Jude, sleepless nights, and my opinions

Jude was up about 2-3 times every hour last night. I gave him a stern talking too (just kidding), but he didn't listen. Therefore, I have really been pretty tired today. Although, since I started working out again I am not overly tired. Jude seems to be doing better with his illness and he is making great progress in school. Charlotte said that he turned from his side to his tummy three times today. He is also still smiling and laughing a lot. He is just a happy little boy. I hope he is so because he knows we love him so much. The other day at Cook's ER Jude was doing his "running" on the gurney and I asked him "Jude where are you going?". To our surprise Jude replied "Hoooooooooon" and kept running. I truly believe he thought he was going to his home he loves so much. If anything ever happens to my job I have to do what I can to keep our home. He feels so safe and secure there and really expresses this to everyone that comes to our house. Jude also had a bruise on the back of his calf last night and I was concerned. I get concerned any time I feel like he is hurting. After calling Mike in to investigate the bruise he matched it to his leg braces. Charlotte is worried that the brace got to tight either in the bus or on his wheelchair. They are going to loosen them up a little. We also are going to look into a different wheelchair since we know Jude has scoliosis. We are planning on taking him to Scottish Rite to see a orthopedist.

So today I ordered the last supplies for the 300 Emily's Smile Boxes we are making at Emily's birthday party. I also ordered 30 boxes for a friend who wants to hold a box making party at a Cinderella pageant. If you haven't heard of Cinderella scholarship you can see them at this link: http://cinderellapageant.com/. They have a small prelim in Weatherford and they wanted to promote making the boxes. It's 100% natural and a great system. This leads me into my other topic. It seems a horrible episode of Toddlers and Tiaras has made the cover of People magazine this week...sigh. Emily is disheartened when she hears people ridicule pageants because she works so hard at them and loves them.  I try to explain to her that the community as a whole has a habit of judging everything by it's appearance and lumping everything into one category. This show is based off ratings and therefore they follow those families that will boost their ratings. A natural or toned down system that promotes charity work and teaches girls about inner beauty wouldn't rate as well as something so scandalous like a high end glitz system with a skimpy outfits on toddlers. I am appalled a woman would dress her 3 year old up as Julia Roberts playing the hooker in Pretty Woman. As a director I would have personally pulled them off the stage. When that aired I looked at my husband and said "this is a joke right? This can't be real".  Let me stress that there are good systems out there that promote education, fun, charity work, and more. Emily doesn't use hair pieces, or flippers, and only uses natural photo's. This is just our choice and one we stand by. Yes, she wears makeup under the harsh stage lights. Emily has a wonderful coach who supports her and works with our family. We have made some of the best friends possible doing pageants and we are grateful for them.  Our non pageant friends she and I have brought to her events have left saying "that was so fun and not what I expected!". So I hope that America knows that there are positive sides to pageantry. Emily is eloquent, she makes excellent grades, she works hard, and she is gracious when winning or not winning. She understands that pageants are not based solely on beauty but also hard work. She had her choice between softball, dance, pageants, theatre and more. She personally chose pageants and theatre.  Someday her goal is to go into the Miss Teen Texas sector and hopefully obtain a scholarship for college. Anyway, I just wanted to express my views.

Emily's Pageant coach Cristina. One of her best friends. She looks like Miss Universe huh?

This is Maddie! A pageant girl hard at work helping out her community

Pageant girls making Smile Boxes.

Great friends are made at pageants. Regal Princess contestants.

Everyone has their opinions and I understand that. I personally didn't like the competitive side to cheer, but again that is just me. I also don't like the heavy glitz side of pageantry hence why I push natural or toned down.

We all walk about our lives and do the best we can. I hope to touch others by telling our story, being the best person I can, and loving my children. I support them when they make good conscience decisions and I think Emily has done that well.

Oh and a big hooray for Em. This will be over 4300 boxes she will have passed out!!! What an accomplishment. I am so proud of her!! One day I do think she will reach her goal if getting a box in every hospital in the nation.