She Got 1st Place!

This is going to be a long post because tonight I am a proud, proud Mummy and Jacob is a very proud Daddy.

I am also going to start the story at the beginning because I want it documented for Lily.

About 6 weeks ago Lily came home form school with a paper for me to sign stating that she had been chosen to participate in a math competition against some other schools. For the next few weeks she would be staying late at school on Tuesdays for practice and if she did well she would participate in the actual competition. I asked her if she wanted to do it and when she said yes, I signed the paper and handed over the money. The first week that I picked her up from school after the practice I nearly passed out when I saw the practice test that she had for homework. I can't even give you a sample question cos my keyboard doesn't allow me to show you pi or squared numbers. I basically thought that she would be eliminated. We had plans this weekend to meet my friend Jen in Disney, the reservations were made and our girls were finally going to meet. I had no qualms about it.

Two weeks ago I picked her up after practice and she told me she had made it through to the final. Say what? Cancel the plans and get ready to study really hard.....those were my thoughts followed by, yay, way to go kidlet.

Today was the day. We had to be at Ferguson High School by 7.45 this morning. She was ready and raring to go. Hubby was off since we were supposed to be in Orlando. We met the group from her school and milled around as all the participants from the other 36 schools arrived. Finally we were taken into the auditorium where the kids were welcomed and given their instructions. Most parents didn't stay as the competition was closed. Kids only. First they took individual tests and then they took group ones. I waited with Rosie, Jacob and a few other parents. Finally she reappeared and looked a little beaten up. Every single kid said it was hard. I gave her a snack, Daddy gave her a pep talk. At some point they posted the answers for the first test and she wasn't overly confident, none of them were. A few more minutes of free time and off she went for round 2. Again we waited. It was a great group of parents. The math teacher that took the kids is not her regular teacher and is a fantastic lady. Her name is Ms. Ruiz and we owe her the stars tonight.

After forever they reappeared and we all had lunch together and the kids let off some steam. The parents talked as we were the nervous ones and the kiddies all played and chatted. Suddenly it was time to reconvene in the auditorium for the award ceremony. At this point there are hundreds of people as the parents that didn't stay have all shown up, some bringing relatives etc etc. The auditorium isn't huge and by the time our group was led in there was no room....WHAT? The announcer person (I'm sure that is what they were called) caught Ms. Ruiz attention and told her to go up to the 2nd level so as all these people were still filing in we were filing out to find the stairs. We were the first group to arrive upstairs and got the front row. All the kids sat together and the parents went off to the side.

The awards were given by grades starting with the highest grades and working down to the lowest. Anytime Winston Park K-8 centre was mentioned we went wild. They were mentioned quite a lot. One of my dear friends works at DAK-8 so we cheered like mad for them also. One of the biggest and most prestigious private schools in Miami also participated and it is a well known fact that if you have graduated from Ransome you have carte blanche to any Ivy League of your choice, they have that reputation and they are that good. So as the awards were being called we were impressed to see the public schools not only holding their own but doing really well.

It was finally time for Lily's group. The first child called was from her school. Let me tell you we were thrilled, then another, and another then her bestie Adam. As the kids are called they make their way to the stage. Our kids all had to go downstairs, outside, around a corner, back inside and down to the front so it took awhile. When Adam was called I was genuinely thrilled. His father and him took off running and I looked at Lily and she was jumping up and down for him. Lily and Adam compete at everything in school. Once I heard his name I knew it was over. I have to admit that my heart sagged a tiny bit for my girl. Another name was called and then the last name for the group, LILY COPE. Jacob and I screamed. She took off running. Parents were high fiving Jacob and I and then I realised I needed to get down there with her to take pictures so I literally took off running down the stairs in pursuit. As only Lily and I can, we got lost! We could not find the auditorium door. We ran upstairs again and back down and up and down. Apparently there was a chair holding the door open so that it couldn't lock but it slipped out and the door closed so were locked out. Oh Cr*p. We finally found a door and bounded to the stage. She ran up the stairs and I crouched at the front. They were already calling names. Next was adam he took 5th place. That left 4 then 3 then 2 and then chants of LILY LILY LILY filled the air as the announced the first place winner in the individual tests LILY COPE. I was stunned. I truly could not believe she had done it. It was so amazing to hear all these people that have never set eyes on her before, people from 35 other schools chanting her name.

She grabbed her trophy and headed to find Adam. I didn't even get a chance for a photo. I finally tracked them both down at the rear of the auditorium. I have never seen her smile quite that bright. We ran back upstairs where her daddy grabbed her. Then it started all the high fives, the fuss, the congrats.

Lily placed 1st out of 36 schools. Adams Mum told her that whatever she wanted was hers today all she had to do was ask us. LOL She said days like today are rare in a lifetime to so she should just ask for what she wants. Jacob said he is taking her over to Adam's house later to ask for a new car!

This is something that she did. She accomplished this herself. She worked for it and pulled it off. She spent the rest of the day with a huge grin on her face, clutching her trophy.

All ready to leave the house

A little bit nervous
waiting to start.

Spending time with Rosie on her break

Group photo before the award ceremony
waiting for the awards with Ms. Ruiz
Getting very antsy!!!!!!
Up on stage and grinning like a Cheshire cat

At the back of the auditorium when I finally caught up with her

Group pictures.
So proud. Her and her bestie, Adam. I love this boy and his family, such nice, nice people.
The fabulous Ms. Ruiz.


This in and of itself would have been a perfect day but look who we had dinner with tonight.
Ford, Alyson and AA.
Rosie took the photo while AA and Lily were playing



More on meeting these fabulous fellow bloggers tomorrow.

Sorry if you read this yesterday and it reappeared in your reader today...the photos were out of order and were making my brain itch!