Divorced in Self-Improvement, 2018

I’m officially divorced! As of this Tuesday! June 12th will forevermore hold a special place in my heart.

I really thought I could never do it. But I did it.

I was the only one who attended the hearing. The ex checked the box and signed the piece of paper saying he didn’t need to attend the hearing and didn’t want any updates on the case. That said, I did let him know the date when he signed the final papers back in April, but he just kind of shrugged like whatever and probably forgot by the time I left. He probably has no idea or care in the world that the divorce was granted on Tuesday. Like do I still baby him and provide him a copy of the divorce decree? I mean it’d be the last thing I’d really have to do for him…

The whole “hearing” process is really weird! I wonder if its different for people who don’t have kids vs people who do. We had no kids. Our hearing was at 1:30 in the afternoon and there were like 6 or 7 other couples/cases (all without kids) scheduled at the same time. We all went into the court room together in one huge group and then the judge called us up case by case. Meaning, if you were the first to go up, the 5 or 6 other couples who came in with you heard ALL OF YOUR BUSINESS while the Judge reviewed your final papers and either granted the divorce or said try again and come back. For some crazy reason, I assumed there would be privacy and that only one couple/case would be in the courtroom at a time.

I was the second case to be called. I had one dude go before me, so I could take cues on what to say (“I do. Yes, ma’am. Yes, ma’am. Yes, Ma’am.”) So there were like 4 or 5 couples in the audience. So awkward. I was so nervous. I literally held on to the bench so I wouldn’t fall/faint. You stand in front of the judge and speak into a microphone. She reviews your paperwork and asks you questions. And that’s basically it.

I do need to also write about my mini-vacation with my sister, bro-in-law & nephew, but that will need to be its own entry. It went really well and we had lots of fun. They left the morning of the hearing. I literally drove them to the airport, came home, and then went to the courthouse. I was pretty exhausted by evening time.