Partially.

The bad:

DH only has skids EOWE. I should be able to handle that, right? So many other SMs have it much worse. I used to have it worse. Nonetheless, as the skid weekend approaches the anxiety and dread builds up, boils over, and then sometimes explodes in inappropriate settings (like during my precious skid free time with DH).

This weekend was no exception. I started feeling down and depressed around Wednesday. By Thursday I was mourning the quiet time I was about to lose. On Friday, I had to take anti-anxiety meds on the way home from work, i.e. my usual routine when skids are present.

The good:

Something wonderful has been happening lately and I think I have discovered the source of all of this dread and anxiety. It's SD. She isn't spending as much time with us anymore so it's becoming more and more apparent. She's not a bad kid but her very presence brings a dark hovering cloud of negative energy that affects EVERYONE, even her own brother.

Recently,SD decided that spending time with an invisible sky daddy on Sunday mornings is an acceptable alternative to spending time with her REAL dad. This was offensive and hurtful to DH but whatever, religion is deeply personal. Everyone has to make those kinds of decisions for themselves so he just keeps his feelings to himself and he lets her go. I commend him for letting her make her own choices in this matter. Her mom would never even think about extending the same level of respect if the situation were reversed and SD decided NOT to go to church anymore.

Since it's not fair for the rest of us to cater to her new schedule and give up the one and only day we get to sleep in, she is no longer spending the night on Saturday nights. Her decisions do come with consequences. That's life. So this means she is only with us for less than 24 hours Fri-Sat.

When she leaves the vibes in the house are so different it's almost tactile. Everything feels lighter. Moods change. DH relaxes. SS relaxes and goes back to being his usual carefree, lighthearted self rather than surly, withdrawn, and shy. I relax.

Would it be terrible for me to engineer a situation where SD doesn't feel welcome and wants to forgo visits altogether? }:) JK (kind of). I really want DH to maintain whatever kind of relationship he can have with her, but WOW. Just wow. It is SO nice when she isn't around the rest of us.