Well! As you all probably already know, my family has shrunk lately. Rather than re-type the whole saga, I am going to post an email that I typed and sent out to my family recently. Hopefully it will answer all your questions and give you the facts of our situation:
Unfortunately this email does not contain the happiest of news. As you're all aware, back in November I got a promotion to Controller with Enterprise and have since relocated to Washington DC. The good news is that I love the DC area and that my job is great. The bad news is that on the same day I got the news of the promotion, Mike informed me that he did not want to be married to me anymore, and would not be making the move with me and the kids to DC. I was absolutely devastated - I did not see it coming at all. I thought we had a happy and solid marriage. He had given me absolutely no warning and never once told me that he was unhappy or was thinking about ending our marriage. I immediately told him that I would give up the job and stay in Ohio so that we could work things out, and he was adamant that I take the job, which I eventually decided to do. Over the past four months, Mike has made it very clear that he has no desire to try to save our marriage. He has repeatedly told me that there is no hope for us and that whether I like it or not we will be getting a divorce. I waited to tell you all about this as I was hoping that we could work things out. But a couple weeks ago, I found out that he has been having an affair with a woman that worked with him for a long time, and is already involved with her kids. She is also currently going through a divorce - something that I'm aware is certainly not a coincidence. Once I found out about the affair, I realized that I could never trust him again. I also realized that he truly has no desire to work to keep our family together. I have now accepted that there is no hope for my marriage. This has been an incredibly hard few months for me, but I am doing ok. The kids have adjusted very well to living here. Mike and I have not yet told them about the divorce - they think he is in Ohio to sell our house and finish his job. We will tell them later this month probably. Most of you know that my mom is staying with me and the kids in DC now - this is why. She has been a lifesaver, and has come to stay with us through June to help me get settled and to take care of the kids.
Now I will answer some questions I'm sure you'll all have about the logistics of our situation. Mike and I are trying to handle things as amicably as possible for the benefit of the kids. Although I am disgusted by his affair and the way he has handled the entire situation, he and I have been able to maintain a cordial relationship. We are using one attorney as a mediator, and have agreed on all issues with the kids and everything else that needs to be resolved. We met with the attorney this past week. I will have primary custody of Maddie and Caleb - Mike will get every other weekend visitation (he will have to come here), and he will get them for seven weeks in the summer. We will alternate Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years every year. Child support and all other issues have been ironed out. We have sold our house in Ohio, and will break even on that so we are able to pay off the mortgage. The divorce will likely be final sometime in mid-May.
On a brighter note, I do love living in Maryland - we are halfway between Baltimore and DC, and the area is fantastic. My job is amazing - everything I have worked for over the past eleven years. The kids are happy and well adjusted, and I know that once this is over and with time I will be very happy here.
