I hope that the kids are okay while they are gone for the next few weeks. Take this time to pick up lots of shifts at the new job and save lots of money so you can take the kids to visit the mouse.
What about the show cause for not bringing the kids back? Also, what about the letter about emailing and visitations, was either brought up with the Judge?
Sometimes I just want to send JTB an anonymous letter that tells him basically all the wrong things DAMM has done in bullet form, even if he doesn't believe it- he would see it.
no no no.
repeat after me: no
Trust me, it wouldn't be anonymous. You are making great strides in JTB's eyes. Don't screw it up. He wouldn't read it, it wouldn't make a difference except to poison him against you.
Go ahead, write it mentally. In a year, you will say, 'man I'm glad I never sent it'.
good luck. you are making progress. Remember, with this judge, you are best to keep your head down. Anything else will not serve you. Pretend you are playing a role with him and stick to it!
Even better: Make a list of how far YOU have come. Do a "then and now" in 2 columns. How you would have acted/reacted 2 years ago, how you are doing things now. Put it ALL on paper. And then fold it up and put it away for a year. At this time next year you will be able to add yet another column for the strides you are making with every day that passes!
I do one from time to time. I can honestly say that I am proud of how I have handled myself over the last 2 years- Honestly, there is NOTHING I have done that I regret!
Mulan
just as a suggestion to fill some of your time while the kiddos are gone-
i just read the book "escape" by carolyn jessup and i would highly reccommend it. jessup is the woman who is usualy on any show regarding the flds (she escaped as an adult with all of her children and successfully won-a first-a custody battle against her ex with his high paid flds legal team). it will definatly strike a chord with what you've gone through, are going through-and will go through, but it's very inspirational.
a second book, that is spiritual but will make you laugh so hard at times you best have a spare pair of pants handy is "trespassers will be baptized" by elizabeth emerson hancock. hancock is the daughter of a southern baptist preacher and the book is a memoir of growing up a "p.k." in kentucky. the stories she tells of esp. her younger years are side splitting (while the other kids might put up a lemonaide stand during the neighborhood yard sale she and her little sister fill up their wading pool in the back yard and offer bapitisms for a nickle and can't figure out why they don't get any takers). very sweet but very, very funny.