FINALLY!

At some point in everybodys life, we leave footprints. For most, it is when we are children. We first start walking, being held by our parents, grabbing their fingers as they guide us across the floor, only to fall on our rears. We get up and try again and finally become pros, and leave our first prints in the ground. Thousands of footprints have been left by many others before us. Thousands of footprints will be left by others after. But even if you think we have been leaving footprints now, we are all truly mistaken. Footprints are left when we do something great. Do something right. Do something memorable.

Last Wednesday, I went to court to fight for custody for my children, from my prior marriage. Words were exchanged amongst the judge and I, the judge and our G.A.L, the judge and the ex. Lies were spoken, truths were told, and then the judge went on her way. For years, I have been fighting to clear my name of what is known to be wrong. Abusive I am told of being. Lacking of the ability to care for our children I am told of having. No right to be called their father I have earned. For years, I have been fighting to clear myself of all these injustices and it all came down to this last final day. I left court that day very unsatisfied. I failed. I could have done more to convince the judge that I was the better parent for our children. Damn it. But now it was a waiting game. For years, footprints have been left in my soul by my ex. She knew she was doing this to me. She knew she was doing this to our children. Why would she do this to us? And she was doing it some more while I sit at home, working our our children's bedroom, work for the money needed to care for my family, while I waited to hear back from the court.And finally I left my footprint, and I left it deep in the ground.

The papers came in and the truth had been heard. The judge found that my ex was no longer capable of caring for our 2 children. The judge had finally seen through her lies and noticed the truth hadn't actually been coming from her mouth after all. The judge claimed that my persistent calm presentation in court and the ex's at times, whoa is me, remarks, just were not cutting it. The ex cried in court stating " Nobody truly knows how hard it is for me to sit here feeling like I fighting this all on my own," while a supporting cast rallies behind me. I am no longer abusive to the courts eyes, claiming that there is no real evidence in past paper work that would ever suggest that I am abusive, also to never really ever have a real chance to defend myself when such untruths have been claimed. The judge claimed to consider myself to be the better parent, making sure I saw our children through the hardest of times during a period when I had to visit our children in a visitation center, an hour away for 2 hours at a time.The court noticed my footprint, and for that, I was rewarded with the custody of our 2 children.

No one can ever truly know how much I have worked to get to where I am today.But what I want everyone to know is, how grateful I am to have such a wonderful community of people to have standing by me through thick and thin, my good times and bad. I thank all of you for keeping me sane, keeping me grounded, and for allowing me to be the person I am, even if it pissed you off at times.