5-28-10

It’s been an emotional week! A good emotional week!


First the Zeman Student Council decided to give money to Quinn. That is not just a little deal, but a big deal, coming from lots of hard work! I’ve said over and over how I love my job, I work with an amazing staff, but it comes down to wonderful kids! As shown in one of the pictures where we had a group hug! I feel like I say it a lot, and honestly I don’t always feel it, but more often then not I thank God for how lucky I am. On a side note, I got two cards from two of my kindergartners after the assembly, wanting to tell me how they were sorry my daughter was still sick, and they hoped her heart got better! To be followed up by one of their teachers talking about how they had a talk about why she was crying at the assembly, and how all tears are not sad tears, but happy ones. So again, Quinn taught many kids again today, and she was not even there. I have to say as the picture shows, I was emotional. I don’t think I was a total basket case, but I love these kids and staff and I think every day this week, something has gotten to me, and my tears just start pouring out. I blame part of it on packing, as our school is moving, part of it on me being a very emotional person, and part of it on this time of year, as I look at our 5th graders and mourn the fact that I’m not going to see them next year. We have a great group of kids, and I hope and pray that they know how much I care about them. So I am grateful!
After I got home and talked to Quinn, she was excited too! Grandma Martha, and Daddy agreed!

Stories for the week! We have been playing a waiting game with a number of things. Our water occupational therapist is on maternity leave, so we are waiting until next week to start that up again. We had Quinn’s 6-month review for Lincoln Public School System, and we know she will be starting school half days in the fall, but are waiting to find out where that will be. I am starting to prepare myself for that, but I know I’ll be a mess then too. Not that I should be, she will love it, but as a mom, I want don’t want her to grow up to fast. We are also waiting on getting new windows for the basement, as I broke one of them as I was trying to let some fresh air into the house, so figured we have to take care of that, as there is a nice breeze currently running through the basement. We have gone through the procedure of having the sales guys come out, and now we need to pick, and get them ordered and installed. I can’t believe how much more expensive basement windows are then regular windows, but it needs to be done. I also got a call from Assistive Technology, finally, I called them back, and again I’m waiting to get back in touch with them. It’s looking like we might get the lift installed and a ramp this summer and the remodels of the bathroom will be next year, so we will be patient with that too, but I think we can handle one more year in the tub, I just need to continue to take care of myself, so I can take care of her. Although I’m not really sure of anything, so I’ll have to wait to let you know the details of anything. It’s looking like that appointment will be in a couple weeks.

On a different note, my friend Kathy stayed with us for a couple days this week, and I can always count on her being honest in what improvements she sees in Quinn. She heard Quinn say “yellow, and orange” and said she could see Quinn holding up her head so much better, so that was nice to hear. We had a girl’s night out, Quinn, Grandma Martha, Kathy and I we went to Macaroni Grill, that was nice, and Quinn just does so good getting out and being so good! She is such a good girl! In fact tonight she giggled and giggled for me when I picked her up! Oh, how she can pull at my heart!

As for this weekend, it’s a girl’s weekend too; Quinn and I are going to get more boxing done at school. I’m hoping to get it about done. It’s getting to the point that I don’t know where to put the boxes, and I’m letting myself get a bit stressed about it. I just need to get my job done and let the rest go, but sometimes that is hard for me to do. I’m also looking forward to resting and relaxing, and with this being Memorial Day weekend, being grateful for the country I live in and thankful for the people who have given their lives for our freedom, and who are still giving of themselves for our freedom. As well as my relatives who are looking down on us from heaven. It’s nice knowing there are some angels up there helping us out. I appreciate it and love them so.

Wow, this has gotten long! Blessings and by the next journal, school should be out, the art supplies should be boxed up, I’ll have a week long class to take, then summer, I am so ready, so I guess I’m waiting for that too! I’m not taking the waiting for granted though! We have Lots of cuddling and reading, and walker time, and love and so much more, that will get fit in between all the waiting!

Susan

5-23-10

Quinn has loved playing, and Grandma Vicki figured out how Quinn loves to be tossed around, just a little. She will just giggle and giggle.

Quinn is turning into Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde with her talking. When she wants to talk she is doing great. When she does not want to, she will go for days at a time without saying a real word. Thursday she told Grandma to “hold me”, then as grandma was so excited to do it, and picked her up, Quinn gives her a sour look and says “dad”. That’s our girl. Getting a bit fiesty in her 3 year old age. She is also getting more and more spoiled, wanting to be held and at the least in the same room as who ever is here. Right now she can’t see me and is starting to breath crazy, because I’m not in her site. It is so good to see her continuing to find herself and figure out how to make her body work. Then in turn, some moments it is as if her brain can not really find the connections and can not figure out what to do. Thankfully they are connecting more and more, but the moments the connections are not there make me nervous and worried, then the cicle completes itself again and we see continued progress. So I”ll take it. I also think how some moments I’ve got things going on, and some moments I’m so tired I feel like I can’t do much of anything, so I think of that with Quinn too. We all have our moments where we shine, and our moments where we need a bit of polish. Over all we are doing great. I feel like I should bring a sleeping bag to school over the next few weeks, with packing and meeting and final moments for the year, so I’m sure thankful for all the people we have in our lives to help us take care of Quinn! Again I’m reminded how lucky we are!

5-18-10

Why?
I was thinking how we have been so busy moving boxes and packing at school that I did not have to many stories to talk about! Well, Quinn helped me out by talking to Stacie. Oh, and we got new toys to play with, so I guess once I sit down and think about it, we do have a few things to talk about. Well, first last Friday Jen brought us a few fun new switches and toys to play with. We have been having lots of fun listening to Little Mermaid, and Quinn can choose to play it or stop it, with the push of her switch. So we are having fun figuring them out. Honestly I still have a bit of reading and figuring out so I can teach her how to use them.

