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life{in}grace

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Roadtripping, part 2

by 246 Comments

caiti&chelsea
i was ready to gossip to you about this whole pageant thing.
to gently poke at helicopter moms and spray tan dads.
to highlight the general absurdity of teens parading around in swimsuits.
but i’ve decided to let it lie.
caiti learned a lot. she had a blast and never wants to do a pageant again.
mission accomplished.
pageant
she had a lot of support from her family and friends.
who all marveled that she so didn’t seem the ‘pageant type’.
i think she realized early on that she was out of her league.
that many of these girls (and their moms) have made pageantry their reason for existence.
so she said she got ready quick back stage and then helped other girls with their hair and makeup.
that’s my girl.
a few even called her ‘mom’.
she’s such a good sport and made the best of the time she was there.
she seems to have a pretty good handle on real beauty and from Whom and where it comes.
i love that about her.
she’s beautiful in so many ways that have nothing to do outward appearance.
we’ll chalk it up to a good learning experience.

okay, just one bit of gossip. one mom had to be escorted out by security for storming backstage and demanding to know why her daughter didn’t make the top fifteen.
not a word of a lie.
and the whole thing made me wanna come home and read some serious literature.
amen.

love you caiti. you make me proud.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Southern Gal says

    She’s beautiful and has your smile. But, you’re right, being beautiful on the inside is what matters.
    I laughed out loud when I read this:
    “and the whole thing made me wanna come home and read some serious literature”
    Seriously.

    Reply

  2. ulli says

    Caiti is such a beautiful young woman, and her inner beauty shines forth with her clear thinking and servant’s heart. What a great experience for all of you! Too bad you didn’t get to set up your friend oreo stand!

    Reply

  5. Kelly @ The Feathered Nest says

    What I love most is that you supported her anyway.

    Even though she is clearly a beautiful girl, hearing how she helped other girls backstage says volumes about her true, inner beauty. What an absolutely precious testimony to her heart and your pride.

    Sweet.

    Reply

  12. Ruth says

    Your daughters are as beautiful as you are. She has a great smile, like yours. What a good learning experience. I don’t think I could do it. How funny that she was ready backstage so early and helped the other girls. Definitely not what you usually see or hear about at pageants. Fierce competition.

    Ruth

    Reply

  13. Laura says

    Oh, as a momma raising a very pretty daughter in TEXAS (way more emphasis on looks here than in Hollywood!!), I am so feeling this post. I take very seriously my job to make a kind heart of more value than a pretty face in our family. Your Caiti truly has both. Congrats on a job well done! What an encouragement your sweet daughter is to this mommy!

    Reply

  15. Molly Pearce says

    Caiti is gorgeous! And your right, she is a natural beauty and the way you speak of her makes her even that much more beautiful! I had to giggle at the end about the mom, ha ha! Happy Day!
    ~Molly P

    Reply

  16. a pocket full of posies says

    Caiti IS just beautiful…and SHE IS the real winner!- for having such Grace AND for having such a “good handle” on true beauty!(and Whom it’s from)
    and oh*my*goodness!!!- the mom story…so sad!- truly breaks my heart!
    Blessings!
    Jill

    Reply

  18. Patti Brown says

    she is beautiful on the outside for sure…and from what you’ve told us, she’s just as beautiful on the inside…hmmmm, wonder where she gets all that!!!!!

    Reply

  21. Gina says

    So glad to hear Caiti isn’t the pageant type. She is smart and beautiful! At least you got a fun road trip out of it. 😉 My daughter and I had a blast when we traveled to my niece’s pageants. We got to visit New Orleans, South Padre Island and Mexico one year and then Virginia Beach and Williamsburg for the state pageant and L.A. for the Miss. Even though I’m not into pageants, I wouldn’t miss a trip. ;D The comment about reading some serious literature was too funny!!

    Reply

  22. Amy Mc says

    Ha! Edie, if Julie hasn’t told you about her pageant experience, ask her. This brings back tons of memories…hilarious memories. Caiti is a pretty girl!

    Reply

  24. Trudy says

    Oh Edie, I am very proud of (my cyberspace, vicarious daughter) Cati too! She is a TOTALLY beautiful young woman. Thank you for sharing the adventure.
    Mother of Seven Sons, Trudy

    Reply

  25. Lisa says

    Combine the pictures with the story and it’s obvious she made you proud both on the stage and behind the stage. That’s awesome! Beautiful – inside & out. Girls’ road trips – fun, fun, fun!

    Reply

  26. Cate says

    ALL of your girls are gorgeous Edie, and congrats to Cati on (as we say Downunder) “‘aving a go, mate.”

    Chalk it up to a fun experience for you all, and my husband is so relieved at not having to fund a flight for me to come over and sort you out for becoming a pageant mother 😉

    Reply

  27. Rhonda says

    She is gorgeous, and with a mama like you, I’m sure she knows the exterior isn’t what defines true beauty.
    And I entered the pageant world when I was in college to earn scholarship money and it was a little “Toddlers and Tiaras” at first, but believe it or not, I met some other “normal” girls who are still my friends today, twelve years later!

    Reply

  29. patty says

    beautiful photos, edie! what great lessons you teach us… and gosh! you look more like her sister than her mother! (do they have mommy beauty pagents?) ;o

    Reply

  32. Peggy says

    Your daughter is beautiful… but, being beautiful inside is what counts~ as several others have already said. How wonderful to have the whole package! 🙂

    Reply

  35. Kimmie says

    Katie is such a beautiful girl inside and out and is the true winner of the pagent. She is a wonderful spirit which goes much deeper then wearing a crown. Good for her for helping the other girls with makeup and getting ready. That is a true winner. Congradulations Katie on being our pagent winner.P.S. You looked simply beautiful! xxoo

    Reply

  36. emily freeman says

    Wow. She is gorgeous and she looks just like you. I love this post. It has made me all shades of happy this morning. I can’t tell why. I think it’s your mother style, your go-with-the-flow, your willingness to let her, even though…

    Love you, Edie. For real.

    Reply

  37. emily freeman says

    Wow. She is gorgeous and she looks just like you. I love this post. It has made me all shades of happy this morning. I can’t tell why. I think it’s your mother style, your go-with-the-flow, your willingness to let her, even though…

    Love you, Edie. For real.

    Reply

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