And Now, For the Individual "Thank You's"

You've read my Official Farewell, but if I were to truly do justice in thanking all those responsible for making this a good experience, there would be PAGES, and the poor people in the audience listening would probably need another intermission! Still, I need to make sure I thank those people so incredible for making things incredible for me that I could not thank individually on paper.





Eric, you're my exception and I am thanking you one more time because I know there's not enough "thanks" in the world for all you have done, and especially did, this past year for me in this. No man is more patient than you. I love you.





Julie, no sentence, paragraph, book....I think you get the idea...can even scratch the surface for the gratefulness I have for you. My friend, my chosen sister, the one who inspired me to keep going and believe in myself, and the person who "exudes grace and beauty and a commanding presence when she enters a room that draws you in"...remember that article?...still to this day, that is YOU!




Dee, I'm not sure where I would be without you. Your listening ear, your kind heart, and your continuous generosity to me and to so many is such a touching example of what it means to be a real queen. Your spunkiness and "fire" are the roots that inspire armadillos...and those that need to be! ;) Thank you for "keeping on".



Kaili, you are an inspiration and strength that I look up to and adore. Thank you for your friendship and the amazing person you are. I am truly in awe of your courage and yes, again, your strength.



Maria, your gentleness and sweetness are matched by few as well as your beauty inside and out. You are such a darling to me and I thank you for the friend I have in you.


Michelle, I've always thought you had such a queenly character, and crown or not, you are an inspiration as you choose to care for and serve others like a titleholder would because it is the right thing to do. Thank you for all your support, the beautiful jewelry you supplied at nationals, and for being such a good friend.



Megan, a forever cheerleader, dear friend, and the first to ever congratulate me in this journey, and the one still waving her hands in the air and screaming for me. I am forever grateful God brought you into my life.

Rena, my American Queen sister, I am indebted to the hours of phone calls, encouragement and wardrobe help. You were so good to be with me in NY, and for the many years of friendship we share, I am SO, SO glad for. You my dear, are still my Miss USA! ;)



Loni, I am SO thankful that we were able to reconnect after so many years through this. You were such a great part of this year, and I am so thrilled for the future! You are bright, beautiful, talented, strong, driven, and I admire you.


Erika, Mrs. America was MADE PERFECT with you as my roomie. You were and are so terrific. Beautiful, supportive, and a force to be reckoned with. God bless you for all the kindness you've shown to me.

Jeana, I think we are going on 23-plus years of friendship, and still you are the encouragement and support in every aspect of my life. To see you become the person you are is better than anything I can say. Thank you, my prayer warrior!

Jason P., I don't think I CAN thank you enough. You have been more of a friend, support system, one-man-entourage, and saving grace, and I want you to know that all you've done this past year means the world to me.



Alma, for your YEARS of sewing and creating works of art out of things I've brought to you with visions I could not manifest. You are a seamstress beyond and I so appreciate your patience and willingness over the years to do all you've done for me. Thank you.



To my dear sweet friends made this year through Elena's school-Renee', Julie, Mary, Michelle, and Maria - you ladies have kept me grounded, sane and supported all at once. I think we boosted Einstein's profits by leaps and bounds! I love you girls!



Diane, I can not thank you enough for all you've done for me. I think the world of you. You are so beautiful, inside and out, and I cherish you!


Kathy and Dave, thank you for the prayers, insight and guidance, and friendship. I am indebted to you. Thank you for showing Christ in all you say and do.

Misty, your kindness and friendship this past year is a treasure to me. Never change that sweet loving spirit!

Nor, thank you for wardrobing me over the years. You have a talent and a gift, and I adore you! I would have not had nearly the look I've had without you. You have been a saving grace to me so many times, and EVERYONE should shop with you FIRST!

May God truly Bless all of you...you have been the biggest blessings to me! Love to every one of you!








2 Samuel 2:6


May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.





2 Corinthians 9:13-14


Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.





Numbers 6:24-26


The Lord bless you and keep you;


The Lord make His face shine upon you,


And be gracious to you;


The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,


And give you peace.