Well, to the super fun story. – Quinn was working with Diana and Staci and she asked Staci “why?” three times.
Staci- Quinn we are going to start using 4 cards instead of 3 cards to find what I ask you.
Quinn – “why”
Staci – because you are doing so well, and you can do 4 now.
Quinn – “why?”
Staci – because I said so.
Staci - (looking at Diana) well, she is a three year old!

I don’t know where she got Why from, but I’m so glad she does, that shows lots of smarts in that little girl, and I love it! Today all I’ve heard is – done, done, done, when she was eating apple sauce, but no coughs at all, so I’ll take it! It’s been a good week again!

We just got a fun bubble machine for her to push a button and blow bubbles, but it needs to get a bit warmer first. No hurry though, I like it a bit cool, but we will be ready for the summer weather when it gets here.

5-12-10

Here we are at the art museum where the Egyptian wing just opened. We ran into a pharaoh. Quinn was impressed!
We had a great weekend and Mothers Day! I was reminded again how we need to get out and enjoy life, because we never know what tomorrow holds. Not that I think it will be bad by any means, but after seeing a couple of my kiddo's that I read about back in the hospital, and seeing Quinn and John both doing well, we jumped in the car and went to KC for the weekend. We met friends for dinner, walked around the art museum, where Quinn does so well.
Just look at her in awe of the art. She sings and gets so excited around some of it. I am reminded why God gave us Quinn. We will get to lots of art events at the rate we are going. We relaxed, and both John and Quinn were sound asleep Saturday night by 8:30, I think I wore them out.

Then after a nice breakfast we went swimming. This is the first time John got to see her swimming and after a bit of teaching John took over and Quinn worked so hard for over and hour kicking. If you listen to the video, you can hear her say "go"
and "move". She knows when she is kicking we go and move. I thought that was funny that she had to tell dad to go and move.

We also went to the Crayola store and diner. I wish you could see her giggling in this picture. Well, as the picture shows it's very colorful and Quinn loved it. She even did a good job drinking water in public. Normally she does O.K. eating at home, but when we are out and about there is to much going on for her to concentrate on eating, but just drinking water, she was doing great. Yeah, another multi-tasking event going well. Well a fun story at the Crayola store. As you can see, the store is in a mall and the walls only go up part way. We got a few Quinn fans who had to stop and talk to us about Quinn. Three generations of women stopped and said hello to us, and asked to talk for a minute. They informed us the youngest of their generation had a type of cancer where she gets moles over 80% of her body, and asked about Quinn and we talked about how their girl gets looks and they asked us i
f we get many looks. I honestly said we get lots of second looks, but we really have not run into anything nasty, in fact most folks talk about how lovely Quinn looks. I think something like moles are sometimes harder for kids to accept then a wheelchair. That tends to be the case at school as to what I've seen any how. The more severe it is, or more obvious there is an issue, the easier it is for kids to understand. So that was an interesting conversation. Then it was back home.

Notice both of them were sound asleep before we even got out of KC and slept until we got to Lincoln, so stopped to get groceries and I came out of the grocery store to find them trying to wake up. What a nice time we had. I strongly suggest to everyone to find time to get away from your regular day once in awhile. It does not have to be fancy. Hey the museum in KC is free. Oh, Sunday we went to the plaza and a band was playing so John and Quinn hung out and listened to the music, and Qui
nn sang and sang, so luckily we were a ways away, so not to bother anyone. I thought the combination of music was about as good as it gets. Oh, Quinn is also talking a lot more when the mood hits. She was sure to let Stacie know that her favorite color was yellow, and she even was being funny about it.

Wow! I'm getting excited to spend the summer with Quinn. We have a few weeks left to finish the year strong, and get the school boxed up so we can be at another building next year, so as the art teacher, I have a lot of packing. I've had a little help here and there which has been nice. Still so much to do, but then we have summer to look forward to. So as my kids get antsy and excited and don't want to work their hardest, I have to remember I am feeling the same way, so we will all buckle down and get a lot more learning done, then we all have a fun summer to look forward to.

5-7-10

It’s been another busy week. We have not heard anything back from the sleep study, but I figure no news is good news. I have called to check on it, but am still waiting.

Well, as you can see Quinn has her first war wound. She wants to crawl so badly, and her legs are ready. Her arms are another story, they continue to get stronger and stronger, but have a ways to go. She was doing her daily tummy time and although I would rather her not be hurt, she was working so hard and scooted off the blanket and I am happy to see, once it started hurting her, she changed her position and kept trying. First it shows she knows it hurts and at the same time, she is not giving up! Yeah for that.

Next She is working with Diane and Stacie and she is doing great. They will ask her to find the ball or horse or what is red or what ever it may be, then she looks over the cards, finds the right one, and has to push it our touch

it. She gets it right most of the time with a little help! Yeah for that too.
Finally both grandmas’ are spending more time with Quinn lately. She is getting spoiled rotten, lots of time outside, walks, and all the fun grandma stuff. With Mother’s Day here, we want to thank our Grandma’s! We are so lucky to have them, and even luckier that they want to be involved 100% in our lives! So thanks Grandma’s! We love you very much! As for me, I am so thankful to be a mom, there is nothing more rewarding then seeing Quinn continue to progress, well maybe her smiles and laughs, but watching her work so hard, and seeing her lovely disposition, I feel that even though we have been thrown a curve ball, I am so very fortunate to be a mother to such a wonderful child! How lucky I am!

On the other hand – please say some prayers for two families I know. They both have daughters with special issues. They are two of the three bloggers that I read and their girls are in the hospital and struggling! Oh, it makes my heart hurt for them! Miracles happen every day! God works in mysterious ways, I don’t understand it, but I do believe.