I've realized that since SO works mostly on the weekends (leaving me on SD duty) that I am completely drained and feeling pretty frustrated by Sunday evening. Sunday evening and MonDAY are the times when I feel most down and generally "blah" about this whole SM thing. However, I do feel like I have it pretty good for my situation. SO is supportive of me, backs me up, and refuses to let BM have my phone number or interact with me (doesn't really matter at the moment since we have no idea where she is now anyway...drugs and skeezy short-term boyfriends). SD7 is hyperactive, but has a sweet disposition and does what we tell her to with minimal complaining.

Yesterday I vented a bit about feeling like more of a parent than SO sometimes, but he did really well last night, and has been more interactive since we got SD full-time than he was with her last summer when things were much more chaotic. Structure and stability help so much!

SD has had nothing good to say about BM since SD came a few weeks ago. Said her mom is always leaving her with other people, has never taken good care of her, and made her miss a lot of school b/c BM wouldn't get out of bed in the morning. Plus, the child has abandonment issues b/c BM would put her to bed at night and then go out and party with her friends. I was in bed last night when I heard quiet-as-a-mouse noises in my room and opened my eyes to see SD standing there. You know what she said?! "I was just checking to make sure you were here." :O No seven year old should have to worry if she is home alone at 11pm! SD also told SO one night after a father/daughter night out that "Dad, I'm tired. You can just put me to bed when we get home because I know you probably want to go out with your friends." It makes my heart sad to hear these things. We've been doing our best to reassure her and show by example that we are stable, do love her, and are not going to leave her. The one thing SO heard from BM since we got the child was for BM to call him a "mother f******" for taking the kid. Psh. BM had no idea where the child even was and only uses SD for sympathy and money. Wants nothing else to do with her. When I first met BM last summer when BM was somewhat present I tried to be friends w/ her and make an effort. Then she goes behind my back and tries to get SO to break up with me and get back with her! They've hated each other for 7 years..in what world does this make sense?! Of course he immediately told me what she was up to and not to trust her at all. Enough ranting for now. I've decided that the best revenge is to help raise SD better than BM ever could.