Summer 2010!!!

Wow! What a crazy summer! I can't believe that it is almost over! Ahh! Wow. Let's catch up. Well, for those reading who didn't already know, at the beginning of this summer I participated in the Miss Wyoming Scolarship Pageant, which was such a fantastic and rewarding experience. I traveled up to Sheridan 9 days before the pageant and was able to take part in many service projects for the state and community. My favorite event was when we got to be field marshalls for the State Soccer Cup. There were so many people there and we got a lot of funny looks wearing our crowns and sashes on a soccer field full of sweaty soccer players! I loved it. :) Other service projects we did include serving at the local soup kitchen, helping out at the Senior Center, greeting veterans at the VA and visiting various Church groups. To end pageant week, we each had princesses to crown and I was lucky to have my princess be Sabrina! It was so fun to see her and all the girls all dressed up! At the actual pageant, I won 3rd runner up and the Best Talent Award. The whole week was just a blast and I met the most talented, beautiful girls. So fun. Ever since then I've just been working. All the time. Sometimes 16 hours a day in the theatre here at Western. We put on two kids shows this year; Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr. and Annie Jr. It was so fun to work with all of those kids and the shows turned out so wonderfully. There is something about watching children and youth do theatre that just fills me with such joy. I cried at every performance, I was so proud of them. As a theatre company we're putting on two additional shows this summer; Arsenic and Old Lace and Bye Bye Birdie. Both were a lot of fun to put up. I worked on the technical aspects of Arsenic for the beginning of the summer and right now I'm in the ensemble of Bye Bye Birdie. It's been a very rewarding adventure to do 4 shows at once. A lot of work, but very rewarding. Currently, I'm teaching a Song and Dance Camp for kids ages 3-10. Man, those kids are so crazy. I love going into work everyday, but by the end of the day I am worn out!!! So, that is all what has been keeping me busy this summer. I get done this Friday and then it's family festivities until school starts again! Very exciting.
And now, for the exciting news!!! (drum roll please).
I'M ENGAGED! To Timothy Merkley, the greatest man I've ever met. I'm so incredibly excited and happy. Here is the proposal story! Well, as I said earlier, I am a teacher at a song and dance camp with two of my good friends, Brian and Nicole. This weekend, basically everyone in the theatre company went to Lagoon. All of my roommates were gone, just everyone was gone. Except for the 3 of us. And Tim. Anyway, it was my birthday, right? Right. And no one was there to wish me a happy birthday. I went to work, and nobody mentioned that it was my birthday. Not that I expected a whole lot, but a simple "Happy Birthday" would have sufficed. So I finished out the day at work and walked home and just started to cry. Then I walked into my apartment and there sits Tim with a guitar in his hand. He then proceeds to sing me a song that he wrote for me and pulls out a ring. (I wasn't crying anymore.) Then he asked me to marry him. And well, you know the rest of the story. So now I am engaged! And I have a BEAUTIFUL ring. So there you have it. The story is told!

Until next time,

Tamera