The Palin family has been a fixture on the political (and cultural) scene since Sarah Palin famously took on the position as John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 elections that brought us President Barack Obama. Since that time, they have gone on to become tv stars, political surrogates and have provided plenty of fodder for the tabloids.

Still, it was surprising to learn last September that Todd Palin had officially filed for divorce from his high school sweetheart and mother of his five children. The filing cited “incompatibility of temperament between the parties such that they find it impossible to live together as husband and wife” as the grounds for divorce. The couple had just celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary.

In a recent interview with James Dobson (as first reported by the New York Post), Sarah Palin admitted that she found out that Todd Palin had filed for divorce over email.

“I’ll never forget it,” she said of the email…

“It was devastating. I thought I got shot,” she said.

The former governor of Alaska says her marriage isn’t completely over and that the two are receiving marriage counseling even as their attorneys are “getting rich” off them.

“Marriage is so extremely important as foundation of our nation,” she said.

“It helps make America that much greater, is that security of family, and I’m not to the point of wanting mine to be split.”