Reflections on my REFLECTIONS

OK - I know I just blogged about this - but please PLEASE let me tell you one more time.... if you are having pain and can't seem to figure out why or figure out how to fix it... give a Chiropractor a chance man!!!  (Magna Chiropractic)
My second visit was just as successful as the first.
And my lifts keep going up!!  I know I've been training The Cube and that's what is SUPPOSED to happen, but after I injured my back, I was afraid I was just going to backslide!
THEY at Magna, got me back on my game!!!
THANK GOODNESS!!
I feel better than ever!

So MY motivation for (late) Monday (now Tuesday) is looking back at some of my goals set for the year and seeing where I stand.

Here is where I posted my goals (not resolutions) for this year.....
REFLECTIONS (this is my previous new years blog)

I just want to point out where I'm at with my weights... and it's JUST March.
These are my goals by YEAR END!!!

My deadlift goal for the year is 250 - I did 225 at my last meet.
(I have faith this is going up at our mock meet with Brandon Lilly - April 21 - even after my injury!)

My squat goal for the year is 180 - I did 155 at the gym Sunday night
(video attached!)

My bench goal for the year is 150 - I'm STILL flirting with 100 right now... grrrrrr!!!
(I'm hoping if I can just BREAK through 100 that it will keep going up from there.... It's MESSING with my HEAD!!)

So anyway - here's my video of my PR squat last night.......  (pay NO attention to that little bobble there at the beginning - I was just checking to see if B-rad was paying attention!  LOL)

feel free to check out my entire youtube channel... ya know - for FUN!  :)

I'm SOOOOOOO proud of that lift!!!

I attribute this lift and all my success to my faithful LOVING boyfriend who is with my every step of the way!!

And my kick butt gym crew.... yelling and pushing and screaming and ENCOURAGING me!!

And most recently....
my friend Kelli for hooking me up with Dr. Hawley

And Dr. Hawley - the best Chiropractor ever

And NIKKI - the best therapist I've ever had!  Ok - yeah - the ONLY one but I just can't imagine that there could be anyone better out there!

AND of course a big HUGE Thank You and shout out to Brandon Lilly for THE CUBE method training, and for his support to all of us running this program - AND as I said before - I thank him first and FOREMOST for sending me straight to the Chiropractor!
THANKS LILLY!!!
Keeping me on track!!!

Have a GREAT week!  :)

Find something you LOVE and CHASE it.....

NEVER.

GIVE.

UP!

(and don't EVER let anyone tell you that you CAN'T!)

You my friend... are a quack!

So - I don't know why - but I, along with lots of others, have had a negative opinion in regard to chiropractic practices.
"Quacks"  
I'm sure you've all heard or used that term!
No specific reason.  No personal horror story.
I don't know if its just from terrible horror stories from the past or what, but upon talking to people, I find this stereotyping to be a common thing.
(Sad)

Well - as I recently shared, I had hurt my back somehow... wasn't sure where the injury occurred, just knew that it hurt.  And I have a pretty high tolerance for pain.... I think so anyway...

But this was something I couldn't tolerate.

So I went to see an MD. I was instructed to take meds and take it easy on the lifting.  Which I did.  And sometimes the pain was better, but mostly it wasn't.
I did Alleve.  I did heating pad.  I did muscle relaxer.  I did a Lidocaine patch on my back!

When I finally asked around, I was then instructed by another power lifter to see a chiropractor. 
AH OHHH...  Do I dare??!!??

As I thought this through - I have a sweet friend that works for a chiropractic office and has for years.  So I immediately contacted her.  She is someone I trust, so I felt good about going this direction.
After she talked to one of the chiropractors there, she instructed me to get a series of x-rays to bring with me to see him.   (Bryan Hawley is his name).
I did so and went for my first visit with him.
I was very at ease after talking to him.  He is very knowledgeable not only about what he does, but about exercise and health in general.
He actually pulled my x-rays up in front of me and went through everything with me.  He explained everything so that I could understand.  And from there he told me what to do and not to do to avoid flaring up the pain.  He did NOT instruct me to stop exercising.  (my favorite part of the visit!  ha)   He did instruct me on things to do in place of other exercises to avoid straining the area of pain.
he explained my plan... or multiple plans actually.   One to get me out of pain and another to fix the exaggerated curvature of my back  (AKA my "granny hump".... OH good Lord we will NOT use that term again!!!)
He did a minor adjustment on my back and sent me on my way....

