PeeBugg Press: We Survived!!! (and dang it--so did he)

Glad to be home--we actually pulled into the drive way about 9:12 pm last night. Threw little boys in the tub, scrubbed them and then tossed them into bed.....

The visit was okay. Friday, we went to Peter Piper Pizza because I couldn't find the Chuck E. Cheese on Wyoming Blvd.... and then we went to Toys-R-Us and then we went to the mall by the toy store and went to the "Lady Godivia" chocolate shop. CHEESE AND RICE!!! Awesome chocolate drinks. No coffee in them...tastes like you're drinking a candy bar!!!! so awesome!!! if you see one of those stores...spend the $5 and get one..I got the milk chocolate/caramel one.

The boys asked if their dad could come back with us to the hotel to swim....so I said yes...

He looks almost normal there. Ashton is the one in the mask.

Before I get to the pictures.....meth-head smelled. I mean he smelled like he shit his pants (sorry for being vulgar but there is no other way to describe the smell) and he smelled this way all the time. I even asked him once if we needed to go back to his apartment to change and he just smiled and said "no....I'm good". His gums are rotting away and you can see the roots of his teeth and his teeth make Austin Powers' teeth good......

I took 183 pictures while there.......and they are HERE!!!! if you want to look at them...because we all know that blogger won't be that nice and let me post that many.... but here are a few...

such well behaved and well mannered children!!!

The boys and their dad.....

Well, it would only let me post two.......so look at the one's on YAHOO!!!! at the link above...

They had a great visit and when we took him back to his house....(yes he ended up in my car despite all of my pre-planning of that NOT happening)....then the emotions hit. Ashton was sulking in the chair and I asked him what was wrong and he just looked at me...almost a glare. Then I told him to hug his dad good-bye and Ashton started crying. Meth-head started to tell him not to cry and I told him to let him cry. He has got to get those bottled up emotions OUT!!

Ashton cried for about 10 minutes and was hugging his dad the whole time. Then I guess Alec felt left out and he started to cry but his was only about 2 minutes. After the tears dried we made a plan for us to go back down in 2 weeks to see their dad again. No big hotel and the whole deal...we will just leave very early in the morning and head home about 6 pm. Probably go to the museum, Mac and Don's under the rainbow and a cool park. But they will get to spend time with him--with me as the overlooking escort of course. This made Ashton feel better and he was able to say good-bye on a good note.

The amazing thing is...........when meth-head and I started having problems 4+ years ago....Ashton started wetting the bed--and he had never done that before. This morning when he woke up...his pull-up was dry... He was so proud and so am I. I know you're thinking "8 year old still wearing pull-ups!!!" But you would be amazed how a parents' divorce can emotionally and subconsciously effect/affect the children. I'm not saying it's better to stay to gather for their sake...BECAUSE IT'S NOT.....I'm saying that it really does have an affect on them as well.

I can't image what is going on in a parent's head when they won't let their children see the other parent as long as it is physically and mentally safe for the children. How a parent can be so self absorbed in their anger or hate that they cannot see the needs of their child(ren). I have talked to dads that their ex's won't let them see their kids unless they jump thru some major hoops--it's just not right. I saw the need in my kids to see their dad and I made the first move and told him we were coming. I know they need their father and/or a father figure but I don't see me "hooking" up with someone at the moment--so I had to cinch up the belt and put on my brave act and deal with one of the people I dread and despise most in my life.....

Funny how the need of your children can make you do amazing feats that were thought impossible.