Dawson's 1st Spelling Bee

Dawson decided he wanted to enter the spelling bee this year. Since 3rd grade is the first year you can enter then we were new to all of this. They sent him home a few months ago with a book with a ton of words of all sorts of different origins. Some which you would never use. Since there were so many words we were a little unsure of what ones to practice but we did our best.
Before going to the school spelling bee Dawson had to win his class one first. He and another girl from our ward were the two moving on from his class. Dawson was having a hard time cause he felt bad. There was another girl in his class that really wanted to do it but missed a word on her class one which disqualified her from the school spelling bee. She was crying and really upset so Dawson felt bad and wanted to give her his spot. We told him that he was sweet for thinking of her but that he earned this and should still go for it.
So the big day finally arrived and he was nervous as could be. Jason and I went to watch him and I was so proud of him for even wanting to participate. There were 24 contestants ranging from 3rd grade to 5th grade. He made it through the first two rounds before getting out on the third round on the word Ferret. He ended up being 7th place out of the 24. I was so proud of him. He was totally sad when he got out and you could tell. But he was trying to be so strong. After it was over and I went up to hug him he just lost it. He just started crying and just wanted to go home. Jason and I talked to him for a few minutes telling him how proud we were of him and telling him that the fact he even tried was more then most of the students did. We told him that he should be so proud that he was even 7th when he was up against 5th graders. We did get him calmed down and he did go back to class. He is still planning that next year he wants to enter again. I am so glad that he didn't let this get him down and make him never want to do it again.

Dawson posing for the picture at the mic.

Dawson and his proud Mommy

Dawson and his Dad

So I have kind of a funny story about him getting out on the word ferret. Just yesterday he came home from school and was asking me if he could get a ferret. It was so random cause we have never been around them. We don't know anyone that owns them or anything. But we convinced him that he did not want on because of the story of the ferret biting off a babies fingers. So Dawson, Jason and I sort of found it funny that of all the words he could have gotten out on it was that. But just for memory purposes his attempt to spell it was Pharrot! I was 2nd place for my 5th grade spelling bee and I always wish I could remember what word I got out on.