Pageants, Jude, and ponies.

Jude did very well all weekend and I am very proud of him, it's almost like he knew we needed his cooperation. This weekend Emily competed in the same pageant she participated in last year. So therefore, it was an "Emily" weekend. She gets a few of those a year and I think she enjoys them. I put all my attention on her and her worries about Jude and the rest of our lives melt away. We lock ourselves into a hotel and concentrate just on her event. She even asked if she could turn off her cell phone and just relax, I replied "of course". Funny she would ask that.


When Emily was only seventeen months old I found a tiny news article regarding a pageant at a local community center. My family and I gathered up an adorable little outfit and decided to enter Emily in the event. In true Texas tradition we flaunted our pretty child (lol). We were so proud that Emily won the entire preliminary pageant and advanced to state. Here she is trying to figure out what this trophy was.

At state she was tiny but she got up there in front of the judges and blew kisses, turned around, and danced without being prompted, without makeup, without anything but her personality. Here is a picture of Em loving the stage......she has been a ham ever since. (She was an Anne Geddes angel)

 From state she advanced to nationals and from nationals she won a cruise that led us to Disney world...no I am not joking. She loved the stage. She ate it up, and she still does.

I took her out of pageants for years because I felt like they were concentrating more on the outer beauty vs the inner beauty. Now that she is old enough to make her own decisions I have left the entries up to her. We selectively choose pageants that concentrate on events she enjoys and platforms she endorses. I am proud to say that Emily participated in a pageant this weekend called true beauties and she did very well! She won a supreme, $350 in cash, a crown, a sash, and most important she had an amazing time. The pageant even offered a "pretty in pink" party on Saturday night. They even had DYED pink ponies for the girls to ride, pink little bunny rabbits, and a candy bar full of pink candy. Emily giggled, she glowed, and she had a good time. I was so happy she let loose.

Emily won "jackpot best hair" can you see why?

Here is Emily right before she went in for interview

Em would do a pageant every weekend if I could afford it, but we have to choose carefully what we do. We have discussed her doing Miss Teen Texas someday. I believe she can make that happen and she has an excellent platform to stand on. Pageants get a bad wrap some times but I guess it's like any sport. There are good and bad people in them. Our amazing nurse even said "this isn't what I expected at all" this weekend. He was so sweet and split up his shifts to make sure we had extra time with Emily. Mike really got into everything and was an AMAZING help this weekend.


Jude decided he loved the feather pillows at the pageant hotel. He nestled in to them and went fast to sleep. He only woke up three times to be re-positioned...both nights!!! Once we put him in his new spot he went fast to sleep. Maybe he needed the change of scenery? Maybe he needed some times with his sister? They both slept in an adjoining room to us in their own beds. The hotel was amazing and gave us a comp'd room for the kids because of all Jude's medical equipment. I highly recommend to Marriott!

Emily liked her feather pillows too

Once Emily was at home she quickly shed her "Diva" appearance. I explained we need an Emily's Smile Boxes for a little girl that was battling cancer. Emily spent ...........thirty minutes upstairs putting that box together. She wrote inspirational sayings all over the box and filled it full of the best items she had on hand. She has such a caring heart.

Jude threw up several times at the hotel but he is really limiting his vomiting to about once a day. Despite the vomit the specialist informed us that Jude has gained two pounds. So Jude is now going on a diet again. Overall he looks very good and is being a really good boy. The nightly routine is still working and it seems his breathing treatments are helping with his sleeping.

Also, I finally got a car this weekend. It wasn't the minivan I wanted but it's an SUV and will serve it's purpose for a few years. Once Jude advances into a large wheelchair I should be able to afford the minivan we will need.
Hope you enjoy the pictures.