2 steps back

Actually it would be more accurate to say a bunch of steps back.

Since all the chaos and upheaval the separation and custody proceeding have caused, things looked like where going to calm down and normalize some. But noooo can't have that.

A few years ago I filed to have the child support for my oldest child stopped when she turned 18, which the court here did. However come to find out (recently) in New York child support is paid until the age of 21. I think most states the age is 18. So recently they not only restarted the child support but hit me with over $7000 in back child support. Keep in mind I have paid my lawyer around $10,000. This takes out a large amount of my monthly budget. This leaves me in the situation of not having enough money left over at the end of the month for all my bills. I have 6 months left on my lease which they won't let me out of. Even with all the attempts to figure something out with the landlord it seems I may have to just let them take me to court. Several people have responded to my sublet ad, but the landlord's agent said I can't sublease. The lease says all I need is written permission. They have not provided any reasons as to why they won't let me try this to pay the rent. From what I have read, in most states the landlord has a duty to mitigate damages from a broken lease. Since I am attempting to do just that, I can't imagine a judge ruling against me since if they weren't being such (insert bad word here)they could still get their rent. This isn't something I wanted or desired but rather have been forced into. Due to the fact that I have my kids every weekend, having the gas and electric turned off isn't an option, it' doesn't cost that much anyway so it wouldn't help.

So from these events I'm forced to move back in with my mother. This isn't as bad as it may seem. My soon to be ex didn't pay the mortgage to the point where it was going to be foreclosed on. To avoid this my mother and her husband purchased the house for what was owed on it (less than we purchased it for over 4 years ago). So what that means is the kids will have their old bedrooms again when they are with me and I should get more visitation. The yard is very large about 3/4 of an acre. There's room in the basement for a ping pong table even if the ceiling is a little low. I haven't had to really live and consider anyone Else's rules, I was the rule maker. For the three of us a one bedroom apartment was a bit small (and no yard) even if we where hardly ever there. So the extra room will be nice but somehow I feel like I'm loosing some of my freedom. It's a small price to pay for the opportunity to have my boys with me more often. I am concerned how it will affect the relationship between my s.p. and myself. There won't be a lot of alone time, not that there ever was but now it will all have to be at her place I guess.

Do you take your freedoms for granted? I know I have and do.