Get me to get me outa here

I know, I know, I know. I need to break up with Asshole and get my life back. It's not that easy, though. He has full custody of his kids who are now 9(girl) and 10(boy). They were taken away from their mom (because she's a waist of air) about 3 1/2 years ago. Then she skipped the state about 6 months after that, leaving me as their new mommy. I have been through everything you can imagine with them and with the X. We finally had to change our phone #s about a year and a half ago so she couldn't harass us anymore from another state. She's wanted in 2 states that we know of and supposedly married again to some idiot that fell for her shit.

So, I'm very attached and protective over the kids. I don't want Asshole to accidently not raise them right after everything I've done to make their lives right. I do have my own 13 yr old daughter to worry about though, so it's a very hard decision to make. What did I get myself into? The biggest step I have taken is deciding to at least be ready so that when it's time, I can go.

Step one: pick out an apartment that I would like to rent
I called on 41 of them today and took a tour of one of them
Step two: Have a garage sale
It's already planned for the weekend of the 15th
Step three: take things I don't want anymore to the dump (Do they take boyfriends?)
It makes sense to me to do this AFTER the garage sale.

It feels good to have a plan of action. At least I'm going in the right direction. And looking for a place is kind of fun. I met a very nice man in his 60s today on my tour that I think has the hots for me now. He was about falling all over himself to get me to rent his place. Didn't even ask for a credit check. Very flattering.