Thank you, Sasha and Lexie! Throughout this entire experience thus far, which has been stressful and lonely yet somehow empowering, your experience and expertise has been invaluable. Truly.
Mediation was yesterday. As usual, every update comes with good news and bad (although, thankfully, the good once again outweighs the bad).
The good news: The mediator was AMAZING. She seemed completely knowledgeable about addiction and verbal abuse and told me her recommendation would be "very conservative." I already received the report today, and boy is AXBF going to be livid. I can't go into detail because the report has all these disclaimers about confidentiality, but I am pleased beyond my wildest imagination.
The bad news: There is no way in hell AXBF is going to accept the mediator's recommendation, which means I'm more than likely going to trial. Also, his mother told me today that he has now convinced his father that I am trying to keep his baby from him for a year (because he cannot seem to read the dvro which very clearly allows for brief and peaceful contact for court-ordered visitation, which we are obviously in the process of establishing). Either he is a complete idiot, or he just hears whatever he wants to hear, whatever justifies his victimhood. It is so infuriating! Apparently, his father has now deemed me "a psycho" and is funding AXBF's search for a lawyer.
I am just hoping and praying that the judge at the next hearing and potentially for the trial is as sympathetic as the mediator and the previous judge. And perhaps it's time to lawyer up.