Part 3.
I get a lawyer. The ex has sold our family car (which was titled to me only), cleaned out our bank accounts, and maxed out credit cards in my name. She ends up with the kids and half of my 401k. I get the house back, which has been completely trashed.
She spends the next year moving from place to place, skipping out on rent and bad checks. She's got the kids in-tow the whole time. Sometimes she's in a drug den. Sometimes in a bread van. The 2 older kids pretty much miss a year of school.
So I file for custody of my 2 daughters, and visitations with the older boy. I represent myself. A guardian-ad-litem is assigned. The process takes a year, during which time she's constantly filing charges against me, missing court dates, and skipping doctor's appointments for the younger girl. All visitation exchanges are done at a police station. She doesn't allow me to visit with the older boy, who I raised for 9 years. But I'm still paying child support for 3 kids.
The younger (preemie) daughter is having serious health problems, due to spending most of her time in a 2-smoker household. But about 2 weeks before Mrs Scotch and I got married, we were awarded custody of my 2 girls.
There's more, but that's enough for now.