My Crowning Moment “A Life-Changing Moment”
“Your crown has been bought and paid for. Put it on your head and wear it.” ~ Maya Angelou
Adequately explaining the range of emotions and the full experience of becoming Mrs. International 2020 is mere impossible. Becoming one of the few women who get to experience that moment when you hear your name called as the next Mrs. International has been a dream and a goal of ours, yes OURS, that started almost five years ago when my journey with International Pageants, Inc. began as Mrs. Grand Forks International 2016.
The moment I heard my name announced as Mrs. International 2020 was an experience that I’ll never forget. It truly was a life-changing moment, as it was in that moment that everything that both Andrew and I had been praying for and working for came to fruition.
In that moment I was so completely overcome with emotion, all I could do was drop to my knees. As I stood up and made my way to center stage, I noticed I was clinching my fists together as tightly as I could because I felt like I was going to literally explode with joy and gratitude for the incredible opportunity and honor that had just been bestowed upon us.
Although most of the experience was a bit of a blur, there are a few moments in particular that I will always remember. As I stood looking out at the audience, I immediately felt consumed by God’s love and grace. Although we fall short many days, everything we do in our lives, we try to do for HIS glory, and in that moment as I stood there trying to process the life-changing moment that had just occurred, I felt as though we were being rewarded for every sacrifice we’ve made and will continue to make, for every struggle we’ve overcome and will continue to overcome, and for our steadfast commitment to Him and to the plan that He set into motion for our lives long before we ever knew.
When I turned around and saw Andrew standing next to me, the very first thing I said to him was, “We did it!” His response to me was, “YOU did it!” As he embraced me with genuine excitement, I felt so proud to be his wife. Sharing in that moment with him is something neither of us will ever forget. Even though I might be the one with the title and the crown, our story and our journey with infertility, adoption, and foster care is as much his to share as it is mine. This journey wouldn’t be what it is without him. We truly are a team, and being able to have the other half of my team join me on stage to share in that once-in-a-lifetime moment together was so incredibly special and meaningful to the both of us.
When I felt Andrew place the crown upon my head, I was immediately reminded of Jesus and the crown of thorns that was placed upon His head. In that moment, I was reminded of the sacrifices He made, and the countless examples He left for all of us as to the type of people we should strive to be and the type of life we should strive to live; one where we are called to serve rather than to be served, and I vowed to stay committed to the bigger picture and to allow Him to continue to work through me and to use this crown as a way to lead by example and to create change in the world as He sees fit.
As I took my first walk as Mrs. International 2020 and made my way to the end of the stage, I was still struggling to catch my breath, and I just kept saying out loud, “Oh my gosh, is this real?” Although it was a moment I had visualized multiple times, no vision I had was as magical as the actual moment itself.
As I stood at the end of the stage, I had so much gratitude in my heart for those five individuals standing down in front of me, aka the selection committee, who had just put their trust in me and bestowed upon me an honor and a responsibility that I do not take lightly. As I did everything I could in that moment to express my sincere gratitude for them, I felt an unexplainable sense of pride and a desire to prove to them that they made the right choice.
In my final moments on stage, I thought of all the people; family, friends, and even complete strangers, who had been supporting us throughout this journey; I thought about all of the women and young ladies who I lead by example for and who look to me as a role model; I thought about the Foster Community and the Foster Families that we represent; I thought about the kiddos who we’re called to advocate for; I thought about Mary and Mel Richardson and the amazing year we were about to embark on. It was in that moment when the realization of the magnitude of what just happened hit me, and I couldn’t wait to show everyone the impact you can make with passion in your heart, a commitment to work hard, and complete trust in God’s bigger plan!
When I turned around and saw all of my sister queens standing behind me, I knew I wanted to do everything I could to make them proud. Although I missed the experience of being engulfed in their hugs due to the social distancing requirements set in place because of COVID, I still felt their genuine love and support and excitement for me in that moment. This whole experience wouldn’t have been what it was without them. This isn’t my year, it’s OUR year, and it’s an honor representing the incredible women who make up the Mrs. International Class of 2020.
As everything started to settle down, and we made our way back stage, I was reminded of my Aunt Jackie who passed in 2012. I am the woman I am today in large part because of her. Without her influence in my life, I would not be where I am today, and I wish she could’ve been there to share in that moment with us.
The most common question I get asked is, “Has it sunk in yet?” That’s a hard question to answer. I don’t know that the moment will ever “sink in” completely. I still watch the video back and am overcome with emotion. Although we saw God’s hand in everything that lead up to that single moment, and we had complete confidence that this was the year that He was going to use us to share our story and to share the importance of Foster Care, we never know God’s plan until it unfolds; and even then, we don’t always see it or understand it, but we trust it. Becoming Mrs. International 2020 is an incredibly unique opportunity to continue to lead by example and to make an impact in the world, and I will do my best to make the most out of every opportunity that this journey offers. Besides empowering others through our story of infertility, adoption, and foster care, our ultimate hope is to be advocates for the Foster Community and voices for the children who we are all called to love and serve.
“Behaving like a princess is work. It’s not just about looking beautiful or wearing a crown. It’s more about how you are inside.” ~ Julie Andrews
Ashley Rae Klinger
Mrs. International 2020
The Need is Great - Make an Impact - BE A FOSTER
"Encouraging families to make an impact in the life of a child and be a foster."
