Exciting news!

I've had all kinds of exciting things coming my way lately.  As I mentioned before, I've got a great new job at a small personal training studio, and I'm loving it.  I'm gathering a few clients now and gaining more confidence in leading them.  Yesterday I met a new client, and her eagerness to learn and feel better was SO inspiring!  When someone has been unhealthy and uncomfortable for a long time, it takes some major courage and motivation to make a change.  That first step is always the hardest!  But I'm so excited to see her transformation and that of the other awesome women I have the pleasure of working with now.  On top of that, we have a fun group class that we've put together a few evenings a week, where I basically get to kick people's butts for 30 minutes.  I got told on Tuesday that I was "the meanest one", hehe.  I also just got the go on designing a Family Health/Fitness seminar to teach people how to instill good childhood eating and fitness habits and work together towards becoming a healthier family!  I seriously love my job.

My next bit of exciting news is this:

Yes, I got accepted to the NY Marathon!  This was my third year applying, and I was honestly just hoping to get my name automatically put in next year (it's the last year they give automatic entry to someone who applies and doesn't get drawn for three years in a row).  But apparently third time's a charm, and I'll be going a year sooner than planned!  I'm so excited to go back up to NYC, visit friends in the area, see where we used to live, and run through the streets of my absolute favorite city in the world.  We're still not sure yet whether the entire family can come with me or not, considering that would require time off from school and money we may or may not have.  But we have time to plan and are already getting offers for places to stay, and I'm super duper stoked!  I'm working on my training plan now, and hope to share my weekly progress here.  It'll keep me accountable and give me a great outlet if I get frustrated.  I have 21 weeks, and plan to start my official training as of next week!  It will pair well with a challenge we're doing at work called the Trainer Trim Down.  I personally do not have a goal of trimming, but I'd like to build strength, muscle, and endurance.  I look forward to the next few months to come!

And as per usual, I'll be running for Endure to Cure.  It's my favorite cause to run for, and I like it because it's not like most pediatric cancer foundations.  It is amazing how much money people raise towards cancer research and treatments, I'm in NO WAY knocking that.  But I also think that these sweet sick children need some extra hope and a little bit of fun, just to get them through those hard times with a few awesome new memories.  Endure to Cure provides "miracles" to the kids via special gifts and experiences.  With all the amazing donations for my first marathon (thanks SO much to my awesome friends and family!), we were able to give a very special birthday party to a sweet little girl with brain cancer.  For one day, she was on top of the world!  I can't wait to find out what we can do for such a major race like this one!!!  Visit my personal page to find out how you can help.

And on top of all of this, I'm strongly considering getting my Group Fitness Certification and teaching a few classes at the YWCA.  Because I love them all there and apparently I don't have enough to do.  Right?!  Wish me luck over the next few months, they will by far be the most physically demanding months I've ever been through.  I can come out rocking it, or I can crash and burn on a few things.  Time will tell.  Thanks so much for all the support, and I can't wait to share this difficult but hopefully awesome journey with you all!

Now I leave you with some gratuitous cuteness.  Because it's been a while.

Yes, they're eating ice cream.  No, it isn't healthy.  We all have our naughty moments!

I've been absent....

But I haven't totally disappeared!  I would sit down to blog and then not be able to even formulate what I wanted to say.  For a short bit, it was because of a burnout.  Then it became because there were SO many crazy happenings and changes in my life that I didn't really wish to share them with the world.  So I decided to take a break and come back when I felt that I was in a good place to write again.  I think I'm finally there!

The past few months have had many negative points.  I was sick for an entire month and basically did nothing but whine.  The gym that I was set to teach in suddenly closed down.  A close relative had a very serious health scare (but is totally fine now). And by far the worst event was the loss of my father last month.  We had a very strained relationship for years, but we had finally fixed it and then I got the news that he wasn't going to make it.  Fortunately my sister and I were able to be with him during his final moments, we reunited with our brother, and I got to say all the things to my father that I'd always wished I'd said to him before.  I've been beating myself up for not getting closer to him earlier, but I know that he passed away surrounded by love and knowing exactly how much he was cared about.  That's all one can ever really ask for in life.

My dad with my sweet stepmom

For him, I dedicated a special run and a beach walk with my sister

I've also had many great moments in the past few months.  We finished building our house and moved in a week ago!  It's beautiful and big and comfortable and OURS.  We've never owned a home before, and it's really a great feeling!  I also rejoined the Air Force National Guard Band of the Smokey Mountains as an oboe player.  I originally joined it in 1997 as I was graduating high school.  It was great, but had to leave after 11 years when I moved overseas.  Now that I'm within driving distance again, I've gone back and am loving it.  I've also started up my own business as a Mary Kay beauty consultant, since I'm basically obsessed with their products anyway.  I started a running group at the local YWCA and have fallen in love with their gym, my fun little group, and the outreach efforts of the organization.  I ran my first sub-2hr half marathon and also got an AG award, my first ever.  And just this week, I began my first real gig as a personal trainer!  I'm at a fun little Christian-based training studio with just the functional training-based fitness approach that I love.  I have shadowed the owner a few times, and just yesterday I worked with a few other trainers on a fabulous new class that we just started.  Seeing the sense of accomplishment on the faces of all the clients is so rewarding!  I think I'm going to really love it there.

At the Kings Mountain HM, I felt and ran strong!

So yeah, that's why I haven't been around.  Life has hit me pretty hard, in good ways and really tough ones.  My spirit has grown more in the past few months than over the past few years put together.  I've gained strength and confidence I didn't know that I had, and I'm learning to let go of bitterness, stand up for myself, speak my mind more freely, become more organized and directed, and just be ME better.  I fail sometimes, but I'm winning so much more often.  It feels good!

So now, prepare to hear about my many gigs, read even more healthy eating and family fitness tips, and of course be bombarded by pictures of my cute kids.  Just like before!