New Career

 As stated in a previous post, I went to school and became a licensed Master Esthetician. Another title I've heard used is Skin Therapist. I absolutely love being an esthetician. What do I love about it you ask? Well, I love people. I see people going here to there in the rush of life getting/being stressed. It pleases me to know that I now have the skills to help these stressed people take a moment in their lives to take a breath and relax. Clients come in a rush and leave feeling peaceful and happy. It is very rewarding.

I love that as an esthetician I've learned there continues to be further breakthroughs in science to aid in becoming healthier and I can be a part of all that through skin care. I love to learn and there is always something new to learn and understand.

I also love working at Ogden Organix. Their philosophy is to aid everyone achieve overall holistic wellness through various forms of relaxation, body treatments, nutrition, improving self esteem, and the products used inside and out for your body. Ogden Organix offers many wonderful products to aid in achieving a more organic lifestyle. I love it! It is the only holistic wellness center, salon, and spa in the area. Their 5 year plan includes growing into a larger center to cover more holistic needs in the area. I'm excited by this plan and am so happy to be a part of it.

My wonderful employer has set up a way for me to succeed through her advertising and for each referral that receives a service the person who referred them earns a $15 credit towards another service.

I only have one problem, lack of clientele. I am new in an industry that pays by commission only. I need clientele and this is a tough industry to break into. I have spoken with so many potential clients and given out a few hundred cards and flyers. I have done follow-up calls and such. -and now I wait.
This is the most difficult part for me. It's not just the waiting, it's also the lack of income. I have a family that I support and a quickly dwindling savings account. My biggest fear is that I have gone to school and fallen in love with this new career and will have to leave it for another job...very soon.

I believe in the plan Ogden Organix has for a holistic center. I believe in myself, that I am talented and skilled to be a success in this business. I believe a loving Heavenly Father led me to this career and believes in my success. I have to trust in Him and in the general public that this will be a wonderful adventure in my life.

Here is the address, phone number, and list of services at Ogden Organix that I offer:
184 Historic 25th St, Ogden, UT
(801) 589-9254

Waxing from head to toes 
Pedicures 
Basic Manicures
Shellac (nail color lasts 14 days)

Facials -to relax and improves skin
Galvanic Treatment -to firm up face
Chemical Peels-evens skin tone and improves skin quality
Eyelash Extensions
DoTerra Aroma Touch Therapy Treatment
Special Occasion Make-up

We offer the Image skin care product line, including an organic line offered by Image. We also offer many other great organic and vegan products for skin and hair. I am a doTerra essential oils rep and Ogden Organix has allowed me to offer doTerra oils to sell and use in services for aroma therapy purposes. 

I hope you'll come in soon for a relaxing moment. This is the holiday season -we have gift certificates. Please feel welcome in taking some time out for yourself during this busy season to relax and unwind and/or give the gift of relaxation. I look forward to seeing you soon. 

Meeting Ann

As I have said before, I wasn't always an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (mormons). I listened to the teachings but was rarely interested in living it because I was more into myself than what God wanted of me.

 We moved from Glendale, CA to Arcata, CA just before my senior year of high school. We'd lived there before when I was a kid but it was still a tough adjustment to be there again. Towards the end of my senior year of high school, I met a boy who I was drawn to like a moth to a flame. We dated for a year. He was so nice and we loved so many of the same things. There are only two reasons why I'm not with him today 1) I knew in the long run, we'd end up not together once he decided he'd choose to live an alternative lifestyle (gay). I knew he was from the day we met. -and 2) I kept feeling a strong pull to become more spiritual and I kept denying it so I could be with him. Both those reasons I knew we had to break up our relationship.

