TGIF!

Today is a great Friday... Grant is off to the gym this morning but has a pretty good schedule, I get to make my first official Mrs OC appearance as a judge for the Gold Coast California State pageant (REALLY EXCITED, sash and crown and all!) I went yesterday to buy my crown, Grant asked why I couldn't just recycle an old one... AS IF! A new crown is required for every title, especially when you have to wear it in pictures. It's like wearing the same dress to homecoming and prom! you just don't do that. ha ha. Next weekend is my mentoring day with teen mothers, the following weekend is An Evening for Autism fundraiser (also a crown and sash affair) where I also get to mingle with current Miss California USA contestants, then I have a week off (no appearances) and then Music for a Cure benefitting children with illnesses through CHOC... all the while trying to get into the shelter once a week for the childrens program.
All of this pageant, domestic violence stuff has done wonders for me.. Being able to admit it, and not blame myself is amazing! I love pageants and all that they have done for me over the years from developing self confidence and learning how to conduct myself in an interview to helping me deal with my victimization at the hands of someone else. It's been amazing.

YEAH for the weekend... OH and tomorrow I get to hang out with my Grandma and Krystina. That should be fun, she is a pain (the grandma) but I know that she won't be around forever and I do love her and have an amazing relationship with her.

Speaking of Krystina... the other night we were at Kohl's looking for something for Grant. She is at the age that she wanders away a bit. I can always see her but often she looses sight of me. The other night was the perfect example... she was so busy dancing around the store looking in EVERY mirror she saw that she lost me for all of about 30 seconds. She got really scared and started crying as soon as she saw me. I bent down, comforted her while explaining why we don't walk away from mommy and daddy and she continued to cry and apologize... it was so sad but hopefully taught her a lesson. Anyhow... I look up and there are 3 or 4 women just staring at me as though they have never seen a crying child before. It's not like I was screaming or causing a scene and to be honest neither was Krystina. It was the most sad little pathetic cry ever, thats how I knew she wasn't faking ... as a parent we know their cry's. I almost lost EVERY bit of control I had of the situation. I mean do they really need to stare with their stupid, accusatory glares as though I was beating my child in the middle of the store. People irritate me... Like the dumb lady that knocked Krystina over to get out of Blockbuster while I was holding the door and didn't say a word to my daughter, except that time I commented as LOUD as I could about people with poor manners to no avail... oooh or the lady at Target that hit Krystina with her little hand held basket twice at 2 different spots in the store...again commented pretty loud about manners. Ahhh... feel so much better.

My crown picture in the car after picking it up... it's pretty and simple!