Just some other details...
I figured I would share a few other details to the case, as I have made mention to them, only barely, in previous posts.
You will see the GAL had said she was wanting to talk to me about my new job and new place, and how it is an improvement over my previous circumstances.
In the job situation...My last job, I was employed from September of 2013 until January 2015. The job was supposed to turn full time after I took it, and it never did. They never gave me full time hours, and my hours would average 18-30 a week. This is not enough to be able to bills and raise a child. Shortly after I realized they probably were not going to follow through with giving me full time hours, I started searching for a new job. I feel I killed a small forest putting in resumes and applications. I was having no luck. I had a few interviews, but nothing else. The few times I could get an answer as to why I was not selected, I got the "under/over qualified", or the "We reviewed all the applicants and chose the best fit". However, because a part time job is better than no job, I stayed at my last job until I was able to get my current full time job...even though they had give me plenty of reasons to want to say screw it and quit. But...I do now have full time employment.
My housing situation...I was living in my own place at the start of the custody battle. But due to my job only giving me part time hours, and my savings getting depleted because of it, I could no longer afford to stay at the place I was living. My other options in this area were only slightly less expensive. Because I did not have the funds for another place, I moved in with my mother. My son had his own room there. But the GAL had issue because my mother smokes. I did not like it either, but my mother smoking is better than homeless. But, my mother is also suffering early onset alzheimers. One evening, she kicked me out over an ash tray she accused me of stealing (I do not smoke, and she found it later). Because I had no other options, I had to go to our local woman's shelter for a short stint. After that, my only feasible option at that time, was a roommate situation as I was still at my prior job that was giving me only part time hours. The GAL had issue with this stating that me having roommates was not showing that I was being independent and that if my roommates got upset, they could kick me out at any time. How is me splitting bills with them not being independent? And I was also going to be added to their lease, so they could not just kick me out. I am now in my own place again. My son has his own room, and he also has plenty of space to play...and a good sized back yard.
Also, because of a small bout of post partum depression I had after my son was born, and because the GAL heard from someone that I am an alternative religion, she asked the court for a psychiatric evaluation. I complied, and it came back very positive for me. The post partum depression was mild, short in duration, and there were no serious issues with it (I was not lashing out, no violence, no suicide attempts or thoughts)...the only concern my doctor had was that I was not eating very much. I was not even prescribed any medications for it, and I saw a counselor for a short period of time to deal with the stress/anxiety coming from the post partum.
