Meanwhile...

Prior to the January 2007 finding Jeff pulled a pretty big stunt. Jeff had a habit when dropping my two youngest back at home after visitation of calling them back to him (after they had run off up towards the house happy to see us again) clutching them to him and telling them 'it will be all right', 'angels will protect you', 'I'll be praying for you' and working them into a state of high anxiety and tears. (Sounds like alienation to me...bu what do I know.) Jeff was also a police officer in another city. (You can see why it was so difficult to fight these allegations.) One night he brought them home, made his usual scene and a friend of mine was visiting. Several inches shorter than Jeff she walked out and asked why he did that every time he dropped them off. Jeff, wearing his police uniform with his gun and taser at his side towered over her yelling. He kept stepping forward so she had to retreat and finally my oldest boy went out and stepped in between them and told Jeff he needed to just go home. They both came back into the house while Jeff remained on our front lawn, in the dark, in his uniform with his arms crossed...staring at the house. I was beginning tho think this was it. We were going to end up another news story about the hyper-controlling cop shooting his entire family in a rage. I called the Police, they came and spoke with Jeff. He then drove off. Apparently soon afterwards, our Police Dept. called his Police Dept. and informed them of his actions. Jeff was then put on probation.

A few months later during the 2007 case, he pulled another stunt. We had agreed through our attorneys that he would have three weekends in a row (instead of the usual every other) as he had some activities planned and that I would then have the following three weekends in a row. All fair, simple...no big deal. I drive to the elementary school Friday to pick up J from Kindergarten for my first weekend and Jeff walks out from the school holding J's hand. Jeff stands on the sidewalk and tells me he's taking them for the weekend. Little J wakes up and climbs out of my van to go see Daddy. I remind Jeff of our written agreement. He says 'why are you doing this to them, don't you want them to see their father?' while he's holding them in his arms. Both boys (five and three) are now sobbing and looking at me as if I'm the bad guy. Jeff then begins to walk away with them. I had just called my attorney, who called the Police. They send three cars with four Policemen. The principal is furious with us (even though I was clearly not at fault) and officers inform Jeff that I will be taking the boys home with me. Jeff is again reported (our Police Dept. doesn't care much for him) and this time is fired from his job.

Of course I am given no warning as child support plummets down to $250-$500 a month. -Remember I am not allowed to work right now...and there are seven of us.