I have everything to gain from using my attorney. And I have a great attorney.
But I hate this.
Our attorneys want us to provide 5 years of bank statements. I already provided 3!! I made the mistake of casually asking how they would know if stbxh was hiding something. Simple question, right? Their response - they sent him more paperwork. And in retaliation I got the same paperwork.
I don't care how much money he spent 5 years ago and I sincerely doubt that he cares how much money I spent at Target 5 years ago. It doesn't matter anymore.
I hate this. I really really hate this. 4 months into it and I feel like a hamster spinning on a wheel, throwing money out for every phone call in between laps on the wheel.
But I don't hate him. Were there times when I wanted to take a rock and smash it thru his precious car window? Hell ya. Was there a moment when I had to leave the house because I was so angry when I realized that he brought her there that all I wanted to do was grab the gun that he keeps in his nitestand? Yep, I was shaking with anger but found the strength to walk away from that.
I went thru hell and back. And I am back. I still want to smack him, but I don't hate him.
I just want to move on. I don't think it matters how much my couch is worth. I don't care about his couch either. I don't care. But our attorneys sure do.
My attorney is fighting for a nicer outcome then I asked for. It hasn't been mediated yet. Our first appointment in court is next week....dreading that. I'm not a confrontational kind of person. I know, my fantasy of shooting him and smashing in his car windows may make you doubt that.... but that was not me. That was some crazy woman who took over my body for a few minutes.
If we continue on the path that we are on, we are going to end up despising each other. I've known him for 35 years. He was family to me. I don't want to get to the point where we are at our DDs wedding one day years from now and we can't even look at each other. That would break my heart.
I actually called a mediator today. I'm the one that has more to lose in that situation. But the thought of sitting around a table with him, yelling and screaming with a mediator there sounds alot better than all of this... never ending paperwork, court dates and fees, fees and more fees.
I just want to be done. I just want to move on.
I composed an email to him proposing this option. But I saved it in my drafts. I'm going to sleep on it. As I said, I have a great attorney.
I need to think this thru, I am kinda weepy today.
Anybody out there that chose mediation instead of attorneys? I'd love to hear from you.