Chicago Wrap Up

Well, I had every intention of blogging each night in Chicago and keeping all of my wonderful fans and supporters updated. Needless to say, once the rehearsal schedules and events began to pick-up, time was limited and when I finally returned to my room at night, my feet were tired and all I wanted to do was rest - so my laptop never opened again until I returned home a week later.

The experience of Mrs. International is like nothing else. I didn't make the top 12 but I learned more about myself, those ladies around me, and what my purpose actually was while I was there. Seems like a lifetime of moments occurred in just 5 quick days.

I admire each of the 52 ladies I competed with and am remiss that I didn't get to spend more time with them. Because I was contestant #52 in the lineup of 53, I drew closest to those ladies in the "caboose" of the lineup and by the end of the week, we could take care of each other backstage quite well. From sharing much needed prep items or when 2 of the 9 in our dressing room made the top 12, it was time for all of us help them as best we could. It quickly became less about me achieving the impossible to ensuring that my new friends were at their best possible so they could shine.

There are no regrets when after 8 years of trying to reach the national stage, I finally get there. I truly enjoyed each moment and perhaps I wasn't the one with the best wardrobe, the best interview, the best story - but I was the best ME - and that is what matters. I wanted to be a beacon of hope for women who think they aren't beautiful because the media constantly bombards them with unrealistic views of beauty. I wanted to demonstrate that I don't have to look like anyone else or conform to a mold in order to feel beautiful - not that any of the other women did, I just know myself. That's me I suppose, always the salmon swimming upstream while others go might with the flow. And that, I learned, really is ok.

I was touched and inspired by so many this past week, it is impossible to recant each moment. Sharing the message of blood donation will continue to be my focus as I finish my reign as Mrs. Virginia International and after I give up my title the advocacy, the work, and the passion will continue. Through the International program, I have learned that every voice matters and that every cause deserves it's voice.

There are some individuals that I would really like to thank for the past week: Sheila Strassburg for making my hair and make-up look fabulous - she truly gives you a glow from the inside; Laine Berry for making my gown, and other key pieces, and knowing that taking a risk to look different is just as powerful as winning; to my director De Shepard for believing in me and celebrating the Queen within and to my family - I expressed individually how much you mean to me and all that you do, but Mom, bringing your sewing machine to Chicago has to be the best sign of support a girl can have. And lastly to my "3S Ladies" - you know who you are and I appreciate each one of you and your continued support, laughter, and ability to keep me grounded when the rest of the world is ready to send me up the river.

This photo album made with Smilebox

Chicago - Day 2

It's been a fun day - long - but fun! Here are some photos that I can share, please enjoy. I will do some writing later, but for now, just enjoy a few photos from the day!

Collage customized with Smilebox

Saving Lives in Chicago

Now that I have been in Chicago for a couple of days, I have found a radio station that I like to listen to (reminds me of home!)US99.5 is a great Country Music Station and they have been promoting an upcoming event that I truly wish I could attend.



If you are in Chicago on Saturday, July 23 - please take the time to donate in the morning and then come on over to the North Shore Pavillion for the Mrs. International Pageant! Two great events in one day!!

The first 100 donors to pre-schedule their appointment will receive Brad Paisley's new album, This Is Country Music!

Schedule Now!

At the drives:

•Win lawn tickets to see Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton in concert Aug. 6 (100 winners)
•Plus, get free US99.5 merchandise: T-shirts, CD's and more

Click here to schedule your lifesaving donation or call 877-LIFESOURCE
(877.543.3768)

The following locations will be participating:


Holiday Inn Hotel
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
495 Airport Rd.
Elgin, IL 60123

Libertyville Civic Center
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
135 W. Church St.
Libertyville, IL 60048

Homewood Suites
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
16245 La Grange Rd.
Orland Park, IL 60467

Waukegan City of Miracles Event
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
747 Walnut St.
Waukegan, IL 60085


To learn more, please visit Chicagoland's Blood Center - LIFESOURCE and see how you can save lives!

Chicago - Day 1

The first full day in Chicago was a lot of fun and the drive here wasn't bad either! Here is a small set of photos from the journey and the day downtown.

We have had a lot of laughs and lot of wrong turns in the last 72 hours and now I can't wait for things to get underway for the Mrs. International pageant!!

Photo slideshow created with Smilebox

CRISIS: Blood Supplies Low Across the Nation

As I arrived in Chicago for my national pageant, I received three phone calls. One from my contact with The American Red Cross, one from my dad, and another from a friend after seeing a news story.

Independent blood centers across the US, along with The American Red Cross, have issued an urgent request for blood donors. This is no surprise as the summer days grow longer, however, The American Red Cross now issues an appeal for blood donors to roll up a sleeve and address a critical shortage across the nation.

