Miss Twin Cities

Hello Friends!

I think it has finally sunk in that I am Miss Twin Cities 2010 and will have another opportunity to compete for Miss Minnesota in June of 2011! Having competed in Miss Minnesota before, I am no stranger to the work that comes along with preparing for such a competition. I am so excited to work with such a wonderful committee that cares so much about this organization and what it does for young women like myself. I also have come to realization to what amazing gifts the Miss America Organization has brought to my life.

I remember watching my sister compete in Miss Twin Cities quite a few years ago and being mesmerized by all the confident, talented and well spoken women including my sister! At that time my family and I really had no idea what they were getting ourselves into! I was able to watch my sister grow that year as Miss Twin Cities and then becoming Miss Minnesota. It was truly incredible. Now I am able to see this change in myself as well. I too am confident in my abilities and am no longer afraid of interviews! :) Bring it on!

Miss Twin Cities has a strong history of hard-working, successful title holders and I hope that I am on that list when this year passes. I have many exciting new ideas to bring to the table so keep posted for those coming soon!

For those of you who don't know a lot about me, I am a student at McNally Smith School of Music which I am absolutely loving right now! I am majoring in composition and I am working towards my dream of becoming a composer for the moving image.
I love living in St. Paul, even if it is only four days of the week. The other three I spend in Detroit Lakes and Frazee where I have my private piano studio and work as a music director at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. You add in appearances as Miss TC and preparing for Miss Minnesota and that doesn't leave many more hours left of the week to do much else! I love it all though and feel very blessed to be in the situation I am in now. With Thanksgiving on its way, I know I have a lot to be thankful for!

Until next time,
God Bless You!

"I had to pull over just to see if it was real!"

Today was one of those days. You know what I mean... when everything just seems to go wrong. I was tired and stressed out because I had to drive halfway across the state of Minnesota. Plus, part of the time that I was driving, I seemed to be lost! (I thought navigational systems were suppose to eliminate that!) But on my way home, I was checking my rear view mirror (like a good driver should) and what I saw was unreal. It was the most breathtaking rainbow I had ever seen. The colors were so vibrant that I had to pull over and get out of the car just to make sure that it was real! Looking at that rainbow, I felt a peace come over me. All day long, I was letting the little things get to me. In that moment, I realized what a beautiful place God made for us to live in. Yes, we all have our adversities and troubles that we have to deal with in life, but that rainbow reminded me how incredible God's creation truly is. (That includes us too!) Those little stresses are not important when we take in to account that God has a plan for each and every one of us. Whether you are religious or not, when you see a rainbow, you have to know that a greater power is out there watching over us. Today, He let me know just that.

It will be here before we know it!

I am so excited to have an opportunity to compete for Miss Minnesota 2009! It has been a dream and goal of mine to become Miss Minnesota and then Miss America. (Hey, everyone can dream big!) In order to be as best prepared for the job, I knew it was important to set up my schedule as Miss Minnesota should have her schedule. I have been making 2 to 3 appearance each week, mock interviewing and interviewing "Inspiring Americans' to put their stories up on www.whohasinspiredyou.com. I created a rack card for my platform, a brochure, business cards, a new t-shirt design, a PR packet to send out as Miss Minnesota, and most of all two new partnerships that will really help build the Miss Minnesota Program. I never knew I would learn how to become quite the business women in this process! I look back at how this Organization has truly changed my life and how I have grown in not only my faith and trust in God, but in my speaking skills, performance skills, and my confidence. I know that it is all in God's hands and his will be done, but I also know that I can go into this competition as best prepared as I possibly can be.

I am really looking forward to the week of Miss Minnesota and all of the fun activities that are planned for us. I am so glad that the contestants have all met each other and even more relieved that we all get along! Where else would I be able to spend a week with ladies that have the same passion and drive as I do for our individual platform? We all have a lot in common and can also share butt glue stories! ;) P.S. Does anyone mind sharing theirs with me? I have yet to get a bottle and am not really sure where I can even get it!

The pageant will be here before we know it! Please keep us all in your prayers for the week and come with your cheering voices ready! Nothing's better than hearing and having support and applause from friends and family in the audience!

Inspiration from a first grade perspective

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to a classroom of first graders at Blake Elementary School. I asked them what the word inspiration meant to them. I was pleased that at age seven or eight, they grasped the concept of inspiration, but at a different level. I think as adults we tend to forget that we can inspire someone by doing something small or that we can make a difference in the life of someone else by a random act of kindness! To a first grade student, they are inspired to be kind to another student because their classmate shared their favorite light-up pen.  To a first grader, they are inspired by a big, "welcome back" from the class, after being gone sick for a few days. They are also inspired to dance or to draw by watching a dancer on TV or seeing a beautiful photo of a flower in a magazine. Inspiration can not only be from a person and what they do, but by the gifts from God that surround us. 

We all like to feel appreciated and it seems to start at an early age! I took a lot from this fun energy - filled visit to this classroom, but the most important thing I will take is remembering to give appreciation for the smallest thing. Let your friend, your family member, the first grader that you may know, your co-worker know that you appreciate them (remember to be sincere about it) and you will make their day! You will inspire them to continue and they will reciprocate to others in their life, maybe even you! :)

Inspiring America

Who has inspired you?

Check out this website: www.whohasinspiredyou.com

Please nominate someone that has inspired you!

I am trying to create a network of inspiration! There are so many amazing works going on around us and I want to recognize them! There are people every day that are volunteering or doing good works just because. Not because they want to get recognized. To me, that is the real hero. I want your neighbor, friend or even you, to know that it is recognized and appreciated! Not only that, but when their story is shared, it fuels a desire in others to want to be better as well.

When I interview people that have been nominated on my website as an Inspiring American, It is such an eye opener and I get so inspired that I want to share it with everyone. Inspiration is what fuels us in life. I know you have been touched by someone's inspiring works, or have been an inspiration to somebody sometime in their life. Everyone has. Become a part of this inspiration and you will feel how I feel. It is the greatest gift of all - and its free! :)

I am a composer and I feel so blessed that I am able to take my inspiration from others and make music out of it. I hope to inspire people through my music and if you would like: check it out on my myspace.

www.myspace.com/inspiringamerica

"Volunteers don't get paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless." - Sherry Anderson