In a few days I had spoken to my friend and had a plan in place.

So - on Wednesday I went for my first visit.  Upon arrival, he did a minor adjustment on my back and neck again and then sent me over to one of the therapists to work on me.  She was also GREAT.  She laid me on my stomach and stretched out some of my muscles and then WENT TO WORK on that area on my left back that was bothering me.
GUYS....... I've had massages before where they really work on knots in your back (usually caused by stress... which I carry several of)  But she slid her hand ONE time across that area on my back and just by touch, knew that was the area that was hurting me and immediately went to work on that area.
Keep in mind - it's WEDNESDAY and Wednesday night is dead lift night for me in the gym.... I haven't gotten through a dead lift work out in two weeks due to immediate pain when doing those type of lifts.    So I was kinda worried about my lifting plan for that evening.   I had in fact already warned the BF that I would likely be a real bundle of JOY that evening in the gym....   It is VERY frustrating to have a plan laid out for your workout and then not even be able to get through the first exercise due to pain.  Grrrrrrrr
Regardless, I knew getting over this pain would be a process...  so I was trying to have faith.

When I arrived at the gym Wednesday night - I could ALREADY tell a difference in my back.
ONE visit ya'll........ ONE!
and guess what I did.
MY DEADLIFTS!!!!!!!! 
(shhhhh - don't tell!  I'll be in trouble!)
Sure I was a little tender in that area when it was over - but I can't explain the relief that I could
#1 - get through my workout after bombing out two weeks in a row.
And hello - #2 - I had ONE visit to therapy and I could ALREADY tell a difference regarding my pain!!

This treatment plan can't do ANYTHING BUT make me a better lifter.

I am SOOOOOOOO pumped!!!

So I said all of that to say this:

First of all - THIS is what it took for me to get better.  I want to thank Brandon Lilly for recommending and pushing me going to a chiropractor.  (and raving about his own doctors).  I also want to thank Kelli for getting me in and raving about her place of employment and the chiropractor she works with and the staff there.  And generally speaking I want to thank Magna Chiropractic (and recommend them to ANYONE having back problems!).  I especially want to thank Dr. Bryan Hawley.  He has been super understanding and knowledgeable and just good at what he does

Second of all...  if you have ever had bad feelings about Chiropractors or the field, maybe reconsider.   I know we all have heard horror stories.... but this is true about almost everything.  I have heard a million horror stories about MD's too - but I still go to the doctor.  Do some research on your chiropractor.  Make sure he does x-rays prior to doing adjustments.  And if you are local here in Bowling Green, I HIGHLY recommend Magna Chiropractic and specifically Dr. Bryan Hawley

There are no "quacks" in that building  ;-)

And..... Here is their website for those of you who trust me and wanna check it out!!!

www.magnachiro.com

Good girl... gone Bad... gone MOM?!

There are many things in my life that I have screwed up.
I have made my FAIR share of mistakes for sure!

I look back now and think "What in the world was I thinking?"
I have told my mother "I'm sorry" on numerous occasions!!

Out of all the "mistakes" I made - one affected me more than anything else ever would!
This is something I really haven't ever shared on here - I don't think... not like this anyway.  Not just raw and unleashed.... facts.
Emotionally raw facts.

Let me preface it by saying this before people start GASPING for air!!!
My CHILD is not a mistake.  And I will NEVER refer to him as such.  He was, and is, and will forever be the BEST gift I could ever have.
Let's just get that CLEAR now before I go on......

The mistake however comes from my blatant disregard of being told ALL MY LIFE that other things are WAY more important than boys and dating and SEX.
So I did what I wanted, when I wanted, and lived my life - with no regard to anything anyone else said.

Also with no regard to what my future might hold if I put my focus in the right places and on the right things.
But alas - I didn't.

And I got pregnant.

With my job now, I see girl after girl come in for ultrasounds of babies.
Some planned pregnancies and some not....
Some married and older
and some not married and just babies themselves....