This current shortage is at its worst levels in more than 12 years. News stories are streaming in from all over the United States and beyond our borders. Between the severe winter weather, extreme heat and typical summer shortages, our current supplies are dwindling and unless you donate, the critical need will become more urgent than we can imagine.

AMERICAN RED CROSS ISSUES URGENT PLEA
PRESS RELEASE: BLOOD SUPPLIES DROP - 7/11/2011

Having responded to dozens of natural disasters and many other issues, The American Red Cross and other blood centers are in need of ALL blood types and platelets.

If you donate once, I promise you will see the benefit and return. But please don't wait, any delay in donating is risking the lives of those in need - including me.

The "Total" Results

Just like many other blood donor centers across the country, the United Blood Services center in San Angelo, TX, sees a significant drop in donors during the summer months.

Participation drops off at summer blood drives because people are on vacation or busy with other summer activities. At the same time, donations throughout the region drop in the summer because high schools, which are enthusiastic blood drive sponsors, are not in session. In this area of Texas, more than 15 percent of the local blood supply comes from high school students.

When school's out for summer, it's up to the community to make up the difference.

Although donors might have other things to do, patients continue to need blood. Nearly 300 blood donations are required each week to meet the needs of Concho Valley patients. Eligible blood donors are encouraged to give blood regularly, three or four times a year, to keep hospital shelves stocked with lifesaving blood.

United Blood Services is looking out for both donors and patients by checking cholesterol levels for free with every blood donation. Maintaining a healthy blood cholesterol level is an important part of monitoring your heart health. United Blood Services does a "total cholesterol" test that allows donors to eat before the test — no fasting required. Donors can check their confidential results online the week after their donation.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly. But if you have too much in your blood, it can stick to the walls of your arteries and form plaque, which can narrow or even block your arteries. If you have high cholesterol, it can increase your risk of heart disease. There are usually no signs or symptoms that you have high blood cholesterol, but it can be detected with a blood test.

United Blood Services uses the 'total cholesterol' test because it's important for donors to have a healthy meal before they donate. It is recommended that adults have a different cholesterol test, called a lipoprotein profile, every five years. A lipoprotein profile requires a 12-hour fast and is done at a physician's office or lab.


Check with your local blood center to see if they are conducting a Total Cholesterol check when they screen your donation. More than likely, they already are and even forward the results to you directly if there is a need for concern.

As I have said in the past, and continue to say, to be a blood donor is a rewarding opportunity for you to save lives and to keep yourself healthy too!


(Info from UBS provided through SA Times Release)

The Traveling Crown

So part of being a titleholder is that I get to travel, a lot, to different appearances and along the way I happen to see things that make me laugh or shake my head.

Sometimes, it's just easier to chuckle and enjoy the moment - so I decided to share some of those moments with you. There are still a few more months left in my reign and I am certain that this photo album will grow, but in the meantime, enjoy a few lighthearted moments from the journey!

Another photo album by Smilebox

The Journey to Nationals - 3

In the last couple years of my quest to be Mrs. Virginia International (and hopefully Mrs. International!) I kept in mind what I had learned from my work with the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty and forged on with my passion for blood donation with "It's Hip 2 Give".

During that time, I had some significant life/personal changes, amazing opportunities, and humbling experiences along the way. Becoming more involved with the American Red Cross and America's Blood Centers on the local, regional, and national levels became a blessing in disguise and enabled me to travel across the east coast and mid-west with some new adventures already on the horizon later this year that will take me to the west coast.

Guest blogging with Incept has been a great tool in connecting with others and twitter has allowed me to reach farther than I thought possible. These are opportunities of a lifetime only enhanced by the fact that I finally realized my dream of being Mrs. Virginia International and going on to the national stage. Delivering the message of blood donation is something that everyone should hear whether I am at a local event or speaking from the pageant stage.

There is a lot of hard work, flexibility in direction, laughter, tears and joy when one is reaching for a dream - it is the dream that keeps me focused and the desire for success that keeps me open to the possibilities.

This free photo slideshow made with Smilebox

The Journey to Nationals 2

From the first time I learned of the International system, I knew that this was for me. It wasn't about just what you saw on stage, it was about the whole person. Now, don't get me wrong, it is a beauty pageant, but I am a firm believer that beauty on the inside far exceeds any exterior.

As the years went on and I lost weight, I saw the pain and angst that many women/young girls would go through by way of pressure from peers, media, and general environment regarding their looks. I soon embraced the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty and became a Certified Facilitator and created "Celebrate You". Loving the opportunity to empower other women to love themselves was, and will always be, one of the most rewarding experiences I have had. I worked with thousands of middle school students, church groups and women that just needed to hear that they are important; that they are loved; and that they are beautiful. Even if mainstream society says different. There are no rules to being beautiful; you make those rules with each moment and defining one's own beauty is as simple as giving someone the gift of a smile as you pass by.

