I'm feeling so overwhelmed

[Jilian]

I'm having a rough day today :bawl I haven't seen my DS since Friday, my mom brought him to Disney this weekend then dropped him to STBX last night because it was his scheduled night.

STBX keeps threatening to take DS out of state without my permission for 10 days. We don't have custody in writing so he legally can. He's also well-off (and I'm poor) and he's threatening to get a lawyer and take DS from me. I know he can't (he does drugs) but I really can't afford a lawyer. We can't even have a civil conversation on the phone without him calling me names, telling me how horrible I am, and threatening me in some way.

[xenomama]

I'm so sorry that you're going through this. Does the local women's shelter have a legal advocate you could at least talk to? That uncertainty is the worst, I imagine. When do you get to see your DS again? Would your stbx let you talk to him on the phone, or would that make it worse for you? I'm sending positive vibes your way.

[MsChatsAlot]

:Hug
Sorry to hear you're having a hard day. It is tough to be away from our kids for longer times than we are used to.

You are strong and wise. Money does not make all the difference. Acting intelligently, standing up for yourself and your child, being honest and doing what you can to make things best for your entire family will go a long way and help you feel positive about your choices.

I know when I feel overwhelmed with things it usually helps to start laying out an action plan to move forward on my terms. Even if I never follow through with it, it seems to help me see that there are possibilities and choices that I can make that will make a difference.

I hope you start feeling better soon.

[Asher]

(((hugs)))

[Jilian]

Thanks mamas. I'm feeling a little better now, I get to see DS for a few hours before he goes over STBX's again tonight, then I have DS for 4 days straight. I called legal aid in my area and I'm set to meet with them on Wed. They might not accept me because I own my own house, they think I should take a home equity loan out to cover legal fees. I CAN'T, I've only owned my home a few mos, you need to own it at least 6 mos. And I could never afford a higher mortgage, I'm struggling to make these payments. It's still cheaper than renting that's why I bought.

I'm hoping they can help me or at least point me in the right direction. I never wanted to have to see a lawyer, but STBX is leaving me no choice. He's hiring one too.

Divorce sucks!

[pranamama]

:hug hope your 4 days with ds are wonderful, and legal aid is really helpful

[esk8partist]

:hug