Whew, what a summer, but a GREAT fall is ahead

Well most of you know what transpired with our family and the hateful, bigoted racism that was directed to our family....and blatantly ignored by others....in this small backwards community, but out of that has come some true blessings.  Let me share some of the outstanding good fortune and blessings given by God that will benefit our family.

First of all, Marc's agency stepped up to the plate and intervened in hearing our pleas for help living in this community and worked diligently to transfer our family ASAP.  Well, the big kahuna's in the government not only got us a transfer to our city of choice, but also gave Marc a promotion!  In addition, they are relocating us in only 90 days.  Well, it's actually 83 days now since we've known for a week now, but who's counting?  We've already begun the process of listing the house, getting it show ready, and signing up with the relocation company.  If our house doesn't sell in 30 days then the relo company buys it and we leave this hideous state behind. 

It's funny how the cowardice of other people and their hateful words and actions caused us so much emotional pain at the time, but ultimately brought us to a better place.  A better place emotionally, financially and vastly more diverse so that my family will not be surrounded by ignorant, mean-spirited people. 

Marc informed the people he works with here in Bismarck and they are sad to see him leave, but understand the terrible hatred our family has been experiencing.  Someday soon, the people of this state will have to come to terms with people living in 'their' community of different races.  It's despicable for people to idly stand by and witness racism and fail to address it, condemn it and intervene.  Sadly, the vast majority of the people here have acknowledged that our family has been subjected to racism, yet are too weak of character to stand up and publicly declare it as an abhorrent behavior.  We've made excuses for years now for the people who privately tell us it's wrong what our children hear spoken to them, but will not stand with us in public in an effort to change it.  Weak people...cowards...come in all shapes, sizes, ages, religions, and occupations.  Maybe we're just unlucky but we have encountered bigots matching all these demographics. 

While we know racism is alive and kicking everywhere, our new location will definitely provide us with a metropolitan city where the population has actually lived somewhere else than the good 'ol family farm in rural North Dakota.  North Dakota is quickly being pushed out of it's cherished isolationism and will soon need to deal with real world problems.  We as a family are ecstatic beyond belief that we are moving and leaving this hate filled community behind.

As much as I hate painting, I must continue to touch up the white baseboards, dings in the walls and repaint the back door.  When I get so frustrated trying to keep the house spotless (what a joke with 4 kids) I simply remind myself that we have a deadline to be in place in our new state, the movers are coming to pack us up and we can blow a ginormous raspberry to the narrow-minded lifer's as we fly away to a new beginning.

Out of ashes and heartache came blessings for our family.  My faith in God is as strong as ever and we look forward to the future with great excitement and zeal.  To those who maligned us, thank you!  Your spiteful, cowardly natures have blessed us beyond belief.