This post is really uncomfortable for me to make, but I would be grateful if you could take the time to read everything I share here because I am humbly asking for your help.

Unfortunately this afternoon, my world was flipped right back upside down when I got off the phone with my prospective appellate attorney. When my ex appealed the divorce, it appealed EVERYTHING including the divorce itself. And while the appeal is pending, we are still married. And I'm devastated after learning that.

My divorce lawyer does not do appellate work, and referred me out to another lawyer (the one that I spoke with this afternoon). He stated that himself and any other lawyer will be brand new to my case and have hours of work ahead of them to catch up to speed on the 2 days of trial and the 60 pages of the settlement orders in order to argue my case. Essentially in a divorce appeal, there is no new evidence brought in, and the appealing party has to provide an oral argument to a panel of three judges at the 9th district Court of appeals. They have to argue (in short) why the judge in the divorce trial ruled unfairly or unlawfully. And my new lawyer would have to argue and back the judge's ruling.

I knew in the pit of my stomach that he would very likely appeal because this settlement was a huge win for me, and an absolutely huge loss for him. I'm going to attach it if you want to read it. But in short, he was ordered to pay me $2,500 a month for 2 years in spousal support. ($60k total) He was also ordered to pay me a $56,000 property settlement. He was ordered to pay me $1,500 back for a four-wheeler he sold. He was ordered to amend his taxes for filing and claiming my son for 21/22 without having me on those taxes. My son is not his son and she called him fraudulent in claiming him. The biggest win which rarely ever happens. Is that he was ordered to pay all of my $10,000 in attorney fees for the 2 years spent in court. Because he drug it out. My divorce lawyer said in 24 years of practice that she can count on one hand the amount of times that attorney fees have been awarded. So of course he's mad. He was expecting to pay zero and is having to pay a lot more than that. And now he would rather pay more lawyers than to pay me a dime. On top of that, he is $7,000 behind on the temporary spousal support of $400 a month that he was ordered to pay 17 months ago. Has not paid one dime.

The first mediation for the appeal is May 7th. I have to have $10,000 up front within the next week in order for him to have time to get up to speed by mediation time.

I DON'T HAVE THAT. I am busting my butt working all the time and staying afloat just enough to survive and then some. But not enough to where I have several thousand laying around at any given moment.

I have had several people suggest crowd funding. I didn't want to do that, but feel it may be necessary to do so at this point.

I would be incredibly grateful if you could help support me in finally laying this piece of my life to rest. Whether that's a monetary donation to my GoFundMe, Venmo, or other avenue.

This was not an easy ask for me, but you all have been with me through all of this and setting aside my pride to reach out to you all was my last option.

The last thing that I want to do is to just lay down and take it. Because that's what my ex expects me to do. I have been through absolute hell with him. All I wanted was what was fair after we split. I was a stay-at-home mom while he built a successful business. And built a nice home. And it's not fair that he expects me to walk away with zero.

Thank you literally from the bottom of my heart for even reading this far, considering to donate, order and even just sharing.

If I don't come up with this money to hire an appellate lawyer, I have no other option but to leave it in his lawyer's hands and the panel of 3 judges who will hear their argument and hope that the panel sustains the original judge's order over what is argued.