team quiz nerdz

Just a few short weeks ago Ashtyn's 2013-2014 Junior Bible Quiz season came to a spectacular end! We traveled to Tulsa for the district wide Bible Quiz meet and boy was it fun! The District JBQ weekend fell on the same weekend as Oklahoma Youth Ministries Girls Retreat, which I have to work at, and so I missed out on the JBQ Celebration Friday night. Brandon drove the boys to Tulsa Friday evening and they met up with all the other quizzers from across the state where they had rented out an entire indoor trampoline park for the quizzing kids and their families! The boys were PUMPED to say the least! They even got to wear special jumping socks to make them jump higher (in other words, $2.00 sock rentals that force parents to pay more...) Let the jumping begin!

Because Ash wears glasses he had to wear goggles to protect himself and his glasses. Ironically, just one week later he broke those same glasses playing basketball at church! Oh well...

I arrived in Tulsa after the boys had worn themselves out and had already fallen asleep in our hotel room. Brandon and I got a few hours rest before we had to get back up bright and early Saturday morning and head to the host church for the District JBQ Meet to begin! I volunteered working as a time keeper while Brandon followed Ashtyn's team from room to room watching him quiz all day. I always hate having to miss seeing every single match in a quizzing day but it is also very exciting to sit at the volunteer table, directly across from your son, as he gets into "the zone" and quizzes his little heart out! I was so proud that it was sometimes hard to focus on keeping time...but I think I did okay!

Once Ashtyn's team was done quizzing they took their turn to have their professional team photo taken. We bought the "silly" photo as a keepsake.

During the regular season, Ash was a member of the Quiz Nerdz. His team had seven members. For the district meet, though, Ashtyn's coaches decided it would be best to divide his team into two, one team of four and one team of three, so that each kid would get to quiz every single meet that day. It was kind of sad when the two Quiz Nerdz teams had to quiz against each other but it was also very exciting because both Quiz Nerdz teams ended up being the top two teams for the entire day! Such smart kiddos we have! We were especially proud of Ashtyn because he quizzed out TWICE at districts. That means that in a single meet he had to answer SIX questions correctly! Wowza!

Brandon may have an exterior of stone but deep down he's mush when it comes to his boys. He boldly wore the "Proud Parent of a Star Quizzer" button the entire day!

When the awards were handed out at the end of the day Ashtyn's Quiz Nerdz team came in second overall! They were only behind the other Quiz Nerdz team, their very own teammates in the regular season! I mean, if you have to lose than it can't get any better than that!

Ashtyn personally received the 10th overall quizzer award for the entire season! I wanted to jump up out of my seat and hoop and hollar when they anncouned his name but I knew Ash would literally crawl under the table and refuse to come out and receive his award if I did...so, I contained myself. I was jumping up and down on the inside, though, for sure!

Every Bible Quiz season seems to go by so quickly. It's always bitter sweet. Ash most definitely improved from last year and was more eager than ever to memorize scripture and compete in each and every meet. I'm already looking forward to next year and, in the spirit of being the proudest parents of them all, I can't help but wonder if it would totally mortify Ash if Brandon and I had t-shirts made with his face on the front?? Hmmmm. Something to consider before the 2014 season begins in the fall...