Face lift

I'm sure you noticed the look of this blog has changed. The race is over and now it's time to prepare to fly! We have about 4 short months left to prepare for our travels to China! Our sweet boy is getting excited to meet our family. And we are making the final push with our fundraising.

Here's the latest fundraising update:

To date we have raised over $22,940.00  toward our adoption! That is one BIG exciting number. To look back and realize we really did not have a penny set aside for this adoption 8 months ago and to realize where we are now is such a blessing. God is good.

We have about $9,795 estimated expenses left to go before our son steps foot in the United States. Here's the breakdown of our estimates of what is left:
-$340 visas for Brad and I to enter China
-$3600 airfare
-$950 in-country transportation and guide fees
-$1,500 hotel
-$2,000 remaining program fees
-$550 medical exam for Ty in China (required for embassy and consulate to exit the country)
-$300 possible vaccines
-$230 visa for Ty to enter US
-$325 courier fee for paperwork in China

Most of these monies will be needed at the time of travel. Obviously our visa fees and airline tickets will happen shortly before we leave, but pretty much everything will be needed in about 4 months when we board the plane.

So the fundraising wheels are continuing to turn. We are coming, little boy!

The Run

We did it! Team Running to China finally made it out of the ocean just before the Chosen Marathon race. And Brad and I were able to travel to New Braunfels, Texas to run our strongest half marathon to date. We crossed the finish line just a few minutes after the 2 hour mark and averaged a nine to ten minute mile pace throughout the entire race. It was a pace we felt happy about.

The Chosen Marathon is an amazing race held in a beautiful location and well worth our travel to Texas. The energy and atmosphere was indescribable. Race day always has a different energy and is very exciting no matter what you are running for. But the way this race was done was inspiring. I would do it again in a heart beat.

We arrived in San Antonio Friday evening and traveled to New Braunfels to pick up our race packets. Then we had just enough time to scoot on over to the reception that was put on for participating families. This race was founded by a Christian woman and is sponsored by a Christian organization called Abba Fund. The Spirit was strong as the founders shared their story and the motivation behind Chosen.

Brad and I scored our carb-heavy dinner after the reception before settling in to our hotel. Saturday morning we headed to the race nice and early. New Braunfels is a quiet rural area and we wondered if we would have any trouble finding the free parking area in the dark.

No problem.

Music blaring, police cars at every intersection directing traffic, and giant flood lights everywhere. Wouldn't see that in a rural neighborhood in California at 6am...

It was overcast and dark. But the energy was high and everyone was excited to race. We were greeted by a man who had seen us on the flight the night before and he and his wife wished us luck. We chatted with a few runners who were participating just for the race and others who were running for their babies or their friends who were adopting.

The race was preceded by a prayer and the National Anthem. I like Texas...

It was humid and surprisingly warm. Brad and I worried what it would be like once the sun came up.

About 10 minutes before race time

Fortunately the cloud cover kept it cool and a nice breeze began when we approached the river.

Mile 9 crossing the Gruene River

 

Our course ran along side the Gruene River (pronounced green for any of you other Yankees that didn't know either). It was beautiful.

While there were a few serious runners the grand majority of participants were novice runners or walkers. It was a great group to be in. Everyone was cheery and supportive. Every step carried the positive attitude and "we're all in this together" feel of the adoption community. It is hard to explain, but it was awesome.

All along the course there were huge signs reminding us of what we were running for. The final stretch to the finish line was amazing. I had a great video, but because of a technical snafoo, it is gone. But imagine 2 dozen 10 foot tall signs with images similar to these all along the final turn to the finish line.

I cannot say it enough, this race was awesome.

And the icing on the cake: Team Running to China has contributed $2,525 toward bringing our son home.

 

We're almost to shore!

Team Running to China has completed 5,139 miles of our goal! Our race is just 5 weeks away. We can get to Guangzhou! If you or someone you know is running or walking let them know to contact us about their miles and help us get out of the ocean. We are almost there!

Garage sale take 3

Last weekend we set up for a third and final sale.

Almost everything was left over from the previous two sales. So it was not surprising that this sale did not raise as much as the first two. But at the end of the day we had well over $200 more to add to the adoption fund, a sizeable donation to the Good Will, and a clean garage restored to its pre-fundraising order. It was a successful day.

