that I'll be able to support myself on if the D my H wants happens. Because of this I spent alot of time at the US Goverment Job Outlook website (google that). What I found is when I looked again at vet assisting is that is pays rather low and the opportunities for advancement are limited. The other thing I found is that nursing assistants make about the same amount and the training is often a six week course. Once a person becomes a CNA other doors start to open. Many employers with pay for or at least help to pay for the employee to continue their education. You may be able to even get help with daycare for you children if you work in hospital type setting.I found that the LPN training typically takes about 1 year to complete and LPNs apparently make about $12-$15 per hour depending on your location. 12 X 40 hours per week =$480 X 52 weeks per year= $24,960. Not a ton of money but a good start. I have a good friend whom works in at the local hospitals' ICU area. He has a two year degree in nursing (RN) and makes close to $50,000 per year. He also works 4- 10 hour shifts and has 3 days off per week. I guess my point is that if you have the empathy,love and nerves of steel it will take to help the animals in pain maybe it wouldn't hurt to consider a profession that might help YOU more financially and set you free of any need to associate with the guy who has cruelly broken your family and your heart. If, of course thats what you decide that you want to do. Even if there are no schools really close by; if you are interested in a nursing carreer be sure to leave no stone unturned because you may be able to get relocation assistance and scholarships. You can even get lower cost student insurance through many colleges. I'd be willing to bet that there are other young mothers out there who would like to do the same sort of thing that you might be able to share a place with and work out a schooling/babysitting exchange schedule. I am seriously considering this program myself as I have just taken a job outside of my field that has the excellent benefits that I will need and will allow me to continue my education but the pay leaves a little tobe desired. Education IS the only way to independence. I have a good friend who's husband screwed around on her after 22 years of M. She was a stay at home mom most of that time and eventually worked as a teachers assistant. TAs make so little money... They divorced- she got herself together and started taking courses at the local community college in education,very, very slowly, one course at a time for a while. As she gained confidence she also gained momentum and finally got herself through 4 years of college to become a teacher. By this time she was 50 years old. She took a little time off, got a loan for educational costs and ALL of her living expenses (including a house payment)through Sallie May or one of those loan companies and earned her Master's degree. She is now at 56 years old and is the reading specialist for the elementary where she works. She said that $ was tight sometimes and she ate her share of beans to get by but she did it. You can do this too. If you want it. I just saw this friend the other day sauntering dead center down the middle of the aisle at a grocery store with her hair done just so, wearing a very nice casual outfit and a satisfied smile that gave me a great feeling that everything can and will be OK again. She lives very happily alone in her own home, her children visit often and she has created her own life without the jerk she was once married to. The hell with Kevin. It's Emily time. I think that once you get your drivers license & get your first taste of mobile freedom, you're gonna like it and feel encouraged about all the otions out there for a woman like you. You can do this AND you can find a way to not only keep your girls AND be a positive role model for them whom can lead them into their adulthood. Sorry to write book....
