Featuring Miss Michigan Princess!

They say, "The best things come to those who wait." I waited three years to win my crown and it was worth the wait.

What an amazing year I have had representing NAM and my state and with so many memories it is really hard to choose the best ones.

After winning my crown, I began to learn about my state and I found out that we have the most lighthouses of any state with a total of 129! So I began a journey to visit as many as I could before my year was over. I got to see 46!

I traveled the entire perimeter of the the Lower Peninsula, several points in the middle, and a small part of the Upper Peninsula visiting lighthouses and meeting lots of new people. From the beautiful Tahquamenon Falls in Paradise, to the Soo Locks in Saulte St. Marie, to the Mackinaw bridge in Mackinac City, and the lightship in Port Huron, I learned we live in a truly beautiful state.

It was amazing to see and learn about all of the lighthouses and the stories behind them especially the haunted Pointe aux Barques lighthouse. But the coolest part of my journey was eating cheese almost THREE times my age in Pinconning! Yummy!!

Many doors opened to me for volunteering and I took those opportunities to bless others as I have been blessed. From the Walk to End Alzheimers in Lansing with my sister queens, to the Wings of Mercy 5K with my brother, to prepping supper sacks for the Kids Food Basket, and several other opportunities in between, I felt truly blessed to be able to make a difference.

I was invited to be in the Memorial Day parade in St Clair Shores and what an honor it was to be able to decorate my car with Thirty photos of those who had fallen and show them the honor and respect they deserved. I had the opportunity to be in three other parades, too many appearances to count, be visiting royalty, attend open calls in Indianapolis, and an awesome trip to Nationals where I won 4th runner up for Heart of Service, made new friends, and met up with old ones. I has definitely been a year to remember!

Thank you NAM for giving me this opportunity to represent my state and this great system that has helped and many other girls learn and grow. I hope I have served you well.

To my Dad who worked so hard and stayed up late after working all night to make all of the traveling possible, my mom who spent so much time planning my trips, setting up appearances, believed in me and pushed me to always do my best, my big brother Shaydin for being the best pageant brother ever and sticking by my side the whole way, my little brother Kaydonni for being my biggest fan and all of the hugs and kisses, my big sister Shannya for always believing I could, by big big brother Daylin and new sister Kelsey for cheering me on from afar and always having my back, I say a big giant, "THANK YOU" for loving me as I am and making this journey possible.

For all the future contestants, please remember there is only ONE crown and win or not, it doesn't make you who you are. Be who you are and love yourself no matter what the outcome on finale day. Good luck, have fun, and make lots of memories and friends.

Its goodbye for now but remember, "Do your best and the rest will follow."

Your 2017 Miss Michigan Princess

Aryannah Gonzalez