living and dying by the sword

I was in a really bloggy state of mind this morning and had a lot to say… that moment seems to have passed.
I’ve been on the phone this morning with the Duval County Courts – or rather, their voice mail system. I have a case manager assigned to my divorce case but they are no longer in the voice mail system. I called a different case manager and got a “phone calls may take up to fifteen business days for a response”. Never mind. It will be on the court website before then.
Of course… the decent thing would have been for Michael to call or email me with the outcome… and of course, that has not happened.
I emailed him this morning about that... and to ask that he update his creditors of his current location - which is not my house - and to tell him about the court case pending against him.
People who live by the sword, die by the sword.
I called the judge in White County to see what obligation or responsibility I have toward extending the information about the court case filed against Michael here to him. No response yet – I imagine it won’t take 15 days for a response here, though. It looks like all that happens is that by not appearing he forfeits his rights to dispute whatever amount they say he owes.
Honestly, if he had responded to my initial text about the matter I might feel more inclined to add this to my stress list. As it is… let his chips fall where they may.
Gosh. What a difference a little time can make!
Two Christmases ago we were preparing to come to Georgia for Christmas and I was on the edge of a breakdown. I had received email pictures from the kids’ dad of the boys’ car filled with beer cans – and who knows if the kids actually drank that beer or if their dad did? They were disappointing either way… embarrassing to me… Michael had gotten hold of that email and printed out color copies that he planned to pass out at my family Christmas gathering. I didn’t know up until the time we left that gathering - after my allotted one hour – on Christmas day whether or not he was going to follow through on his threat. Things were already strained with me and the boys and my family just isn’t the sort that airs dirty laundry – ever – especially not on Christmas. I got to spend a short amount of time with Jim and Angie and the girls… a short amount of time with Purple Michael (and I got the “times up” announcement during both). I was so stressed! It’s the only time in my life that I haven’t woken up in my own bed on Christmas morning… it was just a miserable time in my life.
Last year I was really still feeling the after effects of the move and the instability and frustration and disappointment of it all. It was a hard Christmas for me…
This year… there’s peace in my heart. I don’t feel depressed or stressed. We will have what we have and we won’t have what we can’t afford and there is nobody in my life who has the power to control my emotions or steal my joy.
I was just thinking how grateful I am that we don’t have a phone extension in the bathroom here at work and wouldn’t you know it… I came out of the bathroom and there was a call holding for me???

Oh! I did get a response from Michael about the court date via email just now… he said, “I have nothing to say to you”. Mature. Definitely, in light of what he’s cost me over the past three years he could at least let me know what happened in court. But… there you go…
Much to do… hope you guys have a great day!
God bless!