Michigan Invitational, 2013...

I really hate it when parents expect their kids to follow in their footsteps, or worse yet, live vicariously through their children.  So, I have no earthly idea why I sat down and told my kids the story about how I was first place at the Kalamazoo Quiz in 1996.  Maybe I did this because it's the one time in my years of quizzing that I took first place, individually, at an invitational quiz.  I can't say it was my absolute best moment, but it ranked right up there.

At any rate, I quizmastered in K-Zoo, today, and, per normal, I didn't see a whole lot of my kids during the preliminary rounds, because that's just the way it goes.  They did actually quiz one round in my room, and as much as I love to have them in my room, because I love to see them quiz; it is always a little nerve wracking, because I am a super fair, unbiased quizmaster when I'm behind that table, and it's awful when things happen like Grace taking her first error of the day, in my room, marring her perfect day!

At the end of the prelims, I knew that Seth would place no lower than 7th and that Grace was either 1st or 2nd on the day.  But Grace is such an unassuming kid, she hadn't put any of this together.

And so, watching the individual awards was a lot of fun!  As it turned out, Seth took 5th place, the highest he has placed at an invitational, to date, and then fourth place was announced... and third... and second...  And at this point, Grace turns to me and asks, "I didn't place?"  I'm getting excited, because I know she's first, but at the same time, I'm trying not to laugh out loud at her, because she should realize this, as well!  All I could get out was, "Get ready..." and then her name is called, and I mean the girl is absolutely floored!  

What I did not expect was for her to burst into tears.  And what I really did not expect was for her to come to me later to tell me that the reason she was so happy was that she was thinking about how I had been first place at this quiz, so she wanted to be, as well.

Now, let's not have any misunderstanding.  Grace is already a better quizzer than I ever was.  It doesn't do her a whole lot of good to want to be a quizzer like me at this point.  But there was something about this moment that still felt really good, as a mom.  It's the kind of thing that makes me want to be a better mom... and a better person... because more than anything I want my children to follow Jesus, but if they're going to follow me, I had better be following Him to the very best of my ability...

Well, that's all pretty loaded...  How about some result pics...     

Check out those good looking bookends on the front row:

After an incredible performance

and only one loss on the day,

Durand finished 5th place:

Ahem... Why do we let this guy drive?

L.

PS  Last night I found Caleb sobbing, because he had decided to spend the day with Grandma and thought it was too late to change his mind and come to the quiz.  Of course, we took him with us.  Caleb joined us for the quiz and followed the team around, today, keeping track of all kinds of stats.  He just cannot wait to be a teen quizzer in two more years...  Watch out world...