A new day has dawned. I am free! (straight, reason, fighting)

[pirate girl]

Originally Posted by cinderobyn

I miss that we dont get to do fun stuff on the weekends...

Robyn, bring that up at mediation. You are entitled to free time with your children- it's rare that a non custodial parent gets each and every entire weekend for visitation. Alternating weekends is more fair- maybe with dad taking them to dinner on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings.

Remember, at mediation you have a clean slate- you have not officially/bindingly agreed to anything. It's easier to set things up in a satisfactory way than try to change them later.

And there is nothing wrong with voicing that you would like your kids with you on alternate weekends. That is neither controlling nor manipulative. It shows that you enjoy your time with them and that you are not anxious to rid yourself of them.

Walk into mediation with your own wish list- typed and well thought out. No reasoning, but just things that you would like. It'll help keep you on track if you get upset. And it will also provide you with documentation of your true desires prior to the confrontation that is sure to occur.

If (when) he acts like a jack-donkey there, it may be perceived that you're reacting if you ask for alternate weekends. You can show that you walked in there prior to the meeting wanting that- not that you are being spiteful in trying to reduce his visitation.

And I can't emphasize enough that there is nothing wrong with wanting a weekend with your own children. He should not have them every single weekend.

[kalogirl]

Pirate Girl, I totally agree. She is entitled to and should be able to enjoy free time with her children without all the stress of the week, i.e. homework, late dinners, brief amount of quality time. I have been around Rob and the kids alot recently and I can tell you, she is a fantastic mother, they are 2 well behaved, thoughtful children. Very warm, loving, smart, funny. My mother was even impressed with how well behaved they were when they spent time here without Robyn.

She just needs to dig deep down inside herself and find her strength. Every day I see her get stronger and stronger. What TJ doesn't realize is, every time he acts like the back end of a donkey, it makes her resolve even stronger to get away from that house of chains and shackles. Document, document, document, EVERYTHING is my advise to her. Even as insignificant as it may seem. Go into mediation with all the things that you would like settled, be firm about the time you have with the kids.

[pirate girl]

While we're insulting donkeys and their nether regions.......... just to lighten this serious subject and make Robyn smile, I found this picture that I believe might be familiar.

[Pikantari]

When I thought I was going to fall asleep, instead of laying down, I went outside and walked a few blocks. Looked at all the houses around the House of Chimes.

I am thinking the House of Chimes was here before alot of the others. Walking, with the breeze blowing, felt good.

I just took it all in. All of the towering pine trees, the yards, manicured, an older man cutting his grass..he said hello over the noise of his mower, I saaid hello back. With a smile.

I kept walking til i was on the main road, which is the road that my house is on, I walked down the road and then back down another small lane and back up around to the house of chimes.

Looking at all of the houses, with their wreathes on the doors. Hanging plants.. The House of Chimes needs some work on the bushes...LOL

I got out the MANUAL hedge clippers. LOL

I went to town...heard of that movie so I married an axe murderer?

I'll tell you what ...if you ever want to get out your frustrations, do what I just did! I got most of them, but not all. Some were to tall.

OMG did she injure herself! I know thats what you all are thinking. Nothing big....

I think Kalo is here...gotta go.

All of your posts are great...love you guys!!!!!

Robyn

BTW I have not walked since at least a week before I moved...man!

[Pikantari]

Originally Posted by pirate girl

While we're insulting donkeys and their nether regions.......... just to lighten this serious subject and make Robyn smile, I found this picture that I believe might be familiar.

yeah! Yay!!! oh geez, I have washed no clothes today...eeek

[Pikantari]

He makes me mad. I called the kids to say goodnight to them, something we agreed we could do, call the kids when the other had them, and he and whoever he and the kids were with kept them from talking to me.

They were on the phone but other people were talking to them the whole time, so really, i didn't get to talk to them.

I don't do that when he calls here, other than the other night when I told Alexander he needed to get ready for bed...