Adequately explaining the range of emotions and the full experience of becoming Mrs. International 2020 is mere impossible. Becoming one of the few women who get to experience that moment when you hear your name called as the next Mrs. International has been a dream and a goal of ours, yes OURS, that started almost five years ago when my journey with International Pageants, Inc. began as Mrs. Grand Forks International 2016.
The moment I heard my name announced as Mrs. International 2020 was an experience that I’ll never forget. It truly was a life-changing moment, as it was in that moment that everything that both Andrew and I had been praying for and working for came to fruition.
In that moment I was so completely overcome with emotion, all I could do was drop to my knees. As I stood up and made my way to center stage, I noticed I was clinching my fists together as tightly as I could because I felt like I was going to literally explode with joy and gratitude for the incredible opportunity and honor that had just been bestowed upon us.
Although most of the experience was a bit of a blur, there are a few moments in particular that I will always remember. As I stood looking out at the audience, I immediately felt consumed by God’s love and grace. Although we fall short many days, everything we do in our lives, we try to do for HIS glory, and in that moment as I stood there trying to process the life-changing moment that had just occurred, I felt as though we were being rewarded for every sacrifice we’ve made and will continue to make, for every struggle we’ve overcome and will continue to overcome, and for our steadfast commitment to Him and to the plan that He set into motion for our lives long before we ever knew.
When I turned around and saw Andrew standing next to me, the very first thing I said to him was, “We did it!” His response to me was, “YOU did it!” As he embraced me with genuine excitement, I felt so proud to be his wife. Sharing in that moment with him is something neither of us will ever forget. Even though I might be the one with the title and the crown, our story and our journey with infertility, adoption, and foster care is as much his to share as it is mine. This journey wouldn’t be what it is without him. We truly are a team, and being able to have the other half of my team join me on stage to share in that once-in-a-lifetime moment together was so incredibly special and meaningful to the both of us.
When I felt Andrew place the crown upon my head, I was immediately reminded of Jesus and the crown of thorns that was placed upon His head. In that moment, I was reminded of the sacrifices He made, and the countless examples He left for all of us as to the type of people we should strive to be and the type of life we should strive to live; one where we are called to serve rather than to be served, and I vowed to stay committed to the bigger picture and to allow Him to continue to work through me and to use this crown as a way to lead by example and to create change in the world as He sees fit.
As I took my first walk as Mrs. International 2020 and made my way to the end of the stage, I was still struggling to catch my breath, and I just kept saying out loud, “Oh my gosh, is this real?” Although it was a moment I had visualized multiple times, no vision I had was as magical as the actual moment itself.
As I stood at the end of the stage, I had so much gratitude in my heart for those five individuals standing down in front of me, aka the selection committee, who had just put their trust in me and bestowed upon me an honor and a responsibility that I do not take lightly. As I did everything I could in that moment to express my sincere gratitude for them, I felt an unexplainable sense of pride and a desire to prove to them that they made the right choice.
In my final moments on stage, I thought of all the people; family, friends, and even complete strangers, who had been supporting us throughout this journey; I thought about all of the women and young ladies who I lead by example for and who look to me as a role model; I thought about the Foster Community and the Foster Families that we represent; I thought about the kiddos who we’re called to advocate for; I thought about Mary and Mel Richardson and the amazing year we were about to embark on. It was in that moment when the realization of the magnitude of what just happened hit me, and I couldn’t wait to show everyone the impact you can make with passion in your heart, a commitment to work hard, and complete trust in God’s bigger plan!
When I turned around and saw all of my sister queens standing behind me, I knew I wanted to do everything I could to make them proud. Although I missed the experience of being engulfed in their hugs due to the social distancing requirements set in place because of COVID, I still felt their genuine love and support and excitement for me in that moment. This whole experience wouldn’t have been what it was without them. This isn’t my year, it’s OUR year, and it’s an honor representing the incredible women who make up the Mrs. International Class of 2020.
As everything started to settle down, and we made our way back stage, I was reminded of my Aunt Jackie who passed in 2012. I am the woman I am today in large part because of her. Without her influence in my life, I would not be where I am today, and I wish she could’ve been there to share in that moment with us.
The most common question I get asked is, “Has it sunk in yet?” That’s a hard question to answer. I don’t know that the moment will ever “sink in” completely. I still watch the video back and am overcome with emotion. Although we saw God’s hand in everything that lead up to that single moment, and we had complete confidence that this was the year that He was going to use us to share our story and to share the importance of Foster Care, we never know God’s plan until it unfolds; and even then, we don’t always see it or understand it, but we trust it. Becoming Mrs. International 2020 is an incredibly unique opportunity to continue to lead by example and to make an impact in the world, and I will do my best to make the most out of every opportunity that this journey offers. Besides empowering others through our story of infertility, adoption, and foster care, our ultimate hope is to be advocates for the Foster Community and voices for the children who we are all called to love and serve.
“Behaving like a princess is work. It’s not just about looking beautiful or wearing a crown. It’s more about how you are inside.” ~ Julie Andrews
Ashley Rae Klinger
Mrs. International 2020
The Need is Great - Make an Impact - BE A FOSTER
"Encouraging families to make an impact in the life of a child and be a foster."
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