Today I finished a marathon

Today I finished a marathon. A marathon I've been running all summer. 

As expected, there were high and low points, miles where I felt awesome and miles where I simply wanted to quit. Overall, it was successful. But as I approached the finish line, they moved it! Not far - just down the street a bit - but it nearly did me in. Physically, mentally, emotionally, I only prepared for 26.2 and that extra tenth of a mile was pure torture.

You see, Ryan got home from his internship today (yay!). He boarded the plan in Moline (and got a first class seat to boot!). He texted and said he was on his way. 

Then he texted and said he wasn't. The updates I received went something like this:

Some sort of liquid spilling from the plane. 

Mechanic 45 minutes away. 

Flight delayed. 

De-boarding plane. 

Mechanic declared plane unfit to fly. 

Flight cancelled. 

Standing in long line to get a new flight. 

New flight booked for 7 hours later. 

No first class seat this time. 

Won't be able to make dinner plans. 

My interpretation? Saturday shot. Must break it to Leah. Maren a wreck.

And my poor mom. She definitely got the brunt of it. I was done! No more! I did not sign up for this. I think it was just my anticipation of this emotional summer being in the past...and then it wasn't. It was a tenth of a mile I didn't prepare to run. 

But I ran it. So did Ryan. (So did my mom.) We had no other choice. As we walked into the Salt Lake International Airport I was nearly hyperventilating. {The only thing keeping me sane was Leah's utter fascination with the moving sidewalks. The girl was impressed. I think we'll be installing them in our house in the near future.}

But then we crossed the finish line, hand in hand. Together again. 

And I know we've said it twice before...but I'm saying it for reals this time. We'll never do an internship apart again. It's a marathon I don't wish to repeat.