Running to Find a Purpose: Going the Distance. . .

This is it!
The last day before my very first marathon!
And, of course, I feel like I've done everything all wrong the week leading up to it. Almost all the advice the books give I've done wrong. For example: avoid stress. Fail! I had three schools' report cards to turn in Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Ben left for Chicago on Tuesday etc.
Sleep well: oops! Remember those report cards? I was up until 4 am on Tuesday sending the first set out.
Don't lose weight the week before the marathon. If anything, gain weight. Oops again! I've lost a pound or two (probably because of the stress). Leave it to a marathon to make me upset about losing weight- gosh!

But, this post is not for me to complain about everything I've done wrong. I've actually been thinking about how people seem to think that running a marathon is so daunting (which it is!), but, when I think about possibly adopting someday- that seems terrifying! The decision to adopt is huge, and must be terrifying if you stop to think about all the ramifications of the decision. What if the child doesn't fit in well with the other kids? What if we're not the right parents for the child/ children we adopt? What if we don't have the finances to support this child well?

And then, once adopting parents decide to adopt, there's the months and months of paperwork, home inspections etc. I obviously don't know everything involved, but if any of you out there are impressed that I'm running a marathon, please stop to think about the people you know who have adopted or are trying to adopt- they are the ones really going the distance and for the best reason on earth- to bring love and health and light into the life of an abandoned or orphaned child. In my mind, that is really going the distance.

If you feel inspired, please consider donating to making one part of that decision easier: the finances. If you'd like, you can make a check out to Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship memo: Adoption Marathon. You can mail the check to me at 2505 D Toll Gate RD, Huntsville AL 35801 or to the church's accountant Dennis Cox, 6027 Pulaski Pike Road. Huntsville AL 35810. All donations go directly to adopting families.

If you think about me any time between 7 am and noon tomorrow, please pray for my running partner, Naomi, and I; I can guarantee that we'll need all the help we can get! Also pray for or support those you know who are in any part of the adoption process.

Thanks!

PS- This is not my first race for adoption- it's actually my 4th! See below for the past three years of adoption racing! (in no particular order)