Every now and then I get caught up in something I know nothing about. I often fly by the seat of my pants and if an idea sounds good to me, I am off and running looking for a new adventure. This is the story of how I entered Lisa in a beauty contest at the age of six without knowing one single thing about beauty pageants for children or anyone else for that matter.
I was having my morning coffee with one of my best friends Janice. She was all excited about this event that would happen in Union City in a few weeks. It was a children's beauty pageant. The winner would receive an award and move on to the next beauty pageant in Memphis, Tennessee. It would go from there to another pageant until someone won $10,000. She said, "Let's enter our girls!! It will be fun and it doesn't cost much money...just an entry fee. We can get them pretty sundresses, fancy sandals, fix their hair and apply a little make up. It will be just like playing dress up!!" We asked the girls what they wanted to do and of course they were excited and couldn't wait to put on make up.
I called Mama to tell her the news and she was not excited at all. Mama and Mamamae were at my home in Tenn. in about an hour. First Mama explained I had never been to a beauty contest for kids and I really didn't know what I was getting into. I told my family all that I knew about the contest and that Lisa was excited and wanted to do it. I can hear Mama now saying, "It costs a small fortune to be in beauty pageants. There is a lot of competition and mother's get furious with judges, the audience and the little girls. Most of the time the little girls do not have fun. Don't make Lisa do this." I remember telling Mama that this time it was just for fun. Lisa's beautiful and it will be like playing dressing up. She won't care if she wins or not she is six. We know she is beautiful. Let her have the experience. She will feel like a princess.
Reluctantly, Mama and Mamamae dropped the subject but "the look" remained through out their visit.
The next day, Lisa and I go to K Mart and buy her a pretty sundress, a pair of sandals that had a wedge heel, ribbons for her hair and a little stand out slip to make her dress fuller. She looked like a little doll. We ordered her a wrist corsage of red carnations and she was ready for Saturday night and the contest. Throughout the week she practiced walking in her shoes, turning around, and smiling. She did fine.
Mama, Mamamae, Janice and her family, Lisa, Tami and I drove to the high school at the same time. As soon as we turned into the parking lot I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. It was packed. My silent introvert jumped up and down in my throat and said, "Oh Hell no !! You are not going in there!!! Are you crazy??? Look at all those rich people...dummy!!" I literally thought I would pass out...but I didn't and we made it inside the school. There were forty million little girls dressed in forty million dollar dresses or should I say gowns. Even though the dresses they wore were short...they were created in the image of gowns. I looked at Mama and she knew how I felt. She hugged me and said, "Lisa is beautiful, she fits right in." God bless her, if she had said "I told you so!!" I would have busted out crying. However, Mama would never say anything like that.
I looked for Lisa and she was playing with some little girls and having a good time. She was enjoying the pretty dresses and acting like a little princess. She did much better than her mother who really wanted to puke...anywhere would have been fine. Her mother also wanted a drink of water and a Xanax. Neither of which she got.
They called the little girls backstage. Lined them up and the first round began. One child was just as pretty as the next. I was glad I wasn't a judge. Lisa made it through that round and was smiling from ear to ear. She even waved to us from the stage. The second round went fine and she was still in the competition. However, others had been cut and there were some mad Mama's in the audience. I have been to wrestling matches where the language was better. Lisa was taken out in the third round. She came back to where we were sitting. I really don't think she was supposed to but she did and I was glad. She whispered in my ear,"Can we go home? I want a bowl of cereal." That was the last thing I was expecting to hear. So I told Mama what was going on and we left.
The ride to our home was quiet. We played the radio and I complemented her on what a wonderful job she did. I told her I had made pictures to show Tommy when he got home. She smiled and that was all. After we got in the house and changed clothes, I fixed the cereal. Lisa was still quiet. Finally I asked her if she wanted anything else and she said the oddest thing. "Mama do you have the crown I wore when I was Valentine Queen?" I did and I even knew where it was--miracles of miracles. She put the crown on and finished her cereal. We began to laugh and talk once again. Soon she was sleepy. She put her p.j.'s on and climbed in bed. I gave her a good night kiss and noticed she was sleeping with her crown on. For the millionth time, in her short life, she stole my heart all over again.
When I walked to the mailbox today I received a surprise package from Trinidad and Tobago. My long time friend, Nalini Mohammed sent me a 'Pay It Forward' present for my new granddaughter. I was beyond delighted and very thankful.
Several months ago Nalini asked ten or fifteen people on Facebook, from around the world, if we wanted to help make someone's day a little brighter. We agreed and were anxious to begin. Our mission is to send a surprise package to a friend somewhere in the world, or if possible to do something nice for someone in person. Something to make their day better and make peace for a minute tangible. " Pay It Forward" is a wonderful idea. We can all use some mental sunshine on any given day. The idea keeps going as each person passes on their offer of friendship.
My surprise was a perfect selection for me. It is a book, about the size of a letter. On the front of the book where an address would be says:
Inside the book are envelope like letters with a theme at the top of the page for the subject to be written about. At the bottom of the page is the date it was written and the date it is to be opened. Here are some of the subjects to be written about.
1. It may surprise you to learn that I was young...
2. One positive change in the world have witnessed is...
3. When your parents were young...
4. The best advice anyone ever gave me...
5. I am curious to see how you...
6. What I want you to know about me...
7. My wishes for you...
There are other quotes just as thought provoking and ideas I want to share with Rowan. She is three months old and has so much to learn. I am also ordering two more for Logan and Jacy. I have so much love and lessons I learned the hard way. I would like to share with all my children and grandchildren.