Don Seidman Photos of Eric and I

Eric knocked the crown off my head as he hugged and kissed me when we met onstage. We are still laughing about that to this day!

I've said it before and I will say it again - the best title, the most important title, and the only one that matters the most to me is Mrs. Anji MEIDEL. I was chosen by Eric to love and cherish forever, and just as he does me, I do the same in return. I love you, Tender. You are my best friend.

Don Seidman Photos

Here are the photos I promised! Thank you, Mr. Don, for once again doing an amazing job shooting the most priceless pictures!

Farewell Speech

Being Mrs. Illinois America has been an experience I never thought possible, one I never imagined being the journey it was when it became a reality, and one I will never, ever forget. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." God has given me purpose in life, and gave me great purpose during my time as Mrs. Illinois, with opportunities to serve and participate where I never would have had the chance had it not been for this title. From packing meals to send to Haiti, raising more awareness and support for breast cancer through several outlets, to leading a crowd of almost 700 people as a dancing zombie and breaking a new world record...these are just a few of the incredible moments in the life I have known as Mrs. Illinois. Standing on the stage of Mrs. America was a dream fulfilled for me, and a time I will remember fondly (blisters and all)! And through every moment, God has been there completely in control, allowing all things for growth in me and greatness for Him. So I open with my thanks to Him for everything.

My deepest gratitude goes to Eric for being my husband (thank you for choosing me!) and my best friend; thank you for making this possible for me. To my chosen sister Julie, for the constant that is you. To the Mrs. Illinois' who have gone before me, giving me strength, encouragement and examples befitting of royalty both inside and out, I stand and applaud you. To my friends and family, I am indebted to you for your continued support and prayers. To the many people who aided me in preparation before and throughout my reign as Mrs. Illinois; thank you for believing in me and guiding me to and through this adventure. To my Mrs. America sisters, my heart's gratitude for the friends I have in you. Success is never achieved alone, and it is because of all of you that I have been here. You have "raise(d) me up, to more than I can be."

The Mrs. Illinois America Organization affords married women the opportunity of a lifetime. What you do with it - the possibilities are endless. I thank the Aceto family for that. To the sponsors who have continued to support the pageant over the years, I thank you for giving so generously and making Mrs. Illinois feel incredibly special.

To the next Mrs. Illinois and to all the ladies competing for the title; the most important title you will ever hold is that of wife which is why being a "Mrs. Titleholder" is truly special. You share this with your partner in life; he is so important and without your husband, you could not be here today. Cherish him! To every woman...you are uniquely made to do and be uniquely beautiful things. You are a treasure and a gift to this world, and someone, somewhere needs you and the talents you possess. Don't ever forget how priceless you are! No one can compare to you, so don't ever compare yourself to anyone else.

I close with thanks for giving me this time to share myself with you, as Mrs. Anji Meidel and as Mrs. Illinois America 2009. May God bless you all as you have blessed me.

More Pictures

Champagne and Roses...the roses are from Eric, the champagne is from Kaili...thank you both! XO



Carol and I during interviews. Thank you to Carol for the photo and for all your hard work at the pageant every year!

Top 5- don't the two on the left look like they could be sisters? Really lovely top 5!

Formers with our new 2010 Mrs. Illinois

With Dr. Chiann Fan Gibson, DDS, one of our generous sponsors!

Onto to 2010 and a New Beginning

July 24th marked the final day of my reign as Mrs. Illinois America 2009. The 29th annual Mrs. Illinois America Pageant and the Miss Illinois Teen All America Pageant was held at the Bolingbrook Performing Arts Theater, located in the local high school. We were fortunate to have the space for one of three of Joe's personally constructed stages, originally created for Hemmen's so many years ago. It fit beautifully, and remains a staple of the production.

We were also fortunate to make it in one piece with the torrential downpours and dangerous weather the evening before and morning of the pageant! Despite dodging closed streets, we all managed to begin a full day with 8 lovely and accomplished Mrs. and Teens, and a brand new Junior Miss Illinois, Miss Taylor, whom I spent much of the day with and even had the pleasure of doing hair and make up for her throughout the event. She is a darling, as was every one of our ladies.

