Miss Iowa Week - Day 2

Today was yet another great day of Miss Iowa week, and my birthday, to boot :) I am officially 23 years old, and have never felt better.

My facebook account was inundated with Happy Birthday messages, my cell phone exploded with text messages and phone calls, and my fellow contestants serenaded me this afternoon at the Golden Corral. I could not have asked for a better way to spend my special day.

This morning, we traveled to Iowa City for one of my favorite events of the week, visiting the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. I met a family from very near my hometown of Epworth who traveled from Manchester for their daughter Gabrielle's check up. Gabrielle was born with biliary atresia, something I learned about in my undergraduate career at Iowa State University, but have never witnessed in real life. Thankfully, the doctors at the University of Iowa detected it early enough that Gabrielle was able to avoid a liver transplant and has had normal labs for over a year now.


There were kids coming in and out of the pediatric unit all morning for check ups - from six months to 17 years. I even met a soon-to-be Iowa Stater, which is rare in Hawkeye country :)

This visit was so uplifting. It is not every day that you meet two year olds who have survived liver cancer, or 17-year-olds who are preparing for transplant surgery. The most amazing part of it all is that they literally radiate joy. If the kids I met today didn't walk in for check-ups and doctor visists, I would never know they were facing any health issues because of their attitudes and the way they carry themselves. Some of their parents even said they loved being at the hospital, which to me, speaks to the value of the Children's Miracle Network and the way that it changes lives. It was such a blessing to have experienced everything I did with those children this morning!

We had some time to relax this afternoon, and then traveled to the Golden Corral for dinner. The evening ended with a quick rehearsal, and I must say, I am thrilled about the production this year. We are singing! You will enjoy it - there is no doubt in my mind.

With that, I am in need of some rest.
More tomorrow,
Jennifer