Thank you again Nalini for giving me a perfect gift and making my day delightful. I have my friend and a gift in mind to send to her. I hope she will like her, 'Pay it Forward', as much as I did receiving mine. I am going to do this more often because receiving and giving me make me feel wonderful. I know a lot of people who could use a smile, a laugh or an Ahhhh that is just what I needed today. Much love to all...for starters.
Melodi took us to the airport in Reno about 4 a.m. Monday. Our flight took off at 5:30. Our first stop was Las Vegas. There we would change planes and head for St. Louis. Sounds simple and it should have worked out that way but flying for us is always an adventure at best... so is crossing the street.
Our flight was on time. The terminal where we landed seemed to be clear across Nevada. We had one hour to find our terminal, check in and get on board to leave. We walked it with time to spare. After we found our destination, we decided to play Poker on the slots machines. I like to play Poker but I am not all that great on slots. There are too many distractions, bells and whistles for me to concentrate. . .or so I thought. We only gamble when we are in Vegas or Tunica, Mississippi. It is all in fun. Tommy didn't want to play but he watched me, giving me all sorts of suggestions. We were having a good time. The guy next to us won $650 on the penny slots. So guess what we played!! I would win a little and loose a little. Time got away from us. We were sitting about sixty feet or so from our gate, except our backs were to the area. It was loud in the gigantic room, and our minds were on the slots. We didn't hear the first page for us to line up and board. We also did not hear it the second time. Finally, Tommy hears something and says we have to go because we are being paged. I never did hear the page. Well, I had one dollar left so I hit it and lost. Then I was ready to go...more or less.
We walked to the gate as fast as we could. The man who worked the counter was smiling. We apologized and he informed us there were two people later than us who had not checked in yet. Tommy gave the man his boarding pass and all eyes turned to me as I began to dump my purse searching for my pass. I knew I had it so I wasn't worried until the gentleman told Tommy, "You can go on and board. I am not sure she is going anywhere." AND then he laughed. I found my pass and we get on the plane. Only middle seats were empty --- Tommy and I split up. He sat between two young thin men. Me ?? I got the first row with the smallest seats in the world. We had lots of leg room but you would need to be a size 8 to even remotely fit in them. I thought the first row of seats always looked bigger. They probably are but our steward said these were the original 'trial' seats they put in when they gave more leg room. Then he smiled and said, "I am really sorry." I was sitting between a mother and daughter who were three times my size, and I am a long way from a size 8. The mother was elderly and sick. She threw up twice in a bag before we started our flight. Her daughter offered to trade seats with me. I was very thankful because the coffee in my stomach was beginning to churn every time she threw up. Her daughter was a nurse and took good care of her mom. The steward never offered to ask her to leave the plane. I was glad because she slept the rest of the way and seemed to feel better once we landed. Sometimes things work out for the best.
We landed in St. Louis, retrieved our luggage and heard about a bomb threat at Mercy Hospital. Part of 270 was closed. We were taking 70 west so that was no problem for us but we were worried about the people at the hospital. All protocol was taken and it turned out to be nothing. A man came to the hospital for a mental
evaluation and had packed golf balls wrapped in something--probably tin foil-- and a non hazardous object that resembled a cell phone. I am glad the man on duty was alert and took proper precautions and called the bomb squad. No one was hurt. I imagine the man in for the mental health check up, lost his balls and string phone and now has a room with a view somewhere safe.
Soon we were in our car and headed home. About forty five minutes out of St. Louis heading west, traffic came to a standstill. We crept along like a long, tired earthworm at times. Most of the time we sat, waiting and wondering who was in a horrible situation. Emergency vehicles had to drive on the shoulder and take outer roads to reach the accident. When we finally drove past it, what we saw was horrible. Little children were involved in the accident and I have no more information. It looked bad and I will leave it at that.
On a brighter note, we had a wonderful stay with Melodi, Lacey and Rowan. Our trip home was eventful and a tad more sane than some trips we have flown. Considering we were flying at 34,000 feet and flying at 450 miles an hour, it was a good flight. As far as I am concerned, that is a good thing and beats traveling by covered wagon all to pieces. However, I must admit, I would love to travel once the Oregon Trail with a wagon train. It is on my Bucket List...it just can not be in summer...someone would shoot me half way through the trip.
Tommy and I visited Melodi, Lacey and Rowan this past weekend in Reno. It is such a treat to be 67 and a new grandmother. I thought those days were long gone. Jacy our oldest granddaughter is 14 and Logan our grandson is 12. We have been with them for most of their lives. Watching them grow up has been one of life's great adventure. They are amazing, funny, super smart and are blessed from the top of their heads to the bottom of their toes. All they have to do is say "Hi, Nonnie" and I am grateful all over again for life and for them.
It is the same with my daughters. They were first my babies, then my little girls. Truthfully, part of me has kept them in my mind and heart as little girls and that is fine with me. However, I enjoy the women they have become. Without a doubt they are the funniest, most creative women I know. There are times when I think we could take our show on the road. At this time in my life, they are my best friends. Tommy and I adore them and their spouses. Laughter is good for the mind, heart and soul. We laugh a lot when we all get together. It is a cleansing time and a renewal from all the crap going on in the world.
And then came Rowan. She is a new spark in our lives. There is something magical about babies. And Rowan is about as magical as they come. When I whisper in her ear, I call her 'Bean'. The first time I saw her ultrasound she looked like a little bean. I remember thinking, "There is my little Bean and I love him or her."
When Lacey or Melodi walk into a room, Rowan lights up. When Tommy and Rowan interact, she coos and laughs and kicks her little feet. She adores his voice. I do too. Now Ro likes me and talks to me but I think my glasses are debatable with her. I take them off and she is happy. Me, on the other hand, can not see up close so my new love is a bit of a blur. It is a trade off in that department.
Life is good...very, very good in my
corner of the world.
To be continued...we had to return home and what a trip it was!!
