Same here, man. My parents divorced when I was 5, and my "dad" was a POS that never paid child support, and only tried to visit with us 3 times in 15 years.
My daughters' mom also being a pill-headed sociopath aside (why I have custody), my daughters didn't see how a great, successful marriage is supposed to work. They did see me trying to make things work, but they also witnessed how their mom treated me despite my efforts. I had been coaching high school ball for about 7 years, working Saban camps, and was back in school at UA, post-economy-crash, so I could teach and coach ball full-time, when she decided to try and move them out of state in July of 13. I didn't want to drag them into a huge custody battle, so I quit coaching to leave my weekends free for them. Even changed my major to sports broadcasting. By thanksgiving of that same year, they were already begging me to get custody of them because of how crazy their mom is. By the following February, I had temporary custody, and awarded full custody the following October. In the midst of getting temporary custody, I'd met my current wife. My 1st marriage was over at least 5 years before we officially separated, so meeting someone new wasn't an issue for me. Being a single dad at that point, I was cautious of who I dated because I didn't want my girls to fall in love with her too, then be heartbroken when we maybe didn't work out. So I had to be SURE she was the one before introducing my girls to her. And the first time they met my GF (now wife), they fell in love and were already trying to call HER mom.
We just celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary this past October. She has changed my life, and made me wonder why I didn't end my other marriage 5 years sooner when I separated from my ex the 1st time, so that I could have met my current wife sooner. But, fate works mysteriously like that sometimes. And she loves and mothers my daughters like they SHOULD have had with their own mom. They adore her as well.
So hopefully my daughters can finally see how a GREAT and successful marriage is supppsed to work, despite having a bad example my 1st go round.