Have you ever run a Marathon? If you have CONGRATULATIONS! You are awesome, and have completed one of the most difficult physical accomplishments known to man. John has run a couple, but I have yet to attack that bullet on my bucket list. As friends of ours continue to prep for the Boston Marathon next week, I could not help but relate our current family situation to running a marathon (metaphorically speaking!).
For those of you new to our story, please review our first blog ever before proceeding, titled "Leaps of Faith."
Anywhooo...Runners often refer to "hitting the wall" like the following. "The wall" is defined as that period in a marathon when things transition from being pretty hard to being really, really hard. It is the point where your body and mind are simultaneously tested. It's the perfect intersection of fatigue and diminished mental faculties. Or as most runners remember it, it's the exact point where all your pre-race plans go out the window. How you handle "the wall" can literally make or break your marathon. (McCrann, Patrick, Active.com; How to Beat the Wall During Your Marathon.)
I am fully confident that John and I have both "HIT THE WALL" this week in this marathon called Law School and particularly the quarter mile titled "Boston Semester!" We are both mentally and physically EXHAUSTED. The thought of two more weeks of mornings and bathtime/bedtime without daddy appears almost impossible to complete. At the same time, some MAJOR senioritis (if that is possible for a law student) has set in for Mr. Ortega. It's like we can see the light in December, that last hill, but at the same time it is SOOOOO far away.
Our convo via text this week:
Me, "Love...I have to admit that I am completely over doing all of this without you here."
His response, "If it makes you feel any better, I am over shi-ty hotel rooms and barking dogs."
My response, "Yes, slightly better." ;-)
In order to help stretch the law school budget, John has really taken one for the team and has been staying in a less than stellar hotel, and for this past week in a BnB with awesome tiny, snippy, barking dogs!! Seriously, people...how can you stand those little things? We are lab people. Anyway, we digress!
I think the best thing you can do when you have come so far on your goal, whether it be your eating habits and those remaining 5lbs, climbing the corporate ladder, athletic goal, or whatever your personal goal is, is to review how far you have come and also recall why you started in the first place! I keep telling myself that we are on the down hill stretch. When first arriving in ND from Texas, 2.5 years seemed like FOREVER!!! Especially, when you throw in one of the coldest winters on record. Now, we are literally down to just 8.5 months of law school and then of course that final extra 10 miles on top of the normal marathon, also known as "THE BAR EXAM!?!?!?!?"
Sometimes that past reflection is the thing that can push you through. It really is mind over body at this point. Or what I like to call your MENTAL TOUGHNESS!! Which by the way, John Ortega's is OFF THE CHARTS! Man I LOVE HIM!
Examples are:
- Well, look how many miles I have already completed...I can't stop now.
- 15 pounds down...only 5 more to go.
- This is not the first a-hole I have encountered in the oil patch, I am not going to let him stop me now.
- Last month I could only do 3 proper push-ups, this month I am up to 15!!
- I only said 5 negative things to my spouse today instead of the normal 20! Etc.
Whatever your personal marathon is, do not give up. Remember to remind yourself how far you have already come!!
For us:
- John was able to start a bank not on the first or second try, but the third.
- He always wanted a Masters or JD, and he didn't let the fact that he was already in his late 30's deter him.
- Lisa isn't crying about having left Texas every day like the first 6 months here = Success!
- We actually started our own consulting business. This would not have happened if we had stayed in big Oil and Gas attempting to climb that corporate ladder.
- The kids are in a school which we absolutely love with AMAZING teachers and other families!
- We have already completed 3.5 months of John being gone in Boston. We only have 1/2 of a month LEFT!!!
Keeping in mind that God has you and us exactly where he wants us. Lisa cannot imagine going back to an 8-6 where she had a much smaller influence on the kids day to day lives.
As stated above...some of our "pre-race/pre-Boston plans have completely gone out the window"...For example the "budgets" John gave me upon his departure, are COMPLETELY out the window. I like to think of TJ Maxx as my therapist and relaxationist all in one. We have never been the, "Well, if you are good, you will get x..." kind of parents. I am now buying legos and new dresses weekly just trying to keep the peace at home. That nightly Facetime we had planned...NO. Some days it works out, but more often than not, the last thing I want to do is let the kids talk to daddy in the middle of me yelling at them to get in the bath, out of the bath, hurry up-put your lotion on, get into bed, etc. Minimal use of I-pads...definitely easier now that temps are above 25, but they certainly had more TV and I-pad time in Jan-March then they had in their life times...
When John returned home from his last LONG trip, we embraced in a big hug and I looked up at him and said, "I just need to hear ____." He responded, with, "Yes, love, you are beautiful, the most amazing wife and thank you for keeping the children alive." Not exactly the finesse I was looking for, but whatev.
Please keep in mind that whatever you are battling at the moment, know that God has got this and the finish line may only be 3.2 miles ahead or one simple LEAP OF FAITH!
Thank you for listening...I had to get all of this off my chest. There is clearly at least one person out there who needed to hear this today. God would not let my mind rest until this was typed up!
