Is it the Journey or is it the Destination ?

It started in earnest on July 14th, 2010.   Just under 4 years ago.  A Journey 7080 miles long.  A virtual journey made up of running, biking, and swimming.

3 years and 9 months later.  I have arrived in Kinshasa.

Oh my oh my.  What a journey.   The buildup of our DRC Adoption from 2010 through #3's arrival in our home.  What a journey we've begun and continue on with her in our home.  I am not one to spend to much time thinking about things such as "Woulda.  Coulda.  Shoulda"  Or "if you had to do it all over again...."

No doubt my personal life, married life, and family life would be vastly different if the Journey that brought #3 into our lives and home never happened.  But there is where we are right now.  This is where I am.  In the here and now.  Looking at the present, trying to get to through the present.  To the next hour.  Next Day.  Next week.  Not looking back about decisions and circumstances that culminated in the present day. Not looking to far ahead as to become distracted about the here and now.

How does the saying go.  Yesterday is History.  Tomorrow is a Mystery.  Today is a Gift.

Now now.  put away those snarky thoughts an comments about "returning the Gift".    We may never know learn the reasons for this Gift.  But we can be sure that it was presented to us with Love and Expectations beyond our comprehension.

April 16th, 2014
Where to now?  The Journey to Bogota Colombia begins now.  Where will we be upon completion.  Only the Lord knows.  May our Journey fruitful and purposeful.

3110 down.. thousands more to go.

Day by Day.
Step by Step.
Stride by Stride
Stroke by Stroke
Mile by Mile

3110 miles completed on my mileage journey to Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Lately I have been reasonably disciplined on getting on my trainer in the basement. Supplement that with an occasional run, and some treadmill miles at the fitness center.  I am about 100 miles per week.  Even at that pace.  I will still be 39 weeks until I reach the DRC.  Oi!!

Follow that up with the 2704 to Bogota Columbia (that might be adjusted for Bucaramanga).  I've got a solid year minimum of effort.  Of Sacrifice.  Trials.  Challenges.

But that's what this is all about.  I'm not looking for a cakewalk through life.  Yes a break now and then, sure.  That said, the Lord gave me legs, endurance, fortitude, and if offering up some effort or soreness or aches-n-pains via  some miles results in aid to even one person... It will be an effort most worthwhile for me.  And so I ...

Tri for Hope, Sacrifice with purpose

Peace

19miles and we Collide..

Lyrics from "Collide" by Howie Day

The dawn is breaking
A light shining through
You're barely waking
And I'm tangled up in you

..
I worry I won't see your face
Light up again

Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out the doubt the fills your mind
I somehow find
You and I collide

19 miles on the road. Knees are sore. 2 miles more than 17. My heart still soars. 2 miles less than 21. Still such a long way more. 6 weeks to my personal 50k. 6 weeks closer to the day when you and I may finally collide.

For those that I love that I already see, and to those I love I've not yet met. I can't do much. But I can run. I run for time to pass, run for praise (to him the gives me strength), run for healing, for you...

1770 miles done. 8,014 more to go.

Peace

1013 miles down... oh my how many more?

Destination Kinshasa, 7080 miles from Chicago. That's a lot of exercise miles miles. With the daily bike trainer miles, progress is moving along more quickly. Though it will still take over 1 year to complete. Unless I can average 125 (exercise) miles per week. Yeah right. But each journey begins with a single step. Tonight, I crossed over the 1000 mark. Yeah!

As J posted a bit below, however, we already have the next "Destination" lined up. Destination Columbia (Bogota). That will be another 2704 miles. Yikes, that's a whopping 8771 miles.

I think we better stop adopting kids, else I'll be booked with exercise miles until my last days..

Peace

Back in the saddle

I've been saying it for weeks (or maybe months or longer). I've been slackin' BIG TIME since the 50k in October. Except for some treadmill running at work, there has been zippo running miles. Just not motivated to get outside yet, though I'm close..despite the cold.

Inside, I've finally decided to get the bike hooked up to the trainer. Not wanting to take up space in the new basement, or to sweat on the nice floor in there. I've relegated myself to my own personal hobbit hole in the utility room. Not being the tallest fella around, I can just fit sitting up. My head touches the cold air returns from the AC system.

Its not pretty, but its there, and more importantly, I'm using it. So I'm getting my daily dose of exercise now. And the bonus, I'm making quicker progress on Destination Kinshasa (only 7000 more miles to go!).

Every long journey begins with 14 miles..

OK so I already started the Destination Kinshasa. But that was really nickel and dime time of mileage adding up. I am starting to get into more substantial mileage. Like the first 14miler of the season last weekend, and the upcoming 15miler on Saturday. It will still likely take a couple of years to finish Destination Kinshasa, but I'm on my way.

