Yes it can become quite a “crime” to make less money, way less money, than your former spouse, especially when your time is spent trying to stay out of jail because you can’t keep up with a lawyer’s bills.   It ends up going way beyond not being able to buy stuff as nice as the other parent does or driving the older car.

Because I don’t recall us ever really going without around here.  I remember homemade gifts and cakes, homemade dinners, laughter and love.  I remember all those trips to the library instead of the movie theater, garage sale-ing together instead of trips to the mall.  I remember things you can’t put a price-tag on; the gifts of togetherness, laughter, faith, reading, studying, caring for animals, gardens and friends.  I remember scholarship applications/essays and wonderful academic acceptance letters.

But more than all this material stuff, it goes to…