I was dreading meeting with Friend of the Court. I knew the day would come when I would have to face the possibility of Jaden's father being given time with him, and it was something that struck a chord of fear in me every time the thought crossed my mind.

Needless to say, I was very relieved when he did not even show up for the meeting. I was even more relieved when my caseworker told me he had moved to Ohio, just as he said he would do. He has shown no interest in Jaden up to this point, and his move seems to indicate that he has washed his hands of both of us, once and for all.

Given his lack of interest/involvement, the fact that he's in and out of jail, that he has no permanant address, that he jumps from job to job and town to town, he has a history of domestic violence, he has a major problem with alcohol, etc...The caseworker said she is going to deviate from the norm--in which she usually recommends one parent has physical custody, and both parents share legal custody--and recommend that I have sole custody of Jaden.

Additionally, she is holding parenting time in reserve. As Jaden's father is not around, there is no reason to give him any time. If he wants that time, he will have to file a motion and ask the court for it. Again, very unlikely.

As far as child support goes, my caseworker is going to pursue it. She said that even if he is not interested in Jaden at all, Jaden's father still has an obligation to help support his child. I explained my fears concerning collecting child support, and my caseworker told me that parenting time, custody, and child support are all seperate issues. If Jaden's father ever chooses to be involved in Jaden's life, he will be given supervised visits and will have to prove himself able to be trusted before he is given regular visits with Jaden. Jaden's safety is not at risk, so there is no reason not to collect support. If all goes well, I will begin receiving support on February 1.

All in all, it was a slam dunk for Jaden. I truly believe God prepared the way for us, and Jaden will continue to be kept safe and sound in my care. While I am sad that Jaden has the father he has, I am glad his father has moved on and left us alone. Jaden has a heavenly Father who by far surpasses anything that even the best earthly father could ever be.