I am finally getting my application for the return of my 3yo son to Greece submitted today in court in Canada.

My ex left me with our son in September for a family "visit" to Canada. When she missed her flight back, I asked her to book their return tickets during the following 2 weeks. She kept telling me that she was looking for flights until one night, at almost exactly midnight, I get an email from her lawyer suing for full custody.

I was completely shattered.

Throughout the following week, my mental health deteriorated rapidly due to several other contributing stressors that she orchestrated. I was close to calling it quits for good several times since then, but thankfully I didn't.

After talking to the embassy of Canada here I was informed of the Hague Convention of 1980 for the return of child to their resident country. I filed the application, the Minister of Justice here accepted my application, and they sent the file to the Central Authority in the province she fled to.

When she found out that I made the application, she severed all contact with me and I have only been able to speak to my son once over the past 6 months.

I've gone through 2 lawyers until I was assigned a legal aid rep who, I must admit, was by far the worst of the three. Yesterday, my ex finally replied to one of my weekly email asking her to please allow my son and I to maintain our bond. She called and went on a tirade of "How can you do this to us? and You are falsely accusing me of kidnapping, and I'll never forgive you, etc..."

I think she's becoming afraid of the court date as the Convention states clearly that unless there is a clear danger to the health/safety of the child that the child should return to it's country of residence.

During our conversation, she kept accusing me of abuse, bullying, assault, isolation, and a bunch of other complete fabrications and I kept listening to her as she went on her tirade. She even said that I put our son at risk of injury when I sat him on a dresser to have an eye-to-eye conversation with him one evening.

I am hopeful that the application will be heard and ruled on within the next few weeks and that I will get to see my son in real life by the end of this summer.

If any of you have any similar situations where your child is taken away from you to another state, know that you have a very strong recourse with this Convention if you live in a country that is part of the Hague convention.

I wish you all strength and positive outcomes and especially for all of the children out there who are living without their fathers in their lives due to the spite and hate that comes along with separation.