I picked up the Shepkids after school yesterday on a very tense driveway at their mothers house.
Before I could even get off the block that they live on… the two redheads started grilling me.
They are under the impression that I’ve bugged their mother’s townhouse and I have someone stalking her. She is looking for the evidence so she can have me arrested.
This coming from my twelve and eight year old kids. Their older brother hinted at it last week.
Who puts their children in this position? A woman who is often up to no good, that’s who….
The Friday traffic is always horrible when I pick them up, but yesterday it was a blur. A minor distraction as my thoughts and fears scrambled.
How do I repair this? Do I call my lawyer buddies and ask for advice? Do I call my cop buddies and ask for advice?
This isn’t Putin invading Ukraine. This is me being accused of stalking my ex wife…. And my children are the wounded soldiers on the boarder!
Two of my biggest supporters through the divorce have died recently.
My dad who made me promise to be a better ex husband before he died and John Wagner.
Wags told me to forgive my ex wife. Find a positive place in my life for her. He saw the Holy Spirit and realized the strength of forgiveness.
Dad and Wags have ME under surveillance… so I’ve been trying hard to follow their advice and not break my promise to them.
BUTT…..
I angrily defended myself before I reached Mannheim Road.
“Kids, I hate your mom so much I’ve done everything possible to stay away from her! So there is no reason for me to stalk her. Your mother doesn’t exist except when I pick you guys up!”
Well the redheads became very silent and my Dad and Wags just lost their shit in heaven.
As we crossed into Riverside I apologized to them for saying that.
“What I said was mean and hateful! I’m sorry.”
“At one point in my life I loved your mommy and I probably still do deep down…. Because she gave me the three biggest gifts I have in my life, you guys!”
The saving grace of childhood is resilience. When I parked Betty the Blazer in the Divorced Dad District of Riverside the kids got out picking on each other and running down the sidewalk happy.
Just like kids should!!!
Unfortunately I know the pain of two sides of Mannheim Road. Forty years ago I drove in the pain of I-65. Divorce is a horrible thing for kids to experience.
I’ve got to keep my shit together better. I need to realize maybe something is happening in the ex wife’s life that has been stressful the last few weeks???
I need to do my part to heal and nurture the three biggest gifts that woman gave me.
There really was a day I tried to make her happy and let her know she was the prettiest girl in the world!
That ended when Guinevere met Lancelot…..
Six Nations continues this week!
I’m rooting for the Irish and the Scots this morning. Confusing the Shepkids even more because we hate Ireland and Scotland when they play England!
Bundle up today! It’s going to be colder than your Mother in Laws kiss!