Some days it doesn't bother me... because it's my job  - and I'm genuinely happy for people.
Having a baby TRULY is a miracle.
But some days -  it scratches a nerve.
And it takes me back....

and... well... some days it brings me to my knees.

So - what do I do when I'm filled with emotions that I don't know what to do with?!
I share them....
in hopes that it will touch someone out there and make some sort of an impact or difference in someone else's life.

So here we go.

I was 18 when I got pregnant.  Yes.
18. 
A statistic.  
A "teen pregnancy"
I was just out of high school and guess what - I wasn't married.
I wore a big large SCARLET LETTER above my head.
I know it was an embarrassment to my parents.
And I don't mean that in an UGLY way either... it's just that I was raised in church every time the doors were open.
Being pregnant and not married is kind of a dead give away that you have "had sex out of wedlock"

So I was 18.   I had already moved out on my own.  I had worked from the time I was 16.
I was and still AM a very head strong INDEPENDENT girl (thank you ~again~ to my mother for putting that in my genes)
So when I found out I was pregnant - the baby's dad asked if I wanted to get married   My reply was simple "If I wasn't pregnant right now, would you be asking?  NO?  Then no is the answer"
And I left it at that.
We did continue to live together.
I worked up until the day before my baby boy was born.
The father jumped from job to job and I'm sure never attended one doctor appointment with me.
At the time, I couldn't have cared less.
Because you see in my mind... I was doing what was to be done.
Abortion was NEVER an option.
So the day I found out I was pregnant, I basically went from 18 to 28 overnight.  I had to.
There was a job to do and someone to take care of and so that is what I did.

Looking back now - I realize I took all of the emotion out and just did what needed to be done.
What HAD to be done.
Very technical.... Point A to Point B.  Go through the motions.
Don't get me wrong.  I love that little (now grown) boy... but at that time, I do believe I took emotion out in order to keep from breaking down.  I think it was a defense mechanism.
I don't even remember an ultrasound with him.
I didn't know if he was a boy or girl.   Not because I wanted to be surprised... but because honestly, I didn't know to ask?  (mind you - I knew deep down, "mother's intuition" that he was a boy... I only had a boys name picked out when I went to the hospital... I just knew.  Good thing I was right!)
I scan people EVERY day now and I don't even remember having my OWN ultrasound.
I find myself just telling people that I didn't find out what I was having.
Cause I didn't....
Never mind that I COULD have if I had known to ask!!

I went to all my doctor visits
and I took my vitamins
and I watched what I ate
and I didn't drink
and I did all the "do's" and "don'ts"
.......but I don't remember my belly moving, or seeing him for the first time on an ultrasound machine.  I don't remember wanting to know or even asking if I could find out the gender.  I just know I went to the doctor and they would tell me everything looked fine and I would just keep fighting... for HIM.
That's all I knew to do.

I didn't KNOW to be scared that something could be wrong.
I didn't KNOW to be scared of premature labor.
I didn't KNOW the MILLIONS of things that COULD go wrong.
I didn't KNOW to be scared.
I didn't know there was anything to be scared of.

I also didn't know.....

.... that on May 14, 1995 my life would be forever changed.
I didn't know that on that Mother's Day I would be given a gift that would not only change my life forever, but my heart too.
I didn't know..... until I held him in my arms.

Yes - I was a teen pregnancy.  We see them all the time.  And it is sad how people these days have no regard to teaching their children what is priority and what is not.   Or maybe we do try to teach them in a world full of self-indulgent people that feel like the world owes them something.
How did we raise a society that believes getting pregnant and living on welfare and letting someone else pay our bills is ok?

I am living proof that YOU can work and take care of your baby.
Yes - I did have a medical card while I was pregnant.  But I was also working 40+ hours a week paying taxes to cover that benefit that I was very lucky and thankful to have.
I digress....... THAT topic is for another blog!

Let's teach our kids that the world does NOT owe them something.  Let's teach them to WORK for what they have.  Let's teach them that it's better to focus on making a life for yourself before you attempt to bring someone else into this world to take care of.

I learned all of that the hard way.

And every time I scan a young single girl on her own.... it takes me back all those years ago... and it breaks my heart a little more for them every time.

