Freedom, part 2: It is now officially... over

On Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006, at 10:15 a.m., my attorney called me to tell me the following words: "Your divorce is now final." I know that you, my faithful reader, is now thinking two things: 1). It's about time, and 2). How did this happen so quickly? Well, as soon as I turned the property description in to my attorney, and as soon as my ex's attorney drew up the "Ouit Claim" deed on the house, everything simply fell in to place. On Feb. 9, my attorney called me at work to take a look at the papers that had just arrived at her office. I went to her office on my lunch break to look at these. Everything I wanted was on those papers. My ex signed the house totally over to me. My ex forfeited her share of my 401k. She also took responsibility of 75% of our joint credit card debt. And she agreed to pay my attorney's fees as well as hers. I was a little upset that she still wants the map of the world we have framed on our wall, but if giving that up means a finalized divorce, she can have that damn map - I can always get another one. Probably nicer, too. So, I signed the papers. And my lawyer called me on the 16th to say that it bacame official on the 14th of February. And you know what? This just might be the greatest Valentine's Day present I think I have ever gotten. I can now officially go on with the rest of my life. It is now over.