Life is all about change. We would like to think that we have a set routine and can be certain that we know what to expect on a day to day basis. We make decisions based on what we know to be certain in our day or week of events. And then, when we least suspect it, the tornado/hurricane/tidal wave hits, the pieces have to be picked up and a new way of doing things has to begin. Now not all change is like a hurricane. Sometimes it is like winning the lottery or digging a hole to plant a tree and striking oil. No matter what it is like, it is still change. A few of the changes that a person may face in life is the loss of a job, a new residence, or a new situation or new opportunity. Change can be stressful. In the past three weeks I have had a lot of change in my life that has been both stressful and exciting at the same time. All I know is that I have been really good at rolling with the punches.
Change #1: The kid has been diagnosed with Juvenile Myolonic Epilepsy. What I had seen as common clumsy teenager moves and not getting enough sleep over the past few months were actually petite mal seizure. The big grand mal seizure was with the grandparents and my nephew and his friend while they were driving to go fishing. After the Emergency Room, many doctor and neurologist visits, and tests, medication is in place and life is starting to get back to a new normal. I have to enforce bedtime a bit more and drive him to school so he can sleep in rather than get up 30 minutes earlier to get the bus. I have someone who can cover for me at work for my early 5:30 am classes when El Esposo is out of town and I have to be home in the morning. Yes, it was scary. Yes, we had to make some changes. Yes, we are treating it as a speed bump and we are still moving forward. Now we just have elbow pads and knee pads on along with the helmet and gloves. Extra protection, but we are still moving on.
Change #2: The company (Big Box Gym) that I have been employed with for the past 15 years has been in a bit of a death spiral since 2008. Last Thanksgiving it sold 171 locations to a major competitor in the fitness industry and last week it sold off 39 more locations, including all of the Texas locations, to an unknown fitness start-up. The new management is in our gym this week to start making changes and after many years of putting up with crap pay, having all of my previous job opportunities to travel and train other trainers wiped out due to budget cuts, and no room for advancement, I am leaving. I had been mulling over this decision for a long time, but I had always felt a sense of responsibility to the gym members who came to my classes and paid for personal training sessions. I am in the process now of letting them know what has taken place in the last week and they all agree that I have to do what is best. I had lots of great opportunities handed to me with Big Box Gym but all the people who gave me those opportunities had their positions eliminated for budget cuts. It is time to cut the cord.
Change #3: I am going from being employed to being self employed! Today I have a meeting with a trainer that I used to work with at Big Box Gym who struck out on his own several years back and opened up a private training facility. Joe is a great guy and I have a lot of respect for him as a trainer. He was excited to see me walk through his door last Friday and said that he had heard that I was coming to see him. I know a few of the other trainers who work with their clients at Joe's facility and they had encouraged me to make the switch and go talk to Joe. The best part is that I get to work around people that I like, set my own hours, and it is not very far from where Big Box Gym is located so that many of my clients will be able to follow me.
Change #4: I was approached last night about coaching another Team in Training Tri TEAM for the Oceanside 70.3 Ironman and the Galveston Memorial Hermann 70.3 Ironman next year as well as a TEAM for Ironman Texas in 2014. Um.....YEAH!!!! San Juan 70.3 Ironman was thrown around in there as well. I am stoked about it!
Change #5: Adopted Daughter #1 will graduate from Texas A& M on May 11th. Paying for her schooling has been an eye opening experience. The dorm rooms still look the same as when I was a student there, but they cost three times as much per semester. The last payment for the cap and gown, diploma fee, and living money to get her through the next few weeks has been made. Adopted Daughter #2 has one more year at The University of Houston. This means we have a little extra money that is going to be available to provide for.....
Change #6: A new dog!!! Not just any dog, but for those of you who still don't know what kind of dog yet, I will leave that as a surprise for you. I got the call yesterday that the reports from the home visit and the phone calls to references and vets were finished and would be submitted to the adoption committee and that we would soon be approved to start meeting the dogs to have one pick us as their perfect "Forever Home". I am in the process of getting the house ready for a pup crate, food bowls, and squeaky toys. Just letting you know, it still may be several weeks or even another month due to the fact that EVERYONE in the family has to be present for adoption day and El Esposo is heading out of town again for work and I have a few things going on as well such as volunteering at Ironman Texas and a marathon in San Diego. I am being patient. :)
Yeah, so lots of change going on here in NW Houston, TX. Some of it daunting (ok, most of it), and most of it is stuff that I know I am going to be able to handle. There may be some kinks to work out, but as a former colleague said, I will land on my feet and come out smelling like a rose. There were days that I was run down, mad as hell, or even sad but I had to put that aside and walk out my back door to my car and just be awesome. The workouts might have been rough, but I was being awesome. The job situation was a bum deal and I felt like checking out, but I had to be awesome. The hospital was giving me the run around, I stopped them in their tracks with my awesomeness and they bowed to my command.
Incredible things on the horizon. Stay tuned!
Later Gators,
Liz
