Licensed in California

Spring 2013 Kaleb and I were kind of in a slump, he was working at Property Solutions and I was working at Vivint. I had just received a promotion at my job and Kaleb got one at his as well. We both knew that if we stayed at our jobs that we would be able to move up fairly quickly and make pretty good money. But then it came down to if we really wanted to continue on this path. Kaleb took a few classes from UVU last fall for audio production but the courses weren't as great as he was hoping. I knew that I wanted to go back to college but I was always changing my mind. Did I want to go into fashion, hair, accounting or esthetics!? We even applied to an internship for Del Sol but it didn't work out. And then we applied to go to Russia to teach English but we didn't feel too great about it so we decided not to. 

One day we decided that we were going to do something about it! There is an extremely long story to how we decided and even our AHA moment, but that will come with another post.
When I toured Cameo I instantly knew it was the school I was going to go to. They explained everything to me and made it very exciting. A friend of mine had told me about a school in Los Angeles that his friend was going to so Kaleb checked it out and chose it as a school. Our plan was perfect! I would go to school first, Kaleb would work while I went, then Kaleb would go to school and I would work. 

I knew that I would have to transfer my hours over from Utah to California. I thought it would be extremely simple because Utah requires 1200 hours while California only require 600. 

I would graduate in February and Kaleb's school started in April. I figured I would worry about transferring before we moved.

 I remember the day I called California and asked them how to transfer. They told me that it wasn't easy transferring it over and I would have to retake the tests. Both the practical and the written and it could take months to do so. I cried for hours. Our plan was ruined and it was all my fault! Luckily Kaleb was very comforting and helped me get through the day. I looked up the tests and printed off everything I could that would help me. I found out that Cameo's basic practical exam was almost exactly the same as California's. The best part was that Cameo was having the training for it the next week. I was so relieved but still a little wary.

After moving to California I sent in my paperwork and a month later I had the date that I was going to take the tests. I had to take both the same day. I was extremely stressed out! 

Kaleb was so good to help me study. I printed out a word for word document on the practical exam and he made sure I did everything I was supposed to.

The last part we had to do makeup on the mannequin head. It was terrible!

It was super hard to do but I practiced a lot! 

The day came, Thursday July 10th. I had to take the written test first, early in the morning. I was the first one in line. There were so many people! The testing center was completely different from the one in Utah. In Utah they have several testing centers throughout the state. In California they had one testing center in the north and one in the south. Luckily I lived only a few miles away from the one in the south so I didn't have to get a hotel like several of the other girls.

After taking the written I felt extremely confident that I passed. There were only a few questions that I really didn't know and I took an educated guess.

Later that day I went back to take my practical. Again there were a lot of girls and this time I was toward the back of the line. Everyone had their kits in a duffle bag and I had my in a giant Tupperware. I stood out like a sore thumb. We went to a room were they gave instructions. They asked if everyone had a stand for their mannequin. I began freaking out. I didn't have the right products and I was going to fail! Luckily the instructor told me my mannequin would work just fine. I went in to the room and it was so much different then how I had practiced. We started the test and I just did exactly how I had trained. I know I forgot to do a few things because I was really nervous but I kept going on. 

By the end of the test I had no idea how I had done. My confidence was gone and I was sure that I was going to have to retake it. I talked with a few other girls about the test while we waited for the results. They came through an hour later and started reading everyone's name that passed. Finally I heard my name called and it felt like giant weights we being lifted off of my shoulders!

I decided that since I was so stressed up from the tests that I would take the weekend off to enjoy and then apply to jobs that following Monday. 

The weekend was great and I was glad to be able to rest and spend it with Kaleb. When Monday came I kept putting off job hunting and tried to get other things done. When Kaleb got home from school I felt really guilty that I didn't apply to any so I just went on Craigslist and filled out 5 of the easiest applications. Within a half hour 3 people responded to me, 2 of them wanted to interview. 

Long story short I had a job the week at Total Women Gym and Spa. I was so glad that I was able to get a job so fast! It is great too because it is all women and it is connected to a gym so it is very easy to get clients. The people are great to work with and I am making many friends.

Here is the entrance from the garage. 

It is a fun place and I hope I am able to stay here a long time!

Thanks everyone that has helped me out to get this far. Kaleb and I are very grateful!