For the last year and half my husband and I have had a very up and down relationship with my step-son's mother. She has had 3 children with 3 different men. Each one she refuses to let them be a part of the child's life. The first 2 are fine with this, allow it and have stepped back. My husband on the other hand has been trying to be an active part of his son's life but mom would go months of refusing to let him see his son, stating that he needed to pay her and then he could see him. My husband was ordered to pay child support and has, he is current. The two were never married and she has refused to have a custody agreement put into place. Mom has moved 3 times in the last 6 months, bouncing from school district to school district. We have everything in writing and she is planning on moving again right after our 4 year old will start school this fall.

Mom lives off of the government and commits fraud left and right (the state knows and is investigating it), she constantly plays the victim, refuses to work on her education for the sake of her kids to give them a better life and better role model.

Myself and my husband, both have professional careers and work hard for everything that we have. Mom constantly keeps taking him away and refusing to bring him to see us.

She has been dodging child support serving her with the notification of termination of child support as for the last year she has been giving him to us 50% of the time. When it's convenient for her.

We get him with no shoes, no coat, or filthy most days. We have hotlined her and they won't help.

My husband and I were finally able to afford an attorney that is worth the money and we are filing for custody. We are offering him an amazing school that will work on his level and is nationally recognized. But living in a state that is known to be a "mother" state, I'm wondering if anyone else has been through this and what the results were. I work with a range of people who I have heard amazing, uplifting stories, to absolute nightmares.

Insight?....