I have been working towards a divorce for a long time now. 2 years ago I actually told my wife the exact date I was expecting us to separate. That was set for 6 months ago.

Until recently she would still talk to me about what "We" were going to do next year, and the new apartment "We" would rent. When I felt courageous I would question her use of the word "we" since we were not going to be married soon. This of course would turn into at least a week of sheer hell and her acting out violently. I began asking this question only on rare occasions.

For the first time she initiated a conversation with me about what her new living arrangement would look like in 6 months.

I didn't even know how to respond. I just stood there trying to listen to what she was saying but inside I felt a weight lift off of me. It's real, it's going to happen, she has accepted this. It's almost over.

I have wanted a divorce for over 6 years now. The conversations are respectful and the machine is now in motion.I feel so much happiness right now, I just had to share.

Extra Credit Reading: I have stayed to be with my children until they graduated high school and went on with their lives. My wife and I both came from single parent homes and suffered greatly because of it. I refused to make my kids experience all the disadvantages from a single parent home that I had (No not all are bad experiences but I only know how my own was) and decided to stay. For the most part we have been very amicable and the now adult children have no idea we are going to divorce.