LW2 My family does lots of hugging and kissing on the cheeks, lip kissing is for spouses. My husband's family doesn't hug, doesn't kiss, and after a short time of marriage, my husband announced kissing me was unsanitary. He wouldn't hug or kiss the kids on the cheek past babyhood. Make sure you don't give up kissing your wife. A woman who isn't kissed, does not feel loved. And don't ever give up kissing those kids and grandkids on the cheeks.
LW3 I too have a thyroid problem. Make sure they run all the tests, I had the symptoms for years, suspected it because it runs in the women of my family, but finally my doctor either ran the right test or it got so bad it showed up on the test they did run. Anyway, when it was finally diagnosed, it was really really low. The medicine really makes a difference in your energy level. I didn't have the depression, but I had weight problems and extreemly low energy, menstral problems (heavy periods), and severe arthritis (yes there is sometimes a connection). I haven't lost weight yet, but have stopped gaining, am gradually getting more energy, and the arthritis has eased. Menopause hit about the time I was diagnosed, so that took care of the menstral problems anyway. (Gee, maybe if I'd been diagnosed years ago, I would have had the energy to leave "Mr. Doesn't Kiss.")

My husband's family is Scottish, and they have always been lip kissers. Unfortunately, most of them are schoolteachers. Everyone catches everything that is going around in the schools. It's been hard to break them of the habit, and I hate to nix affection, but it's getting out of hand.

"Alone in Oregon" should hold his head up and do right by his children. His wife is a cheat and a liar, and it's quite likely that his friends and neighbors in their small town recognize that already. If he stays the course and remains devoted to his children, the contrast between his character and that of his ex-wife will be very clear.

I find it hard to believe that a whole town and a court could believe one woman's lies about the husband being abusive. I would like to hear her side of the story. Rarely do courts take away full custody from a parent on only the word of one person, especially if that person is lying. I would ask the ex-husband to really examine his role in what happened. Of course he would be hurt, betrayed, and maybe even furious to find out his wife was having an affair - and with his best friend no less! I would suggest that ex-husband get some counseling to either deal with this situation if it truly is as he says, or to deal with possible anger issues over what happened. The most important thing is to have a loving, healthy relationship with his kids.