PART 1

3:48 PM JilinTour.Com 0 Comments

Yes!!! I am blogging less than a year after my last post...this usually never happens so everyone better love this one.... : )

ps. I wrote that sentence 2 weeks ago when I originally wrote this blog. Fail. So this is PART 1 of 2 of recent appearances!

Sometimes, I just like to take a moment to take in everything that has happened to me in the past months. Last December, I could barely believe my luck as I was named Miss Rehoboth Beach. Now, as Miss Delaware, I cannot believe how blessed I am. Everyday I have the wonderful opportunity to put a smile on someone's face. How many people can say that they have a job like that?!

The last time I blogged, I was just coming back from Johnstowns, PA, after picking out my Miss America wardrobe from the Bridal Suite! YAY! : )

After I got back from the best shopping trip ever, it was right back to work! The next day, I was off to the Delaware Auto show where I got to sign hundreds and hundreds of pictures, help out the Delaware Department of Motor Vehicles and sit in fancy cars and act like I had 10 of them back home. From there, I traveled to Harrington, DE, with one of my wonderful board members, George, to participate in the Rickshaw Races....for anyone that might not know what that is.....here is a visual....

In the real race, I was NOT the horse...thank the Good Lord.

My "horse!"

Did we win? Well....we didn't lose....

We had to race against at least 10 other teams. Bets were placed to benefit Horse Lovers United! What a fun event!!! : )

I had my first "student teaching" recently! The "platform" of the Miss Delaware Organization is "Character Counts", a six pillar system which teaches school age children about respect, responsibility and so much more. I had the opportunity to speak to 6 different classrooms (over 300 kids!) at North Georgetown Elementary School.

SIDE NOTE : I swear to you I am a 5 year old stuck in a 20 year old's body. Case in point....

you get the idea....anyways...I love hanging out with kids. Maybe it is because I get them and they get me...or maybe it is because I come from a family of seven kids and I had no choice but to love hanging around mass quantities of children....regardless, I had such a wonderful time! Teaching young kids about respect for others at such an early age is crucial and hopefully, I affected them in some way. While I ate lunch with them, I had to switch seats over 20 times to meet everyone and somehow managed to put my autograph on everything....books, notebooks, backpacks (also, black backpacks that hid my black, sharpie signed autograph...they didn't care...), casts for broken arms, milk cartons...you name it, I signed it.....I live for moments like this...it makes me want to be a kid again. I cannot wait to continue my Character Counts teaching throughout all the schools in Delaware! : )

If I have a day with only one appearance and it makes me feel incredible after, imagine how I would feel after a day with 3 appearances back to back? REALLY incredible...and wiped out! : ) One of these days started out with a car show in Maryland. I have heard this state referred to as "God's Country..." I am sure that the state of Maryland is absolutely beautiful, but so are the people. I had such a blast meeting everyone and taking pictures. Next, it was off to the Apple Scrapple Festival!! Throw me in a place with food galore, 25,000 people and a couple of my board members and it's safe to say that I am in Maria Heaven!

PS: A HUGE thank you to my wonderful business manger, Susan, and her husband, Gene. Gene had the maybe not so fun task of carting me from place to place. Once they found out that I had a headache, I had an Excedrin in my hands and then in my tummy in under ten minutes! You both are the best! : )

ANOTHER SIDE NOTE : Scrapple....who invented this? It was not Einstein, that's for sure...Okay, I am not hating on Scrapple...well, not technically anyways...it is just that I had it for the first time that day and...um...hmmm...I guess I am just not that into breakfast foods...

After the Apple Scrapple Festival, I met another board member, Chuck, to head off to a fancy Del Tech fundraiser! Has anyone seen the movie "White Chicks"? Yes, folks, I was auctioned off for a lunch, "White Chicks" style. BOOYAH. One of the things that I am really learning how to master is the art of networking. Being Miss Delaware is really good for that sort of thing : )

The next day, I attended the second local pageant of the 2012 Miss Delaware year, Miss Wilmington and Miss Newark. A huge congrats to Erin and Steph for winning their titles and also a special congrats to Morgan Burris, who won Miss Wilmington's Outstanding Teen on her first try! Both having gone to Aquinas Academy, a school with under 100 kids K-12, it was very cool to see another title holder come from my tiny school!

I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Special Olympics Fall Fest! Working with the Special Olympics has been one of my favorite organizations to volunteer with for over 6 years, so I loved being able to take it to a new level with my crown and sash!

Please check out the utter "bro-ness" of the picture below...especially the storm trooper to the right of me...

Stay chill and may the force be with you!

Maria Cahill

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23

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If You Want Things Done, Do Them Yourself...

6:32 PM JilinTour.Com 0 Comments

I promised to blog specifically about my Tim Qualls interview.

Here we go.

I was asked to perform my talent on the Tim Qualls Show. Awesome? Yes. No question there.

