Matter of Marriage of Maddox

Wife appeals the custody, visitation and property division provisions of a dissolution decree. We review de novo and affirm.

The parties have been married nine years. They have three children, Rille, age 8, Sarah, age 3, and Elisabeth, age 1. Before they separated, husband worked during the day and attended law school at night. Wife worked at home and was the children’s primary caretaker. In August, 1980, while husband was vacationing with the two older children, wife moved into the home of Wayne Carr, taking Elisabeth with her. Rille and Sarah continued living with husband under an informal…