Competing in the International system gave me an opportunity to share the message of the campaign with even more ladies than I thought possible. Even today, I still work with the Real Beauty Campaign, but when my health began impacting my daily life differently, I needed to focus on it.

I took a break during this time from pageantry and after over a year off, came back stronger, with a renewed focus on why I as competing and a new platform - It's Hip 2 Give.

And that is the beauty of life, it's ever evolving - much like a butterfly - sometimes, the beautiful moments come from the most difficult life circumstances.

Digital slideshow created with Smilebox

The Journey to Nationals

Well, in just 10 days I will be leaving for the national pageant, Mrs. International, held in Chicago. This journey started a long time ago, about 8 years to be exact. I thought I would take a break from my usual blood-blogging in the next week and let you see the journey.

What's the best place to start? The beginning of course! In 2002 I had convinced myself that I could lose over 180lbs and then be ready to compete in my first Mrs. pageant by the following summer. I got part of the goal correct, I didn't quite lose all 180lbs just yet, but was on my way and I was going to compete anyway.

I had competed in pageants as a teen, but this was a completely different ball game. I had no idea where to get a gown, how to walk, interview and then to add fitness? Oh my, I was green! My gown, I had custom made - I later discovered they really only added a small little train, not really custom but I liked it. I needed a different suit for on-stage interview? Oh, but my pale green interview was good enough right? (No, I looked like a washed out lost little puppy!) It's fun to look back at my first adventure with the Mrs. International system - this time, I was Mrs. Northern Virginia, and very proud!

Take a peek at some of the pictures and start on the journey with me, I'll post again in a few days with the next steps in this amazing journey to competing at Mrs. International.

This slideshow created with Smilebox

Deer Ticks & Babesiosis

It's summertime and as if Lyme disease wasn't enough to worry about, there is a more rare disease on the rise the United States. Babesiosis is a potentially devastating infection caused by tick bites that has gained momentum in the Lower Hudson Valley and in coastal areas of the Northeast.

The condition, called babesiosis, is a malaria-like illness that results from infection with Babesia microti, a parasite that lives in red blood cells and is carried by deer ticks. Though far less common than Lyme disease, babesiosis can be fatal, particularly in people with compromised immune systems.

Because there is no widely used screening test for babesiosis, its spread poses a particular threat to the blood supply, which can bring an entirely new set of risks for the recipient.

Experts fear that many undiagnosed patients may be donating blood. Currently, blood banks do not screen for Babesia because the Food and Drug Administration has not licensed a test for this purpose. The only way to screen a patient is by using a questionnaire, which simply asks blood donors if they are infected.

Experts urge blood transfusion patients and their doctors to be aware of symptoms of babesiosis, which can occur up to nine weeks after a transfusion.

The symptoms can be vague (there is no tell-tale rash as there may be with Lyme disease) and include fever, sweats, chills, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches and pains. In people who also have Lyme disease, doctors might suspect babesiosis if the symptoms are particularly severe or the antibiotics are not working. A diagnosis can be confirmed through blood testing.

If not caught and treated early, babesiosis can lead to such complications as kidney, lung or heart failure. The infection can be treated with antimicrobial medications, but people with serious complications are less responsive to the drugs.

Why the parasite is spreading and why it’s spreading more slowly than Lyme disease are not well understood. One theory is that Babesia may be carried primarily in mice, which don’t tend to travel far afield. The bacterium causing Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, can be carried by birds.

If you are a blood donor and have traveled to the Northeast (notable Massachusetts and Rhode Island), PLEASE be aware of the symptoms and appropriately note if you have been infected or treated.

Until the FDA requires that this new disease is screened after donating, it will be doctors and donors that must be vigilant and honest.

(The Risk Map below for Lyme Disease is virtually the same for Babesiosis)


(Information provided by AABB Smartbrief)

Why be Ordinary?

Don't be Ordinary - "Be Extraordinary"?

That time is NOW and it seems that many locations across the country are asking it's local community to do the same. That's right, the "Be Extraordinary" campaign is in full swing across the US. From the East Coast to the West, Red Cross donor sites are promoting and recruiting to increase the current blood supply - which is on a "Type O Alert". As in years past, summers are notoriously low for blood supplies and we are calling on everyone to be as extraordinary as possible. Here are some of the local promotions from around the country that are taking part in the campaign, please take the time to find one in your area and you never know, you could very well receive a phone call from me!!


Red Cross - Central Plains
Red Cross - MO/IL - St. Louis Rams
Red Cross - Greater Chesapeake/Potomac
Red Cross - Steubenville, OH (Herald)
Red Cross - Tennessee Valley (TN/KY)
Red Cross - Greater Ozarks


These are just some of the locations across the US that are currently promoting the "Be Extraordinary" campaign, there will be other locations added all summer. But don't wait for the promotion to "Be Extraordinary", start today by making your appointment to become a blood donor!