Ready, Set, Go!

Three.....Two.......One....... The race has officially begun! Of course I have not been literally running a race, but it definitely feels like it. The weekend of January 7th began a whole new chapter in my life. The excitement and wave of emotions I felt after the Miss Muscatine pageant was astronomical. I could not believe all the support and love that surrounded me. From the excitement of pageant day to the planning and hard work that followed there after, I was ready for the challenge. I am so thankful and blessed to have the opportunity to represent the Muscatine Community throughout my year of service and cannot wait to be actively involved!

When you believe you can, anything is possible no matter how impossible it may seem. My parents have always taught me to dream big and shoot for the stars. No matter how difficult things seem, if you work hard, are motivated, and have confidence amazing things can be accomplished. Being crowned the 2017 Miss Muscatine was a dream come true! My days following Miss Muscatine have been anything but dull. From meeting with sponsors like Le Chic Prom and Pageant Boutique and 8 One 8 Fitness to making multiple appearances, I have been one busy gal! Not to mention three days after Miss Muscatine I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed! 

As a major advocate for Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness, I have been actively seeking opportunities with the Muscatine Police and Fire Department, New Horizons in Muscatine, and with the Partnership for Drug-Free Iowa (PDFI). Since being crowned, I became a co-editor for best of videos for PDFI, toured the Muscatine Police and Fire Department, learned the status of prescription drug abuse and overdoses in Muscatine, finished my third children's book, and am continuing to pursue more opportunities. 

Not only have I been active in my platform, but I have been active in the community. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" Every single year across the United States people come together to answer that question including myself. In 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act which made the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday a national day of service. To partake in this initiative, I collected several bags full of clothing to donate to Goodwill in Iowa City. 

Rounding out the past few weeks, I attended the Miss Burlington Pageant this past Sunday. Five wonderful women competed and the competition was tough. I was not jealous of the judges. I had company while traveling to Burlington, Taylor Wiebers, Miss Iowa 2015. Many titleholders in the Miss Iowa Class of 2017 attended including Miss Iowa 2016, Kelly Koch. It was wonderful to see so many friends! Congratulations to Cheyenne Prowant, the new Miss Burlington. 

“Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.”

– Jack Canfield

As I look to the week and year ahead I can not help but think how blessed and lucky I am. This quote  sums up the last few months of my life. If you don't try, you do not know what you can be capable of. Half of the journey is about failing and learning to pick yourself up. This is how we grow and become stronger. Have Faith and Believe.