Running toward the Finish Line - Getting Pregnant

Their Final Destination - On Race Day

A couple of months before this big race, that happens every year in San Diego, I wanted this to be the year that I at least volunteer. So I asked my husband if he wanted to volunteer also, he said yes. Unfortunately, I was the only one out of the two of us who could make it because he had some job prospects that day. And believe me, at this stage in our married life, my husband finding a job after he finishes school is more important.

What an early morning it was! My alarm went off way before the sun decided to rise or the before the chickens thought it was a good time to get up! 3:30 a.m. people! 3:30 A.M.! I only set my alarm that early because I had to be at the volunteer tent at 5 a.m. and I knew the only way I was going to make it is if I got up at a good time. Ever since I was a child, I have needed ample time to get ready in the morning. Just call me turtle.

I finally made it! I received my assignment - opening up the winner's medals and putting them in their proper place on the metal stands. Their are so many people that you get to meet. But being more of an introvert with new people, I was the "quiet one" and I was okay with that.

As the morning moved on, the Finish Line Lead lady was looking for volunteers to time the first 10 fastest runners in the men and women's divisions. My hand went up like lightning and I was picked along with 5 other volunteers. How exciting! I was going to be part of someone's running time history.

I was paired up with another volunteer - me, with the good eyes and her with the better handwriting.

It was a about an hour or so before our wheelchair competitors started arriving and some time after that, that our runners started to come in. At first it was slow, but then as time went on the runners started coming in. I forgot to mention that we were on the whole marathon side! A whopping 26.2 miles!

I was in awe seeing runners make it to the finish line. A lot of them running through, a few limping and a couple being carried to the medical tent. But it was exciting!

This is what victory and relief looks like!

So after logging in the fastest runners, I just kept watching the runners came in. My volunteer partner left and never came back. Oh well, she had friends to look after. Another volunteer came to me, asking me to do her job while she went to the bathroom. My job was to log in the runner's bib numbers as they passed the finish line. I was holding what looked like to be big calculator. I felt like an accountant punching in numbers. It was fun for a long while and then I started to wonder whatever happened to bathroom girl. She never came back. So there I was standing with the medical team punching in numbers. Standing, kneeling, sitting, standing as the runners continued to come in. It was really cool but then I started to get a bad headache and I was VERY hungry! I tried to keep an upbeat attitude but it was a little bit hard.

After finally spotting Finish Line Lead, I asked her how much longer, she said until 12. So for another 30 minutes I continued to log in the runners. By then my cheer was gone. Sorry guys and gals. But I did get to see some awesome things like, a fellow runner proposing to his runner girlfriend. The look on her face was not of joy but of "I've just run a marathon guy and you want to propose to me now?! Really?". I'm sure her heart was full of joy as conveyed by the hug she gave to her now fiance.

Now for another story! My husband and I have been running a marathon of our own. This story is being lived out by us and being written by God (though I have tried to edit some parts by putting in my two cents; He always wins! He writes a better story anyways).

So if you read some of my posts of months pasts, you'll see a glimpse of what we went through the past 2 years. Through a series of blood tests, procedures, meeting with a fertility specialist, two OBGYNs, a miscarriage, talk about adoption, arguing about procedures, silent periods, crying out to God, searching for answers, having a support group, eating this, not eating that, throwing in the towel, trying to have hope and not totally givng up, we ran and trusted God with the results. And this is what finally happened!

April 10th, the day I found out! What?!!

A couple of days later! It's getting darker!

Baby at 11 weeks

We are so thrilled! I have to admit that for several weeks before seeing Baby, I was afraid that we were going to lose another one. But seeing the baby on the ultrasound at 5 weeks (tiny!), then at 7 weeks (gummy bear! and oh the sound of the beating heart!), and then at 11 weeks (look at the baby move! So active!) my heart is starting to settle. I still find myself going to "what if". Ugh! But through other's encouragement, God's love through His people, God's word the Bible and prayer, we continue to run on!!

Thanks be to God! We have hope!

We also found out some very exciting news! I hope to write more about it here but if you would like to know, follow me on my Instagram : @thisguysgirl .

Alright my friends, thank you for sticking around for this exciting journey!

Love,

Mrs. M