GGGRRRR

OK, I am over it, he is scum of the earth, nothing some Nirvana wont fix.

Gonna go down to the ballfield and watch Jumanji on the big screen with my old nextdoor neighbor...

Jerk.

[Pikantari]

Its freezing in my downstairs! I left the kitchen windows open and i am sitting here shaking. Whew. 54 degrees it said on AOL. The cats thought that I needed to get up at 7, so here I am..... HI!

I couldn't stay up and watch all of Jumanji last night...I am such an old lady! LOL. It was fun though. It was just like being at an old drive in, but in a beach chair! It was cold out, and I was getting tired, so I left early, gave my friend A a hug, and kissed her dd.

I like this little town, it is part of the city that I lived in, but i suppose it is like a small burrough or something,.I dont know, there are several little towns within this city.

I like this one the best!

Gonna walk this morning, and go to church. The kids said they were going, but who knows. he said, in the early part of the week that they were going, because he referenced an outfit he bought Lindsay, which he kept at his house, and said she could wear it this week to church.

Coffee is done... Tink cup, chocolate coffee, brb

This is a new Tink cup...not new like I just went and bought it, new like its been packed away forever, I bought it about 4 mos ago when the Disney store was having a clearance...it was a dollar. Tall skinny cup, light purple, not yet lavender, tink is posing, and on the inside, when you take a sip, you see the little lantern she lives in.

You can ask Kalogirl...Tink makes me happy...LOL....I wear Tink scrubs, I have a tink pen at work, and I have a Tink purse... I am a superfreak, I know.

Not so cold now...coffee. Wish I had someone to drink coffee with, that only happens when I go to my sisters house.

So, the cats have their food, and their love and they are done with me for now. Boogers. Mollie sleeps w me all night, my little snuggle kitty.

I have to go to church, need to remember to bring a hand truck to a man in my Sunday school class, the one who gave me the fridge, then he let me borrow the hand truck. I am pretty sure it will fit in my car if I lay the back seat down, he said it will fit in his Charger.....

I have yet to was the first bit of clothes. Ugh. Ya know, I think I am only gonna wash the impt ones, but then again, when i was waiting for my stuff to dry, this girl came in, and I watched her....she was like this clothes washing laundromat officionado...

She stood infront of about 4 washers, with all of her clothes, not separated. Had all the doors opened and just started loading the clothes into their perspective washers..whites, darkes, colored, towels and sheets. I was like hmm.. AAAAAAAnnnnnnd... the whole time she was doing it.....lol...she was yelling at her kids, holding a conversation with this other lady she came with and just moving right along.

i must have looked like a crazy person, MP3 player in my ears sitting there looking in amazement.

That mess costs to much money. I dont know where all these clothes come from, but I think I have almost as much as last time, even though last time, I had a huge overflowing basket full that i couldn't get done at the house of shackles and chains...

side note....

You see this post.... It is a post without stress.

Kind of an everyday life post, maybe a blah post, but for me...a wonderful post...an amazing post. But I still have the rest of the day ahead of me....I do have to say, my cup is half full...so poo to him!

Robyn

[Pikantari]

oh no...I just looked at my settings, and dont get my wrong, I love reps...but I got an empty one from page 77 of where is the love and in going theough the posts, I am only on page 36. UH OH

They didn't put anything in there... I am thinking....omgoodness...I have a long way to go and a short time to get there......

ok, heehee, remember the song... I guess while I drink my coffee I can be going through soem pages and then to walk.... I have never walked on a cold cold morning. Will have to wear pants. and a jacket...brrr

[Pikantari]

The River.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have always thought of myself, a sky person. Through childhood, and growing into an adult, I have always looked at the sky. I have been addicted to the stars, and on a night when the sky is perfectly clear, and you can see all of those stars...oh how beautiful.

Still, I feel the same about those stars, they are lovely.

