My Final Blog....or is it?

     I guess  it is unspoken pageant etiquette for the former queen to write her "final" blog. So, here I am! (Better late than never, I guess!)
     I have to admit, that the two weeks leading up to pageant weekend were kind of rough ones for me. There were a couple of days that I just cried off and on all day, knowing that my year was coming to an end (I'm just keeping it real). Maybe this sounds silly to some of you. But, as Emily said to me one day as I vented and asked if this was normal, "it is when you have cherished it as much as you have". And she is right, I have cherished every moment. I had the opportunity to meet amazing people and spend time supporting a cause I am so passionate about. The title opened up doors. But that is not the only reason I cherished it....
     It took me 5 years to become Mrs. Ohio. So, for 5 years, I was always in "pageant mode". You know, paying attention to what I ate, really working on my physical fitness, personal development, getting interview coaching, picking out gowns, interview outfits and obsessing about every detail (like making sure my toenails were the right color, lol). So, in those last two weeks it hit me that this was it! I had worked so hard for so long, accomplished the goal of becoming Mrs. Ohio America, and then in the blink of an eye (that is what it felt like), my time was over.
     Pageant weekend was incredible though. Once I was there I was so happy to meet all the beautiful ladies competing. I had fun at rehearsals and at all the activities and I truly felt like a queen up there on that stage during the show. And as if all that was not enough, my beautiful friend Austen (aka Mrs. America) came to surprise me and was there all weekend as a judge. My "going-away" party could not have been any more special.
     I am not going to recap my year. Since many of you followed my page on Facebook, you know what I have been up to. What I will do instead is tell you that this is not the last you will see of me. The Mrs. Ohio pageant is a huge part of my life. I feel like I grew from a seed to a flower while competing! I learned so much about myself (and others), made lifelong friends, and really grew in confidence. Not only am I able to talk to a room full of strangers, but I also believe that my dreams are not as far out of reach as I originally thought they were! So, I plan to remain a part of the system by helping with the pageant each year in whatever capacity I am needed. Additionally, I have been asked to coach contestants who have committed to competing in the Mrs. Ohio pageant. I am looking forward to sharing my experience, but also building the confidence of the women I am helping, as well as building the program. It is true that when one door closes another opens!
     So my friends, instead of farewell, I will simply say, "See ya soon!"

Hugs,

Teri
Mrs. Ohio America 2013