Re: Batman, Flash, Vraska, family! More faves from Disney!

We brought Batman home when he was just two weeks old and today he is 10 weeks old and 10.5 inches! His tail started to shed again today...I think he's going to be a big guy

First night home: Keegan (my 3 year old human) and Batman!

Just 2 weeks old!

He did this a lot at first. A little wave

First full shed!

Hanging out with daddy!

Meeting Hailey (my 9 year old human)

He's just not a morning dragon...

He's becoming such a big boy!

Well...there's our little buddy! We're so proud of him!!

 

[zandi202]

How's Batty doing? Still driving you nuts? You wanna trade one of my crazy babies for yours? :lol:

Hope all is well. Sorry I have been so distant lately. Love you!

 

[rattazzios]

Hey so i just came across your post and though flash and vraska are the coolest things! what are they?

 

[KristineM]

Hey Liz!! No worries Love you! Of course he's driving me nuts. It's why he's here

Flash and Vraska are both True Fire Skinks Flash is a rescue whom we brought home with lots of help from my good friend Liz (up above) and Vraska we recently adopted...also from Liz

Haha! They're wonderful and sweet and loving reptiles. We truly adore them!

Happy belated Thanksgiving to you as well, Esther! The holidays are HERE!!!

 

[KristineM]

Just want to apologize for not being around lately.

Batman is doing "ok" still. He's not really eating more than one dubia a day or none at all, so back to the carnivor care slurries, and the usual oral fluids, daily soaks. He seems by all means happy and healthy. Just basks allllll day and runs around for a while and crashes early.

Flash and Vraska are lovely. He gained, she lost. Perfection

Jeremy and I have filed jointly for divorce. I'm moving Friday. The kids will join me Sunday. I have a wonderful friend who has graciously offered to move out of her beautiful condo for as long as I need to get up and on my feet on my own again. Rent and utility free! She went through it a year ago and is not just an incredible person but so very understanding. She's calling it a field trip and staying with friends where she will also have her own space. I couldn't be more grateful and I'm still quite shocked at the immediate offer.

It's been a long time coming. It's not as though it "came out of nowhere" like people seem to think. We've had a real rough marriage and I just can't sit around waiting to be happy any longer. I'd say things all the time, such nice sweet things, thinking I could make myself believe it.

That doesn't work. So, I'll be popping in here and there but I'll be quite busy starting a new chapter in life.

You're all so special to me...I felt I had to let you know what's really going on.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Wow, Kristine, I'm so glad your friend was there when you needed a place to live. I'm so sorry this has happened, but you're right, if you're not happy, then it's not worth staying together, life is just too short. I stayed in an unhappy marriage for 24 years, so I sort of know what you're going through. I just wish you the best in this new chapter of your life. Are you taking Batman, Flash and Vraska with you, too? It's going to be hard to adjust to all of this, but I know it's for the best or you wouldn't have taken this step. So good luck & keep in touch when you can. Hugs to you and the kids.

 

[KristineM]

I can't take them to where I'm staying at the moment Once I'm on my feet and have my own place Batman is coming with me, no discussion. I cannot properly care for and give Flash and Vraska the TIME and attention they need.

Plus, that would really kill Jeremy. He's the best thing for Flash and Vraska and their bond is very strong. While I'm not living there I will still be going back to be sure Batman is getting his slurries and oral fluids and keeping his weight. He refuses a syringe from anyone but me so I have to be there for him. Jeremy can and always does do the soaks and temp checks. I'll syringe and keep an eye on the humidity levels. Jeremy can do everything else but Batman...I can read him and he trusts me.

I'm doing what's right. I know this. It hurts and it's terribly scary but I've learned that I can do so much more than I ever imagined. I'm done waiting for happiness in a marriage that isn't moving forward.

Thank you for the kind words and the support. Who knows, I might be around more now. God knows I need the strength and support from everywhere I can get it.

 

[sweetiepie9]

You'll have it. I'm glad Jeremy is getting Flash and Vraska, as I know their bond is strong. And it sounds as if this is not an acrimonious divorce, which is great for you and the kids. And you won't be far away so Jeremy will still see the kids. Sounds like you're both working this out for the best of both of you.

Batman will be fine with you close and still taking care of him. Hopefully you can have him home soon. Is there no room for his tank where you're staying?

 

[KristineM]

Yeah, we're working it out in a good way. It's not angry and nasty like people would expect, I suppose. There's not enough room for my boy It's a condo too...so haha! I don't even know how that works. I won't be gone long and I can always come and go as I please....like I said no one is "angry" so it isn't unpleasant to be there. I'll want to visit with Flash and Vraska as well. They're my babies too...Jeremy has just bonded with them both SO much that it would be heartbreaking to separate them.