I picked out my music and had my dance all ready to go. The last piece of the puzzle? Press "burn" on itunes to put my dance music on a cd. Easy enough.... So I asked my sister, Christine, to do that small feat for me. Two minutes later, she handed me the cd. Piece of cake. NOT.

I arrived at the show a little early. I wanted enough time to meet the producers, meet the audience, and go over my dance a few times. I was dressed and ready to go on in 5 minutes when the producer walked up to me. She told me that the cd I gave her was blank. Blank....BLANK?!?! As in no music blank?!?! CHRISTINEEEEE!!!!!!

I gave the producers of the Tim Qualls Show a cd with nothing on it. A present, if you will. Needless to say, I had to pretend like that happens to me all the time and came up with something new in 30 seconds...typical.....

Ladies and Gentlemen, my offical, Irish Dancing (minus my music) debut on the Tim Qualls Show...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOwK9RSJoQM

Hope you all enjoy! Just a little sneak preview before January!

Stay chill and dance in random places without music!

Maria Cahill

ps. I love you, Christine!

"For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands."

(Psalm 92:4)

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SAY "NO" ...to (mis)adventures...

8:08 PM JilinTour.Com 0 Comments

"This is going to be such an adventure!!!"

It is usually at this point in time where one would tend to knock on wood....no such luck for me...
I had just come from an appearance where I danced and spoke at a senior center. There was a photo booth there, so I spent half the time taking funny pictures with the residents there...typical, really...I was excited for the afternoon because I was going to meet my Executive Director, Debi, in Wilmington. We were to drive to The Bridal Suite of Johnstown, PA, to shop for my Miss America gown and the rest of my wardrobe!

When my sister finally dropped me off in Wilmington, the first thing I said to Debi was, "This is going to be such an adventure!" Five seconds later, we were sitting in the car....which had decided to have a dead battery...that is when I realized we really were in for an adventure...just not the kind that I was thinking of.

Luckily, we were parked in front of the AAA Building where another one of my board members works. PHEW! He came right away bringing the BEST person ever with him...CHRIS!!!! Chris, who also works for AAA, made phone calls for a half hour, looking the closest person on duty to bring us a new battery! Thank you SO much, Chris! We would have been lost (or at least there until 8pm) without you!! I am getting my AAA membership soon...is it possible to request a particular person for all my troubles? Hope so...

After finally getting on the road a couple hours later, we started our almost 5 hour drive to PA! Even though traffic really slowed us down, I felt a lot better after my Number 1 - Big Mac Meal, no pickle, large lemonade, large fry...

SIDENOTE : McDonald's Monopoly gets me EVERY time!!!!! It is not my fault I want to win one million dollars....

After being stuck in "Penn State Homecoming/jack-knife tractor trailer accident" traffic for another couple of hours, it is safe to say we were both happy to arrive at our hotel. It may have been almost 4 hours later...but we made it there in one piece with our tummies full!

The next morning, it was up early to eat breakfast at Eat N' Park with Ronnie and Deborah of the Bridal Suite of Johnstown!!

ANOTHER SIDENOTE : Wearing almost six inch heels to Eat N' Park not only gives you a great view of the entire restaurant, but it also warrants some strange looks from everyone eating....

After a wonderful breakfast, it was off to gown shopping! I owe a HUGE HUGE HUGE thank you to The Bridal Suite of Johnstown, PA, for helping me pick the most STUNNING wardrobe I could ever have imagined! They were so kind and generous to me; it was really incredible. Yes, I now have my Miss America gown, but it is a surprise!! If you want to see it, along with my other pieces, I am having my Miss America sendoff party at Dover Downs on December 11th! It's going to be a party...so everybody had better go...!! All I will tell you is that this dress will make you pass out...that is how beautiful is it!!! I was SO incredibly happy with my experience at The Bridal Suite! If anyone is looking for any sort of pageant or prom wardrobe, I would go straight to The Bridal Suite of Johnstown, PA.

visit : http://www.bridalsuitejohnstown.com/

or call 814.266.6924 and ask for Ronnie! It is worth it! Can't wait to share my Miss America wardrobe with everyone! :))

RONNIE!!! What a wonderful help she and Deborah were!

After such a wonderful day, I thought the ride back would be just as easy...wrong. Halfway back, we realized that we were not going to the "home" place that we had entered into the GPS. My director, Debi, said "my eyes are bugging out of my head and I don't know what home I am going too!!!" Two hours later...we pulled into her driveway...

Needless to say, it was an adventure....and a memorable one at that!

Stay chill, find a "Chris," and go on adventures,
Maria Cahill

"suffering produces perseverance and perseverance produces character and character produces hope."
-Romans 5:3-4

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11:12 AM JilinTour.Com 0 Comments

HI TO MY "LITTLE SISTERS"!! I MISS YOU GUYS! :)

Look for a letter in the mail this week :))

<3

Maria

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On the 7th day, I "blogeth"...is that a word?