I had just graduated from high school ( 1992) when I decided to go to LDS girls summer camp for the last time. Back then, camp lasted a full week. I felt it would be kind of the last activity before becoming a full fledged adult. I'd been intimately involved with my boyfriend since graduation night and I suddenly felt worlds away from all the girls there. I hadn't realized how much I'd grown away from all of the youthfulness and become an adult already until I was there. Camp was so fun though. It was there I met Ann. I hadn't seen her there in all the previous years and she seemed so lonely.Turns out she'd recently moved to the area and didn't know anyone yet. Since I felt so apart from all the other girls I knew, I chose to spend my days at camp with Ann. We had a blast and giggled so much. It had been well over a year since I'd felt that kind of camaraderie with girls. We exchanged info the last day of camp and I didn't give her a second thought after that. My life became all about my boyfriend. We were so wrapped up in each other. I loved him so much it hurt to think we might not always be together. I know he felt the same way because even years later he told me so. Just as a side note, he has been happily involved with his boyfriend these last 15 years and I am happily with my husband for 12. Funny how life turns out. 

Anyway, I met Ann again that following February. My brother had convinced me and my boyfriend to attend a Valentine's Day church dance for young single adults. By that time I had quit going to church at all. While there, this redheaded young women comes bounding over to me like she's tigger all excited yelling my name. I'm like, "what the?" I'd been so involved with my life, I'd forgotten her completely. Literally. She's telling me how she didn't realize I was Josh's sister and how she had been looking for me and how she really wanted to get together sometime soon to hang out. -and all the while I couldn't remember how the heck I knew her and wondered why she was acting like she knew me so well.Even after she referenced camp,  I was baffled but I was nice about it. After the dance, I again didn't give her a second thought. 

Although I'd never been actively in the church, I still felt that being intimate with my boyfriend was a sin and the longer we were together, the more I felt it. I was so torn with my feelings for him and feelings of virtue at odds all the time. By June we'd been together for a more than a year and I was a spiritual mess. I talked to him about how I felt and although it tore us both up, we parted. 

Break-ups are never easy. We both suffered a great deal and yet we both ended feeling it was for the best. He began to explore who he was with out me and I did the same with out him. I turned to the Lord. After much reading and learning of other churches, I came to the conclusion both logically and spiritually that being a Mormon was the absolute right thing. I began to read scriptures (as described in a previous blog post) and intermittently attend church with my family. 

Not long after my break-up it was announced that a singles branch was to be formed for all the young single adults to attend church for the whole Humboldt County area to attend. I decided to be part of that and started going there but not every week. It was such a huge change for me to go every week so I didn't -it was a bit difficult at first. I wouldn't say I felt unworthy but just so different from everyone there. Of course, who did I meet that first day I attended services? Ann. This time I remembered her. Her out reached hand of friendship was like a life saver thrown to a drowning person. I felt so out of my element there and here she was, a familiar face, ready and willing to be my friend. 

During my infancy of spirituality, she was there to guide me through and teach me how to be an active member of the church. I also met another young woman whom I bonded with during those early days, Candy. Between them both and through the guidance of our Heavenly Father, I became a stronger person both temporally and spiritually. A few years later, all three of us went on a mission within a month of each other. We served in different areas of the country but remained close through letters. 

All these years later, we all live in three different states and we are all still friends. I am still quite close with Ann. She is my best friend. Today is her birthday. I am filled with joy and gratitude to still have her in my life. 

Ann, you are amazing. Thank you for being there when I needed you most and for never giving up on me and for remaining so true.  I love you my sweet sister. I hope you have a lovely birthday. 

