Our Success Story

"Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23-24

I was thinking back to when I was in high school. I was thinking about what I wanted to do with my life. Like many others, I had dreams and careers picked out and changed my mind in the end. Many don't know this, but when I was a senior in high school I applied to and was accepted to the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. Both of my sisters lived in the Denver area at the time and this would allow me to be closer to them. I never wanted to plant my roots in North Dakota. I wanted to expand my horizons and live in a big city. At the time my major was going to be pharmacy. I had a dorm room and a roommate already assigned to me. I was excited for this next chapter of my life.

In December of my senior year, I started dating Mark. Within a couple of months of dating, we had already become very serious. My plans for my future started to change. I withdrew from the University of Colorado and applied to Jamestown College and was accepted. Mark was attending college at North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton. He decided not to return to college. He did apply to Valley City State University and thought about going into teacher as he loved children. If he went to college there, we would still be close. This all took place in the early spring of my senior year. By the time I was set to graduate in May, Mark gave me a promise ring. Life was good. We had an amazing summer after I graduated high school. We spent endless hours together. He worked construction on the Pasta Plant in Carrington that summer. By August, we knew we were going to get married, much sooner than anyone anticipated. Mark made the decision to not go back to college so he could work and support us both while I went to college. The night before I left for college, he proposed to me. We set a date for the next June.

In less than a year, my life plans had completely changed. I changed the college I was going to attend; I changed my major, and I changed my destiny. We got married and I continued to attend Jamestown College driving back and forth from Carrington for the next three years. I was able to carpool with three other gals that lived in Carrington that were also married. We all had the same major, therefore our class schedules were nearly identical. I still had big dreams to move to a big city. I wanted Mark to go back to school when I was finished and he had originally agreed. By the time I was getting ready to graduate college, Mark had been working at Dakota Growers Pasta in Carrington for over three years already. He had already worked himself up to a supervisor position. He had dreams of becoming a teacher, but we both realized that four years of college and him being a teacher would set us back financially. He was already making way more than he would be as a teacher so once again, our life’s plans had changed. I was no longer going to plant my roots in a big city. I was instead planting them in Carrington, North Dakota which was only 35 miles from where I grew up. My dreams of being a NICU or ICU nurse changed and I settled into geriatric nursing.

I still had dreams of moving to a big city or the suburbs close to a big city. I knew that as a nurse, I could get a job anywhere. Mark was a bit more of a challenge as he never finished college, however; he had gained so much experience within the Pasta Plant I had no doubt he'd be able to find a successful job somewhere else. My parents had moved to Denver and I longed to be closer to my family. We had Justine the year after I graduated college. Having a baby made me long for my family even more. I tried to talk Mark into moving, but he wasn't interested anymore. That summer I unexpectedly found out I was pregnant again. Wow! We were going to have two kids less than 11 months apart. I really longed for my family. I prayed for Mark to change his mind and we kept plugging along.

That Thanksgiving we went to Minnesota to celebrate with my family. We went to my brother Chuck's house. My dad told us the news that he had been laid off and had gotten a severance package. Him and my mom would be moving back to the farm in North Dakota. My dad was distraught because in all his working years, this had never happened to him.

They came back to the farm after Thanksgiving and had planned on moving everything back from Colorado within the next couple of months. Six days later, I started bleeding profusely and ended up in Bismarck having Bailee 3 1/2 months early. I know you know her story. But think about it, my dad had lost his job and this had brought him and my mom back to North Dakota. They were here when I had Bailee. They were able to take Justine so we could be at the hospital. My mom was able to come to Bismarck with me when Mark wasn't to come with me. They were able to help us out with our kids who were only 8 1/2 months apart. My dream of moving close to my family didn't need to occur because they moved back and were now close to me. God has a funny way of making things work out. It was not what I had prayed about, yet it was so much better. He performed a series of miracles that worked out better than I could have ever hoped for or dreamed of.

My parents were a huge part of our children's lives. They helped make their childhoods the best they could possibly be. We traveled together with them to numerous places. We took countless trip to Minneapolis to see our family. You see, in 2000, my sisters moved from Colorado to Minneapolis so they could be closer to all of us. Again, God made this happen and in 2005 when I had Kalli in Minneapolis, his miracles again shown brightly as now we had a home away from home at the Walter house. Once again, what I considered as my dream life wasn't in the big city.

I settled into my job, but I still longed for more. Over the years I applied to go back to school to become a nurse practitioner. I was accepted three times, only to decline. I took a job as a Director of Nursing. I craved success and wanted to better myself and my career. Being a Director of Nursing was a thankless job. The good I wanted to do was halted by budget cuts, short staff, and so much more. I demoted myself after 4 1/2 years to a Resident Care Coordinator position. This position was my calling and I loved it. Staffing shortages kept me working extra hours. It took precious time away from my family, but it brought bigger paychecks. Covid evolved and geriatric nursing was hit hard. Loved ones weren't able to see their family members whenever they wanted. I was determined to do what I could to better their lives. I again worked long hours and my paychecks showed my success. When Mark hit rock bottom, I was forced to re-examine my life. I realized I didn't want my big career with bigger paychecks. I wanted my family and I had been neglecting them. I realized even without my big career; I was successful. Success was around me all along. You see, dreams can come true and miracles can and do happen. I was living the notion, I felt, that was success. However; my idea of success had completely changed.

I realized that success is not defined by what college you attend, what city you live in, your position in a company, the house you live in, or how much money you make. Success is so much more than this. Success is faith in God, yourself, your spouse, and others. Success is finding love and fighting with all you've got to keep that love alive. Success is having a family and making sacrifices to be with your family. Success is having friends you can count on. Success is admitting past mistakes, making amends, forgiving, and moving on. Success is truly enjoying living life with those you love by your side no matter where your "home" is. Success is not quitting and it is believing in yourself. Success is helping yourself and others to lead a better, happier, and healthier life. Success' definition is different to others, but to me, Mark and I have made a successful life and we will do our best to make it even better because we are growing together, with God by our side.