Can You Spell Awesome? I Can. C-U-P-C-A-K-E.

Remember how last year, yours truly went to her school spelling bee and got out in the 3rd round? *Pauses dramatically to let audience have a big thought bubble about it.* If you don't, here is when I was so very excited.

This year, I was in the spelling bee. I was the only girl from my grade this time. I spelled a handful of words correctly. I missed narrate. My school does double elimination. I watched as the rounds went by and weeping fourth graders walked off to join their class, and glum sixth graders were patted on the back by their peers. I watched three of my fellow fifth graders looking unhappy as they accepted their certificates and shook the judges' hands.

I watched until their were three people left. And one of them was me.

The other two were both girls, both sixth graders. One of them came in second place last year to a girl who went to  nationals. The other was just there.

We went through a few rounds. Finally, I misspelled raspberry. I faced the sad truth: I had lost.

But all hope was not gone. The other sixth grader misspelled her word, leaving the one who got second place last year to take a championship word and take first place.

But we needed someone in second place, a runner up. I knew this was when the competition got fierce. I was nervous, needless to say. But I was confident.

We went back and forth, spelling words and misspelling them. Finally, the other girl's word was peppery. Something I knew. I crossed my fingers and prayed she would misspell it.

She misspelled it.

The announcer came over to me. "Cupcake," she said, "Your word is peppery."

Finally, I thought.

"Peppery. P-E-P-P-E-R-Y. Peppery."

That was it. If I spelled one more word right, I won second place. The word was mandate.


Back story time!!!

One day in Israel, the Pains (brother and cousins) and I went to the beach. We decided to dig a big hole. It was really fun, but I wanted to go in to the water. My cousin said, "All right. You get two minutes, and this break in mandatory. "

Thank you, Royal Pain.

I was like, "Uhh... Mandate. M-A-N-D-A-T-E. Mandate?"

They were like, CONGRATULATIONS.

I got so many high fives, "Good jobs," and smiles. I got hugs and kisses form my mom and my aunt. I was like, "Living the dream!"

Next week me and the first place girl will have our picture on the front of the school newsletter. If she can't make it to the city spelling bee in two weeks, I'm filling in for her.

Living the dream!