Some Kind of Stability

I was at a point in my life I was trying to achieve some kind of stability, not only for me, but for the kids. I didn't have anyone to turn to, so I had to make serious decisions on my own. I didn't know anything about lawyers, courts, judges, or divorce. I didn't know the first thing about the judicial system, I didn't grow up with any of that kind of education. I didn't know anyone that was divorced in my family. I was a Mormon woman that believed that I was married for time and all eternity. I did know that the serious instability in the family was in dire need of change. I knew that if I didn't finish school, the children would be in worse shape in the future, as far as having their needs met were concerned.
I looked Convert square in the eye and told him that, "I can't quite school. It doesn't make sense to stop". I also told him that I didn't want a divorce either. All I asked for was a little more time to finish school in order to be able to bring in the money we needed to keep on going. I pleaded with Convert to understand and be patient. Convert said nothing.
It was about two weeks later when I got a letter from the court, petitioning for divorce. I was so heartbroken and confused that I didn't know what to do. I thought to myself, "Why can't he understand that I'm going to school to keep our family from starving?" I didn't know who to go to or where to turn. I know that going to my parents and the church was out of the question. I've been that route, and it didn't work.
We divorced and I finished school. The divorce was strange. I didn't have a lawyer nor did I have any counseling of any kind. I wanted to yell at the judge and tell him that I didn't understand any of the proceedings. I was mentally and physically exhausted. I didn't do anything, but give Convert what he wanted. I knew that it would have been devastating to the family unit if I had quit school. Shortly after the divorce, I graduated with honors, and I was third from the top in my class. I knew that, for me, school was a defocus from my current problems. Maybe that's why I did so well.
Convert was always around and the kids seemed to be fairly adjusted to the situation. (I really don't know how much they remember about the divorce.) I was able to buy a home through a program that was designed for single, working mothers, even though Convert was always around, giving me his advice. The kids got into new schools and I started working nights. Convert stayed with the kids and got them off to school.
Convert was nice again and he became the person I knew many years ago. I hadn't dated anyone else, nor did I want to. Convert and I decided to get our lives together and start attending church again, plus get the kids in a more stable home environment. Life with Convert was more tolerable being divorced than being married.
The bishop of the ward that we were in did extensive counseling with both of us and we started to get back into church life as much as possible. Soon the bishop told us that we should get remarried. We did. We remarried in the bishops office without any ceremony or party. It wasn't necessary. We just wanted to get back to a married life, the way it was long ago.