Getting my groove back

I worried that Aspen would not adjust well to attending the daycare at the gym. I imagined going to class and being pulled out by one of the care-givers so I could tend to a screaming kid. That fear is what kept me going to late-night classes while Kev was home instead of going to classes during the day.

Our first day there together, I explained to Aspen that it would be a lot like going to nursery at church. There would be nice teachers, toys, and other friends to play with. At first she resisted, saying she wanted to do Yoga with me. I suggested that instead we do Yoga together at home, and she seemed to like that idea.

I took her to the bathroom in the daycare and I'm pretty sure that's what sealed the deal. When she saw the toilet was just her size, she was ecstatic. There was also a set of stairs for the sink so she could clamber up and down all by herself to wash and dry her hands. After seeing that bathroom, she was psyched to be in the daycare. It's one of the first things she mentions when I ask if she'd like to go back with me again.

That was a few weeks ago, and she gives me the same reaction every time I pick her up after my class- whining at me to go away so she can stay and play longer. As annoying as it is to haul my screaming kid out of the daycare after an hour, it's way better than hauling my screaming kid in to the daycare.

The care-givers there are wonderful and I appreciate their hard work to keep the place clean and fun. I love how inexpensive it is to attend this gym and have Aspen go to the daycare twice a week. I'm grateful she has fun there and is excited to go. Since moving to WJ we've been much more isolated than we were in Ogden and I have felt so guilty about Aspen's limited exposure to other playmates. It was hard to go from having at least three play dates a week to only having one (with SueAnn before they moved). And now we're so sporadic with the bad weather and all the plagues everyone keeps getting.

And, maybe more importantly for me, I'm grateful I'm getting the structured exercise that I love and a chance to do something that makes me feel amazing. Challenging myself with Yoga again (and learning to not feel silly shakin' my thang at Zumba) is so rewarding. My body responds extremely well to Yoga and I've seen a significant change since starting classes just two months ago. It's like reconnecting with an old friend.

It's been a huge relief to know that I can not only go at night when Kev is home, but during the day as well. It makes me more consistent when I can go first thing in the morning instead of at 9pm.

Looking for a job in a new city

I picked up an application for the rec center in my neighborhood and eagerly filled it out at home. When I first moved to WJ, I created a fitness-only resume to hand in to gyms when applying to teach. I figured gyms don't care about my experience working at GAP in high school... so I pared it down to relevant jobs and my education.

The following day, I went to the early-morning Pilates class as usual. I yawned through the whole thing (545a is not my best hour) and was startled from my drowsiness when the teacher came up to me afterward to ask about my flexibility.

Although I've kept the information from my instructors until now, I decided to go ahead and tell her that I've been practicing Yoga/Pilates for 8 years, and that I'm certified for both. I didn't want to be treated differently in my classes, so I hadn't said anything the last two months.

But as soon as I shared, the teacher asked if I've ever applied to work at the rec center. I told her I just got an app and was planning to hand it in after class. She. Was. Thrilled. She said they're always looking for more teachers, especially since it's currently really hard for anyone to get a sub.

And not only did the teacher seem thrilled that I was considering employment with the rec center, but she announced it to the whole class as we were packing up our mats and props.

No pressure, right?


When I showed up for the Power Yoga class the next day, the instructor came over and introduced herself as the coordinator of aerobics. She asked me to stay after class and talk with her about my work experience.

She admitted they don't currently have room in the schedule to give me a new class, but once I fill out an employment packet I can go on the sub list. And she has connections with other fitness centers in the area and will help me get in touch with coordinators here and there as well. I've found that in this business it really matters to know someone. Otherwise, you apply online to a gym and your information just gets sucked into a vacuum and never acknowledged. While I'm nervous to be teaching again, I'm also really looking forward to it.