MISS USA
My throat hurt, my stomach felt queasy, I was sweating. No, I wasn’t getting sick. I was watching the announcement of the final
six at the Miss USA pageant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I had cheered my voice raw for my very own hometown
contestant, Miss North Dakota USA, Audra Mari, was 1st Runner Up! My stomach was in nervous knots for those beautiful ladies, and lastly,
the temperature in Baton Rouge is roughly equivalent to the temperature of the
sun.
A few weeks earlier, my husband had surprised me with a trip to
watch the Miss USA Pageant. We don’t get
away very often and he had arranged everything: tickets, hotel, car rental,
flight. I was just supposed to come along
and enjoy myself. I am very good at the job he left for me to do.
Saturday afternoon, we were able to do a private Meet and Greet
with Erin Brady, Miss USA 2013-2014. She
is a delightful woman. Her personality
sparkles and she has a beautiful way of making everyone around her feel
special. We were able to watch Erin take
her title a year earlier at the Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas. So meeting her in person on this hot
afternoon felt like we going full circle.
After meeting Erin and getting autograph’s for my girls. We were given a guided tour of the back stage
and behind the scenes workings of the pageant.
What a huge affair. All of the
staff we were introduced to were amazing.
We even got to have the new HD screens explained to us by the set
designer. Getting to experience what
goes on behind the curtain made watching the pageant even more interesting.
Sunday night, everyone had to be in their seats by 6:30. Miss USA is aired live and we were going to
be the audience. We were given very
specific instructions about when to stand and sit and how to cheer. As an audience we were given a “handler” to
make sure we performed our part of the pageant production correctly. The show was about to begin.
The contestants took the stage with a special Louisiana flair. Each girl announced herself to the crowd with
a Marti Gras mask. From the very
beginning to the last moment on stage each woman shown with her own unique personality. It is such a learning experience to be in the
audience of a pageant. So much of who
each contestant truly is shows through.
I am so lucky that with only a little more than a month to go
until my own turn at Nationals, I got to watch another set of beauty’s grace
the national stage. The thing that
struck me the most is that the level these women were competing at, is the
level I am at. WOW! I have been given such a great blessing and
privilege this year. I am ready to strut
my own stuff on stage.
Oh my, I think my stomach is beginning to hurt again and I am
feeling a bit sweaty…
There you have it,
that’s a bit about my vacation. I am
ready to go again next year. Let’s go together.
It’ll be a grand adventure!
Blessings
Janelle Steinberg, Mrs. North Dakota International 2014
