Meet Natalie!

Natalie and I last year during Evening Gown  

Hello There!

I just got back from spending the day with my Miss Arkansas Princess.  Natalie was my princess last year and I am so excited that we will be spending the week together again this year!  Natalie is a nine-year-old little girl from Batesville, AR.  She loves horses (we had to end our play date early so that she could go to riding lessons) and puppies (she has five!).  She also loves dancing and received the "best smile" award in her third grade class.  She is too much fun!  Yesterday we played with her American Girl dolls, which was a throwback to when I was a little girl.  When I was around nine years old, all I wanted for Christmas was an American Girl doll.  That year, I got a letter from Santa saying that Samantha was on backorder but that I would get her in the mail after Christmas - I did, and I'm pretty sure I still have her somewhere! Anyway, Natalie and I had a blast and it was so much fun to reconnect and make plans for our upcoming week at Miss Arkansas.  We are getting very excited!! 

I hope that all is well,

~ Simone 

In Due Season

Happy Monday! 

I read a great devotional this weekend that has really got me thinking so I wanted to share it here.  This is from Joyce Meyer's "Confident Woman" series:

"'Due Season' is God's season, not ours. We are in a hurry, God isn't.  He takes time to do things right - He lays a solid foundation before He attempts to build a building.  We are God's building under construction...God is never late."

Wow! God is never late.  Let those words sink in for a moment.  He is never late - as in, God's timing is perfect timing.  I am a planner.  I like to know what is going on and when it is happening.  I also like to know that everything is going "according to plan."  But sometimes I forget that my plan isn't always the right plan or maybe it is the right plan but the wrong season (God's likes to build that foundation, remember?).  Anyways, the point I'm trying to make is that God is continually working on us, building the correct foundation so that we are strong, capable, and able to do the great things that He has planned for our lives.  Sometimes it seems like He isn't there, or that He has forgotten about the desires of our hearts, but these are times when we are being carefully crafted into something even better than what we could hope for or imagine.  These are the times that require diligence and faith - you cannot give up just because things aren't going according to your plan.

This message has been very important for me as I prepare for my last year at Miss Arkansas.  I never would have dreamed that I would still be competing at 24, but you know what? His plan has been far greater and more fulfilling than any of my own plans.  God is good - all the time.  I have faith that His good and perfect will is being done in my life.  I don't know what that will is just yet, but I am being diligent in my seed planting!

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Galations 6:9

So I encourage you to not give up.  Whatever it is that you are pursuing or dreaming for, be diligent and have faith that God is preparing you for great things ahead!  And if it seems like things are taking longer than you expected them too...remember that God is never late.

Tomorrow I am headed to Little Rock for some fun with friends and then I will be headed to Batesville on Wednesday to see my sweet princess.  It has been too long since Natalie and I have spent some good, quality time together and I am really looking forward to our play date!

Until next time,
~ Simone

Miss Arkansas Updates

Hello and Happy June!

This last month has flown by! Since graduating in May I have been a very busy lady.  We had our Miss Arkansas Contestant's Meeting at the end of May.  It was so great to meet all of the new contestants this year and to catch up with my Miss Arkansas friends.  Despite what the cliche movies tell you about pageant girls, some of my dearest friends are my fellow contestants.  This just goes to show you that you can't always trust the stereotypes that the media so often uses to portray pageant women (Kristen has a great blog about pageant stereotypes this week - you should go check it out here).

Hanging out with some of the contestants before the meeting! I love all of the spring colors!! 

Thanks to Michelle Roberts (Sloane's Mom) for these great pictures!!! 

