I miss my children very much.

[bdmarket]

Just wanted to say that I didn't agree with everything that was said in the previous link I posted but I guess both sides are trying to play hardball in this arena.  

[Davy]

I just recalled the St. Louis based firm (for Dad's) I've heard advertised in the Dallas area ... otherwise I know nothing about them.  .  They are in numerous states as listed on their web site.

You may want to checkout : //www.cordellcordell.com.

Have your children been taken out of state ?

Your anticipated move to FL. certainly complicates matters.  Is there any way to move to where the kids are located ?

BTW, it will probably be best to get an initial custody determination some where other than the mother's hometown jurisdiction.  

[bdmarket]

Hi,

Thanks for your message.  Yes my children are out of state BUT she will have to come here because Missouri has jurisdiction.  I will just have to fly back and forth for court dates.

My lawyer is going to ask the judge for full custody.  Aim for the stars and hope to get the moon, right? She will get served next week sometime and have 30 day's to respond.  If she doesn't, she will be in default.  Not sure what that will mean but that's what my lawyer said.

I imagine that she will show up with an attorney bought and paid for by mommy with domestic violence claims or something but I'm not worried about that because the kids know the truth but I AM worried that they will be saying certain things to the children over and over again as if to train them as to what to say or think if certain questions are asked.

I want to get insurance for the children before we even go to court but as far as I know you cannot get reduced or state insurance without the children actually living in the state correct?  For 2 children and a 1000 deductible is over $400 per month.  Does anyone have any insurance sources for affordable coverage for healthy kids?  Or could I get state insurance in her state without living there?

Thanks everybody for your support.  I hate court and I didn't really want to do this because now she will just get more angry and I will probably not be able to see or talk to my children for months which will just break my heart but what am I supposed to do.  I'm hoping the fact that I responded so quickly and the fact that I will be flying back and forth between stl and florida will show the judge how much I care.....even though it might not change the outcome.  She will probably drag this out as long as mommy will continue to pay so that the children will have been with her for many many months making it harder for any judge to go against the status quo :(

[gemini3]

You're doing the right thing!  Don't get discouraged.  I think that's one of the hardest things my SO and I struggle with.  It's very easy to let yourself get carried away with worry and negative thoughts when you have to wait so long for anything to happen.  Especially when you hear so many stories about the courts being biased against the father.

One thing I thought of to suggest to you.  If you haven't already, make sure you're logging daily phone calls to your ex.  If you're doing it on your cell, even better because you can show the phone records easier.  This will show the court how hard you have been trying to reach your children, and she will have to answer to why she hasn't allowed you any contact with them.

You know, she probably will get mad.  I say let her.  What can she do that's worse than she's already done?  She's taken your children away from you.  If you do nothing she will keep them from you indefinitely.  And, it's not about her, it's about your kids.  My bet is that they don't even know that you've been trying to reach them, and they're wondering why you haven't and if you love them.  

You HAVE to do this for your kids.  They deserve to know the love of their father.  Keep that in the front of you mind over the next months.  I can tell you, it will drain you mentally, emotionally, and financially.  When the going gets tough, remind yourself why you're doing this.  You're doing this for your kids.

[Isaiah]

You must file a tempory restraining order. Restraining her from moving the children out of state.  You may also want to file for temporary domicile custody.  This just happened to my son, his girlfriend was moving to another state with his two kids.  We immediately went to a lawyer and filed these restraining orders.  Because the children were residents of the state you are in, you have a much better chance of doing it NOW!!!!  If yo wait more than six months then she will be able to file from the state they are now in.  Even though she has already left, it is not too late to do this.  She will have to bring the kids back to the state you are now in.

DO IT NOW!!!

[bdmarket]

Yes, you are absolutely correct.  I turned in a call log to my lawyer last week. I constantly call only to be hung up on or to a busy signal or answering machine.  She has permanently turned off her cell phone, though she still has service.  I even purchased more minutes for her cell phone so she could never say that she didn't have air-time.

My lawyer said that she probably won't get served until NEXT week and then she has 30 day's to file a response.  I will be moving to Florida this next week and plan on flying back and forth for court dates until this is settled.

As many of you know, today is fathers day AND my birthday and it breaks my heart to the core that I cannot be with my children.  I have NEVER been without my babies on father's day in 11 years.  I feel so empty as if a large part of me is missing.  I wish no one this pain that I feel.  I pray that after they come home from church that they she will feel momentary empathy and let them call me. I keep reading the sweet fathers day letter that my son wrote to me a year ago.

To all fathers out there.  If you do get a chance to be with your children today, please let them know how much you love them and squeeze them tight because some of us do not have that opportunity.

Happy Fathers Day Everyone & Thanks for All Your Support, It's about all that I have at this point and it means the world to me!

[bdmarket]

Isaiah,

Thank you for your message.  Yes, you are correct and I originally wanted to do that but because I was relocating to another state, my lawyer and I decided that this would be the next best thing.

See she knew the situation and did this on purpose and had it planned for a VERY long time....since before March.  She was even so cold hearted to tell the children that I was going to go down there to find us a home and that they would be moving down there later yet knowing that she had NO intentions of doing this.  They both wanted to come with me and she hated that.  We all believed her and got duped big time.

[bdmarket]

Well I tried to call and was immediately greeted with an answering machine message that stated that if it was me to not leave a message for the kids because it would not get relayed and to never call the number again.  WOW, I think my heart fell out of my chest at that point.  I did leave a message though...couldn't help it.  No it didn't help anything but at this point I'm sure it did no damage.

How can people be so cold is beyond me.  Not only would I never NOT allow my children to talk to their mother but if I was staying at home, I would not allow my parents to do such a thing either.  How disheartening :(

[gemini3]

You need to call and record that message.  The judge will love that one.  I'm pretty sure you can admit that, since it's a recording.  Do you have a way to record phone calls?

Don't give up.  You should have no problem getting your kids back given her behavior.  

[bdmarket]

Yes, I did tape the phone message.  Luckily my phone has a record function on it.  I have exported to mp3 and it is on my usb disk drive.  I just couldn't believe that they would do something like that.  

I also called my attorney to let him know too.  Thanks for your message!