I really hate my ex husband. He is such a bas%^&d. His new wife too. You know I separated in 1999, after we were having problems. We tried to work it out, but an ex friend of mine wanted what I had, told my ex I left a restaurant with another man, which was totally untrue, and my ex threw himself a pity party, got drunk, and took my ex friend home, and I found them together the next morning. Well, it was over then. All along, I had custody of our kids then 4 and 2. I had them til March 2004, when I took a job to VA, so they could spend time with him, equally, and I could get a little help. I gave him the opportunity to advance his career without worring about school, daycare, sick kids, and now his position is better than mine, and out of hate and spite, as well as control, he wants the kids to live with him and his new wife. What the F*&K? And I saw a lawyer yesturday, who told me it would cost me $5,000.00 to fight, and he would probably get them because he has bought a house and married, and established himself. I'm just dirt now. I feel so angry and depressed. I took my youngest back, but he could do the same...he doesn't care that she needs me and is fully taken care of and loved. He works all the time, and wants his new wife to take care of her. I hate him. I am not one to hate, but I divorced that sob to be free of control and now he has more. I just want to take my kid and run to the high heavens, but my oldest lives with him, because he has manipulated her by buying her a cell phone and giving her contacts(she just turned 12). He lets her go to movies with boys unchaparoned, things I would never let her have here, so she wants to be there. My baby is not impressed with this stuff, although she loves him...she wants to be here, but doesn't want to hurt his feelings. I don't know what to do.

You are still in NC, right? Do you have a court order dictating custody?