Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am

Back in the beginning of June, I had already filed for divorce.  Ex had moved out and had been gone for about a week or so.  Life was lovely, and I could really see that my kids and I were so much happier.
 
I took the kiddos to see a movie and came back to my house to find myself locked out.  Now, I had my keys and they turned the locks but the doors wouldn't open.  I got back in the SUV and hit the button for the garage door. NO GO!  
 
I pulled my SUV up closer to the garage and stepped up to have a look in the windows, knowing all along what I would find.
 
The ex's car was in the garage.  He had locked me and his children out of the house.
 
I checked the windows -- no go. I beat on the door for about half hour with crying children next to me.  He finally opened the door.  He looked like a crazy, cracked-out homeless person.  He obviously hadn't bathed in at least a week.  Toothbrush? I don't think he'd even considered it for at least a month. 
 
One look at him, and I knew that we had to go.  I took the kids upstairs to grab my suitcase.  I'd had the suitcase packed and ready to go in a moment's notice for at lease two months.  I'd had to escape with the kids a few times in the middle of the night.  I'd had several nights spent in a hotel room wondering if I could make the drive across the country with two little kids and Mom with a bad case of never-ending panic attacks from dealing  with Mr. L.O.  (formally known as my hubby).
 
My fatal error looking back was going for the suitcase.  I should have just left with the kids and gone back to my family 1,500 miles away. 
 
To make a long story short, as I tried to leave the house he attacked me.  My kids got to watch.  Now, my kids are little - at the time just 3 & 5.  He attacked me from behind in the garage.  I should have known SOMETHING was going to happen.  I would have never guessed that. See, he had been abusive for years in many ways - but NEVER physically abusive.