Ocean, I promise that as soon as this is over I will be back to post all details of how my lawyer is swinging this. I'll admit that when he told me about his plan I was a little annoyed that my first two lawyers never brought it up as an option. My first two lawyers didn't seem to understand how much missed visitation hurts, particularly when it means things like I wouldn't see my son for 7 weeks.
I will admit to not liking my ex wife at this point--too many nasty things have been done toward me. Despite that I try to, and have, compromised many, many times so that she can keep her plans. I do that because I know she tells our kids (the 14 year old and the older two--who are of legal age) everything and puts a very pro-her spin on it. My kids DO NOT need that.
My daughter actually told me that my ex wife told her to tell the GAL (my daughter was 16 at the time of the divorce) that she would "run away" if she had to live with me. My lawyer told me that if a child says that it pretty much ensures that the child won't be placed with the parent they threaten to run away from and my ex wife's lawyer would have known that.
Sad, sad, sad.
I really look foward to the day when my youngest son turns 18 and all of what happens between us will be just between us!
FFD