I am thankful for the gift of being a MOTHER
I am PROUD of that young man I have raised..... he will be 18 in just a few short months.

I just hope I raised him to know right from wrong.
I hope somewhere in him is the drive to be better and do better and grow up to be someone who makes a difference in this world around him.
I just hope he is as proud of me one day as I am of him.

(PS - this will likely be a series of blogs.... I'm on a roll and it's too much for one ranting!)

Motivational Monday ~push through~

I've been on an emotional roller coaster for weeks

I've inquired

I've pushed

I've questioned

I've wondered

I've been mad

I've been sad

I've been on the brink of rage

I've been to the point of tears
(OK - there have been TEARS!)

I'm mad

I'm sad

I'm defeated

I'm angered

I'm challenged

I'm determined

I've been working out for 9 months now
And I guess I've really CARED about my lifting for about 3 months
and I've come a LONG way....

I have DEFINITELY grown to love this sport!
I love the challenge
I love the growth
I love the failures and fighting back
I love the wins...
I love the fight
I love everything about it

I'm competitive and although I shouldn't be comparing myself to others, I sometimes do.  And it drives me (and angers me).  But even more than that - I see what I did months ago, weeks ago, and even DAYS ago... and it inspires me to be better than ME!  As long as I am better tomorrow than I am today - I am growing... and THAT makes me happy!

But alas... about 2 weeks ago, I noted a pain my back.

Well - I didn't NOTICE a pain in my back, more like the pain in my back took me to my knees and took my breath away!

OUCH!
(and I'm a TOUGH girl!)

Now remember - I'm a GIRL - in a gym full of BOYS...

I went to pick up a deadlift and about half way up to lock out - my body's immediate reaction to the PAIN that RIPPED through my back was TEARS.  They STREAMED down my face.  I promptly dropped the bar and took my broken self to regroup in the bathroom.  Once I regained my composure - I took my hard-headed self back to the bar... to push through the pain.  There I promptly picked up the bar with the SAME reaction.  Back to the bathroom I went... where if there had been anything other than a sink and toilet in there, I probably would have kicked that something to the south side of Florida!

So disappointed in myself!

I finished out the night with some leg work and maybe a few more loosely held crocodile tears.

Since that night - I have been trying to find out what is going on and why it hurts so bad.

Because #1 - thinking that I can't lift anymore, breaks my spirit (AND that's not an option quite frankly!  So shut up - let's not even SAY that out loud!)
And #2 - thinking that I'm slowly losing deadlift pounds makes those crocodile tears even bigger!

So - my first step was visiting a Sports Medicine doctor.  He told me it's probably just a strained muscle and told me to take 2 Alleve twice a day.  So I did, and the pain slowly lessened... but never completely went away.  And the next week, on deadlift night, I again attempted my lifts... with the same result.  Pain and loss of breath... and maybe some more of those big crocodile "it hurts" tears.  So at this point, I again worked the crap outta my legs and lower back and then talked to a guy who has been lifting for a LONG time and been through alot of stuff himself, and the author of "The Cube", Mr. Brandon Lilly.  He instructed me to get to a chiropractor ASAP.  I promptly got in touch with someone to schedule an appointment (thanks again Kelli if you are reading this!)

The next day I had lots of back xrays done and headed off to the Chiropractor.

He was super nice and went over all my films with me.

He then informed me that first of all - I have scoliosis.  YAY... Cheer {insert SARCASM!}
BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

And he also informed me that my spine is a bit twisted.  Again - cheers are heard all around!  NOT!!  We went over several plans where I gladly informed him that I do NOT want to quit lifting... and I have a mock meet with BRANDON LILLY and crew in like.... 6 weeks.  And I need to impress.

Losing my lifts between now and then is not an option.

OH..... so sad!!!

Needless to say - I have been bummed ever since.

I'm still waiting to see what my chiropractic plan will be and I do intend to follow through to hopefully get this pain issue worked out!

But in the meantime, I have spent an excessive amount a small amount of time pouting... I even missed going to the gym Friday night.  Mostly because I worked my BUTT off at my job on Friday and my back was killing me... but I will admit - MOST OF IT part of it was a tiny wee bit of being POUTY about not being able to do my work like normal....

