Decide is the Demise

Spelling Bees -- as a child I had a great desire to win a spelling bee.  I would study the words.  By study I mean, review them briefly until I found something better to occupy my time.  Does anyone remember the good television programs of the past like, "Different Strokes," "Family Ties," or even "I Dream of Genie" or "Leave it to Beaver" if I was lucky enough to be at my Grandma Sperry's.  I had each afternoon planned with the best television had to offer.

I still remember the words that eliminated me from competition, secretary and colonel.  Secretary was spell-able but colonel (pronounced like the popcorn kernel), come on people.

With Keanna's amazing win last year she had high expectations for a repeat this year.  She studies best with her Grandma Lou's help.  They have a system and incredible patience when working together.  She may have had too much confidence when studying for her class bee which is also the school qualifier.  She studied a little but should have spent more time.

We found out earlier in the week this competition would interfere with the softball tournament in Mesquite Andy signed the Steeler's up to play in.  I decided I would stay home with Keanna so she wouldn't miss something so important to her.  Andy likes all of us to stay together so he established Plan B.  He caught a ride with another coach and we would leave when the spelling bee was over.

The spelling bee began at 12:45 pm.  I arrived at the school at 2 pm to check-out Keanna.  I was sure ample time had passed and we could be on our way, hopefully with a happy daughter.  To my delight and horror, the competition hadn't ended.  It still had three competitors, one of which was Keanna.

We were given permission to watch.  We made it just in time to hear Keanna spell her word correctly while the other two girls weren't so lucky.  After an extended spell off for second and third place, the awarding of the trophies, and a few pictures, we were on the road to Mesquite.

Grandma Lou and Keanna, along with Ty Durbin, (who also couldn't leave earlier due to a spelling bee) spent most of the four hour drive spelling words, preparing for the next level of competition, the school spelling bee.

My mom was once again Keanna's greatest help.  She even took the time to call when she was between rides at Disneyland.  They studied 10 of the twelve columns.  The morning of the school spelling be I tried to quiz Keanna on words in the eleventh column.  It didn't take long for me to realize this was not a good idea.  I couldn't pronounce them, had no idea what they meant and they seemed to break all spelling rules if there were any rules.

To Keanna's utter disappointment she lost in round three.  The word was decide.  She spelled it "d e S c i d e."  My mom thought she had spelled it correctly, she heard the principal announce it with an s.  This word was on the first page, fourth column.

This was exactly what I had been praying would not happen.  I was hoping she would lose on a word she was clueless of the spelling.  She sat in the 'loser' chairs for four rounds listening to the spelling bee go on around her before she realized why she had spelled it wrong.  When they had a break I got to console her as the tears flowed freely.

The school awarded everyone a medal and certificate for competing.  Keanna was sad for a day, sad to have lost something she so desperately wanted to win.  Her heart was broken and no amount of kisses from mom could make it better.  My heart was hurting for her.  This is one of the hardest parts of being a mother, not having a magic bandaid to make everything better.

Next year will come I told her.  Next year she needs to know how to spell the words forward and backwards.  My advice to her, "Next year when the principal gives you your word you need to be able to repeat it back to her and find out if she would like you to spell it while you stand on your head."

Event occurred February 22, 2012