Dear Shipp:

The following is my understanding on one of the issues that came up for me. I am running it through you for consideration and evaluation. There are a few ingredients here, hope you respond to them all:

I remember reading in your posts that you are inclined to let another person take the lead and that being the leader in your own life was a new thing to you, part of your “second chance in life.”

But being lead doesn’t sit well together with recent information you shared in the last few days: you started dating Emmett and proceeded, still dating, to manage his household in addition to yours. His three children were living with him at the time. You moved into his house proceeded to take over his parenting (or lack of) of the three. Next, they all move out or are moved out of Emmet’s house. Next, your daughter moves in. Next his other house is being on the market in efforts to sell (to your nephew) so that the proceeds as well as any of Emmet’s other money does not end up with any of his children, and instead is divided between YOUR two daughters.

Taking into consideration that you wrote that Emmet needs you pointing out to him the needs of others, because otherwise he only sees himself, I am inclined to think that the idea and initiative (and maybe execution) of his children to move out and be disinherited was yours, and that the idea to divide his money between your two daughters was also yours.

If one of his children was a heavy drug addict who was abusive, it would make sense to expel him out of the house. But all three? And wouldn’t it be the right and compassionate thing to offer part of Emmet’s money to pay (directly!) therapy for his children?

anita