Miss Arkansas Contestants that attend the University of Arkansas

We found out all kinds of new changes and opportunities that are available through the Miss Arkansas pageant this summer!  If you didn't already know, the pageant will be held July 11th-14th at the convention center in Hot Springs, AR.  It is going to be a really great show!! Our opening number dresses and shoes came in - they are going to look awesome on the Miss Arkansas stage.  A special thank you to The Royal We and Tony Bowls for providing our beautiful dresses, I cannot wait to wear mine in July.  Also in celebration of our 75th year anniversary, we are going to have a runway again this year!!  We will model both our swimsuits and our evening gowns on the runway during the competition, which will be a great way to interact with the crowd during the pageant. Another neat thing that will be happening this year is that the top 10 will answer onstage questions (like at Miss America) that will be submitted by video from celebrities all over the state of Arkansas.  I think this is a neat way to integrate the success of Arkansans with the success of the Miss Arkansas pageant.  I'm sure that there will be more surprises as the pageant gets closer - I'll keep you posted!

With Kristen and Miss White River

In addition to these announcements, the Miss Arkansas board also announced exciting news for the upcoming year.  This year Kristen has really focused on the business aspects of Miss Arkansas.  As a result, she has secured some great opportunities for the new state representative and really contributed to the overall image of the Miss Arkansas Organization.  For example, Kristen so impressed the people at Citgo during an appearance that they have decided to donate $8,000 worth of gas so that Miss Arkansas can travel across the state as she continues to advocate her platform to schools, civic groups, and business leaders.  This is amazing!!!! AND all 47 contestants will receive a $100 gift card from Citgo - what an enormous blessing!  So what car will be using all of this gas?!? They just announced that Bale Chevrolet has donated a Chevy Equinox for Miss Arkansas to drive throughout her year.  You definitely need to google this car - it is incredible.  Also, if you are ever in the Little Rock area stop by Bale Chevrolet and thank them for this very generous gift.

The contestant meeting is really a three-day event.  Saturday was a photo shoot with the incredible Tony Bowls and Jason Masters.  Last year was the first year that they did this and the results were amazing.  Not only does it create an opportunity for every contestant to meet Tony Bowls and wear one of his beautiful dresses, but it also lets us feel like models for the day! And based on the pictures, we look like real models!! Here is a link to the photos, be sure and vote for your favorite contestant.  The People's Choice winner will be announced live from stage during the final competition on July 14th.  This is a great way to promote the Miss Arkansas pageant and raise scholarship money for the contestants.  On Sunday we have the actual meeting where we find out our placement. I am very excited about my placement:

Group B - #29

Tuesday -  Interview

Wednesday - Evening Gown

Thursday - Talent

Friday - Swimsuit

Here is Group B!!

But the weekend didn't stop there! On Monday we split our time between the annual Miss Arkansas Golf Tournament and a trip to the Arkansas Children's Hospital.  The golf tournament raises a lot of the scholarship money that will be given out during the week of the pageant.  This has been a great success over the past few years and I am so appreciative of the golfers who give their time and money to help the Miss Arkansas pageant continue to be the largest scholarship provider in the nation! I spent the morning at the golf tournament and then headed to the Arkansas Children's Hospital.  We got to tour the NICU, the helipad, and the heart center. The ACH is celebrating their 100th year anniversary this year and it was really emotional to see how many lives have been saved and touched by the ACH.  The really cool part about Miss America's partnership with Children's Miracle Network is that the funds we raise to support CMN actually go straight to the Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, AR.  You can donate to CMN or you can find out more about ACH by clicking here.  

Some of the contestants during our visit to the Arkansas Children's Hospital

I think those are all of the updates from contestant's weekend.  All in all, it was a really exciting weekend and now I am even more pumped for the week of Miss Arkansas - it is going to be an incredible pageant and you won't want to miss it! 

Before I go, I want to share a verse that has been heavy on my heart this week.  For the young women who are competing in their state pageants this summer this is the time of year when it takes everything in you to press on towards the goal.  I shared this verse with my Sweetheart sisters but I want to share it with you now, hopefully you will find it as helpful as I have.  

"Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord." 

- Psalm 31:24

I think it is so important to let your heart be courageous, this is how you pursue the impossible! Stay strong,

~ Simone

Be sure and vote for People's Choice!!!  Vote Here!