So I decided to run a marathon.

Yes......you are still on Jessica's blog, the one who works a full time job, married with one 6 year old and a 4 1/2 year old on the way from Ethiopia. So why in the world would I sign up to run in the Eau Claire Wisconsin Marathon (26.2 miles) on May 1st of this year?

Most days I seem to ask myself that questions as well.....over and over again. Mind you I am not a "runner" by any means. I have completed a few triathalons, about 10 or so half marathons and years ago one marathon--none of these on any world record pace, mainly just to keep off the weight I had on throughout most of my middle school, highschool and college days (those of you who knew me then...remember that--insert a brother Josh comment here).

While running a recent 9 miler on the treadmill I started to work through my head the similarities of running a marathon and the journey to bring our family home from Africa:

Endurance: Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1)
Marathon: Running a long distance race is really about setting a pace and staying the course. You put in hours of running to log the weekly miles to build the base so on race day you are mentally and physically prepared for the road ahead.

Adoption: Through all the paperwork, the interviews, the meetings, the waiting, the readings, the research, the waiting, the praying, the fundraising, the waiting-you build a base of firm foundation of Faith in God and that He has mentally and physically preparing us for the road ahead.

Commitment:

Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this

Marathon: As I pressed "purchase now" on the Eau Claire Marathon website December 28th of 2010 I was doing so with a full knowledge of the road ahead. Thinking back about 8 years ago I can remember the weekends of "long" runs, and the early am runs during the week. Training for such an early season run has tested my willpower in hitting "snooze" any of the 3 weekday mornings when the alarm goes off at 4:45 am. There are going to be weeks ahead when my calendar starts to getting pretty full-however I need to constantly remind myself of the importance of training in order to complete the race.

Adoption: After last year's Sara Groves Concert Rob and I really prayed over adoption and if this was the time for us to move forward in the process. We can still vividly remember the adoption "boot camp" classes in the cities-some of which we left with the thought--can we really do this? on our brains. However when the photo of Minalachew came across our inbox any doubts of our ability to be "ready" was washed away with anticipation of when he would be home with us. We have waited since July for this time to see his face, and meet him and where he has grown up so far in his life. We anxiously "jump" every time our social worker calls with "new news", no matter how small-it becomes another "glimpse" into who our son is and is becoming a world away. As a write this we are now 3 weeks away from trip one-3 weeks away from meeting this person we have been praying over for year, 3 weeks away from recognizing a prayer and hope for a person we have never met, but loved along this journey.

Faith:Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Running: well 6 weeks into training I have hit the "wall". Literally running on both ends of the day for this long a pace has given me my first illness of the season. Instead of struggling with how much a few days of rest will throw off my training, or the impact of missing a long run will have on my overall goal-I take this as a sign that every once in a while we need to have faith that in the long run I will be ready for what ever He has prepared for me.

Adoption: in this journey we have hit many a "wall". The time lines, the hurry up and then wait, and the calls from the social workers that at times-have me crying after wards-all these are things that I would have never expected in this process-however in the end the timing of this journey has been made perfect in his plan....not mine.

However whenever the road ahead seems impassable, the journey unreachable-something comes our way to remind us that at the end we will be a family and will have an amazing story to share, along the many miles of running ahead.