I'm back from the pit to which I had fallen.  Where did I go?  Into the dispairs of nasty custody battles and stoopid ex-spouses.

 

I was not free to say anything, for fear he would twist my words and try to use them against me.  He accused me of putting the children in "imminent danger" and told the children.....TOLD them that I was going to hell.  He told them I worship the devil.  He told them that if they lived with me, they would end up living on the street.  Nothing was off limits if he thought it would turn my babies against me.

 

If there is a hell, I hope he burns in it.  If there isn't, may he live in hell on earth while he's here.  I'm just glad it's over now.

 

What ended it?  I really don't know for sure.  He called me one day out of the blue and said, "I want to settle."  It was about a week after I'd taken him to court on contempt charge stemming from all the horrible things he'd been saying to the kids about me. 

 

"What are you offering?" I asked him.

 

"I'm offering you the kids."

 

Just like that. 

 

I held my breath.  I waited for the other shoe to drop.  I tried to figure out what the catch was.

 

There was none.

 

The mediation papers were signed the day before Thanksgiving.  The following week he called me and said, "Are you going to be home today?"

 

I hesitantly answered, "I should be...."

 

"Okay, cuz I thought I'd bring the first load of the kids' stuff by."

 

And he did.  He backed his pickup up to our garage and started unloading.  Their bikes.  Their clothes.  Blankets.  Everything. 

 

He's also only requested to see them once a month and every other holiday.  I'm not even sure he's going to take them on his visitations at this point.

 

But, whatever.  My babies are safe; they are together.  They are not going to have to move anymore and will actually get to stick around with the friends they've made and graduate with them.  I'm grateful to the gods that be for that.