Angelique Update

So, an update on how it's going with Angelique.

Well, we hadn't heard from Angelique since our crappy last visit on Easter (which I now realize I never blogged about.  Oops.  Suffice to say, it was crappy with a capital C.  Much like the visit before that that I did blog about on Super Bowl Sunday.  Tense, awkward, upsetting, dishonest, and this time - 45 minutes late. We were glad for that day to be over which is why I probably didn't return to blog about it.  In a nutshell, it was more of the same old Angelique crap from the past two years.  Aggravation.).  So, we have been rolling along since then with more of our usual weeks/months passing without a word from Angelique.  Whatever.  Then, out of nowhere, she called last week with some interesting requests that let us know things are heating up on her end regarding the upcoming TPR trial.   Why am I not surprised?  Two years of virtual absence and NOW she wants to engage right before trial.  Sounds about right.

First, her atty contacted Lasa's atty to schedule us for depositions. 
Also, Angelique called Josh and asked if we could start meeting weekly.
(he said no but that we could do biweekly visits)
She also asked what sorts of things we need for Lasa that she can bring.
(he said he would check with me and get back to her)
She went on to say that if there was nothing we needed, she would bring us a money order.

Whaaaaaaaaaat??!!!  What the heck?  She passes almost two years of ignoring our standing weekly visit offers and suddenly wants them now?  She provides not a single penny of support for her daughter for these almost two years and NOW she wants to provide supplies AND cash?  What is going on here?

I will tell you what is going on here.  She likely got in touch with her attorney and was told she was supposed to be visiting and supporting Lasa allllllllll thisssssssss time and that it is going to be a problem for her to explain before the judge why she has not done these things.

So.  All that.  She is clearly trying to show some effort now to be able to say she did at all.  Which is very annoying to have to endure at this point. But whatever.  There's nothing we can do about her shenanigans either way.

So Josh texted Angelique back confirming a visit this past weekend and told her what size diapers Lasa wears in case she wanted to bring those.  Josh and I decided that if she wants to start introducing money into this relationship, we would feel better if it was being documented via child support services at this point, which honestly we should have done forever ago.  He told her we could talk about that at the visit Sunday.  She quickly texted back that she was not interested in talking about that with us and that she wanted to keep the visit "strictly personal."  Then she texted back AGAIN (at this point I am falling over because we NEVER get text replies from her in such quick succession) insisting that she would be bringing us a money order at this and all subsequent visits.  (Insert us realizing what she is trying to do ... have it all on her terms.)  Josh stands our ground and tells her we will get the ball rolling for child support then.  She says she will talk to her lawyer about it and that was that.  We did not interact again until Sunday's visit.  We did get our ducks in a row regarding filing for child support.  And it's all involved.  But it's happening whether she likes it or not now.  I have read this thing from start to finish now.  It's so bizarre to be reading things like this!

Needless to say, I was a ball of anxious nerves going into our visit with her Sunday.  Half of me knew she would stand us up, half of me knew she was gonna show because she has clearly been rattled finally.  We did not shoot her our usual check-in text before going.  Surprisingly, she did!  And it was a perky, happy text.  So bizarre.  She showed on time.  Also bizarre.  She and Rodney brought so much stuff to this visit.  More bizarre.  They unloaded coolers, snacks, watermelon, music, speakers, etc.  It was like they were staging a small party.  I still don't understand what that was about.  You can be sure it was something to serve her purposes somehow.  Rodney videoed Angelique and Lasa several times.  They both were friendly with us.  Angelique did Lasa's hair.  NOBODY mentioned money orders, so we did not mention child support. Visit ended.  We all left.  So bizarre.  And then they chased us down on the way home to pass us diapers and a pack of wipes she did bring after all.

Also, before the visit ended, Angelique dropped a little bomb on us.  She is pregnant.  😳  Y'all.  I am STILL processing that one.  I can't even type any more about this.  It's just so all over the place in the my head.  And I am tired.

Anyway, depositions with her atty at the end of June.  That'll be a first.  We file for child support tomorrow.  That'll also be a first. (This got involved regarding whether we name Rodney as a possible birthfather as is requested on the forms for paternity testing; long story short, we decided to leave that alone for now). TPR trial is still set for mid-August.

In case anyone wants to know how we are praying - we do still ask the Lord to cause Angelique to see reality and decide to relinquish her parental rights before TPR still.  That would be a best case scenario ... well, best case as far as we can see from our limited vantage point.  All I still know and testify to is this - The Lord is gonna do what He is gonna do about this regardless of whatever Angelique is doing about this.  All I can do about this is be still and be faithful leaving this in his hands.  Not gonna lie - it's been especially trying since all this latest Angelique movement regarding it all, but it's getting done - the not flinching.  Just trusting His will will be done and knowing I can rest in that either way.  It's bizarre ... to want something so, so, so badly after all this time ... and to also be so contentedly yielded to the idea of it not going our way ... because like I said, either way will be in His way.  That assurance is more than enough!