The time had finally come, we were on the plane to Texas!
That international dream was becoming a reality! Penelope had her own little
cot, we were all in matching outfits and were ready to take on America! We
arrived at our hotel late into the night, emotions running high, all ready for
the international finals of YAMI!!
Texas was HOT, and HUMID but it was Texas! The bigger the
better which when you say you want a large drink, the cup is the size of your
head! Our first proper day was a trip to the supermarket, in which we could
delight in the American sweets, chocolate, so many cakes and cookies as well as
some fruit fun! I could of spent forever in there (plus they had aircon!!). It
was also prep night, in which I was being fake tanned for the first time in my
life!! They say pageants are glamourous but if you were to look behid the
scenes it would be a completely different story!! It was also very hard when you
have a newborn to express enough milk and feed her as wll so the sound of a
breastpump was very familiar by then!
Friday came and it was the first day of the competition, we
spent the day getting ready and preparing, not sleeping through excitement or
nerves, or in my case a snoring roommate, and the evening finally rolled around.
Team Europe were dressed to impress! We learnt the opening number which we
discovered that Atlanta can’t do a grapevine and also met the girls in our age
catorgy as well as headshots. By the end of the night, a lot of pageant girls
heels were off, and it was up to try and get some sleep before the wake up call
of 4AM to get ready for PAGEANT FINALS!!!
Saturday was a whirlwind, from the opening number to getting
on that stage and rocking it! We cheered so loud for our fellow sisters, making
sure everyone knew who Europe was! I wore my winning red, white and blue wear
from YEMI since it was so hard to find outfits that would fit my body after
baby!! For evening, I wore a Gino Certuti gown, which was from The Dressworx as
once again finding the perfect evening gown was a massive struggle when not
many places stock the big girl sizes! After evening we also had our onstage
question, in which my daughter decided to cry as loud as she could, not content
with her crowning moment before the opening round!! My question was about my
ideal appearance in which I talked about my platform on mental health, talking
about the work I have started with the Laura Hyde Foundation, then straight
after questions it was off to fed Penelope (my evening gown was breast feeding
friendly!!).
In the evening it was the All that Glitters is GOLD party,
where the room was covered in girls in sequins! It was great to relax as all
the judging had been done, and Penelope got to wear the cutest Gold Dress and
hair bow! There was a raffle which of course I didn’t win (needed Georgia’s
luck!!) and sadly I had to leave early as I was physically exhausted and needed
to settled Pea down. I keep forgetting that I had had major surgery just two
months ago and have just been on the go, to even get to America after
everything has been an achievement!! To share it with these amazing girls and
also an amazing pageant system was all I needed!!!
Sunday had arrived and it was crowning day, and Team Europe
had a lot to cheer for! First up was Mia who placed 2nd Runner up,
next was Macie who won the teen!! Next was Atlanta who won the Miss!! Surely us
Ms could do it?!!! First were the awards and I won the best in Red, White and
Blue which meant that my outfit had won both nationals and internationals! I
ended up 2nd runner up with Sara placing 1st runner up,
and Dawn placed 1st runner up in the Mrs. I’m not going to lie but I
cried a lot, tears of joy, sadness for letting the team down, exhausted tears.
There were more crowns to be awarded, and Sara won Supmere Beauty (which our
director won a few years ago!) and Mia won Supreme Congeniality.
So four out of
6 girls were coming home with a crown! Of course Pea won her crown before
internationals. It was a bittersweet moment for me as I had put my all, but it
simply wasn’t meant to be this year, I was meant to be there to provide the
laughter and the cuteness of baby pea and to support my queen sisters as we
have worked so hard to get to this moment! I am proud of myself for showing all
the mammas out there you can have it all! For recovering from a bad labour
which left me unable to walk to getting on stage in heels and showing the
American’s what this single Mumma with dodgy hips can do! After all the
excitement, we got to chill by the pool and get our insta model photos on! But
most importantly just to relax!
The next two days before we left were time to actually have
a holiday and a lie in!! We got burnt by the pool, enjoyed a steak night, as
well as explore the mall!! Baby gap was hit hard by me and Jill!! And also we
came back with lots of sparkles from me and Pea’s matching sequinned bags to my
lovely pandora crown ring. I may not have a crown on my head but I have a tiara
on my finger! Also there was a lot of American candy coming back (I had my own
suitcase for it!!!). Our last full night we had a crazy restaurant Japanese
experience with our directors and international directors, where the food was a
show! I also came back with some amazing china cups!!!
It was a long journey back, but it was really was a trip of
a lifetime. I may not have won an international crown but I am still and always
will be your Young European International Ms 2017/18 and I birthed the first
Baby Miss International!! I have achieved so much since November and still have
a lot planned before I hand over my crown in November! From my virtual charity
bike ride to Texas, the Beni Bear Club and so many events around Swindon and
the Southwest, plus Princess Pea has a whole year to plan!!!
If you want a pageant which makes you the best you possible,
supports each other and allows you to grow and promote your own platform. That
has amazing national and international directors that help you along the way,
and sister queens that will simply make your day (and drain your mobile battery
and data) then you need to enter TODAY and follow in our footsteps!!! Enter at www.yemipageants.co.uk or find YEMI on
facebook at @yemipageants.
Make the change and aspire to inspire, you could be winning
this lifetime experience!
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