Please excuse my absence

Summer is over. And I just realized I have not touched this poor blog in a while. We are still here. We are still whittling away at our fundraising goals. We are still training for a run. And we are still coping with the whirlwind of life. You know, the I-have-4-kids, school-just-started, adoption-paperwork, mixed with the soccer-season-again, parent-teacher-conferences and back-to-school-night craziness that all us parents know is coming every August.

But, it's time for an update! Time is passing and we keep inching closer to China.

Here's what you missed over the last 2 months:

another 144 training miles run (between Brad and I)
another $720 raised through a second fundraising garage sale
countless hours worked on side jobs after regular business hours which translated into:
another $833 added to the adoption fund through Brad's side business Honey-Do Helpers
and last, the decision to adjust our original goal of running the full 26.2 mile marathon to the 13.1 mile half marathon

That last one was so frustrating. But the reality is our time is precious. And we can still participate in this race and fundraise for our adoption without running the full marathon. Daddy is needed in his new business. And Mama is needed by the precious ones already home. My competitive side really wants to finish the full marathon. But it's just not going to happen this time because training takes hours and hours away from home. So we continue to train for our 13.1 miles. And we rejoice in the ability to travel to Texas cost-free thanks to airline miles accumulated during our trips to Russia.

I am down right giddy looking at our little fund raising thermometer and seeing the total over $7000! That means we are already 1/5 the way there! More than 20%! I am still running to China, one mile and one penny at a time.

Training for a marathon

Some days I wonder what the heck we were thinking when we signed up for this run. It is hot. Training is not fun. Long runs take f-o-r-e-v-e-r. I could be doing so many other things other than hours of running!

I am not a 'runner'. I don't enjoy running. Unless there is some kind of ball around (soccer, basketball, softball, football, any ball) I don't ever 'feel' like just running.

The longest distance I have ever run is a half marathon (13.1 miles). I agreed to do it with a friend and our pace was super relaxed and easy and we took frequent walk breaks. The goal was just to finish. While I do remember feeling really good after that 'race' and thinking "I could totally do a full marathon", I am starting to wonder what got me so excited about this full-marathon idea?

 

June 8, minor's ravine trail, 7 miles, 8am, about 83 degrees, pace-10:44/mi

This time I am training with none other than my hubby. Let's just say running with a 32 year old guy who happens to be in pretty good shape despite his desk job is just a wee different than training with my previous partner. I am super competitive. Which means when I am supposed to be running shoulder-to-shoulder with Brad and am trying desperately to look like I feel great, what's really happening is my mind and body are whimpering like a little girl begging me to just admit I want to walk.

June 22, folsom lake, 8 miles, 9pm, about 85 degrees, pace-11:12/mi

And while we are totally doing it: following the training plan and shocking myself with the ability to actually run these distances at a decent (albeit slow) pace, I am still struggling to convince the whimpering little girl in my head to shut up and run!

June 29, Granite Bay, 9 miles, 5:30am, about 80 degrees, pace-11:05/mi

 

All complaints aside we are running. And I will finish that race. But I'm willing to bet the whiny little girl will show her face at some point on race day... It won't be pretty... And I am not looking forward to it... But she can't stop me.

Yard Sale

We had the opportunity to piggy back into my parent's neighborhood garage sale this weekend. This sale is done once a year and always gets a good turn out. So, much like last year, we asked friends if they had any items they would be willing to donate and we got to work sorting and preparing.

We had about 10 families donate items and only spent about a week gathering and sorting. Compared to last year it was a walk in the park. And since my parents were participating we were able to set up the night before instead of having to get up at 3 am to move everything like last year.

The girls and Drew got a kick out of sleeping beneath the stars with us to make sure nothing disappeared in the night.

 

And we lucked out this year with beautiful weather. Nothing like the 109 degrees we endured last year.

 

All together this sale generated another $750 for China. Not bad for a half-day sale. We are inching closer to the $1900 goal for our home study. Once it is complete we'll be able to submit the USCIS docs (another $1700) and prepare to receive a referral. This will be a very exciting summer.