The kids pretty much can come and go to either of our homes as they please. I don't want to push them too hard, it's a big adjustment. Since this isn't the "typical" divorce, it's just pretty laid back. The kids will live with me but still see Jeremy every day anyhow and can stay there a day or so during the week and we're splitting weekends, still doing Christmas and going to Disney in February together.

We're VERY good friends...just the marriage thing doesn't work well at all. It's hard to explain but that feeling isn't what a married couple should have.

 

[sweetiepie9]

I know exactly what you mean, sometimes what starts as "married" turns out to be just best friends, makes the split easier, the kids, etc all are better off and it works for both of you, so it's great that if you had to split, it's as easy to handle as it is. I think it's great that it's that type of split, so much easier on everyone and you're still best friends, which really helps with the kids accepting that you'll be living apart. And living so close that the kids are able to go wherever they want is great news.

Good luck with it all & stay in touch. I'm glad you're still having Xmas together and doing the Disneyland trip together, too. You'll all have fun, which is great!

 

[zandi202]

Hey, sorry I have been so quiet and distant lately. You're going through a lot, but you're a strong and amazing lady and I know you'll get where you want to be. I'm glad that everything is working as well as it is. Say hi to the Bratty Batty for me, kay?

 

[KristineM]

No worries, Liz. We've all got our "stuff" going on

I'll tell him you said hi but I'm also going to tell him in a very firm manner to EAT! Haha!

Talk soon!

 

[Esther19]

Hi Sweetie! Love and hugs your way.

 

[KristineM]

Oh Esther...somehow, someway, it seems that I always receive the message I need the most at the exact moment I truly and desperately need it.

I guess I found out that I'm really good at faking brave. I'm not. I've never been more afraid, lonely, hurt, sad, confused, happy, angry...every SINGLE emotion anyone could ever feel all at once...in my entire life.

This is so different from a death in the family, a sick child or reptile baby. This is incredibly...I don't even have the word to describe it. All I do know...is that I'm barely holding it together over here. Infact, I can't even be sure whether or not I'm even doing that.

I'm coming apart at the seams here. Literally falling to pieces and I'm watching the threads separate one by one RIGHT in front of my eyes. I can't do this alone and I've really got nowhere to turn. I'm a mess.

A HUGE MESS. A mess that actually scares me. I'm the strong one. I can do anything. I'm the one who fixes everything, works best when the heat is on/under pressure.

Why can't I handle this?! Where did Kris go?!

 

[Esther19]

Sweet girl, what you are feeling is absolutely normal. Kris is still there, and always will be there. Sometimes the threads have to unravel completely before they can be rewoven into a stronger, though different cloth. The mess will sort itself. You and Jeremy are caring, logical grown-ups who will get through this. I know that there will be some very difficult times, but it will get better. The feeling that you have lost your ability to cope is terrifying, I know. It means that you have lost control, and I'm a huge control freak. The key here, I believe, is to give control over to God, your mom, the universe, and to have faith that the answers will come. Often the answers do not come in the most timely fashion that we would like them to, but they do come. Be patient and wait on the Lord. Appreciate every little bit of good that comes into your life. Pay special attention to the beauty around you. Do for others what you can, and try to get out of yourself for a bit in service to others. I know that on the occasions when I have admitted to myself that yes, my life sucked, and decided that if I couldn't fix my own mess I'd try helping others instead, things got easier.

Being a mess is fine. Everybody visits there once in a while. The point is not to live there. You are not alone. You do have people you can turn to. We are here for you. You have your dad. You have your mom and your faith. And you have yourself. Just because the scared and lonely Kris is taking charge right now doesn't mean the strong Kris has taken a vacation. She is just waiting her turn.

I love you Sweetheart,
Esther

 

[sweetiepie9]

Esther took the words out of my mouth. Your life is changing and change is ALWAYS difficult. I did the same thing when my life fell apart, that Esther is saying. Sometimes it's better to be thinking and doing for others, even if it's your kids, so take the stress off you. You'll find your way, you always do. It's a very emotional time, even if you've talked it out and it's supposed to be easy, it's never easy to change your whole life. So hand in there, we're here for you, just like Esther said. You'll get there, day at a time. What I did was focus on only the day I was in, never the next or future, then I'd fall apart. So a day at a time is a lot easier to handle then a week or month at a time. So concentrate on the day in front of you, worry about tomorrow when it gets her but not before. That also might help.
Sending you strength to help you get through this rough time.
Love you, too
Deb