Natalie
Rae
Ariel

First and foremost I would like to thank my immediate family.  Words cannot express what their continued support means to me.  They have been there since day one and continue to be part of my motivation throughout my journey.

MY NATHEN:  MY LIFE PARTNER! He is not only my BEST FRIEND, but he is my TRAINING PARTNER and NUTRITIONIST as well! It was love at first sight at the 2007 Mid-West Ironman, we were just in denial for a bit...LOL. He motivates me like nobody else can in the gym and pushes me through when I am at THE LOWEST points! He has been there for THE MOST STRESSFUL period of MY ENTIRE LIFE! I thank God for him EVERYDAY and cannot see myself with ANYBODY else for the rest of my life!

MY FATHER: MY BIGGEST "closet" FAN!  He may think I'm crazy for living this lifestyle, but I know he is PROUD! He was the one who thought my protein powder/shakes were some sort of steroid...LOL, and I thought I was clueless in the beginning! Always the one giving me a hard time about the diet, yet deep down, I know he is the one who repsects what I do the most. He may NEVER understand WHY I do it, but he will always be there to support me. ALWAYS!

MY MOTHER:  MY COMPETITION PERFECTIONIST! She is the only one who I have allowed to ProTan me, to this day. She makes sure my hair, make-up, tan, and suits are perfect on show day! She has sacrificed soooooooooo much for me since the start of my journey, and I am FOREVER grateful! She has been there throughout my prep for cardio motivation, and has even come to keep me company if need be. For my 2007 prep, she was the ONLY person I shared my cheat meals with...lol. She was my photographer week to week and my "eye" when noticing the changes in my physique. She is always by my side at the shows, meeting MY 'bodybuilding family' is important to her. She is getting to know the who's who in the industry right along with me. In a word she has been MY ROCK! I honestly would not be able to have gotten this far without her!

MY SISTER (& BOTHER-IN-LAW too!): MY REALITY CHECK! She has NOT missed a SHOW yet! She has been there through it all, putting up with my mood swings and my stubbornness on show days. She has been there for all last minute help. She never once doubted that I couldn't make it in this sport and her criticism is a reality check when my mind is in the dieting delusion state. She has become quite a good judge herself...LOL, always keeping HER notes during pre-judging to find out her Top 5 are very close if not exactly what the judges' are. She may not know how much her influence mattered back then, but her interest in the fitness world is what started my obsession in the first place. Her continued support, along with Dan's, keep my dream alive! 

Every other family member, friend, co-worker, fellow gym-goer, or fan...........

THANK YOU FOR EVERY SINGLE COMPLIMENT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME ALONG MY JOURNEY!

It has been you that keeps me STRONG!  I PUSH so that it helps you to get motivated or stay inspired. I pray that each and every one of you, already have or one day will, experience how doing something from the HEART makes a person feel. To have a passion and live a dream, to help someone reach their goals, to pay-it forward along the way.....those things are what life is all about.  Thank you for being a part of mine!