It's Good Friday ... don't forget to set your boundaries

It's Good Friday, ya'll.  It arrived, along with three members of my ex-family, but nonetheless my son's family.

Most of ... OK, my entire team ... is working from home today. But not me ... I decided to hide in the office, mainly because my ex-husband and his parents picked up my son to take him overnight. He has not seen them since August.

I have not seen them since August. And I had no desire to face them today. I'll get better; I'll get stronger. I'm learning how to set boundaries. But for this initial child-swap, I reached for back-up and went to my father. Rather, he came to me. He arrived at my house this morning, I went to the office, and he dealt with the ex and family.

Again, I'm learning to set boundaries. They were not to be allowed in my home, so my father and my boy threw the football in the front yard before their arrival -- less awkward.

I'm told the exchange went well. My son will phone me later this evening and will be returned early in the morning, as the grandparents are just in town on their way south to an antique show. The ex is staying in town with a friend until he can find a place ...

I agreed to allow him two hours with my son tomorrow (supervised by a mutual friend), after our neighborhood egg hunt. If he asks about Easter? I have a new word in my vocabulary; it's "no."

If I can survive until Sunday, I'll be OK for a while ... until he requests his next visit.

I truly want to do what's right for my son, but I'm scared to death about his father's blind return to our community. He has no residence yet; and he has no job. I realize these are not things I should worry about, but I worry anyway. I'm a professional at it.

The ex is staying with this mutual friend until he can find housing. I had a good chat with said mutual friend last night. Married, with a five-year-old daughter, he intends to allow the ex to stay with him while he works to find housing. If he doesn't achieve this promptly, and if he fails to remain sober, the mutual friend said he will have zero tolerance. It's nice of him to offer initial help, but my ex has been enabled by so many for so long ... it's a fine line, but I think the mutual friend and I both realize that and are on the same page.

Trying to keep my chin up. It is Good Friday, after all.