Running To Ukraine!

I'm not a runner.
But I run anyway.

I run because I hate it and it's hard.
I run because when I do something hard that I hate to do,
It's a reminder that I can do anything.
Even hard things.
That I hate.

(And maybe I'm a little masochistic.)

Earlier this year my friend asked if I would run a half marathon with her.
I've tried to train for races before, but I'm prone to injury and always have issues as my mileage increases.
It's frustrating.
And when something is HARD and you HATE it and you're INJURED and FRUSTRATED...
Well, that's just more than I can typically handle.
So I gave up on the idea of ever running a longer race.

But when my friend asked if I would join her in a half marathon, I said "yes".
So I'm running my first race in just a few short weeks.

This is what I've learned from this training:

• Running more and more miles each week doesn't make me like it any more. 

• I'm still prone to injury and have to be really careful.

• Running while crying is difficult.

• Running 12 miles after a yard sale is impossible.

• Training for a half marathon when you are trying to adopt 3 orphans from Ukraine is really hard. (You would think it would be a great stress reliever, but it just makes me tired.)

• I don't like running alone.  But I don't like running while having full-blown conversations.

• I get sick of listening to music while I'm running.  It gets annoying to have things blaring in my ears.

• My mind really likes to tell my body that it is weak and tired and that it should quit.  It's hard to ignore myself.

• Running hasn't helped me lose weight... Because adopting three kids makes me want to eat.  And eat.  And eat.  And eat.

But I still run. And I'll still be running (or at the very least, walking) a half marathon later this month.
Worst case, I look forward to spending some time with a friend that understands me,
And loves me,
Even though she knows most everything about me.

And just in case you didn't see the correlation before:

Adopting is HARD.
And fundraising is something I HATE.
And my heart is feeling really prone to INJURY.
But I am adopting these kids because I want my kids (ALL my kids) to know that just because you hate certain things or they are exceptionally difficult,
You do them anyway.
Because hard things are almost always worth it!

And while running a half marathon is considered a pretty cool accomplishment,
It doesn't even compare to saving the lives of three orphans!

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Many of you that have been following our story have donated.  

Thank you!

You've made a huge difference.

If you haven't donated yet, what's holding you back?  

Saving 3 lives is worth some sort of sacrifice.  

I promise!  

Just donate $5 or $10 if that's all you have.  

Or more, if you have more.

But donate something and help us save the lives of these 3 beautiful children!