Really Could Have Done Without This Week

[TonboMidori]

Sorry, but a little ranting and raving must occur...

1) The court here has completely gone mad. A while back, a guardian ad litem (?) talked to la nina. Then he talked to us, then la nina's mother. We got his report and found that despite everything that has occured, he decided that "shared parenting" is a fabulous friggin' idea. Seriously?! The poor kid has come this far, and he wants to plunk her right back with her mother part time? Unbelieveable. We haven't said anything to la nina yet, since we're going to try and appeal his recommendation (if possible. no power means no contact with the lawyer yet. which leads to...)

2) Ike sneezed on us (Ohio) last Sunday. Now, I know it was nothing compared to what hit Texas by any means. I got that. But our local weather just said it was gonna be "windy". Nothing about 85-95 mph winds, nothing about possible damage or loss of power. Just "windy". Oh, well okay Mr. Weatherman. Instead, the power went out about 3 pm Sunday and wasn't restored until about 9pm this Thursday. By which time all of our food went bad, my toy reviews were behind schedule (as soon as I could, I emailed Meg), my SO and I had to drag poor la nina around with us everywhere we went (school lost power, too), phone lines were down and cell towers were totally overloaded, and people outside were acting like the world had ended. I mean come on, do you really have to body check a chick with a kid in tow over friggin' glow-sticks? Plus, I know the traffic lights are out, but that doesn't mean fly all over the road all willy-nilly. Come on, folks. Have some sense!

Ok, end rant

On the up-side, we managed to find a way to make a little less scary for la nina. After we got back with some supplies (my SO and I decided to divide and conquer. he went to one store, la nina and I went to another), la nina was still pretty nervous about the windstorm and all the commotion afterwards. So we decided to help calm her down by doing some "indoor camping". We got some sheets pinned up like we did when we were kids and popped some glow sticks. Then we just played games and stuff until her bedtime. She wanted to sleep in the "tent" we made, so we rolled her up in some blankies and gave her a glow stick. She seemed to think it was the greatest thing ever when she laid down, but was crawling up in our bed pretty soon after. There was only one big crying fit during the whole thing, which is great considering the circumstances. We managed to get away with only some minor car damage, thanks to whoever invented carports, and I lost my flowers on the deck (not that they were growing anyway). So no, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I still felt the need to complain though.

Ok, end complaining

[pappyld04]

There is another thing that many do not know about this custody thing. CPS in many states work for the mothers only. NOTHING is done for the fathers. I had the custody arrangement that iha speaks of until my daughter was moved into a house with 3+ families, all with children younger than she, and was pretty much forced to give up toys, clothes and who knows what else until I found out about it. I got her for a holiday and found out abotu some of it so I called her mother and told her that she would not be coming back to that household and I contacted my attorney that Monday to begin the paperwork. It took 3 months to get a court date and she drew a child support check during that time. Noone showed up for that court date other than my atty. and I.

When my x moved out on her own she got some welfare atty. to drag me back in and got her back. Almost immediately she married some Mexican guy that she had just met and was leaving all 4 of the kids in the house alone, with no utilities so they could go out clubbing. When the oldest boy fell down the steps and hurt his leg my girl called 911 for an ambulance and at that time cops and DHS swooped in and took the kids. Somehow the younger kids' father found out and just by chance hired my atty. to get custody of his 2. If my atty. had not been called I may have never known.

Women who know the system will use every bullshit trick in the book to make your life hell. And the way things are dads have to prove them wrong not the other way around. You two are working with the child's interest at heart. Mom is working with a vengeance and a fucked up system that will try anything. Just make sure to follow the CYA manual. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!