Wish me luck

[I cry_ in_the_dark]

Well, I got the phone call today. My X called to state, " I will drop the kids off at noon on Christmas Day and you can bring them back at noon on Saturday." I said, "No, I will be keeping them through Sunday night, just as the court order says."

He repeated his statement. I told him that I was not going to argue with him. He repeated his statement. I replied, "Sure, if you think so." He then hung up on me.

I know he called his lawyer today, and Lord knows what she told him. But I know that I will NOT be returning the kids on Saturday, and I know he will call the police just to disrupt my life.

Wish me luck. And Merry Christmas to all.

[Kitty C.]

When we had our first Christmas together (DH and I were only engaged), the ex tried to pull the same thing.  We were to have SS on X-mas day at 10 am. and for the next 2 days after. (On alternating years, it's Christmas Eve and 2 days prior.)  He even asked her about it the weekend before and she confirmed this.

But when DH went to pick SS up, there was no bag, SS was dressed to the nines (instead of the mis-matched, wrong sized, out of season clothes he's usually in) and the ex DEMANDED that DH bring him back by 7 pm. THAT NIGHT or she would call the sheriff's office.  DH worried about it all day, but I told him if he would let me help, we would keep SS for the entire time he was allowed by the CO.  Around 5 pm. he consented.

Background:  we live in a rural community, I dated a reserve deputy some years ago, and I am involved in our local EMS unit, so I know MANY deputies in the local dept.  I called the safety center, asked who was on duty (a good friend of mine) and asked he call me back.  When he did, I explained the situation and read the order to him, telling him we interpret it to mean that we didn't have to take SS back until 2 days after at 7 pm.  He said that was the way he understood it, too.  Then I told him the ex was threatening to call his office if SS wasn't back by 7 that night.  His words:  'Let her.  All I can tell her is to contact her atty.'

I have a scan function on my pager and heard the call come thru at approx. 8 pm.  This same deputy responded to the ex's call and relayed to dispatch that he 'informed complainant to contact her atty.'  She never called us back and we did have to go buy some clothes for him the next day, but SS did NOT go back until 2 days later, as per CO.

Come to find out she had no idea which family we would be going to, DH's or mine, and she didn't want the way SS looked making HER look bad in front of MY family.  But we went to DH's!

Moral:  Stick to your guns, follow the CO to the 'T', tell her to feel free to call the cops, because they will only tell her to contact her atty. (they will not get involved).  You could even anticipate as we did and get your bases covered in advance.  I think the reason why my deputy friend didn't come to our door is because we called him first and he already knew what was going on at our end.  Good luck!

[socrateaser]

Fax his lawyer a letter stating your interpretation of the order and your intentions, and that, unless his attorney can show you why the order should be interpreted otherwise, that you will consider the matter closed and that you indeed have the right to retain the children until Sunday.

[I cry_ in_the_dark]

It's a bit late to do this, tho it probably would be a good idea. I don't have a clue as to his lawyers fax number.  And I'm off to work soon.
     
I know my X like the back of my hand. And I can almost guarantee you that his call was nothing more than "strong arm" tactics. He didn't say, "My lawyer said....." Because if she HAD said that I had to return them, he most certainly would have said so  :-)

Thanks for all of your help. Happiest of Holidays to you and yours.

As for mine...I'm sure it will be interesting!