The "Big" Announcement

So I know all of you have been eagerly anticipating this big announcement - lol.  I hope it doesn't disappoint you!  It's a family decision and probably not a big deal to anyone but us!!  However, we are excited.  So excited :)

I have debated on how to approach this post for a while - since we started tossing this around.  What I would like to say, in the flesh, wouldn't benefit anyone except give me a chance to vent.  However, I have long since decided that this blog, for the most part, is not a venting place except for things like injustice or whatever.  Anyway - lets just get on with it and see where we end up!

The big announcement is this.  As of this past Thursday - Jon is officially enrolled at Pioneer High School for high school.  As of today, Marty has stepped down from his coaching position.  As of June 5, Elyse will be graduating - and we will be free of Bedford Public Schools and all that is related to it.  Stick with me people, stick with me.

We moved to this community 12 years ago.  There has been much good.  Our church family is awesome.  We have met some terrific people along the way through my early coaching years here.  We have grown spiritually tremendously since that move 12 years ago.  If not for our church, if not for our turn around in all things related to our walk with God, our marriage would never be what it is today.  For that, we, and our kids, are forever grateful.  Our kids have made some wonderful friendships.  There has been much good.

On the flip side - there has been much bad. As a family we have faced racism, we've been lied about, stabbed in the back, attacked physically and emotionally.  Our kids have taken much of the same nonsense as we have.  An unfortunate thing this has all taught me is that you can trust no one.  It has taught me people can not think straight when it comes to their kids.  It has taught me to watch my back and my husbands back.  It has taught me to never let my guard down, to keep the walls up and be ready for an attack at any moment.  It has taught me that friendships are fickle and sometimes those you think are friends - are anything but.  It has been hard and many tears have been shed.  I have held my tongue for 2 years and I am proud of myself for that.

All of that, I happily, gladly leave behind.  I have no trouble walking away from this.  I am sure more rumors will fly, more lies will be told.  I am sure people will say Marty has been fired.  He has not.  He has stepped down because he would never - ever - miss his sons soccer games.  He has chosen family - and we always choose family first.  He took the coaching position originally because little man was coming up through the ranks and we wanted to be secure in the fact that he would have a good, moral coach for his high school years.  Now we are making the choice to move forward, moving Jon to a school system that will work with his learning disabilities instead of one that works against us.

Anyway.  I look forward to the future.  I look forward to sitting in the stands with my good looking husband in a community that does not see his skin color as some sort of threat.  I look forward to watching Jon's games as Mom and Dad - not as coach and coaches wife.  I look forward to knowing that friendships I form are for real and not based on what someone is trying to gain through me.  I look forward to just being part of the crowd, not being responsible for anything.  I look forward to no phone calls telling me what's happening now or who's running to the AD this week to tattle on something my husband did they didn't like.  I look very forward to not living under a microscope anymore.  I'm tired of the microscope.

Anyway - I'm getting off base.  The point is - the future is bright.  There are no guarentees - but I think this is what is best for my son and for our family.  We are not moving just yet.  We'll see what the future brings and then we can make a decision on that.  We love our home, we love our church and our church family and Jon is secure in youth group here.  It's a decision that may change in the future - but right now, we'll still live here.  Maybe, for once, I can learn to appreciate the community for the good instead of always being the target of the bad.  I'm so ready to move on.

Thank you to all of you who have supported us and prayed for us as we have struggled through everything.  We could not have survived without all of you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  I ask you continue to pray for us as little man moves along to one of the biggest high schools in the state of Michigan.  Pray for a smooth transition, good friendships.  Pray he makes friends easily and quickly and that this change will be a good one acadmically.  Pray he does well trying out for a soccer team way bigger than the one he is coming from - he will be devastated if he doesn't make it - but there is a big difference trying out for Pioneer soccer than Bedford soccer.  He will be blessed to make the team.  Pray he is able to be confident in himself and do the best he can with the talents God has given him.  Pray he is able to be a shining light of Jesus in his new school.  Pray he is able to do well, to succeed in the classroom and to really love his high school years at Pioneer.  Personally I think he is very brave.  I'm not sure I would have had the guts to make the change he is about to make.  I am proud of him for making this choice.  He wants a fresh start and this is his chance to get one.

That's our big announcement.  Thanks again to all of you who have stood with us through the difficult times.  For the rest of you - I have nothing to say.  Well, actually, I do - but adios is about all your going to get.  I'm happy to be moving on.

Good luck to my little man :)  You have made the right choice.  It won't be easy - but it was a very wise decison for someone your age.  You have guts I didn't have.  I think your going to love your new school.  The world is full of opportunitites and I'm excited for you as you move forward to something great.  Purple pride baby, purple pride!