As we descend into the two week countdown before the YEMI finals, its time for reflection or rather what to do instead of attempt to finish my outfits whilst my child sleeps for once! Can you believe it was nearly a year ago today I was making history?! A pregnant winner wearing a green dress ;)
In my year as Young European International Ms It has been filled with glitz, glamour and hospital gowns. Looking through all my appearances I have made over 75, travelling pregnant and also with baby pea in tow, to places all over the UK and now it is all coming to an end so here is a lookback at my year as your Ms Winner...
November- The month of being crowned!!
The first time I entered YEMI in 2016 I had lost my confidence after competing a few weeks before, which was why when I entered in 2017 I knew I had to give it my all as it could of been my last pageant. Hearing your name and reliving your dreams for the past few months is surreal and one I will always treasure! Here's to a busy year!
December- The month of giving!
December I got to see Georgia compete with the other Wiltshire girls, then convince her to join YEMI (one Wiltshire girl down, 3 to go!) but the greatest appearances were giving to others at Christmas! From the food bank, Threshold homeless charity, brighter futures for the elderly and children, as well as travelling to Oxford to help wrap presents. The Christmas love was real!
January- Fierce pageant realness
The bump has well and truly popped by now! I was feeling pregnant! January saw the finals of Miss Beauty UK where our fellow Wiltshire girl Jade was crowned the Miss winner! We also got our matching jackets, feeling like true pageant queens! We also got to go the Bath Dog and Cats home to donate toys and see all the doggies which made my pregnancy hormones go into overdrive!
February- When KFC ran out of chicken
February saw the YEMI girls all meet up, in which our photographer broke down so Jeyanne had to step in with the pageant mummas holding the backdrops! I also attended a couple of pageant finals, as well as host my baby shower (unicorn themed of course) and charity donations! By now I was waddling so it was wind down to maternity for this pageant queen... she said!
March- Chocolate Overload!
March was meant to be wind down, and with the snow we were kinda forced to!! But of course I still had one charity collection planned which saw us donate over 100 Easter Eggs to Brighter Futures, which would be split towards the children and adults in the hospital on Easter Day in Hospital!
April- The month of Pea
My maternity officially started in April, and yet I still made appearances from attending the National Autism Day Fun fayre seeing my Patron charity, as well as supporting my fellow beauty queens at their charity curry night and quiz (which we totally won btw). I was on crutches by then so I spent a lot of time behind my laptop in-between physio appointments creating content for Sparkles and Rhinestones and then the day came! I was admitted to hospital with high blood pressure and early labour, then after my waters breaking and 17 hours passing I had an emergency C Section and my princess was born! My little international beauty queen! We spent a week in hospital before coming home to plan world domination!
May- The doctors told you to rest!
My weekdays I spent in my pjs nursing a tiny pea and recovering from a C Section but on the weekends it was full of pageantness! From watching our little Wiltshire girls on the grand stage in Bournemouth, walking the RWB parade on my birthday, travelling to Wales for Macie's Gowns and Crowns walk as well as shoot with Stacey Clarke for my YAMI photos! It was so hard to chose just one photo for May but I chose the Swindon Duck Race because it was the most fun appearance as it was around the corner so no travel at all, and I got to see my best friends! Full of laughter and pizza, the way life should be!
June- You have arrived in Houston, Texas
The international countdown has begun, trying to find outfits to accommodate a post partum body was also verrrryy fun! I had a few appearances beforehand including a ball in the Zoo ran by the now Miss Teen Great Britain, walking the Old Town festival as well as starting up my Swindon to Texas Charity challenge! But the bags were packed and off to Texas we flew!! Texas was simply amazing and better than any of my dreams! Of course I never slept when I was over there (and not pea for once!) and we were super busy with pageant land but the late night tan chats, shopping at the mall, Atlanta not knowing what a grapevine was! Placing second runner up at the YAMI Internationals was amazing, also winning Best in Red, White and Blue at both YEMI and YAMI was also a highlight! Getting my scores back the competition was so close, and competing 8 weeks after a section was a victory in my eyes! Also Pea got her crowning moment <3
July- The hard work doesn't stop just because Internationals are over!
July brought my patron charity their official charity registration number, as well as a few charity fundraisers and we were in heatwave month! One of my favourite appearances is a Wiltshire Beauty Queen tradition where we all go and watch Miss Universe GB, three years worth of photos on those steps! We also get a chance to relax, catch up with girls from all over the UK and then back to the trusty Travelodge where we watch the Galaxy internationals which is why Ruth was missing from this photo as she was busy placing 2nd runner up as well!
August- The month of judging...pageants
The heat was still with us (who knew a British summer could last this long?!) and this was the month I featured as a judge for two different charity pageants and basically spent my weekends once again in Wales! From the charity pageants to charity events, it seems I don't forget the Welsh in me! We also attended the BFF Bristol heat which Penelope won, as well as add those miles on for my charity challenge!
September- New house move yet ready for a pageant girl sleepover?!
September started with a half 5 wake up to travel to Leeds to shoot with the amazing Charlotte Clemie for my final YEMI photos, and then try pack everything we ever owned to move into boxes to our new home! Then the mad rush to build Ikea flat pack and get the flat looking half presentable because I had yemi girls staying over! We supported our girl Paige at the Miss Divine finals, and it was a YEMI invasion! I also got to hold my first ever Sparkles and Rhinestones curves and confidence session at the Miss Voluptuous finals!! I had also created the #coderedchallenge to collect sanitary items for the homeless!
October- The month we raised pounds and miles
My last full month of being a YEMI queen, and it was a big one! We celebrated Halloween with Beni Bear and supported our Ms and Mrs Wiltshire in their charity efforts and making Team YEMI Wiltshire a team of 5! We also smashed our target for the Swindon to Texas mile challenge in aid of The Laura Hyde Foundation, just in time for World Mental Health day. I held my own Sparkles and Rhinestones confidence session and photoshoot, as well as sell pageant handbooks to raise funds for my two charities as well as get lost searching for theatres because the guy sent us the wrong way!
These last couple of weeks will be sorting out all my outfits and trying to find shoes that accommodate these huge feet! The YEMI journey has been one of the craziest years of my life but one full of such love and hope overcoming the lows. Whoever gets that crown placed on their heads by me in two weeks, y'all better get ready for some serious work coz we need more international crowns next year!
Love your Young European International Ms (for the last time!)
Hannah
x <3 x
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