Jennifers Divorce

My husband and I have been married for 7 years, and living together for 10. I have two beautiful little girls, one from a previous marriage (I know how to pick em!) and one from my current marriage. I've been a homemaker for 15 years, and the primary stay at home caretaker of our apartments and children for 15 years.

You see, my husband started dating me as a housewife, he proposed to me as a housewife, he married me as a housewife, and now he dropped the bombshell on me last week that he no longer loves me and wants a divorce. He is mostly out of the home working one job an hour away for 15 hours a day on a regular basis, when he only gets paid for 40 hours a week.He has many secret text messages and emails and has locked me out of our bank account. A few days later, I got a hold of his phone while he was sleeping and read the last text message that was received while he was sleeping. I confronted him immediately. At which time he admits that she is his girlfriend, that he's been seeing her for a month. They met at work, (aha on the 15 hour work days!) and she makes him happy. This broke my heart into a thousand pieces. I was - and still am - in love with my husband. But I am very angry, hurt, and betrayed. He now emotionally abuses me on a daily basis, cussing, calling me names, rubbing his affair in my face. Telling me to f off in front of our daughter. How could he do this to me? To our child and his step daughter? Where am I to go? With what money? I can start a new life, but I certainly am going to have a very hard time getting a job with absolutely never having one! (Not to mention the economy and job market here in Florida.) I've been a house wife for so long because HE WANTED ME TO BE!

I have nothing. We live with his parents. We followed them down here as his father had a stroke and decided to retire early in Florida. I had little choice but to leave what I knew, my friends, my family, even my furniture to follow my husband to the ends of the earth. I do know that I must do everything in my power to take care of my children, whatever that maybe. We are forced to sleep in the same bed because if his parents find out, (they despise me and have not made that a secret - especially in the two years we have been living here.) as they will kick me out, find a lawyer for him, and fight for the custody of my baby. I cannot and will not let him destroy and control my life any further.

I have reached out to various government resources, and some friends are willing to help me. But a good lawyer is not cheap. Transportation (did I mention I don't drive or own a car. That's all him. I am very dependent on him.) is not cheap. Rent and everything involved in living on my own, is not cheap. Furniture for a new place is not cheap. I just don't have the funds to go through a messy divorce with a liar, cheater and absentee father. I cannot risk this. Not for anything in the world.

So I come to you, dear friends on the internet and family far from me - not looking for a handout - but a hand up so I can pick myself and my children off the ground that I was forced to fall on. Every little bit counts to my goal. The goal is still probably not enough, but it will get me by for at least the furniture and starting food/necessity while I wait on things to fall back in place.

Thank you all for your love and support, and in advance for anything you can help with.