During all this pain and questioning, I have definitely fallen victim to a bit of frustration... and self loathing... and being disappointed in myself.  I've spent WAY too much time reading what OTHER girls are doing and seeing what they look like and comparing myself to all of them.  WAY too much time!!!  Girls that have been lifting longer than me... girls with more experience than me....

And I have reacted by eating horribly... and pouting... burning up some Ben & Jerry's and Mt Dews!!  {typical girl reaction!}

Then I look at how I've reacted and it makes me even MORE depressed about where I am right now.
So disappointed in me!!

So - as of today - NO MORE!

I intend to go to the chiropractor and work on what's wrong.
I'm still going to go to the gym like always and do everything I can still do without hurting myself!
I will hold out faith that my hard work will keep my strength so that while my back is healing, I don't lose all the strength I have worked so hard to gain...

AND.....
for those of you who know me.....
and know how I like to eat - and how I hate CARDIO...
I'm biting the bullet.

As of today - I will begin a cardio routine along with my lifting.
And I will be more conscious of my eating habits.

NO

MORE

POUTING

When there is a roadblock on one road... you must regroup, refocus and work on what you CAN work on rather than sitting at the road block pouting about not being able to go through.

There is ALWAYS work to be done...
And there is ALWAYS positive to focus on to feed you to push through the negative.  You just have to choose where your focus lies!

Every day comes with the opportunity to start again with a fresh look.
Today - I begin again.

New focus and even BIGGER goals.
Push through the negative and you will ALWAYS come out stronger in the end.

~ Motivational Monday ~ Be Thankful for your Choices

Every day you have a choice to either

~ be thankful for what you have and where you are and believe that you are there for a reason

- OR -

~ you can be bitter and mad that you don't have this or didn't get that (..or didn't win a contest to work out with Dana Linn Bailey!)

It's a choice.

I've said it a million times.

So I choose.

Granted, at times I have to remind myself more than others - but for the most part, I CHOOSE to be happy about where I am and respect how I got here and the plan that God has laid out for me.

No one has even ASKED me what the big exciting news is that I referred to a week ago.
No one.
Not.  One.  Single.  Person.

That's ok
You don't have to be excited
Because I'm excited enough for me AND you AND for anyone AND everyone else who might stumble upon this blog....

Weeks ago, I applied to win a workout session with Dana Linn Bailey.  (yes - you ALL know that.)   Over 600 people entered and obviously I did not win.  I wasn't upset, that's quite a few people vying for her time.  And not to mention there are LOTS of people out there in much better shape than me and stronger than me.
But it's ok
I didn't let it get me down.
I am, afterall, new to the sport - and REALLY new at being serious about this being what I want to do with any and ALL of my free time!
I'm especially new to the commitment it takes to lift and be good at it.  Not just going through the motions.  Because trust me - I have done plenty of "going through the motions"... not just in weight lifting - but in LIFE in general!
So I'm new to the sport AND the magnitude of the commitment that it takes to be GOOD at this sport!!

But my drive and desire and commitment grow every single day.

It's funny to me to look back at myself.... when I started working out again with B-rad.   We hadn't even talked in some time... and just picked right up where we left off.... the best of friends ;-)  And he coached me right back into the gym.  Where I showed up when I had to... mostly for fear of letting him down or the guilty feeling I would be filled with when I didn't go.  And upon arrival - I would go through the motions... doing what I "had to do" to get through the work out.  Then I would go home and not think a thing about it again.

Then there was his birthday in December.
Where he convinced me that it would be a nice gesture (and FUN??) for me to compete with them at a meet.  HA!   But for fear of letting him down I conceded to go.

And then I got bit

By the iron bug....

And it's been chewing ever since!!!!

And also - my "I'm one of the boys and I can do what they do" competitive INSIDE took over!!!

Now - I read.  I watch videos.  I DESIRE (on my own, mind you) to be better and lift more and look better and LIFT MORE and be healthier.... and, well.... LIFT MORE....
I have new goals... and new people I look up to.

One of which IS Dana Linn - but recently - another girl has come along beside her.
Caitlyn Trout.
Another tiny but ripped little girl that lifts MASSIVE weights!!!
And it is just proof again - that anything is possible.
It just takes the discipline and training and commitment.