The clouds, the sunrise, the sunset, all beautiful things. Always, in my life I look to them, as natures magesty. I went through a stage where I was a photographer of these things. I have so many beautiful pictures. The sunrise, the sunset.

I love to see the clouds, and the little openings where the sun just peeps through in different areas, letting out rays of light here and there.

I used to think of all these things as Natures Magesty. When I was twenty five, I was saved. I came to know the Lord as my Savior, and now I know all of these things as the Lords Magesty.

I see all of these things when I walk. The fog is part of the sky. It comes down from the sky and lands on the earth, surrounds us.

The river, the waters. I used to be afraid of the waters. I was thrown into the deep end as a child, not knowing how to swim. I have not been a fan of the waters for a very long time.

Lately, though, I have. The river. On my walks, I always look for the river. I love to feel the breeze coming off of the river, blowing over me.

I see that water, sometimes calm, and sometimes with ripples. I know that either way, it is moving, somewhere. The river moves, it flows along. It is always moving. If it is mucky, that is ok. Not enough rain. It is still, also the Lords magesty.

I look for the river now. I am not afraid of the river. We, as a family used to take the trail down to the river and I was always afraid. Always afraid. Not anymore. Sometimes I just go down there on my walks, by myself. I look at the wild life, and the tall grass, I see the little hermit crabs moving along, and I look across the river at the trees.

I look all around and see all of the old homes. The plantations. They are what they are. They are not that any more. Now, they are someones home. But, they do have a history, as do I.

The fog.

I knew those three days of fog last week had a meaning. I did not know what the meaning was, but it clearly it became evident. I could not see the river, I could not see the sky. I could hardly see the hand infront of me.

If I could not see the river, how did I know it was there? How did I know it was moving? Of course I know it was there, I know it was moving, but the representation of the fog hiding it showed me that something was in store, and I knew it, and something indeed, was in store for me, and it was not a good thing.

So, these things will happen. There will be more fog. But the river that is forever moving, forever going someplace will always be there. Maybe it is hidden, but it will be there. The sky is there.

Maybe I can't always see it, but it is there. I am given signs of things, I do believe this. What they mean, I don't always know, I do figure it out, in time.

There is time. My walk was swift today. I did not see all of the leaves as I did yesterday, but I was focused on that river. The river that I know look for, but was once afraid of. The river that I saw the ripples in, that makes me know it is moving. It is going places, just like me.

I am going places. I know this only as the truth. I am not the person I once was. I am anew. Things will be done as they are supposed to be done, in the exact time and way as they are supposed to, just like the river, the sun, moon, stars, and clouds.

My walk was swift, yes, swift, still with anger. Once again, given this emotion at birth. I am allowed my anger. My anger is keeping me going right now. I will go to church with the kids in a bit, and I will rejoice in the Lord and all He has done for us, for without Him, I am nothing. I am nothing. But with Him, I am everything, and that is something, I have to always hold on to, and must never forget.

With Him, I am everything....just like the river, I flow, and move along, freely, as freely as I can right now. Sometimes there are things that get in the way in the river, and it is not as able to flow as free, this is the same in my life, in everyones life.

[Synopsis]

I'd like to sit there and have coffee with you sometime Robyn! We're all with you, in spirit anyway - you should know that. But there's nothing like sitting in the early morning hours drinking a cup of hot coffee and chatting it up with a good friend. I LOVE the early morning. It's my favorite part of the day.

It's very fitting that the title of this thread is "A new day has dawned.." A new day is HOPE, in my humble opinion.

You are doing great Robyn, and I agree with the others - you should and will get your children on weekends as well. It's not fair that you have to do all of the "tough stuff" and TJ gets to act like the grandparent and only have them for the fun times. The mediator will see this, rest assured of that.

I'm sorry that I haven't had alot of time on here lately. I'm working, and working, and working. You hang in there girl, we're all with you - you have to know that!

God Bless.