Fall of 2010
We took the kids to a city-wide event when Son started being dramatic. He said his chest was hurting, then a minute later he would be laughing and playing. Then he'd remember he "was in pain" and it went back to complaining. We asked Son if it hurt so bad that we needed to go home; he said no, he wanted to stay and go to the football game. Then, The Ex called to talk to the kids. Son gets on the phone with her, starts whining that he's in pain and Husband "wasn't doing anything about it." The Ex tells him to put Husband on the phone.
Husband gets on the phone. "Something's wrong with him, why aren't you giving him medicine?! He's in pain, something is wrong!" Husband told her that we already asked Son if he wanted to go home and he said no; he was not in that much pain and if he was, we would handle it. We told the kids we were going home; Son immediately starts pouting.
As the kids were getting into the truck, Husband stayed back a bit to talk to The Ex without the kids overhearing. He told her he didn't appreciate her getting angry when she wasn't there and didn't see what was going on; Son would complain he was hurting, then he'd forget about it and start playing with other kids. The Ex replied, "Yeah, I know how [Son] can be." (Then why the hell are you yelling at Husband if you "know how [Son] can be"??) They talked a bit more, when The Ex starts crying. Husband asks what's wrong and The Ex replies, "I had a miscarriage this morning." Husband told her he was sorry; he literally didn't know what else to say. (Miscarriage is not a joking matter in any way, shape or form. I feel horrible that it happens to anyone, regardless of the circumstances. That being said, I don't know who announces to their ex-spouse that they just experienced a miscarriage. Furthermore, The Ex was constantly complaining about never having any money so how on earth could she afford another child? Wouldn't you take the necessary precautions to make sure that you didn't get pregnant?)
A week later, The Ex called Husband and said she still hadn't received any paperwork from the court hearing a month ago. Husband told her that Our Attorney had sent it in at least two weeks ago, because Attorney 3 never sent it in like he was supposed to. The Ex then said she wanted the kids early that upcoming weekend because they didn't have school. Husband told her she could pick them up Friday morning before I went to work; The Ex said she'd let him know. A little while later, The Ex calls back and says Husband can drop the kids off at her sister's house on Thursday night and she'll pick them up from there. Husband asks if The Ex will be bringing the kids back to our place on Sunday night then. The Ex says, "Well, no. It's not fair to me to have to do all that driving." (So it's fair if we drop the kids off and then go pick the kids up. But it is not fair for The Ex to pick the kids up and then drop them off.) Husband tells her no, he's not doing all the driving. The Ex says her parents will pick up the kids from our place on Thursday night. Husband says Thursday was never part of the discussion and repeated she could pick them up Friday morning if she would like. The Ex then announces that it's a court order that she be allowed to pick up the children early when they don't have school. Husband says this is not part of the order, and The Ex just said she hasn't gotten any paperwork so how would she know what the order is? The Ex says, "Well, I remember that part. From the small part I do remember, it says I can pick them up early. I’ll take you back to court on this if I have to!" (You're going to go to court and argue that you want an extra few hours, maybe five times the entire year, and should be allowed to make a 3-hour drive roundtrip with the kids in the car after working an 8-hour shift. Sounds like a solid win to me...)
Little things happened here and there during the rest of the year. Remember the dog that The Ex got rid of? Well, now she was getting rid of their pet cats that they had owned for 4 years. The Ex told the kids she "was spending way too much money on them every month." (Monthly car payment, not too much money. Cable TV, not too much money. Cat food and litter, too much money - the cats have to go.)
As the kids were getting into the truck, Husband stayed back a bit to talk to The Ex without the kids overhearing. He told her he didn't appreciate her getting angry when she wasn't there and didn't see what was going on; Son would complain he was hurting, then he'd forget about it and start playing with other kids. The Ex replied, "Yeah, I know how [Son] can be." (Then why the hell are you yelling at Husband if you "know how [Son] can be"??) They talked a bit more, when The Ex starts crying. Husband asks what's wrong and The Ex replies, "I had a miscarriage this morning." Husband told her he was sorry; he literally didn't know what else to say. (Miscarriage is not a joking matter in any way, shape or form. I feel horrible that it happens to anyone, regardless of the circumstances. That being said, I don't know who announces to their ex-spouse that they just experienced a miscarriage. Furthermore, The Ex was constantly complaining about never having any money so how on earth could she afford another child? Wouldn't you take the necessary precautions to make sure that you didn't get pregnant?)
A week later, The Ex called Husband and said she still hadn't received any paperwork from the court hearing a month ago. Husband told her that Our Attorney had sent it in at least two weeks ago, because Attorney 3 never sent it in like he was supposed to. The Ex then said she wanted the kids early that upcoming weekend because they didn't have school. Husband told her she could pick them up Friday morning before I went to work; The Ex said she'd let him know. A little while later, The Ex calls back and says Husband can drop the kids off at her sister's house on Thursday night and she'll pick them up from there. Husband asks if The Ex will be bringing the kids back to our place on Sunday night then. The Ex says, "Well, no. It's not fair to me to have to do all that driving." (So it's fair if we drop the kids off and then go pick the kids up. But it is not fair for The Ex to pick the kids up and then drop them off.) Husband tells her no, he's not doing all the driving. The Ex says her parents will pick up the kids from our place on Thursday night. Husband says Thursday was never part of the discussion and repeated she could pick them up Friday morning if she would like. The Ex then announces that it's a court order that she be allowed to pick up the children early when they don't have school. Husband says this is not part of the order, and The Ex just said she hasn't gotten any paperwork so how would she know what the order is? The Ex says, "Well, I remember that part. From the small part I do remember, it says I can pick them up early. I’ll take you back to court on this if I have to!" (You're going to go to court and argue that you want an extra few hours, maybe five times the entire year, and should be allowed to make a 3-hour drive roundtrip with the kids in the car after working an 8-hour shift. Sounds like a solid win to me...)
Little things happened here and there during the rest of the year. Remember the dog that The Ex got rid of? Well, now she was getting rid of their pet cats that they had owned for 4 years. The Ex told the kids she "was spending way too much money on them every month." (Monthly car payment, not too much money. Cable TV, not too much money. Cat food and litter, too much money - the cats have to go.)
Then the holidays rolled around...
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