My Fair Lady

I put Hillary in a beauty pageant once.  She was only two and I was still in my teens...so I was easily convinced to give it a try.  We borrowed a frilly white dress, curled her short golden bangs under, and lined up back stage.  I was not prepared to be surrounded by moms with mini-salons and make-up bags, barking orders at their 3 year olds to stand like dolls so they didn't mess themselves up before show time. I knew right away I had made a mistake.  I wasn't surprised when Hillary's name wasn't called in the first "cut".  But I WAS surprised when she ran out on stage anyway...waving and laughing...just happy to be there!  I swore, Never Again.

But here we are 16 years later, and Hillary comes home with an announcement...She has put HERSELF in the contest for Fair Queen of our county fair.  I shuddered inside, but smiled and supported as she handled the details in a newly grown-up way.  

She turned in her paperwork on time and found a sponsor for her Parade Float.  She attended the many activities and enlisted the help of her grandmas to find costumes and props.  

And while many of the girls chose float themes that would allow them to dress in formals and stand looking pretty, our girl chose to be the Director of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. 

The whole family got involved sorting candy and attaching "Golden Tickets" to be handed out by Oompa Loompas along the parade route.  

Hilly Wonka had more detail and characters on her float than any of the other girls.  I was pleased to see how many of her friends were willing to paint their hair green, or sweat it out in a Blueberry Girl pillowed costume just to help Hillary out.

And it paid off!  Her float won first place!  

Next was the talent competition.  Wearing a dress she had found at a thrift store, Hillary performed a rousing rendition of "Popular" from the musical "Wicked".  

She wowed the crowd...and won first place!  

By this point I was realizing that it didn't matter how it all ended...she had already had enough fun to make it worthwhile. The only thing left was the evening gown competition.

We arrived at the fairgrounds to find a colorful bouquet of girls in fancy dresses...hair salon perfect...and standing still with battery-operated fans pointed at their perfect faces because it was HOT out there. Not our girl...she put her make up on in her boyfriends car, fluffed her hair, and commenced to flitting from girl to girl...laughing and complimenting and lightening the mood as she tends to do.

And then she strutted her stuff...

And danced the dances they had just learned the day before without missing a beat...

When her question came up, "What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?" she responded with poise...explaining that her Dad had told her when she came into high school to relax and enjoy herself because you only get one high school career.  And she had.

(You will have to imagine Dad's teary eyed face in the crowd as it was too dark to capture it with my camera!)

And finally, it was time. 

Hillary held hands with the friend next to her...

and gave this face when they called her name!

She was crowned and cloaked and clapped for.  And my faith in the world was a little bit restored.  It hadn't been expensive dresses or fake teeth...salon hair or pageant coaching...political connections or breast implants that had won this competition.  It had been true Grace and Poise and Confidence.  It was inner beauty that couldn't be contained.  

Our princess is now, truly, a Queen.