The distinguished, and ever-on-top-of-things, Mrs. Tracey Tarantino, was there to put the production together despite her own house flooding! She is one of the best parts of Mrs. Illinois, both during the pageant as well as working with her during the year of being Mrs. Illinois.

By the end of the night, we had a new Teen and a new Mrs. to represent Illinois in the national pageants to come. Strength and courage, ladies...my thoughts and prayers are with you as you prepare in such short time. Make the most of this time, and make it yours.

I have a couple posts for pictures courtesy of Dawn Heacock, a veteran of the pageant as well as one of my event coordinators, and Dr. Chiann Gibson, DDS, one of the terrific sponsors in the past for Mrs. Illinois. I will also post the professional photos from the incomparable, Mr. Don Seidman (who makes EVERYONE look and feel fabulous) when they come in.

Special thanks to Michele, Dawn and Misty for making such a big trip up, to all the ladies who sparkle from the inside out...you shine ever bright, and brighter still, and I am so proud of you...thank you to everyone for the calls, well-wishes and prayers! Thank you, Eric, for the beautiful roses, and catching the crown when it fell off my head hugging you during our farewell walk... Priceless!!! ;)

These entries covering the 2010 Pageant will be final posts, and will close the blog for Mrs. Illinois America 2009. I hope you'll stay in touch with me through our family blog, as we are excited for a brand new tomorrow and a full life ahead. Blessings to you all and thank you for being here with me.

Little Miss, Miss Teen, and Miss Gurnee Pageant

This weekend was spent working with the Little Miss, Miss Teen, and Miss Gurnee Pageant. I was on hand Friday, timing for interview, and then took care of ticket and program sales Saturday. All of the volunteers were tagged with "pageant staff" plates for all the contestants so they knew who to go to when needing help or assistance, and that was a lot of fun to get to be a part of...although, that also made me look like an authoritarian on everything, which I most certainly was not! It sure brought on a lot of laughs too, to some of the questions people asked (Ask the director, please...I'm just here to help!!! HAHAHA!) !!! ;)

This is an impressive group, and in it's third year, continues to grow by leaps and bounds. We had over 300 hundred in attendance this year! It is a very nice production and everyone has been warm, friendly, and a joy to work with. Kaili, the director, is lovely, thoughtful, and a treat to have met this weekend. I thank both she and Jenni, Miss Gurnee 2009, for asking me to help out with the event.

This is my final appearance as Mrs. Illinois America 2009 before passing on the title July 24th. I'll, of course, finish out the blog with the 2010 pageant and closing. It's been quite an experience and I am looking forward to the future!

More Photos of the Fourth of July

Independence Day! Happy Fourth of July!

Today we celebrate our freedom, we celebrate our country and all it provides for us. We are fortunate to be American. We are blessed!

I spent 4th of July morning with the wonderful people of Vernon Hills, getting to participate in their parade - one of the largest in the state. The organizers were exceptionally helpful and friendly, and everyone on the parade route was welcoming with applause and congratulations for all of the entrants. It was a terrific event I can't wait to be on the "sidelines" for next year!

My thanks to Lisa of the Vernon Hills Parade/ 4th of July Celebration Organization for coordinating this event for me, to Jeff and Renee' Wilkin who were there to provide a very festive and stylish ride for the event. And to Eric and Elena as well who got to be a part of the event, too. That was probably the best part for me - getting to share that with them! Elena sang songs and yelled happy Indepedence day...and then "Happy Cuddle Day" (because "Mommy, everyone likes a cuddle and that will make them smile since our candy ran out!"). It was also very special to get to see in the crowd, Mrs. IL 1996, Paige, who shouted hello from the crowd ( I missed most of what she said because of a lot of noise - but I didn't miss her beauty. That lady looks gorgeous no matter what!).

Enjoy and may you have a safe and Happy Fourth of July!

More From Six Flags Great America

Photos Courtesy of Kyle with Six Flags Great America - Thank you!

With Rosie's Family - mom loved the crown as much as Rosie did!


