One Year In The Making

This week we are celebrating 1 year since we arrived in North Dakota. Our moving truck/car caravan crossed over the state line to our "new home" on Tuesday afternoon, February 2, 2010. We were weary from our long adventure to get here, but had stuff to unpack and kiddos to get acclimated.

In some ways, that day seems so long ago and in other ways it seems like we just arrived. I'm not the same person who made a new home in ND a year ago. The roaring waters of change and challenge have streamed over my rough edges and resistance. I've emerged a bit smoother along the edges. My clouded eyes have begun to seem some of God's reasoning for bringing us to what I thought was wilderness. I now see these great plains as fertile soil for growing as God has for me once my hardened heart let go of what I thought was the best plan for my life.

It has been a year of ups and downs. I've had plenty of tears and laughter, joy and pain. I've learned what it feels like to feel utterly alone and isolated, an outsider. I've made some wonderful friends that are a true gift. I've experienced true friendship from those who still care even though some 1000 miles separate us. I've experienced generosity and what it means to be pursued.

So what do I think of North Dakota now?

• That dang Red River of the North keeps flooding. However, there are hard working people who genuinely care about others - ready to sandbag and save each other's homes. Glad we didn't move into the flood plain. 
• The winters are long and cold. I'm from Michigan. I grew up on cold, long winters... but this is a whole new level. I can't say that I'll be sad to see winter go. However, that 20' snow drift that the plow guys created is going to take a while to melt.
• Summers are warm (and sometimes downright HOT) and sunny. The really clean air here and cloudless skins means our fair skinned family works hard not to be lobsters.
• This is the flattest place I've ever been. My boys think traveling the overpass on the interstate is a big hill. Lord help us. I can't wait to show them what a mountain is.
• We now talk a little funny. I don't say dollar as DAH-LAR anymore, it's DOE-LAR. Things aren't expensive they are "spendy" and you say "ish" for gross stuff. Uffda really is a word, and you use it to say "really?" or "I'm sorry" or "I can't imagine" or if you don't know what to say.
• Life is a little slower here and people seem to have more time for you. It's not a "how are you?" as a greeting to pass on by without waiting for a reply.
• We love our church and small group. That has really made this place livable and enjoyable for us.
• My husband loves and thrives in his job that brought us here. I haven't seen him this content professionally in the 11+ years we've been married.

There are little pieces of the "Why ND?" puzzle starting to come together. Yet we still don't know for how long God has us here. All I know is that for now, we are staying put until he shows us otherwise...