For Papa

So, I imagine this blog can be repetitive, same-old, and bland (it is me writing it), but I mostly do it for family and friends far away and to remember things/details I wouldn't otherwise. Mama Carol has told me that Papa checks it every Monday morning, so today I asked RD what in the last week I could possible write about. Winter is much more of a same-old routine time for us. I wasn't going to do one, but then, I want Papa to know I'm thinking of him, so here's to you Papa!......
Reese had been talking about his school spelling bee for awhile, and was so excited at the beginning of Christmas break to bring home his spelling lists. He had a class bee, and was one of three kids to be going on to the grade-level bee. I was impressed he'd done that well, and wonder if part of it is being so visual and having to memorize words, being hard of hearing. We promptly lost the sheet amidst the plethora of papers coming home, but he didn't seem too disapointed. We got another list the first day back to school, but the whole grade-level bee was the next morning. Reese practiced some of the words that night, but didn't spend a whole lot of time doing it.
That morning Reese said he wanted me to come watch; it was in 30 min, and I wasn't at all ready, and neither was Grace. But, we hurried, and with a little help from RD getting Grace ready, we made it. There were several parents there, and I felt flashbacks and sympathy for the 10 kids, lined up in a row facing the whole second grade. Reese seemed a little nervous. I don't ever think Reese or Grace can't do something because of their hearing losses, but it is hard to watch them do something that is even harder for them because of it. Unless Reese had memorized all the words, a spelling bee is also a hearing test; can you spell the word you hear? If you don't know the word, you guess based on the sounds you hear, and Reese may not hear all the sounds. Substituting sounds and mumbling through words cause he doesn't know all the sounds is an all-too-common way Reese compensates for his loss.
But, he did good, and when he was disqualified for spelling hamburger, hamurgar, I was kind of glad he had spelled it with an ar instead of er , so it wasn't just not hearing the b.
He was disappointed I think, but also looked a bit relieved after the bee was all over, but I think I was the most relieved!! I was never a great or terrible speller, but I sure hated those spelling bees!