My Aunt Julie has always been the coolest (sorry other aunts… I REALLY love you all too!)
Aunt Julie and I on a cruise in 2010.
I can remember watching my Aunt Julie, who is 14 years older than I, go off to college. She wasn’t just the first person from our family to go to college… She went all the way to Colorado! This was a huge step from the perspective of my little farm-girl-from-Missouri eyes.
She also traveled… AROUND THE WORLD!
She was truly my inspiration and has had a huge influence on me and my dream to go to college in Florida (check) and travel abroad (double check).
Fast forward to present day and I couldn’t be more proud of my Aunt Julie (AGAIN).
One year ago, Julie joined my 12 week online fitness challenge.
Julie has one of the biggest, warmest, most caring hearts and she had been giving everything she had to her family and her career and found little time and energy left to dedicate to herself.
Julie started out slowly… Week #1 was dedicated to kicking the Diet Dr. Pepper habit and walking at lunchtime instead of sitting at her desk without a break.
Slowly but surely, Julie began to perform the prescribed challenge training (weights and HIIT) in a modified fashion… She had just spent the past 20+ years being completely sedentary and took the smart approach of doing what she could and having faith that her body would come up to speed and eventually be able to perform all exercises without modifications.
Julie’s year-long journey is far from over. This is just the beginning of the next 
chapter of a healthy, happy, and fit life. You are truly an inspiration to all. I just love these photos of you and your beautiful daughter getting ready to run your first 5K. You are setting a great example for everyone who is lucky enough to know you.
Aunt Julie, you are still my hero. Then and now. I know I have been off traveling the world and have missed many important family and life events over the past 20 years so thank you for the opportunity to give back to you what you have given me all along… inspiration.
