If you fear he will hurt you or the children, you should probably not be around. Go stay with your parents and take the kids. Papers are not served by the spouse anyway. Your attorney can file them for you and arrange to have your husband served. That is probably the safest thing to do. This will look bad for him but in a way, you are doing him a favor. This way, when he gets served the petition, you and the children will not be there for him to yell at or threaten.