This Chapter Isn’t Over

Maybe it was the sleep I finally got last night...maybe it was the Big Mac meal that Aunt Deb bought me...maybe it was the dozens of prayers I knew were being sent up on our behalf...maybe it was the push from Tracy who wasn’t willing to believe this adventure was over...maybe it was me realizing that me stopping this run was ending her adventure just as much as it was ending mine...maybe it was the text I got from my co-worker (she’s more than a co-worker, she’s my friend) who sent me this passage today: 

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight. 

Maybe it was the encouraging words my Pastor (Pastor Kris you are also my friend) emailed me today...maybe it was hearing my brothers’ voices on the phone today...maybe it was the encouraging texts, emails, visits, messages and phone calls from our families...maybe it was the generosity of my uncle, aunt and cousin who allowed us to swim in their pool this afternoon (Jordan we will have to do that again)...maybe it was all the salt that Uncle Alvin pours in his pool that helped me...probably it was all of the above that prompted me to tell Tracy this evening that I want to see if I can try running. We drove to the infamous spot where two days earlier I had marked the pavement and started running towards Brandon, finally stopping when I reached the Wheat City...12 miles later! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all you!!! I have no idea  what tomorrow brings. I have no expectations for tomorrow, I have no intention of setting an alarm for the morning, I have no intention of stressing that I need to eat 7500 calories, and if those are the last 12 miles I run on this adventure, c’est la vie!

The wife Perspective; Praise Jesus. I could write a thousand words, you know that is NOT an exaggeration but I’ll try to keep it short. I can’t express how much all of you’alls texts, emails, phone calls have meant to us. There was a very honest chat that occurred within the walls of Fleetwood today, as I was packing up to go home, Shannon said maybe we should stay another night...we’ll i booked us another night in site 223 and then promptly called uncle Alvin to see if our rest day could turn in to a pool party. Swimming, surviving bee attacks and a McDonald’s run kept our minds off all the stress. 
I was dumbstruck when we got in to the RV to head back to our camp site after our fun afternoon with the Penners and Shannon told me he wanted to go back to the line. 
Well as you’ve already read Shannon tackles 12!! I would drive Fleetwood ahead to the next cut in the T-Can and he gave me the signal; 2 thumbs up meant see you in awhile, drive always ahead and bike back. So I did my bike relay 6 times totalling just over 11 miles. During all these times together we tackled the massive hill just east of Brandon and then he also told me he WAS running to Brandon. All I kept saying was thank you Jesus. 
Now we’ve eaten donuts, Shannon’s pounded back more Lipton chicken noodle soup, iced down his legs and showers are done. Now time for sleep.