Shabby Apple

I love Shabby Apple styles. I bet you will too. Check out their site:

http://blog.shabbyapple.com/2012/10/why-because-we-love-you.html

Becoming a Master Esthetician

The first time I remember hearing the word Esthetician was a little over 8 years ago. I have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) which causes a lot of hormone problems, including hair growth on the face. I had gone to a local medical spa to receive laser hair removal on my face. The doctor came into the room to assess my face and then a lady performed the laser service. As I spoke with her, I asked her what her job title was and she said –esthetician. I asked her what that meant. She kind of explained it to me. I thought to myself, “gee, those are all things I love doing at home and with friends during a ‘girls night in.’
For the last 5 years I had been running a licensed daycare in my home so I could afford to stay home to raise my daughter. Having a child has it’s own challenges but when you add several other children into your day to day life, it’s rewarding and challenging too. The plan with the daycare was to only have it until my daughter started attending school.
On the more challenging days with the children, my former conversations with the esthetician would come to mind. Then, in May 2011, I realized I only had a little over a year left before my daughter started going to school and I needed to start thinking about what to do with the next chapter in my life. I saw a commercial for Marinello’s School of Beauty advertising their esthetics program. Let’s just say a light bulb not only turned on but flooded my mind with, “why not?”  So, I prayed about it. I investigated the various schools in the area and looked at finances. Everything just seemed to fall into place. It felt as if the Universe was not only opening my eyes to what to do next with my life but virtually shoving me into the decision to go enroll. I took a tour of the Marinello campus on a Thursday and applied for a pell grant and was enrolled by that Friday and began attending classes the following Monday. It all happened pretty fast.  I worked full time during the day and attended school in the evening four days a week.
I loved it from day one. It all felt so natural to me. It was like I’d finally found my niche in the vocational world. I have enjoyed many jobs in the past but this was different. I felt so at home with each new topic.  I’m sure you’ve heard when you put a group of women together, there are bound to be tensions or little tiffs, not there. Everyone got along pretty well and we had fun yet we were learning all at the same time. It was wonderful.
What did I learn how to do you ask…and what is an esthetician? Well, let me tell ya! An esthetician is a person licensed to give beauty treatments, mainly for skin care. I learned how to give various types of facials, how to use several machines that aid in cleansing, stimulate collagen, and heal skin as well as microdermabrasions. There is even a machine to do lymph drainage for the body that also aids in toning and smoothing cellulite! Can you tell I love this yet? I can also give hot stone massages, chemical peels, wax any part of the body (that includes a Brazilian), basic manicures and spa pedicures, tint eyebrows and lashes, perm eyelashes -although Utah licensing has now said only cosmetologist can perm your lashes, do eyelash extensions, do detoxifying body wraps and other spa like treatments. Plus, I am certified to give laser treatments…talk about coming full circle.
It’s all fun but I would have to say my favorite service to give is a facial. Not only is a facial relaxing for the client but also for me. I love knowing I am helping others feel better about themselves and perhaps even helped them to feel a bit less stress in their day. It’s quite fulfilling. Everyone deserves to be pampered.
I look forward to this new adventure in my life. I will graduate July 19, 2012. I have passed the state board practical and written tests already. Now I just need to complete my hours and wait for my license to arrive in the mail. I was just hired to work at the Ogden Organix Salon on Historic 25th Street in Ogden a couple of doors down from Little Cherry Blossoms Boutique. I will start the week after graduation. It's commission based pay only. I hope you will take the time from your busy hectic life to have a relaxing treatment with me. It will be lovely.

Ready to work!

Dear Universe, I am a dedicated, educated, loyal employee so please make sure I get hired soon where values like these matter with an employer with the same values. Thank you. P.S. a great wage will be much appreciated as well.

Found!

Our lovely cairn terrier, Sadie, had been missing for nearly a full month. Today we got a call that she was waiting for us at the local animal shelter. If you don't have one for your pet, you should get your pet micro-chipped. That how they knew she was ours. Happy.

It Was Only Reflux...ick.

Well, in my last post I was worried about having developed a breathing problem. My doctor informed me that it is possible to have some acid reflux enter the lungs and if you are rapidly breathing (due to exercise or other vigorous activity) some of the acid can enter your lungs causing a reaction similar to an asthma attack. I officially do not have asthma. I do have a minor reflux problem though. Relieved. Thank you all for your positive thoughts and prayers.