summer, sounds like you are in a similar situation to mine. I am 39, married almost 20 years. Still haven't filed. He is even still in my house. But he lives in the basement, we don't speak. I wish he would go away. I wish he would file so I don't have to do all the hard work. I feel right now we are in a waiting game. He is too lazy to file, I am too scared-it would take me forever to figure out all the information I'd need to give a lawyer, I need the financial support right now so my kids can stay in their home. I know if I file he'll probably cause trouble, would do things that would hurt the kids just to get to me. He and his vehicles are a constant reminder. Every day I have to think of him because his stuff is here. The ups and downs are really getting to me too, lately been more downs than ups, anger is really taking ahold of my soul and tearing me apart and I wish I could stop it. I guess because it is sinking in that it is really truly over. We have broken up and reunited hundreds of times and I am absolutely 100% done with him now. But I feel I can't be happy while he is still here. Well, I will do my best to create happy times and hopefully his presence eventually won't turn my stomach. How to heal and move on when every day the wounds are torn open again?

Summer and Strongspirit...it is a long, hard road at times....It seemed like endless ups and downs that I did not want to face either, but we also know at times we can't avoid these issues. We do need rest stops though, where we take time out to think and decide our next steps and that is what you are both working on right now....never try to take divorce to fast just to get out of it sooner...it is always better to work through issues and step back to see what you want to do next. We know whatever choices we have to make are the choices we will have to live with so no matter what you both choose to do or when you choose to do it...always think with your head and avoid letting emotions of the heart push you somewhere to fast or some place you do not want to be.
"Slow and Steady wins the race" It is not easy and we don't always want to do things....BUT IT CAN BE DONE and THERE IS AN END we all just choose how we want to get there and when.

You are in my thoughts and prayers,
Susan

Susan,
You are such a good mother and such a good person and such an inspiration to so many on this site. I am proud of how well you have done and how far you have come. You truly are someone to be admired!
SAM

I'm so "Proud" of all of us. I never dreamed how much heartache and sadness there really was out there until I came onto this forum at the start of my divorce. I was like everyone who first comes on here thinking that no one knows what this is really like. But, we each have a story that brought us to divorce and divorce ties us all together in one way or another and all these stories and lives keep pulling me back to this forum. I know if I can make it through all this pain and hurt everyone else can too.

My story is: I was a quiet and sometimes shy person who met my husband and married at the age of 21. I loved and adored him everyday of our lives, but he not only had eyes for me...he wanted money, popularity, leadership, success, etc..etc...these things in themselves are not bad to want, but when you are obsessed in getting them all you lose so much more than you will ever know.

I could never put into words how my ex broke my heart and how long it took me to heal. I always said...If someone were to tell me all I would go through before it happened, betrayal, heartache, lies, abandonment, anger and resentment, lawyers, court, being hated by someone I loved etc.... I would have curled up and died the first day of it all. But I had 2 boys, loving relatives and friends, a God who carried me through and I found this forum full of love and support as well.

I know where I was and I know where I am now and even though the rippling effects of my divorce still lingers in my everyday life. I MADE IT! It was hell on earth, but I MADE IT! So I know all of you will too. Just keep to your values, love who you are and be honest in all things... the rest will fall into place with time.

PS Hi SAM,

SAM came on the forum back when I did a few years ago and she and I rode the wave together with some others that come on here from time to time as well. I'm proud of you too SAM...remember when we first started out how we kept telling each other we would someday come on this forum and say everything is okay and the ride is over....Well, here we are and it is OKAY we are stronger, happier, wiser and moving on...proof that there is an end and then....A BEGINING