The Most Challenging Season of my Life

My Tumultuously Rewarding 2020 Season...and Beyond

My last bodybuilding season was challenging in many ways

Not even just the obvious circumstances of the world at the time and all show cancellations with months of persistence with Team EDGE

This led to the august 29 show in the first pic which was great to get feet wet again but I didn’t get the result I was goin for but it was so fun!

But also, My childhood home caught fire during my peak week, one week before my parents were going to be officially living together in South Carolina in their new gorgeous home

This happened in peak week for the Ace of Stage show in September

I remember running out of the house (only my room still had stuff in it the rest of the house was pretty much in South Carolina) through black smoke grabbing my bikini, heels, and food. I was going to get on stage no matter what. Thankfully ever since I started competing I prep all my peak week meals 7-10 days in advance and freeze them and grab as I go for easy travel and usage so I didn’t have to worry. The water was a bit of a different story

September 15 we were sitting outside our house as the firefighters rolled through and I saw my dad and heard my mom on the phone absolutely crushed by this as they finally sold their house and now everything was literally up in smoke
My dad had to stay in California, I found us a local hotel that we lived in the rest of the week and beyond

I went to do the show (pictured in second photo) all the way in Vegas. I drove their with Robbie and we had so much fun! I got qualified for nationals and then celebrated Robbies birthday!

It was a major week with all the changes and stressors but I was blessed that the hotel actually had a fitness center that was open that at least made the rest of my peak week easier (always a silver lining)

I didn’t realize at the time this was all really the beginning of the end

I then went on to prep for USAs. My mom was so excited to come to a show. Her and my dad booked a hotel room at the host hotel in Vegas and were going to celebrate their anniversary and I could not wait to see her again. Show location change, her and my dad decide to cancel just incase more changes happen. I was so sad and so was she

I face timed her that weekend and we talked a lot, she was always at every show so the last year was hard

She was proud but sad not to see it...Then in january we planned a trip to see each other in April with the whole family!!

We talked about it every day

Until February 24th when my family went through a traumatic experience finding out my mom had died

I never got to see her since she moved months before the house was sold to get their new house ready

But I dedicated every show to her because she couldn’t be there for me like she always was, and I’ll continue to honor her in the process she was unconditionally supportive of

She sent me a mask with butterflies on it and said she wondered if I could wear it on stage and it made her think of me and the incredible journey I’ve been on
I didn’t wear it on stage, but I wore it so much before and after and now when i have to. If I had a show where a mask was ever required again, I’d absolutely wear it for her

As a competitor, you get on stage and you smile and shine and give your all, those moments are so cherished in life and sometimes I think they go so quickly so we can be reminded of their beauty

They serve a purpose in showing us that not all things last forever (good and bad) so take it all in In each moment

I just wish she could’ve been there to see one last show. And yes she will always be with me in spirit, but she will not be there to hug and laugh and cry to after or dance around with before

You’re going to have hard preps, very hard preps and crazy shocking ones
You’re going to have tough improvement seasons, life changes, and sometimes unexpected tragic events

But you’ll also have many beautiful shining moments throughout. Hanging on to those will support you in getting through the troubles you face—which you can get through💜

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