So - AGAIN - I have gotten sidetracked....

The big news......

Remember that contest I DIDN'T win???
Well - since I didn't win - I was able to watch and focus on the power lifting meet at the Arnold.  And I met (as I have already told you) Brandon Lilly AND Caitlyn Trout.
Brandon Lilly is the author of "The Cube Method" which is the training program we are currently running.
After the Arnold, I spoke several times via Facebook and twitter, to Brandon Lilly. He is SUCH a super nice guy and has been very helpful with any questions we have had about our workout. And through our chatting I told him we would love to work out with him and his crew. So he invited us in!!!!
There it is!!

The big news!!!!

We are going to work out with Brandon Lilly. 
And hopefully Caitlyn will be there too. 
I won't know how to act with another female in the building!!!!

So I don't get to work out with Dana, but I instead get to work out with one of the strongest men out there!!! AND the author of our current training program. And when we go, we are doing a "mock meet" for them so they can coach and advise on all aspects of our training

I feel so lucky
I feel like things worked out just as they should

I am once again thankful for where I am and the opportunities that present themselves and ALL of the people who have come into my life in one way or another.  Rather than being disappointed at one missed opportunity - I will look at this as the path to a doorway opened into a WHOLE NEW WORLD!!!

I  Can't  Wait!!!

A special thank you to Brandon Lilly for inviting us to his realm.   It means the world to me.  And I KNOW it means sooooo much to all the guys I work out with.

Can't wait.
It amazes me every day how things work out!

And I am THANKFUL!

Ohhhh... now I know!

Growing up - we ALL knew everything.
You NEVER believed that grown ups were smarter than you.  I mean - hello - didn't we know it ALL!!!??
I did!
...and I would be the first to tell you!
I knew how things worked.... I knew how to do everything.... I knew what the consequences were... and most of the time, I really couldn't have cared less!
Grown ups were stupid and they DEFINITELY didn't know how to have fun.
And gosh they were always planning and setting goals and being all responsible and crap.
Who needs that?!!

Man - OH MAN - I wish I could go back and know what I know now.

As a mother now - I find myself trying to steer my son one way over another... trying to teach him to be responsible for himself.  To think ahead.  To plan ahead.  To be independent.  To work towards something.  Have a goal.  Have a passion (and that's NOT sitting in a dark room all night playing video games!)  PRIORITIZE!!!!
The things that "seem" important in most teenage eyes are NOT.
They just aren't.
Although at the time, it might just feel like LIFE OR DEATH..... trust me when I say.... NO!  It's NOT!

What IS life and death??

Having priorities.  Having goals.  Pushing yourself.  Taking care of YOU and not worrying what others around you are doing or planning.

As a kid - even though I knew it all... there were still things I wondered about.   But I wouldn't DARE ask someone.  I would figure them out on my own.
*I did after all - have my "I know everything" reputation to uphold!*
Guess what?
I usually figured wrong.
I had no direction.
I was all go with the flow.... ehhhhhh whatever.

That attitude....didn't get me far.
In fact - it got me nowhere quite fast.
Spinning my wheels... wondering why life didn't get easier?

So, what did?

When I sucked it up and realized - I am responsible for ME!
ME!
It is MY job to pay the bills and buy the house and work the job and buy the clothes and buy the groceries and put gas in the truck and on and on and on......

So I set some goals.
I changed my life path....
(and I still change it almost daily.)

Oh sure - some things are constant... but they are constant because I finally REACHED them as a goal.
Everything that I have in my life started with one little glimmer one sun-shiny day when I realized... 

"this is what I want and THIS is how I will get it"

And most importantly it started with LOSING that "I know everything" mentality and realizing that I didn't just KNOW everything.  There are people out there that have actually been through this.  And they know the right v wrong path to take.  And if I will just sit down and prioritize on what is important, I too - will find that right path.
And so I did.

But I look for new paths all the time.

The key to growing up is never giving up the ability to grow.
You become a better person every day.
You learn EVERY day.
You make (hopefully) better choices every day.
You learn from experience.
You learn from mistakes
but most importantly - you LEARN that you DON'T know everything and that is OK.

