Two Children, One Love.

The marathon this past Saturday exceeded my expectations -- great friends, great weather, great run, and a lot of solitary time to think along the 26.2 mile run that had few spectators other than those dedicated to hydrating all us runners out on the course.  In the first few miles off to our left, the almost 1,200 runners got an eye full of a pale half-mooned rainbow, and on the right was a cotton-candy pink sunrise creeping up the sky over the rolling hill country.  The beauty just filled you up. The full marathon course ran along the Guadalupe river and I'm looking forward to sharing some of these river-run-through-it views with you once I get some pics.

Like all long runs there were moments of ankle, knee, and shin discomforts but I'm pretty sure I had a smile plastered to my face most of the 4 1/2 hour run.

During the run I was overwhelmed with a sense of receiving something better than I expected, or deserved.  While training I skipped many mid week runs, and was expecting to limp my way through the last 6 miles, but I never hit that wall.  And the weather forecasted was sticky and hot, but the runners got cloud cover most of the way and some nice showers to slick off the sweat and salt. Most of the run felt surreal, and I had an overwhelming sense of peace and joy. Oddly, I really enjoyed the run instead of just gritting my teeth through it.

We had 10 friends come in to join Team Holder on the run from Brooklyn, Ohio, St Louis, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, San Marcos and New Braunfels-- many of them first-time half and full marathon finishers.  We also had many volunteers give up their Saturday to come out to support us. The youngest of these being little Maddy -- I think she's 4 years old. She kept saying "go,go,go!" And we did!  All these supporters visually reminded me that Scott and I are not the ones making this adoption happen.  It is a labor of love sitting on the shoulders of so many friends and family who are already and will continue to love our Ethiopian children and whose prayers are helping bring them home, and who will continue to love them as they grow up.

I hear from others that have adopted and read in books that the hardest part of the adoption journey is when the children finally come home.  Because these children are coming from a hard place, a place of loss, that when they arrive is when they will begin to need the support and love that will carry them into adulthood not just from us their parents, but from a community. I am really encouraged to see my friend's affections already getting wrapped up into the lives of our children.  Their love and influence will outlast our children's homecoming, and I hope help guide their lives. So much love, we are truly humbled.

It is truly one love that so many continue to offer up that will bring these two children home. One love that is guiding them here, and will help them grow into adults. One love from so many different loved ones, friends and even strangers that is changing two lives. In the end, I think it has very little to do with Scott and I.  Saturday was a great race, and is a metaphor for what I hope will be the life of our children.  That it will be a long journey, not a sprint. Sometimes hard, but I believe God and our friends will run alongside them, and cheer them on. I felt the love guys. Thank you.