Certification

On Tuesday of this week, I took the ACE Personal Trainer Certification Exam. Whew. Oh yeah, and I passed it! It's kinda a really long story of my life, actually. When I joined Body Boutique about four and half years ago (yikes!), I had been doing some running outside, and fitness videos at home for several years. But I was pregnant, and wanted something different for my body in terms of exercise. So I joined. I'll admit: I got hooked on fitness. = )

I know that I'm not like everyone ... certainly not like some of my friends who don't like exercise at all! And that's okay! We all have things we like ... hobbies ... and oddly enough, fitness has become a hobby to me. Once Jonah was born and I stopped working in Social Work full time, I started considering if there was a way to incorporate my newer love of fitness in my life. Nothing seemed to work out at the time: we were planning to move to Honduras, and life was different. I looked up some different certification programs, but the finances and time weren't readily available for what I had found. So, I just worked out on my own and tucked the dream away. A couple years later, the opportunity to train to teach BodyStep came along, and then my boss at the gym gave me the opportunity to train in-house to teach some cardio/kickboxing/toning/abs classes as well.

And then I met Natalie - and through our workouts together, she encouraged me to study to be a personal trainer. She helped me get the materials, let me ask her questions upon questions, and more. My boss at the gym was super supportive as well: I could shadow trainers there, learn from them, etc. I think it was last September I got all my study books. I poured over them for three months ... and then got distracted during Christmas. = ) Who doesn't? Picked it back up mid-January, got my CPR/AED certification in April, and took my test in May. I didn't tell hardly a soul I was taking the test: I was so nervous I would fail! And then everyone would be asking me about it ... and it would just be all the more disappointing. So, I scheduled it, took it, and then have started telling everyone!

I am excited! Most of all, I know I want to be a "Mom", and be home with the boys as much as possible. But with Eli back in school, this is such a blessing to help us continue to be able to stay out of debt and pay tuition each semester. I can work few-several hours a week, the boys can either be at the gym with me, or home with Eli. And I can help other women achieve goals ... make a difference! Mom/Wife/Social Worker/Personal Trainer - they actually all fit together quite nicely.

Eli has been amazing ... just as he was finishing up his spring semester, I went crazy on the studying, so he gave me the time I needed. He has encouraged me to go for a dream, and I am so thankful for him. Now we're BOTH finally done studying (his only for the next couple months), so we can REALLY enjoy our summer. First up? A quick weekend away to Branson - we need it!