Today is a little easier.

Today is a little easier.  I began my final separation 3 years ago today.  Since that time, I underwent constant attacks, a never ending smear campaign, I was cut off from all assets, my business and said good bye to life long friends and family.

I have spent 2 years in a court battle trying to protect my daughter, myself and my assets and the battle continues today.  His ability to manipulate the courts has cost me time and money. Each hearing his attorney would run the clock cross examining me about ridiculous accusations of my
un-stability, attempted suicide, wasteful spending, harassment and how I abused him.

Last month the court finally saw through the madness when my daughter was allowed to testify.  I have tried my best to shield my children from this and never considered allowing my children to be subjected to the asinine system known as "Family Court".  The courts have been used as tool by my ex to further his abuse, ridicule me publically and drain my resources.  I was fortunate my new attorney recognized the tactics after reading transcripts from the previous hearings and called it quickly. He refused to play "Groundhog Day" and did not waste time defending me. Instead, he allowed my daughter to testify. 

We were in court for my "Emergency Petition to Relocate". My daughter asked me to testify several times but, I told her no.  Her final request she explained to me that her father had a very good attorney and her father was determined to never let me leave the area with her. He had alienated me from most of the public with his aggressive smear campaign and I was struggling financially,  and socially. He would even smear my name with my daughter's friends parents, causing her to be alienated when she was in my care.  He continued to maintain control and would not let go.

My daughter, did not speak one ill word about either parent.  She simply told the judge, she wanted to live with me in a town three hundred miles from where she lived her whole life. Her positive attitude and the maturity of my 12 year old daughter demonstrated to the judge, in the midst of the insanity of all the divorce proceedings, someone was parenting correctly.  The judge granted me permission to move even after he heard the ridiculous lies about me. 

Today, I am living 300 miles from my ex.  He still uses visitation, child support and my daughters basic needs to provoke me. Fortunately, I can turn my head and look the other direction.  My daughter and I have settled into a peaceful routine.  She has friends and they are allowed to visit, she attends a school and no one knows of her parents divorce and she finally has found her peace in the madness.

I am getting stronger by the minute.  I am reconnecting with the person, I once was, before he entered my life.  I am still working towards my final hearing and obtaining what is rightfully mine. Sometimes, I consider walking away from everything I built over the last 13 years but, today he withholds basic necessities from my daughter to provoke me. Unfortunately, I don't think that will ever change. So, I have no choice but to move forward and fight for what my daughter rightly deserves. Hopefully then, I will be able to provide for my daughter, he will no longer have control.



***"Groundhog Day -  Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, an arrogant and egocentric Pittsburgh TV weatherman who, during a hated assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, finds himself in a time loop, repeating the same day again and again.