9:30 PM JilinTour.Com 0 Comments

So, apparently my plan to blog every week has failed....there is always next week, so don't worry!! Since last blogging, I have been so incredibly busy...and loving every minute of it!!

Gosh, where to begin....hold on, I am going to go turn on some Yellowcard to help me concentrate...

Ok. Go.

When I was Miss Rehoboth Beach, I got the opportunity to attend and walk in a "GoRed" fashion show to help support Women's Heart Health. Talk about an event that was made for me...While there, I had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people, teach them how to do a proper runway walk and pose. I was invited to attend another event a couple of months later. Little did they know, I would be coming as Miss Delaware 2011 (although when I got there, they told me that they had a feeling I would win! How kind!). I arrived at the incredibly beautiful Baywood Greens to attend a luncheon and fundraiser. Not only did I get to help with the silent auction and meet some of the funniest and kindest people to date, but I also got to learn about women's heart health and how important it is to recognize symptoms and be aware of when it's time to seek medical attention.

Yeah, camera. Go ahead and act like you took this picture in 2009....

The next day, it was off to perform at the fundraiser "Delaware's Got Talent", put on by Artistry Representative, Michelle Falla! Not only did I have the opportunity to perform my talent and raise funds for Children's Miracle Network, but I also had the opportunity to talk about the wonderful experiences I have had at the hospitals and share some personal stories from those visits. (Not to mention that I met a former Eagles football player, among others....pretty cool.) Thank you SO much, Michelle, for an awesome event!

One of my favorite appearances to date was when I attended an event with veterans of World War II and the Vietnam War! I spent hours with them just listening to their stories, asking questions, laughing, and taking an occasional picture. Hearing specific examples of their different experiences in war was definitely an eye-opening experience for me.

One gentleman, Norm, became my best friend by the end of the day. He was a World War II veteran who just laughed at me all day while telling an occasional story. One of my favorites was that during the war, he never used to drink or smoke - unlike any of his buddies. He said that he was the "babysitter" of the group. When they all went out and got drunk, he would steal their wallets and not tell them for a few days - that prankster! A man after my own heart... Needless to say, picturing Norm doing this had me laughing for hours.

He then said that he hoped he would live long enough to see me on television and, hopefully, win Miss America....WHAT. A. SWEETHEART.

NEW BEST FRIENDS! I LOVE NORM!

I had the opportunity to emcee the Little Miss Harbeston Pageant. It was unlike anything I have EVER been to before and had an incredible time. Anyone that makes me participate in a hula hoop contest off the cuff like that pretty much guarantees that I will have a great time.

One of the next big things on my agenda was the Wings of Hope Teal Ribbon Luncheon. This fundraiser, to support Ovarian Cancer research, was incredibly eye-opening as well. I had the amazing opportunity to speak to the entire room about the Miss Delaware Organization. In telling the group about my life and experiences, I had the opportunity to share my personal story of losing a good friend to texting while driving and about almost losing my older sister in an accident of the New Jersey Turnpike. My message? Live every single day to the fullest. I sat at a table with survivors of Ovarian Cancer and listen to their stories about survival and beating the odds. It is very inspirational to hear that even though research for a cure for Ovarian Cancer is one of the single most underfunded programs today, they are able to put that aside to bring awareness to this cause.

I've also had the opportunity to speak at the Delaware Safety Council Luncheon about my platform and my goals to expand it. A HUGE thank you to Harry Roosevelt for bringing me on-board with the Council while I was Miss Rehoboth Beach. I also recently spoke at my first of many high schools the other day and the response was fantastic!!!

Another of my FAVORITE appearances was attending the Dover International Speedway for the Nascar Sprint Cup Series!!!! YES. I don't think I have ever had my picture taken that many times in my entire life....but I guess that it what happens when there almost 100,000 people at one single event. I was interviewed on the huge Sprint Cup stage and talked about my year as Miss Delaware and my platform, Project 16-26: Drive Safe, Drive Smart (which was perfect, considering the event!). The craziest moment was after I received my tickets to watch the race , I started walking to my section of the track. There began a crazy amount of cheering and screams of "MISS DELAWAREEEE!!!!!" Talk about a humbling experience! WOW! After I took another million pictures, I got to watch most of the race and bond with the ladies next to me about our love for Dale Earnhart Jr. Talk about a good day...

Other events I have been a part of include events for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, workouts with my trainer (talk about not being able to walk the next day...), training for Character Counts, photo shoots and interviews with Wilmington University, appearing on the Tim Qualls show, recording PSA's for 93.7 WSTW, fundraisers, and TONS of dance classes.

Getting ready to dance for the Tim Qualls show....boy do I have a story about this....I will blog about it next time.

I have so much more to blog about!! AHHHH!! A HUGE promise that another one will be out this week! : )

Stay chill and play McDonald's Monopoly (Oh, yes....I went there)

Maria Cahill

P.S. All politics aside, I sat next to Vice President Joe Biden in church the other day. (Just in case anyone wanted to know....)

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."
Psalms 43:5