I still felt nervous and yet cautiously optimistic about this whole modeling deal. I worried what would happen if Rosie was successful in accomplishing her goal but I worried more about what would happen if I shut Rosie down in her efforts to accomplish her goal. Both my husband and I had prayed and prayed about these steps we were taking and what we felt every time was to just go a bit further. We didn’t have a clear picture of how things would turn out. We did, however, feel peaceful about walking this course with Rosie.

While staying at a dear friend’s house in Pelham, Mary Anne suggested that I phone a couple living in the city with full careers in the fashion industry. (For temple attending LDS church members, you’ve actually seen this couple.) Both worked as successful models/photographers living in the big city and raising their lovely, and I do mean lovely, family. I knew the wife only slightly because when we had lived in the Westchester Stake I served as the Young Women President in our ward while she served as the Young Women President in the Manhattan Stake. We went to camp together. Believe me, she looks A LOT better stepping out of a tent in the morning than I do.

Speaking with her patient husband that night, it was such comfort for a mother’s heart to hear his professional perspective on “the business” and the various modeling agencies in New York City. He suggested the top five we should definitely visit and even gave us the name of a contact, also a member of our faith, to ask for when we went to Elite.  (America’s Next Top Model) I still had my concerns but had to admit that it seemed the doors were opening as we continued to take careful steps forward.