When a child stands on a limb..

Sometimes I am mesmerized by things those I love do.

Like, where do they get the courage?

I am very outgoing, very vocal, very honest and outspoken

but I have not always been this way.

Like most teens, I struggled with being teased, looking different.

I was not always like I am now.

It took me many years of growth, adulthood to get here.

So when a child I love does something that I know I

would have never had the courage to do I am 

so proud, so excited.

Where am I going with this?

MY dear sweet Abby Dupierre….

Conquered a beauty pageant and came home with the crown!

Hmmm, wonder if this was on her bucket list?

Shoot, wonder if young girls have bucket lists or is that 

saved for old folks like me?

 I love my ABS! 

 She is my oldest sisters Simone's grandchild,

my nephew and niece, Guy and Lisa's only child.

As a younger child, she and I had this special bond

of miniatures, the one Bean and I have now.

As a very young child, baby days, I could

have her with me, being gentle with some of my

prized possessions. She was one of the only ones

I would ever let even near my things. We also

shared a special "Language".

Because of all these things, our bond remains pretty close.

Okay now all that being said,

Abby decided she wanted to try a beauty pageant.

She had never done this before. Having watched TEdi-girl

in a pageant a few months ago, I knew

the skill it takes to be in a pageant.

Some of these little women had been in pageants since infants.

So, here is Abby, having been more of a "Play in the dirt"

type of child before, asking to be in a pageant.

Her Mom and Dad, always being her best fans,

allowed her to do it and supported her.

Followed her lead when asking not to tell anyone

as she thought having too many there would make her nervous.

They even gave her to the last minute to decide not to do it

if she changed her mind.

She, not only did not change her mind, but came home with the crown!!

How did she learn all that was needed to win her very first pageant????

I know a little bit about the pageant world because one of

my TES students had been in pageants since a baby and

still holds a crown. I know that there are many negative things

people speak of about pageants but knowing Sheridan Duet, it has

taught her so much. Grace, kindness, working to help others

as she bears a crown. Sheridan is an all around wonderful child

because of the lessons she has learned from being a queen.

Now it is Abby's time to shine.

Her year of being the queen of this organization will have

her traveling, working, meeting many other girls like her

who hold crowns not just because of their beauty but also

because of what they possess inside.

What a weekend for the Abby D!

She came home from the above picture, where she had a crown

placed on her head, to come home and dress for a ball...

Another stunning dress with our beautiful Abby

so she could attend a military ball with a friend.

MY DEAREST ABBY

YOU AND I, WE HAVE SHARED A SPECIAL BOND

SINCE YOU WERE VERY YOUNG.

NOW, EVEN THOUGH, WE SPEND LESS TIME TOGETHER,

WE WILL ALWAYS BE CLOSE, ALWAYS

BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING BECAUSE

OF THAT CHILDHOOD BOND. 

I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, NOT BECAUSE YOU ARE

NOW A QUEEN, NOT BECAUSE YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

BUT BECAUSE YOU FACE YOUR FEARS TO TRY AND

FIX THEM. YOU ARE NOT AFRAID TO GO ON A LIMB

AND TRY NEW THINGS LIKE A PAGEANT.

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU NEED HELP AND 

YOU ASK FOR THAT HELP.

YOU ARE JUST AS COMFORTABLE IN A TSHIRT 

AND COVERED IN DIRT, WORKING ON 4-H PROJECTS

AS YOU ARE IN A FORMAL.

I PRAY FOR MANY MORE MOMENTS SPENT WITH YOU.

WHEN I LEAVE THIS WORLD, I HOPE YOU ALWAYS

HAVE THE MEMORIES WE HAVE MADE AND THAT

THEY MAKE YOU SMILE.

I HOPE THAT MANY TIMES IN YOUR LIFE, YOU WILL

DO SOMETHING AND A MEMORY OF US WILL 

COME INTO YOUR HEART.

I LOVE YOU, MY DEAR ABS! 

PROUD OF THE QUEEN YOU ARE, 

THE QUEEN YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TO ME,

YOUR AUNTIE LIL