OOOOOOOOOOOOO - big hugs and congrats to you Spook - when the time comes and you realise that you have to fight for all its worth it really makes a difference - I felt let down and at the end of my tether last week and thanks to lots of people (especially a lovely divorce lawyer I met at a wedding on Saturuday!!) I feel like I can go out and fight the world - X2b has already received the petition and that is with the court and now I have instructed my solicitor today to put the form A into the court to bring about a financial hearing - he won't accept any offers - I apparently put nothing into the marraige so will be getting nothing out (Except the 60 - 70% of absolutely everything you arrogant little weazelly shit !!)
Your X2b will probably get every other weekend and half of the school hols - although they still can mess you around but if X2b doesn;t have DD the weekends he is supposed to he knows he won;t see her again till it is his pre arranged time again - no messing about and changing arrangements anymore - he wants to behave like a shit and so will I!!
Oooohhh I do hope that you feel as empowered as I do at the moment - your X2b is an absolute tosser not to realise that him being nasty about you won;t help anyone - most certainly not his children and you have to keep a log of stuff like this - it will be very handy when you go to court to arrange access - as well as the coke thing - the judge in my case was disgusted at x2bs, his mothers and my stepmonsters attitude towards me - all worked in my favour in the end!!
As for the taking your 2x2b for everything - you do not sound bitter or twisted but sensible - you need to be secure for the sake of your children - this is about them really and you as the PWC - as my new friendly divorce lawyer told me at the weekend - the court will arrange things to suit the child before everyone else and especially with the idea that the settlement is about from here on - not what has been put into the marriage by either of you!!
Good Luck Spook - keep uo the attitude and don;t let him get you down - he is a C*NT of the Higest Order just like my X2b - and like me will finally get to the stage where you realise that no matter how trying this has all been you in reality have had a lucky escape from being stuck with such an arrogant self centred man for the rest of your life.
Twinkie XXX