[dakotacapri]

My Father was never really in my life and my mom was a drunk. Well, my mom began smoking crack when I was 14 and then began giving it to me at 15. I had my daughter at 16 and by the time she was 3 months, she was taken out of my home and placed into my dad's. I never followed up with any of that until I was 17, and it was because my mother went to prison and I made the smart decision and the one I wanted to make for myself all along, I quit drugs and got clean. I saw my daughter for the 1st time when she was 1 yr old, and my father and his wife "Connie" got scared I was going to take responsibility and gain custody of and raise my own kid. Oh no. What was I thinking?

So, they get me in court, never stood in front of a judge, and had their attorney ask me if I opposed of them keeping her temporarily until I got a bit more stable, finished an 8 week parenting class and agreed to be drug tested every week for like a year, in which I came up clean in every one but the very 1st test they did when the case started. It was a hair follicle and I tested pos for cocaine. For a year straight afterward, I passed every one. I also, have a letter from my LCDC Signed to the Judge, stating that I participated in a 90 day in-patient drug treatment program of which I finished and received a certificate.
After that I held a job and attended college where I was certified as a medical assistant and had my own place as well, attending both work and school, lived in downtown Houston and had no car.

So, I was supposed to have supervised visits with my Aunt being the appointed supervisor, which was a big mistake on all of our part to choose her because she was always working and could never make it, so that gave Connie leverage in being able to decline me visits. So basically, since she was 1, I've been in and out of her life and the only person to blame for that is Connie, seeing as anytime I would want to come see her, they were out of town, or she was sick, or always something. Nevertheless Avery knew me and we had a lot of fun when together. So in Sept. of '07, I moved to Dallas with my now fiancé and got a job working for his bank firm and Avery has had her own room for ever now and she's not even here. I talk to her on the phone and she tells me she misses me and that she loves me, the only thing is is that they don't let her call me mom. She doesn't even know me as mom, she calls me my 1st name and my dad and Connie are mom and dad. Well, they have recently divorced, its all final now, and since Connie moved out, she has been doing something that, in my opinion, is not a very good judge of character at all. She's been taking my daughter to my mother's house and dropping her off for the weekend. Yes the crackheaded mother from earlier. And she's the reason for this whole mess in the 1st place.

So, my fiancé and I are almost reasdy to go for custody. Do you think that we have a chance? Her biological fathers not really around, I'm 22 and my fiancé is 37yrs old investment banker.

Also, is it wrong for them to not let my daughter call me mom and could they get in trouble for it in front of the judge? And just to give you an idea, my daughters 5 about to be 6 and she told me the other day, she said "I love youo, I wish you were my mom". You tell me?? Please, I need advice bad, she hasn't lived with me since she was 3 months old, but she is MY daughter and belongs with me no matter which way you look at it right?

[cdad]

I don't really understand this line.
( quote ) So, my fiancé and I are almost reasdy to go for custody. Do you think that we have a chance? ( end quote )

What is it your expecting from the courts?