On the day the kids are to be picked up, xh has SRS (yup, Social Services) do a welfare check on the kids, for he "knows" they are neglected, physically abused, live in a filthy house with too many animals, along with the feces, etc, etc.
The kids are pulled out of the last class of the day individulally, (yup, only a few hours before they are going to be picked up by his wife) escorted to the counselor's office, and introduced to two strangers who tell them they are from SRS.
These two ladies tell them their father called and said he was very concerned about their well being. They were asked if what kind of meals I cook, whether I am at home with them for any length of time, what condition our home is in, if I've hit them, if we fight (my son responded to this one: "I'm 15 years old, I thought it was normal for me to fight with my mother.")
If a dog has pooped in the house, if so, how long would it stay there, (both kids said it's been years, but we've had puppies, and yes, before they are completely house trained a pup would have accidents, but it's cleaned up right away, then they were asked who picked it up, they both said "MOM", but every once in a while one of us will help. SRS had their questions answered, then showed up here to have a look around and left.
Days earlier xh called and said he hadn't heard from the kids in two days, he was going to call the Sheriff if they didn't call him back. This from a man who has gone weeks without giving them a call. Earlier on "Pick up" day, he called and left a message "Make sure you have them there on time!" as if he wasn't an hour late for his drop off the previous Sunday.
Yes, he is making a case to take the children from me... I see this and am aware of the signs. The SRS only further caused both kids to stress out too, as I know this was xh's plan too.
After school there's a little over an hour to get the kids ready. They run through the house to gather the stuff they want to pack, along with their clothes. Soon the time approaces, and we take that now short drive to town. I ask for a civilian escort from the police station and meet xh's wife. S gets out while the wife jumps out to ask if she could help, then backs up back into her car, AS IF, I would say a thing to her.... but the "act" looks good. D starts to say "I don't want to go, I can't go!" I grit my lower jaw and start to pray. S packs his stuff into the van, D is still sitting in the car. The officer comes over and asks if she is supposed to go, I said yes, and then he looks to me to do something and I just look right back at him waiting for his next word.... D says "I don't want to go." He asks her "What did you say?" D replies "I don't want to go." He says "you have to, it's court ordered." He again looks at me, as I sit silently. He asks her "Why don't you want to go?" "I don't want to go, I don't feel comfortable with going with her." "Why", he asks "Because she makes me uncomfortable, I don't feel safe." Then he looked at me, and I said "I'm not going to push her, I'm not going to pull her out, it would be abuse for me to pull her out of there, and the last thing I will do is hurt my daughter." The officer then said to D, "So, you don't want to go." She said "No." then he asked for my license and said he had to file a report. I gave him my license and answered his questions. When he was done, he said, okay, there's no reason for you to stay, so enjoy your evening.
Of course, by morning, xh's attorney called my attorney and told him I sped off with D in the car. I told my attorney that I did nothing of the sort. He said he couldn't protect me, they are going to file for contempt. I said I realize that, but what was I suppose to do? He then told me he wasn't going to keep my case, and I told him to do what he thought he needed to do.
I'm sure the story xh's attorney was a good one, for she has a way of giving xh's statements a supercharge by the time they come across the airwaves. She told my last attorney that she knew I had friends at the police station and the reason she'd be able to discount any report they had issued. But this I just found out recently.... hindsight is a great thing.
The next morning, xh started emailing me, which led to him divulging the reason he sent the SRS after me.... which was due to my involvement with his wife's former MIL, when I gave her his address and phone number. Yup, he actually confesses this in an email!
Also, I know xh's wife used the SRS too, which played out in court just last month, claiming not only physical, but sexual abuse against her xh2, father of her youngest child. It was thrown out... Of course, she is in a different county a couple of hours away.
Anyway, that night, D starts to worry that I will get in trouble, I told her no, not to worry, although she may have to talk to the judge. She said she would, she wanted to.... so then she begins to relax and in a couple of hours, she is hungry, makes a plate of mixed vegies and fruit with yogurt and peanut butter sides, along with a couple of hard boiled eggs, and we both sit and share a quiet dinner. She ate well, then went to be and slept for 12 hours straight.
The next morning, we go to parent teachers conference. The moment the counselor sees D, he sees that she is smiling for the first time in nearly 2 weeks, (his words)and they chat, he seems pleased she looks so good. Each teacher we meet with say basically the same thing to her.
We leave, have a chicken wrap, side salad and drink at McDonalds, do a little shopping and then she asks for an peanut butter cup ice cream, so we stop at Braums. She had a Dr. appt for her sinuses, and that's we head next. She stepped on that scale and I held my breath, she weighed 100 lbs, fully dressed with a hoodie wrapped around her waist.
The Dr. said she looks good, usual KS spring allergies, updated her prescriptions, then quietly asked me about her weight, I said she's had a stressful week, and I'd give him a call on Monday to fill him in, but added she's beginning to do better since last night. He shook his head, told me to keep my chin up and I'm doing a good job.... ya, I wish, I thought.
So, that's it for now, except D is doing better. She has been nibbling all day, with pretty good meals, albeit on the light side, but I can tell she's getting more of what she needs. She's been helping with stuff around here as we make plans for the week.
Take care, God Bless
Love,
Laughing
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you.........
