I m so very sorry.

As scared and devastated as you are, imagine what your mom is feeling! She has to know that the separation is because she wanted/needed it. She admits to being unhappy for a long time... sometimes people need to retreat and go into a cocoon to rediscover who they are... rediscover what they love about themselves as well as anybody else. She is most likely harboring guilt over leaving, putting a financial burden on her family, and breaking her kids hearts. Yet, she is making this break because she feels its going to help her become happy agan. If she felt the marriage wasn't worth saving then she would have filed divorce proceedings. She only asked for a separation... which means she knows something is good in her marriage, but she just needs to get back to feeling that way again. Depression is a scary thing (I've had bouts of it, and let me tell you, there's bnothing so desperate or miserable as that.) Sometmes a new start and feeling independance is just what you need to feel alive and real again.

Go with the flow... even thought new bathroom stuff is very low on your list, do it because its something she's excited about. If she suggests a silly night of mud masks and curlers, do it! Let her laugh and be silly, let her get excited over mundane things. My husband knows that when I break out the paint brushes to not stop me - its my own little way of breaking a small depression.... nothing as refreshing as a new coat of paint! LOL.

I wish you luck and the strength to be there for both of your parents. It is going to be a very hard six months filled with intense emotional highs and lows. Please don't resent your mom for doing what she honestly feels she needs to do for herself. Its honestlybetter that she is doing this than living a miseravle lie and taking everything out on your dad and you.