With little Kaili who wants to be a princess when she grows up. She was there with her family - she is one of 4year old triplets, and one of her brothers has leukemia.

Crowning a future Mrs. Illinois...she could try for "Miss" right now (Probably one of the best things is getting to see others try on the crown and how they light up ;) !).

3rd Annual "A Walk in the Park"

Saturday morning was spent with Six Flags Great America for the 3rd Annual "A Walk in the Park" to Cure Kids Cancer event. This event raises funds for pediatric cancers, benefiting Children's Memorial Hospital right here in Illinois. Walkers were treated to VIP time with characters from the park, music, goodie-bags and breakfast along with free day passes for reaching support goals!

This was my second walk with Great America, and it was great to get some returnees as well as meet some new ones! One I would like to highlight is Miss Rosie, a 5year old I got to meet today (as well as her very sweet family), and actually helped them pass out fliers for Rosie's cause, raising money in the fight against brain tumors. Rosie has neurofibromitosis, an inoperable brain tumor, and a lot of other things that have caused her to be on chemotherapy since age 3! But she is a spitfire, and determined not only to not let cancer beat her but help others in the process. She worked the walking crowd passing out her fliers as well to raise even more money at this event. Such a trooper!

You can help Rosie by going to:

www.firstgiving.com/2010RidingForRosie and can read more about Rosie at:

http://www.researchforrosie.com/

To learn more and support Children's Memorial, go to:

http://www.childrensmemorial.org/

And to further the cause through Six Flags Great America, visit:

www.sixflags.com/greatAmerica/index.aspx

Special thanks to Meredith Kelleher and Jennifer Dugan for contacting and arranging this event for me, to Kyle for taking photos throughout the event, to Jim and Terri - great to see you again, along with many others of the Great America Family. Thank you to Mr. Salemi of Six Flags for hosting "A Walk in the Park" again, and, of course, thank you to the many walkers and supporters of this event. Over 34,000 was raised just at this morning's event!

Workin' It!

This is from Stephanie from our Kilwin's "Work Efforts"...go biceps, go biceps!!!

And a photo of Sweet Donnie, Steph's heart and reason for all she does! What a darling!

Kilwin's Gives to NORD

Sunday was special for many reasons...Father's day, of course! Celebrating my hubby and dads! Kilwin's in Orland Park was celebrating "Dad" as well with complimentary ice cream cones for fathers when another was purchased for NORD, the National Organization for Rare Diseases. And topping it all off, sprinkles and all, was a delightful afternoon spent with newly crowned Mrs. Michigan America, Stephanie Hunt!

We visited with patrons and scooped ice cream - and boy there are some strict rules on how to scoop and serve!!! Our husband's and kids enjoyed an afternoon of sweet treats and we got to enjoy each other's company. I also got to meet several of Stephanie's sorority sisters who are faithful fans of her and her accomplishments. :)

Kilwin's owner, Jackie Jackson is a friend and former college roommate of Stephanie's, and graciously gave toward a good cause that is near and dear to Steph's heart...her son, Donnie, suffers from Rubenstein-Taybi Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. Seeing Stephanie with her son and hearing about some of their life experiences is witnessing the embodiment of love, courage and endurance! You can never compare one woman to another because we are all unique with great things to offer, and I wouldn't take away from any mother's work in this world. Because what she deals with is very tangible and very visible to so many, she has an amazing strength that let's others know "This is motherhood. It's not easy, but it can and will be done...WELL." I am truly grateful for the time I had with her this afternoon, and am honored that they would ask me to be a part of this terrific event.

For more information about NORD and how you can help, visit:

http://www.rarediseases.org/

To get some of the best ice cream, fudge, candy and service, visit:

Kilwin's Chocolate Ice Cream

15222 South La Grange Road

Orland Park, IL 60462-3960

708-460-3960

http://www.orlandparksweettreats.com/

My thanks to Jackie for holding this event, to Jackie and Stephanie for inviting me to be a part of it, to the many supporters who gave to raise money and awareness, and most important, to my sweet husband for giving part of his special day up for me. I love you, Sweetheart!