I, on a regular basis have moments when I think....... "Ohhhhhhh..... Now I know!"
And those moments.... yeah - I live for them!

My most recent one.....
I never understood why people did things that induce vomiting.
I HATE to puke.
HATE.  
IT.  
PERIOD.
HATE!
(is that clear enough?)
Both of my brothers ran cross country.... and for anyone who has ever work the "PUKE CHUTE" - you understand the vomit inducing sport of cross country all too well.

WHYYYYY would someone WANT to run so hard and so far that you THROW UP????

Stupid.

Guess what I have learned......
(wait for it.....)
YES - I have always wondered what it would feel like to literally work out to the brink of puking.....
and.... NOW I KNOW!
and......I wondered WHY anyone would WANT to work so hard that you are at the brink of puking....

Ohhhh......now I know!

PASSION

PRIDE

ACCOMPLISHMENT

SUCCESS

There is no greater joy than to know that YOU worked for where you are.  No one put you there... no one snuck you through the system... no one did the work for you.... no one made excuses for you and told you "it's ok"....
Someone PUSHED you.
YOU pushed YOU.
and you reached your goal.
No one can teach you that.
and no one can take it away.

Someone go back and tell my stupid teenage "I know everything" self that!

Thanks.
ohhhhhh...... NOW I know!
And every day I understand life just a little bit better!

{{PS - I know, according to yesterday's blog, My Inspirational Weekend I was supposed to be sharing some news today - but I had to share this first.... before ... so that you can understand the magnitude of the impact of the information that I am about to unleash on you!!}}

Wait .... for ..... it.....

Motivational Monday ~inspirational weekend~

Once again - a day late.....but I'm still just as excited and inspired as I was on Monday when I started writing this!!!
 

What a great inspirational weekend!!

The next several weeks are going to be a bit BUSY at work - so I hope the high that I got from this weekend, and the will and inspiration that is burning inside me, will carry me through!

Here's how the weekend went....
We left at midnight Friday night AFTER work out (because why would we leave town before getting our scheduled work out in?!!!)
We then drove all night. (don't worry - we showered after working out so we didn't have to smell each other on the way there!)
Stopped and got some post-workout grub (you KNOW power lifters GOTTA EAT!!!) and then arrived in OH around 6:30 am.
Once we found a place to park, we spent the entire day at the Arnold expo.
(Side note - there were SOOOOO many people there... you couldn't move!)
BUT
I will over filled with power lifting and surrounded by health and fitness

I met Brandon Lilly (the creator of the Cube Method which we are doing right now!)  He is SUCH an awesome dude!!

I met Caitlyn Trout - a fellow female power lifting BEAST!!  So adorable and a lifting LEGEND in the making!!!
















I saw the whole Lilliebridge family lift in the Animal cage.... Can you SEE the size of these BEASTS??

I SAW Dana Linn Bailey (I did not get to meet her.... booo)  There were SOOO many people there to meet her legendary butt, that you could barely get through...  (but B-rad got a fist pump!)

I DID however meet Rob (her husband) - who is pretty much AWESOME!!!















All in all - it was a GREAT success of a trip!!!  (albeit QUICK!)

And the iron bug chews away....

So alas.... around 6 pm, we began our journey back home.
*keep in mind we are all still up from Friday morning going to work*
By this time, we were REAL rays of sunshine.
Thank goodness we were FULL of starstruck adrenaline!!!  (and maybe a little delirious as well!)
We stopped to eat somewhere, I don't even know where.....
And eventually made it home around midnight.... ish... going into Sunday morning.

Needless to say, we spent the day sleeping on Sunday!
wheeeew
Quick trip away filled with pure AWESOMENESS!!!! 
And that awesomeness has to be the ONLY thing that drug me back to the gym on Sunday night... for REP squat night... One of the HARDEST nights on the program!!

And even though I didn't get to MEET or WORK OUT with Dana Linn Bailey.... I STILL feel like I got the BEST end of the stick and everything happens for a reason.....

More to come about that tomorrow!!!

I'm SOOOOOOO excited to share that with you!!!

OH - SOOOOOOOOO excited

I can hardly contain myself!!!

Don't be upset about how far you still have to go; be EXCITED about how far you've come!!!
It's a journey.... not a Sprint!