BON VOYAGE!

Here's a quick update (at least I hope it will be quick, I haven't finished it yet)... Aspen's mom left for Phoenix this morning. She'll be back Monday. She just had to get away from all the stress over here. The night before, the friend she had been staying with called me to let me know that even she was fed up with her lies and wanted her out of the house. So she stayed at her last friend's place last night. I suppose that's where she'll stay once she gets back from her vacation too. And this friend who told her to take a hike has been a friend of hers since high school. She told me that if I needed her to testify on Aspen's behalf during the custody trial that I could count on her. She is really burning every bridge she has. What's more her (ex) friend has talked to her ex (the one who allegedly hit her) and says that she'll testify on his behalf as well. She knows full well that Aspen's mom went over there that night to incite him into such a move. Nice huh? And she plans on calling her other friend (the one she has left) to let her know all the lies that she's been sewing and to be aware of all the chaos she is in the midst of. I went to the lawyer today and was both encouraged and disheartened. The good news is that all the provisions I want to put into the custody suit are workable and won't be vetoed on principle by the judge. The bad news is that even though she doesn't appear to want to contest it, it will still be costing me more than I have. I was hoping to get the paperwork drawn up on an hourly rate then I could do all the filing and footwork myself. Not the case. I still have to pay a hefty retainer. Ouch. Another bit of good news is that she doesn't have to sign anything. She simply gets served and if she doesn't show up to the hearing then the judge pretty much puts his seal on it, no problem. And by the time that gets around (six weeks?), she will in all likelihood be long gone and not be in a position to contest it even if she had second thoughts. And she left town before getting the restraining order she filed in the kid's names removed. So while she is resting in Phoenix, her son still can't go home. And lets keep things in check: Once I have full custody and Aspen is safe in my care, that is the closing of one ugly chapter of this mess. The next and even more ugly chapter begins when Aspen's mom decides to up and move. I have always wanted her out of my life but I didn't want her out of Aspen's life. Mom is doing some research for me to find the titles of some books that guide a parent in raising a child that has been 'abandoned' by the other parent. This will not be an easy thing to witness or counter. Aspen will be losing one of her pillars. It may be a faulty and crumbling pillar but it is still one she loves and relies on. Yes, there are definitely some hard days ahead for daddy and Aspen. There, that was 'quick' wasn't it?