The National Pageant in the Bahamas!! :)

I apologize for the delay in posting my adventures in the Bahamas . . . but the "adventure" is why I haven't written in a while! More on that to follow!

I arrived in the Bahamas on Aug 12th and after a very long delay at the airport I finally arrived at the beautiful Atlantis Resort! It is breathtakingly beautiful! And I had a wonderful time on the island for the competition! I checked-in and went up to my room to find that my roommate Miss Ohio Teen USA Chelsie Folden had already arrived. We both share the same director, Melissa Pitchford, so we already knew each other pretty well!

We all registered on August 13th and it was great to meet all the girls and become reacquainted with a few I had already met during the year through Eagle University, National training, and various photoshoots together! Everyone looked great!

We spent the whole day in high heeled shoes learning all of the walk rountines as well as the dance ones. My feet were killing me even though I spend more time in high heels compared to most girls! But it was all worth it and Kent Parham our choreographer made it all so much fun while we worked hard to learn everything!

Usually the Miss Teen USA pageant has been most recently held in Pascedena, Claifornia for about 3 weeks so our five days was relatively short. We had to work overtime to have everything not just ready, but perfect.

We had a lovely Welcome party where we were all dressed up and got to solcialize a bit. Then off to bed for some sleep. That night I had the opportunity to meet Chad Michael Murray!!

We had an early rise time and got right back to work. I had a blast during the preliminary competition. I followed the rules and wore the required "wedge" shoes, but most of the others switched into their silver strappy shoes. By this time my spray-on tan had faded a bit and even the reapplication wasn't helping because we swam that morning and the clorine deactivated the color. What can I say??? I don't tan because I am a natural red head with white skin. But it's okay because I am completely comfortable just being me and that includes my white skin : ) I don't regret anything because I did my best and no matter what I had a blast and learned a lot!

After the prelim we had a reception where I got to see my parents for the first time. They stopped to see my grandma in Florida first because she had a stroke one week before I left for Nationals. At the reception . . . I fainted. They fed us before the competition, but I am kind of a picky eater so I didn't eat as much as I thought so that explained it. My dad caught me in his arms as I went down, but I was totally out. I fainted once before, but this time I lost my hearing. I sure was embarrassed, but what could I do? At least I did it gracefully according to my Director and just made fun about it after! :)

The finals night was fun too, but I was hoping to make the Top 15 and didn't. I believe that "everything happens for a reason" and while I am not sure why, I am sure the Lord has His reasons! Stevi Perry, a real sweetheart, from Arkansas is our new Miss Teen USA and she will be a terrific representative! I wish her all the best! I actually met her at Eagle U and she was in the same small group as I was. So it was really cool being able to know her before the competition even started!

I have no regrets about how things went. I had a terrific interview, modeled the swimwear and evening gown as best as I could and I truly enjoyed the opening dance routine! The time in the Bahamas was magical and a once in a life-time opprtunity that I will cherish forever!! I am still Miss Michigan Teen USA 2008 and I am still so very humbled to hold this title! I have loved every minute of this very special year!

But there is more to the story of the Bahamas trip: on the morning after the pageant we (mom, dad, and I) were getting up to start the day and get me to the shuttle for the airport. When my dad woke up he was very ill. He said the room was spinning and when he tried to get to the bathroom he walked into the wall and promptly threw-up. He was sooooooooooo sick. He got back in bed so mom and I finished packing and she took me to the shuttle downstairs. Mom told me to stay at the Fort Lauderdale airport util they arrrived (no matter how long it took) so I sat there for six hours waiting. The plan was for us to drive to see my grandma again so I could see her too and see if she was getting better from her stroke. Little did I know that my dad was getting worse by the minute while I waited.

Hurricane Fay was coming down on us and my folks were sitting on the tarmack in the Bahamas waiting for the rain to stop so they could join me. I was getting very worried as the hours passed by. When I saw my dad he was in a wheelchiar with his head down and his eyes closed. He actually had the color green imbedded into his skin...they always say "wow you look green" but I never thought that was possible until that day. He was sicker that I had ever seen him .

We got our lugguage into our car, hailed a cab, and took my dad to the nearest hospital. He was then admitted for the next three days. He was tested for stroke, tumors, aneuryisms, heart problems, etc. The Dr. called it "violent vertigo" which is severe dizziness. He couldn't keep his eyes open because they were jumping around everywhere and he couldn't keep food down. They gave him medication to help with the nasuea, but when he was discharged he really wasn't better. In fact, he still has not gone back to work full time yet. He gets too dizzy and has to come home.

Now things got weird. My parents drove a stick shift to Florida. Mom and I do not know how to drive it ~ just automatics. We decided that my dad should rest a few more days at his sister's house so I got a very fast lesson in how to drive a stick shift (a double-H) and in Hurricane Fay!!! I only really knew how to get into 1st and 2nd gear because my brother (Seth) taught me last Spring, but that was in my school parking lot, not on the actual road. But on the way to my Aunts house, I controlled the foot pedals and steering, while my dad (with his eyes closed) listened to the engine and shifted for me giving me "foot" directions all the way! My mom was in the backseat white knuckled and praying all the time! We did this for three hours in the dark in the middle of a hurricane until we reached my Aunt's house. It was the craziest thing I have ever done.

We stayed for a few days longer in Florida so my dad could rest and hopefully get better. I got to see my grandma. She is not doing very well so I am glad I got to see her just in case it was the last time although I hope not.

My dad (believe it or not) drove us home to Michigan. By this time I was completely run down and very sick with a flu bug and unable to drive even an automatic nevermind a stick-shift and mom didn't want to try it. I can't blame her though. But we made it home safely.

I have had some time to think about the whole trip. What do I know??? I know that God loves me and has a sense of humor that I saw up close and personal on this "adventure" and that most of all He wants the best for me!!! I can't wait to see what He has in store for me. It wasn't Miss Teen USA 2008, but maybe it will be another title somewhere in my future. Maybe even Miss USA someday? You never know : )

Again, I have no regrets and I wouldn't have done anything differently. Different day, different judges maybe I would have won. No matter what, I am very proud of all that I did and accomplished this year with my reign. I am very proud of every bit of it! And I did it all by just being myself and that was the best gift God has given me. To embrace that and be happy with just being me.