I'm Waiting . . . for my 2nd Wind!

You know, I have ran a 15K several times in my life (yes, I need to start that up again!). My experience has been, I usually start out pretty strong. Along, about the 2K mark, I'm loose, my joints are working, my body has found its rhythm. I'm actually starting to enjoy it!!

Then about the 10K mark, I start to feel my energy going, my feet feel like lead, my lungs are SCREAMING for air! I want to STOP the madness of the race . . . . but my spirit will not let me stop. My spirit pushes me on, forward . . . I have only 5K left!

Then, when I think my body just cannot take any more, I round the last corner and I can finally see the FINISH line. Sometimes it is close, sometimes it is a little bit far off. But . . . HAL-LE-LU-JAH, I can see it!!! Somewhere, deep inside, that visual changes me, the 2nd wind kicks in and it is as if my body instantly rejuvenates itself. Gone are the aches and pains, gone is the breathlessness - a lightness comes over me and I find I can run even faster than before. I finish with such a high, such a rush - I tingle from the top of my head all the way down to the tips of my toes. I finished! It was so worth it!!!

International Adoption is much the same way as my beloved 15K. I have started both of my adoptions out so strong. The paper chase was done with no delays, I was in a rhythm with each document, each notary, each apostille. Then the dossier was completed and sent! That was my 2K mark . . . I was really starting to enjoy the process!

From 2K to 10K, the WAIT. . . It starts out enjoyable, getting the "To Do" list compiled, taking each task and finishing it, working on your little one's room, making decisions with "baby" in mind . . . But, along about the 10K mark (OK, in my case, more like a 26-mile marathon!!!) you reach that point where there just is NOTHING left. You are spent, emotionally and physically. You simply cannot go on another day of WAIT. But . . . go on you do . . . because you keep telling youself you are so close, "you have only 5K left". So, you push through the tears, through the pain.

Then, that magical moment comes and you know the timing is right. You "round the corner and see the finish line", you receive that precious call annoucing you are going to Russia to meet your child. Instantly, the 2nd wind kicks in . . . you know you can "run" another 5K to the finish line.

I'm at the 10K mark . . . my mind is screaming to stop this madness, but my heart is telling me "it is so close, just keep going!" So . . . I'm waiting on that "call" that will rejuvenate me, kick in my "2nd wind" and Sail me into the Finish Line!

And, on the light-side . . . hoping and praying it doesn't turn out that I'm really in a marathon (26 miles) and not just a 15K (9+ miles) . . . Oy, I have never trained for that! LOL!