This past Tuesday, Nov. 28, I was a guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Victorville. I spoke on foster/adoption awareness and brought attention to the many ways they could get involved as a club and on an individual level. I was accompanied by my director, Eddie Peterson, as well as the current Miss California International, Mary Maldonado. We were presented with certificates from the Rotary Club that donated a book with our names inscribed inside to a local children's library.
It's always a joyous day when you find a hairdresser who really understands how to make you look you're best. I just have to give kudos to my new stylist who did such a wonderful job with my color and cut. She is generously donating her services to me for my year as Mrs. Ca. So, if ever you're in Palm Springs and are looking for an updated style/color, Mari Lou is the gal to see. She's at "Fusion Hair Studio", 172 E. Andreas, Palm Springs 92262 bus: 760-416-9525.
It's interesting the things you find out about people when you spend a little time hanging out with them. While we were at B.J's with a group of friends after church, we discovered one of Jeeven's hidden talents - balancing a salt shaker on the corner of the bottle. Now this may look easy, but it is harder then you think. (FYI: in case you're thinking of trying this anytime soon, you need a bit of the salt on the table, shape into a small mound and balance the corner on the mound)
P.S.: you didn't hear this from me as I would never endorse this as proper table etiquette :-)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Pilgrim William Brewster holds a Bible as the Pilgrims pray for a safe journey as they leave for America from Delft Haven, Holland, on July 22, 1620.The Pilgrims left Plymouth, England, on September 6, 1620. Their destination? The New World. Although filled with uncertainty and peril, it offered both civil and religious liberty.
For over two months, the 102 passengers braved the harsh elements of a vast storm-tossed sea. Finally, with firm purpose and a reliance on Divine Providence, the cry of "Land!" was heard.
Arriving in Massachusetts in late November, the Pilgrims sought a suitable landing place. On December 11, just before disembarking at Plymouth Rock, they signed the "Mayflower Compact" - America's first document of civil government and the first to introduce self-government.
After a prayer service, the Pilgrims began building hasty shelters. However, unprepared for the starvation and sickness of a harsh New England winter, nearly half died before spring. Yet, persevering in prayer, and assisted by helpful Indians, they reaped a bountiful harvest the following summer.
The grateful Pilgrims then declared a three-day feast, starting on December 13, 1621, to thank God and to celebrate with their Indian friends. While this was not the first Thanksgiving in America (thanksgiving services were held in Virginia as early as 1607), it was America's first Thanksgiving Festival.
Pilgrim Edward Winslow described the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving in these words:
"Our harvest being gotten in, our Governor sent four men on fowling [bird hunting] so that we might, after a special manner, rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as... served the company almost a week... Many of the Indians [came] amongst us and... their greatest King, Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted; and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought... And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet BY THE GOODNESS OF GOD WE ARE... FAR FROM WANT."
In 1789, following a proclamation issued by President George Washington, America celebrated its first Day of Thanksgiving to God under its new constitution. That same year, the Protestant Episcopal Church, of which President Washington was a member, announced that the first Thursday in November would become its regular day for giving thanks, "unless another day be appointed by the civil authorities." Yet, despite these early national proclamations, official Thanksgiving observances usually occurred only at the State level.
Much of the credit for the adoption of a later ANNUAL national Thanksgiving Day may be attributed to Mrs. Sarah Joseph Hale, the editor of Godey's Lady's Book. For thirty years, she promoted the idea of a national Thanksgiving Day, contacting President after President until President Abraham Lincoln responded in 1863 by setting aside the last Thursday of November as a national Day of Thanksgiving. Over the next seventy-five years, Presidents followed Lincoln's precedent, annually declaring a national Thanksgiving Day. Then, in 1941, Congress permanently established the fourth Thursday of each November as a national holiday.
Lincoln's original 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation came - spiritually speaking - at a pivotal point in his life. During the first week of July of that year, the Battle of Gettysburg occurred, resulting in the loss of some 60,000 American lives. Four months later in November, Lincoln delivered his famous "Gettsysburg Address." It was while Lincoln was walking among the thousands of graves there at Gettysburg that he committed his life to Christ. As he explained to a friend:
When I left Springfield [to assume the Presidency] I asked the people to pray for me. I was not a Christian. When I buried my son, the severest trial of my life, I was not a Christian. But when I went to Gettysburg and saw the graves of thousands of our soldiers, I then and there consecrated myself to Christ.
As Americans celebrate Thanksgiving each year, we hope they will retain the original gratefulness to God displayed by the Pilgrims and many other founding fathers , and remember that it is to those early and courageous Pilgrims that they owe not only the traditional Thanksgiving holiday but also the concepts of self-government, the "hard-work" ethic, self-reliant communities, and devout religious faith.
September was a very busy month for us. Not only did I go back to work for the Martine Cotillions and begin preparation for the pageant, but we started remodeling our bathroom/kitchen. Here are a few before and during shots. We are set to be finished sometime before Christmas!
So, with the news of our blog brought the news of my "new" title. Many of you had no clue that I was involved in this latest endeavor. Around Sept. I was approached with the idea of competing and after much thought (and a small arm twist) I decided this would be a fun goal to get back into shape and getting a jump start on educating us about fostering. The Mrs. International pageant is based primarily on the women's platform, an issue she would represent for the year. I was excited with the possiblity of being able to share my passion about foster/adopt on a state/national level. To make a long story short, I left with Greg for the pageant on Oct. 26th. Interviews were that Fri. with the prelim. pageant Sat. afternoon. I had to compete in Physical fitness (which consisted of a unitard), a 30 second platform statement and evening gown (which Greg escorted me and looked quite handsome if I do say so myself). The top 8 scores were tallied and those 8 ladies competed at Sundays show. There were many wonderful women who truly would have done the title proud and I am just so blessed to have been chosen among them to represent the state and the pageant. I'm looking forward to competing at the national pageant in Chicago, July 20/21st.
Below is a slide show I borrowed from my friends blog as I did not take any personal pictures myself. Enjoy!