Its came and went.. like a 9 miler on a warm muggy Saturday

7576, that's what my running log is showing. By my count that a full 13 miles of the completion marker for Destination Addis Ababa. We made it. Finally! Heck E2 has only been home with us for close to two years now!

So its time to ramp immediately into... Destination Kinshasa. 7080 miles from one page I found during a google search. Its as good of a number as any I supposed. I think its gonna take quite awhile to knock off this next 7080 miles. But each journey starts with one first step.

Onward!!!

183 and counting

183 miles left on Destination Addis. The question is. Will I get it done before leaving to bring K home.
At which point I have, waiting in the wings, "Destination Kinshasa" 7079 miles away. At least according to http://www.mapcrow.info/Distance_between_Chicago_US_and_Kinshasa_CG.html

Given that I'd done a bit of stationary biking in the past week and a half. I think I'll read 183 before. I hope I don't, meaning that I get to leave earlier than we might be expecting.

Peace

6000 and counting

Destination Addis is about to turn a major milestone. At 5969, I'm less than 1 weeks average mileage from turning over to 6000. That would leave only 1563 more miles to go! No problem eh? I guess with some triathlons on the docket this year, it might not take to long to reach that mileage with all the extra biking miles. Its tough to rack up mileage running and swimming.

Stay tuned..

Yirgacheffe. What did you call me?

Its been awhile between posts from J and I. Our home has been a hub of activity lately. So lets jump right into it.

Bone dry, was the coffee bin...
It seems fitting that the first coffee I've purchased myself in years, is an Ethiopian Yirgacheff (your-gaa-ch-eff). As our adoption travel day approaches, its nice to get a head start by drinking a cup (or a pot in my case) of smooth Ethiopian heritage each morning.

Construction is over...
My 2008 Team World Vision sponsorship page is up and running! I'll post separately about that. Gone is the "under construction" picture that graced the right hand side of this blog, and in its place you can now find the link my TWV (Team World Vision) sponsorship page. Children and Families lives are at stake, please take a look and prayerfully consider helping out.

Its showtime...
The right margin of the blog has a new element. Its one the Team World Vision motivational video clips. I still get goose bumps watching it. Maybe its easier for me to get into the mindset for this type of athletic sacrifice, but I still find it very moving.

Destination Ethiopia...
As you can see the mileage in "Destination Ethiopia" doesn't quite add up. It was a monumental task to try and cover 7563 miles in just over 1 year. However, the trial is not yet over. J and I will continue to log miles until we reach that 7563 goal. We'll post more on "Destination Ethiopia" shortly

That's the news, thanks for hanging with us, and we ask that you stick around, there is MUCH to come...
Peace

Time and Miles tick by..

As we await the result of E2's court date on April 23rd, I thought it was high time to update our Destination Addis journey. Especially now that springlike weather has finally arrived.

Destination Addis is displayed on the right hand side of the blog. Our family tracks our mileage, whether its running, walking, swimming, biking. From Chicago, its 7,563 miles to Addis Ababa. Unlike with E1, Destination Guatemala, was quite a bit easier at only 1,888 miles. We could actually go there and back. I thinking simply getting there, would be an amazing feat. Destination Addis is more than just simple exercise, its a way to help us pass the long slow months of the adoption process. Its a sort of therapy I suppose.

Anyway, its not been updated in some time. As we have just crossed the 4100 mark, we figured its time for an update. Only 3446 miles to go...

Destination Addis...

Its been awhile since either of us have posted. I've got a logjam of posts I need to hammer out. Those will be coming soon. For the time being, there has been ongoing progress on Destination Addis. We are up to 3760 miles. Almost halfway there.

So the "Holiday" season is upon us. And for those of you Christians out there, you are keenly aware of how our Christmas Season and Christmas has is under attack again. Holiday or "Family" Tree rather than Christmas lights. Holiday specials over Christmas Specials. It goes on and on and on. For those of you tired about this, I think that you might enjoy this.

Peace and Merry Christmas

3000 and counting

For those of you following our Destination Addis Ababa, we have reached a milestone this week. All the biking to work, jogging, swimming, you name is slowly adding up. With Ted's marathon training today, and Jodie's biking to work today, we have crossed the 3000 mile mark. Today we sit at 3008. Only 4,555 miles to go..

National Bike to Work week..

Last week was National bike to work week. Both Jodie and I took advantage of that opportunity. It was a bike tricky since we also needed to factor in the time and distance to/from daycare.

Sore quads, Sore calfs, Sore hamstrings, sore just about everything, but in the end we combined for a total of 218 miles. That helps to bring our current "Destination Addis" total to 2420. We've got a huge way to go, we just need to take it one mile at a time.