I MARRIED AN ILLEGAL ALIEN!

You're Too Kind

Oh, but you know I had to flip to the billed hours for that debacle in March--the court date with Judge Dredd (see "Background 2005" for full account).  Mrs. Lady only billed me for half that day.  That was mighty decent of her, dontcha think?

Time to Pay the Piper

Well, I received Mrs. Lady's bill on Friday.  In order to change Nos' last name, it cost us $1,385.17.  For professional services rendered, $1,000.  Nice round number.  The filing fees were $385.17.  But this is okay, because it was something that was very important to Nos. 

The kick in the heiny was the other bill I got from Mrs. Lady, for the "Child Support-Contempt" business.  That bill came out to $4,659.47.  I almost threw up, to be frank.  My husband actually cried.  He got all teary, saying how whatever I got from child support would just be a wash, because of the legal fees.  In my head I snarled, "So, do you still feel sorry for Alien, honey??!  Huh, honey?  HUH??!!!"  But I maintained composure, and stated that perhaps this mess would be finished, and we'd never have to deal with Alien again. 

What stress, to get this bill during the holidays.  I asked Mrs. Lady time and time again to give me a bill, but she said we were fine and hadn't gone that much above the retainer.  Hello, not by normal folks' standards, Lady.  My husband and I just bought a house; it is 100 years old.  It is uninsulated, and we had to partially gut it and redig the foundation, because it had settled and the house was more that half a foot off.  We are scheduled to have it insulated in December; that will be about $2,000, since my husband did some of the insulation himself.  We have a temporary kitchen, with a toaster oven on a card table.  My husband has been going down there every night after work and framing, wiring, etc.  He was mudding and taping drywall when I told him about the bill.  You haven't seen anything until you've seen a grown man weep with a powertool in his hand.  Incongruous.  Dear Husband said, "What the hell am I doing all of this for??  We're broke now!"  The cabinets are coming from IKEA on Saturday.  We are going to install everything, use the old fridge that was in the house, and maybe buy a cooktop.  That's it.  There will be no "extras".  The floors will remain plywood.  We will not have an oven (don't even ask how the oven became an "extra"). 

Is it so wrong that I hate Alien?  I blame him for this, and I blame my years of cowardice.  If only I had just taken care of business in the beginning.  If only I had had the guts, or the belief in myself. 

I want to ask Mrs. Lady for a payment plan, but I'm too embarrased.

Oh, Happy Day!!

Oh, Happy Day!!!!!  I just got a call from my attorney, Mrs. Lady.  Neither Alien nor his lawyer submitted any objections to the name change, so the judge allowed it with no problem at all. Nos now has the same surname as the rest of his family!  He also added a new middle name...that boy is too much!

Mrs. Lady was near tears, which made me forgive all of the dumb moves she had made in my case up to now.  She made me get all teary, when she said that today was Nos' day, that he has a birthday, and a name day now.  He is just going to break down when I tell him.  I think the waiting has been terrible for him.

Thank you all for your kind words, and any positive thoughts/wishes/prayers you have sent for my son.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.