Dysfunctional is an understatement

My mom is born again in the conservative evangelical protestant tradition. My dad is nominal Christian, agnostic, American Indian spiritualist, or whatever fits his purpose at the given moment. He allows alcohol to control him, which brings me to my mom's secondary belief system: Al-Anon. I learned how to be a good parent by watching the contrast between mine.

My husband was married before me. He had heartrending Biblical grounds for divorce, yet he wanted to reconcile, and was turned down. You might say my Beloved has issues. Technically, it's Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, caused by his childhood. My parents and pastor didn't want me to marry him, but I did anyway. (I think that's the second thing my parents ever agreed on.) I got to a point where I had to either break it off or commit for life, and I made my decision. Our marriage is difficult, but love is a choice, and every day I choose for him to be my Beloved no matter what.

His daughter is six and doesn't remember any life but joint custody. According to experts, this is the best arrangement for most children of divorce, but the experts don't say anything about parents who won't speak to their exes, much less attempt to develop a continuity of home life. All the decisions of my Sweetie's life are made by a judge. That's why she attends a government indoctrination center.

Beloved and I want to have children, but we sorta waffle on the timing. Finances, stress, etc. When it happens, you'll hear about it.