I'm a proud momma

I am going to take a quick moment to brag about my little MacKenzie girl. She is so wonderful and has an innate desire to learn - especially with reading and math. About a month ago I got a letter home stating she had won her class spelling bee and would be participating in the school spelling bee. This past Friday was that day. I was so extremely sick that day, but I wouldn't have missed it for anything!!! I was so nervous for her. She doesn't like large crowds, let alone be the center of attention in front of one. I just kept praying for her and made sure she knew where in the crowd I was so that she look to me for comfort. The other concern was that she doesn't like being wrong, so to be wrong in front of a group this size could cause some damage.

There were six Kindergarteners participating. This first picture is all six of them, MacKenzie is the third one in.
Once it got started they each had to introduce themselves by saying their name and telling us who their teacher is. That is this second picture. She spoke so loud and clearly I thought maybe she somehow wasn't nervous.
Then the rounds continued on. Brendon was being a royal pain. My friends Eric & Julie Nichols were there to watch their first grader in a few minutes so Julie kindly took Brendon so I could concentrate on MacKenzie. Julie was a life saver - more than she knows. During about the sixth round no one had gotten out yet. It was then MacKenzie's turn with the word "out". She mispelled it and was the first person out. She went and sat down and the Principal, Mrs. Finch and Mrs. Alpeche talked to her and comforted her. I just wanted to run up and give her a hug. I was the one in tears for my sweet girl.
About three rounds after MacKenzie got out, words like "I", "a" and "in" came up. My friend Eric turned to me quite mad and said "How on earth do those words come after 'out'". I told him I didn't know, but it was fine. She did her best and that was all that mattered. The last two kids got to words like "orange", "black" and "yellow". I know MacKenzie can certainly read those words, but I don't think she would have been able to spell them from off the top of her head and wouldn't have won regardless of when the word "out" came up. She did do well. I am very proud of her!

This is MacKenzie accepting her certificate of participation from Mrs. Aros and Mrs. Finch.

MacKenzie when everything was done. I am proud of you my love!

This week at our PTA Board meeting I was talking with a fellow board member who was a judge for the Spelling Bee. I explained to her what Eric had said. She told me that the words are the same and in the same order every single year and that word is always one in which someone gets out. It is the first one that can't be sounded out phonetically and so it gets misspelled each year. Oh, well. I guarantee that she knows how to spell her word now.

Great job, MacKenzie! I love you and I am so very proud that you did your personal best. That is all Mommy & Daddy could ask of you!!!!