It's been a long time since my last post (as usual)...but I have a legitimate excuse! I've been BUSY! How so? Let me tell you all about it....
First off, the custody battle is over. In a nutshell, I WON! But as the fly on the wall saw it, it wasn't quite that cut and dried. Let me explain. For the past 18 months, I've been waiting and preparing diligently for my day in court when I would be able to lay out all of my ex-wife's shortcomings when it comes to the kids. I prepped witnesses, I paid attorneys, I made phone calls, I lost sleep. Then, December 12, 2005, finally arrives. My day in court. I show up with 7 witnesses in tow, all prepared to honestly give their opinion about my paternal abilities as well as my level of responsibility and concern when it comes to my kids. The kids were almost vibrating they were so ready for this day. They had been waiting a LONG time to have their say about what they wanted to do with their lives, and they were ready.
So, 9:00am comes and goes. My attorney is there. Her attorney is there (mostly). And yes, she is there. We don't speak a word. There is no need. We're not here to speak. The time to speak was gone a long time ago. And it was an indication of where this whole thing was going. No speaking...only negotiations between attorneys. Her attorney makes an offer. We reject. The offer is modified. We counter-offer. She gives another offer. We condition the offer. They accept. We accept. Case closed. We never said a word to each other. She made sure that my high-priced attorney squeezed out every dollar from my bank account that she could before giving in. But so much the better. Chances are, this could have gotten ugly, and we likely would have won anyway. I'm just glad it's over.
So now I get to move. Not soon--NOW. I've got a place in Greenbrier, and I'll be moving next week WITH the kids! By the time school starts in January, they'll be settled in with dear ol' Dad, and I'll be settled into the Dad groove. Leslie will stay back in Little Rock holding down the fort until that house sells. We'll 'move' each weekend back to Little Rock so we'll all get some family time, but then it's back to Greenbrier for school during the week. Hopefully, once the remodeling is done on the house it will sell. It's been a long, long wait, and we're ready to get on with our life elsewhere.
And if that wasn't enough, I've been so busy at work that I can't tell you which way is up. I love my job, and I love to work, but I also like a little "me" time. That, too, shall come very soon. I get to be a soccer dad, a chauffeur, a best friend, a confidant, a housewife, a rabid football fan, a radical basketball fan, and most of all...a Dad. I can't wait for that chapter to begin. 2006 is going to be my best year ever.
OK, I've said enough now. We just got done with Christmas #2 tonight after having Christmas #1 last Wednesday night...Christmas #3 comes tomorrow, and Christmas #4 is Sunday. Then there's Christmas #5 on Wednesday next week when my mom and stepdad get into town. Can you say "holiday burnout"? Oh, well...it's great to have that much family to celebrate with. And for that, I am very thankful.
Merry Christmas to everyone, and I hope your new year shows as much promise and prosperity as mine. For once, I look forward to next year. I likely won't post again before 2006 comes along, so make it good! Until next time...and next year....
