Minutes to Memories

Today was my daughter's school spelling bee. Hillary was a late addition to the 30 spelling competitors in this school of about 400 kids. There were two kids from each of the fifteen classes, and though Hillary came in 4th in her class competition, two students ahead of her did not want to compete. She did.

When I arrived, Hillary and Alexa were headed toward the competition, and I stopped them long enough for the pretty picture above. The students gathered in the library where the competition was broadcast over a school-wide television system for everyone in the school to see. All of the classes watched in their homerooms, while the parents were herded in the cafeteria, which is as safe a place to put thirty sets of nervous parents as any.

By luck of the draw, Alexa and Hillary went first. They looked a little nervous, but I WAS A LOT NERVOUS!!!!. They did good, and after the first two rounds, the field had been cut in half. In Round 3, it was cut in half again, including my favorite speller, Hillary.

Okay, you've watched "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" right? So let's play along.

Spell the following word: alot.

(Play the Jeopardy music.)
(Take your time.)
(No hurry.)

How did you spell it?

WRONG!!! It's actually spelled "allot," but Hillary spelled it with just one "l."

She was fine with it. I thought she spelled it close enough, but they're really cracking down on spelling bee rules now-a-days, so they made her go back to her class after Round 3.

I walked her back to her room, gave her a big hug, enjoyed her beautiful smile, and when she opened the door to go in her class cheered for her.

Too cool.

I couldn't wait to pick Hillary up this afternoon. She said her buddy, Alexa, came in 5th place - going out in the 7th round. She said the class cheered extra loud for Alexa when she came back, led by her friend, Hillary.

It has been a good day so far. And one thing I know: I love my little girl ALOT!