The View from the Cheap Seats

Mom says I was destined to be in pageants, you see the last time my mom held me, before my new folks came to get me all those years ago, was to bundle me up and we watched the 1980 Miss America Pageant. The winner was Miss Mississippi.

In my teens, I represented Alaska as Ms. Alaska Job's Daughter, highlight of my young life. It was an extremely small pageant but I got to travel to Fairbanks and Washington to represent our State and I got a sash and crown. And though it was a small pageant I had big dreams, I liked the stage.  I watched my best friend, named Miss Alaska Teen USA '96, I was so proud to watch her and did what I could throughout her year to support her.  I knew 1,000 other pageant beauties over the years and always supported where I could, even worked backstage a few years after Bran gave up her title. 

Throughout the years I always was bejeweled by pageantry but it wasn't until last year that I ever thought about a title associated with my name. 

Success has engulfed my life. I'm proud of the accomplishments I have made, and about the difference I make in my community.  When sickness started to befall me last year I made some hard choices and one really positive one, I wanted to show my family how proud I was of who we are. In a moment, I decided a pageant was the answer. With much confusion of my husband, he supported the endeavor sheepishly. More concerned my body wouldn't be able to handle the requirements, he sat on the sidelines and watched every movement in this intense game. 

The ride of a lifetime doesn't ever begin to verbalize the pageant experience. A whirlwind of laughter, hungry tummies, and sore feet, were all made possible courtesy of Mrs. Alaska America 2013.  In the end I walked away with a handful of metals: Mrs. Congeniality, Mrs. Community Service and I was runner-up for Mrs. Hospitality. I didn't win, nope that wasn't in the cards but I met people that would change my life. ;-)

Now I will admit I cried that night, when I didn't even place in the top 5 but after I took a moment I was honored to get to know our Mrs. Alaska, and boy am I so lucky to call her friend.  I was screaming the loudest at the computer screen the night she STORMED through the National Pageant and came out the other side, MRS. AMERICA 2013. 

As for me, 2013, I got to be part of the action. I volunteered whenever my scheduled allowed and sometimes moved things, just so I could help. ;-) I was extremely honored to accompany Mrs. America at a few amazing events. It wasn't just about the cool stuff I got to do this year, I watched each pageant girl I met grow, change, develop and even get married. Along the way I heard: "You are an inspiration," "I wanna be like you when I grow up," and probably my favorite, "We wanna help you, Ms. Kristin." 

I spent the year just being me, I got to watch my friends win nationally,  and in December I got to watch my cousin win the pageant I watched so long ago, Miss Alaska Teen USA. Then in January, I sat as my favorite Junior Higher was named to be the first Miss Alaska Junior High School. Its been a busy year in our house, lots of fundraisers, lots of dress fittings, lots of strategies meetings but overall what a year. 

Somewhere along the way I decided I wanted to do it again. So in April, on a PERFECT day, I ran for Mrs. Alaska United States. Though the outcome was much like the first, it was awesome to go try one more time. I walked in with more confidence and experience and well, it will always feel the same not winning, TOUGH. But I know that Mrs. Alaska United States has a big future ahead of it.  It like Mrs. Alaska America has a strong director and that's important. If nothing else if I had never met a single girl in either pageant, I would have simply been changed by meeting Ms. Rita and Ms. Renee.  I could only hope to be half the woman that these two are; Guess I'm the lucky one. 

People ask, "Kristin, you gonna do it again?" Some are quick to assume, "Absolutely, you got this." Others, "No way, losing can't be easy." Well walking across the stage in a swimsuit is probably the easiest part, but I'll be honest I don't know if I'll ever run again, almost to soon to tell. I can say it was really nice at the end of the pageant, a whisper in my ear, "I know how hard you worked." I did but for myself and my family. 

And lets just say the view from my seat this year has been UNFORGETTABLE. 

I have heard more this year about hopes and dreams, fears and weaknesses. I don't know that if I had won the crown I would have been able to experience it like I have. I can tell you though, this place it grows woman differently, in the most spectacular ways. Though I may not have changed them, I hope I helped them from the conversations over which dress should be worn to how to speak in your interview, I have been there in moments other people don't get. 

And maybe it won't be 2014, but I have some lofty goals and I have a cheering team like nobodies business. So a girl can dream, and she can always take to heart the first thing she ever did was watch Miss Mississippi become Miss America 1980.