Apparently, this was the surprise. 😂 And somehow, we actually kept going.
One Sunday, Dennis said to me, “I have a surprise for you.”
Now, if your husband tells you he has a surprise and says, “I’ll bring you there. We can stop by,” your mind naturally starts imagining all kinds of possibilities.
Maybe it was a new place we were going to check out. Maybe a shop. Maybe something related to one of our plans for the house. Maybe another little adventure.
I was excited.
So we got in the car, and Dennis started driving.
And then he pulled into the parking lot of the YMCA Health and Wellness Center.
I looked at him.
“What?”
Then came the immediate confession:
“I don’t want to go to the gym.”
Apparently, this was Dennis' surprise. 😂
But somehow, we both got out of the car.
We went inside. We took a tour. We looked around. And before I had too much time to think about what I was doing, we signed up.
The Beginning
We didn't join the gym because we suddenly woke up one morning and thought, We really want to become fitness people.
We joined because somewhere along the way, we realized that we needed to take better care of ourselves.
Life gets busy. Work gets busy. Ministry gets busy. There are always things to do, places to go, and responsibilities to take care of.
And sometimes, taking care of ourselves gets pushed further and further down the list.
So this became one of those decisions where we simply needed to stop thinking about it and start doing it.
Dennis said something that has stuck with me ever since: “If we think about it, we will not do it. So let’s sign up and commit to it.”
So we did.
The First Few Weeks
There is something humbling about starting something new.
You walk into a gym and suddenly realize there are approximately a thousand machines, and you have no idea what half of them do. 😂
Then there are the sore muscles. Your body has a very effective way of reminding you that you haven't used certain muscles in quite the way you thought you had.
Still learning the machines. Still figuring out our routine. Still showing up.
But somewhere between figuring out the machines, getting sore, trying different exercises, and encouraging each other, we started finding our rhythm.
Now we're going about three to four times a week.
Doing It Together
One of the things I enjoy most about this new routine is that we're doing it together.
We don't necessarily have the same routine, the same fitness level, or even the same interests when we're there.
But we're there.
Different workouts, same commitment.
Sometimes we're doing our own thing. Sometimes we're checking in with each other. Sometimes one of us is more motivated than the other.
And sometimes, I'm sure one of us would rather stay home. 😂
But there's something powerful about having someone beside you who is committed to the same goal.
Dennis and His Kenpo Comeback
Dennis has also taken this gym adventure in his own direction.
He enrolled in a Kenpo Karate class—something he used to do when he was younger.
I love watching him rediscover something that was once part of his life.
This time around, he's enjoying Kenpo from a different perspective. He's enjoying it as exercise, movement, and simply something fun to do.
An old passion gets a new chapter. 🥋
And maybe there's something beautiful about that. Some things from our younger years don't have to stay in the past. Sometimes we get to rediscover them in a completely different season of life.
What We're Learning
A few months into this, we're learning that getting healthy isn't necessarily about becoming the fittest version of ourselves.
It's about making small choices. It's about consistency. It's about discipline. It's about choosing to take care of the bodies God has given us.
And perhaps most importantly, it's about learning to show up even when we don't feel like it.
We may not always feel motivated. We may not always have the perfect workout. We may not always know exactly what we're doing.
But we're learning that consistency matters more than perfection.
Three or four times a week may not sound like a huge accomplishment to someone who has been going to the gym for years. But for us, it's a new habit.
And new habits take time.
Sometimes Love Looks Like, “Come on, Let's Go to the Gym.” 😂
Marriage is not always about doing the same things or having the same routines. Sometimes it's simply about encouraging each other to keep going.
There are days when one of us may not feel like going. But the other one helps remind us why we started.
Sometimes love looks like:
“Come on, let's go to the gym.” 😂
And honestly, I'm learning that showing up together makes the journey a little easier—and a lot more fun.
We're Still Showing Up
We're not writing this because we have completely transformed our bodies.
We're not fitness experts. We haven't figured everything out. We're still learning what works for us. We're still building the habit.
But we're showing up.
And maybe that's enough for this season.
Because sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to see immediate results that we forget to celebrate the simple act of beginning.
We began in July. And we're still going.
That's worth celebrating.
Looking back, it's funny to think that what I initially saw as a disappointing surprise turned into something I'm actually grateful for.
I thought Dennis was taking me somewhere exciting.
Instead, he took me to the gym.
And somehow, the gym became another little adventure in our marriage.
Not the glamorous kind. Not the Instagram-worthy kind. Just two people trying to become healthier, stronger, and more disciplined—together.
Maybe this season isn't about becoming the fittest version of ourselves. Maybe it's simply about becoming healthier versions of ourselves—together.
And if that's where this little gym adventure takes us, I'm glad I said yes.
Even if I still don't love surprises that end at the YMCA. ❤️