2008 starts out well!

Back to the present...

As January 2008 begins we are feeling fantastic. Social Services closed our case early in October 2007 and the Court dismissed Jeff's petition for change of custody in December, 2007. A brand new year has arrived and we (foolishly) think we've licked it. It's all over now, we're safe.

May 2008 - I attend a child support hearing where Jeff is informed he has a month to obtain stable employment and begin making a substantial portion of his child support payments. We come back to court in...

June 2008 - Jeff states that he is employed with a trucking firm and earning over $3000 a month. The judge orders Jeff to pay a minimum of $1000/mos by the last day of the month or face five days in jail for contempt of court. (Child support is $1400/mos but at least it's something.) At this point Jeff is in debt to me for $10,000. I have started yet another new job. For the next four months Jeff pays exactly $1000 a month on the last day of the month.

September 2008 - 'Someone' renews allegations of physical abuse being perpetrated by my older children upon the younger ones while I am at work. (This allegation is farmed out to yet a third county for investigation and again, the individuals I give as references are never contacted. I am forced to quit my job (this is the third time now). I am found 'guilty of neglect' because I'm leaving my older 'abusive' children to watch the younger ones while I work. And the older one's guilt of abuse is simply assumed. This time, at least, the official finding of 'Services Required' includes both Jeff and myself as being 'guilty of alienation'. My name is refreshed on the 'Abuser' index and Jeff's name is added. Another case is opened. This time we are being funneled through family court. Family court is becoming involved due to the high number of change of custody petitions and the repeated allegations against our family. I am excited because the judge states that (paraphrasing) she wants to get to the bottom of things and sort it all out. I think finally someone with judicial power is going to put all the pieces together and see the patterns, see Jeff's obsession with destroying us and assuming custody of our two youngest!

Not so.