8-14-10

Wow, what a busy week we have had, a super amazing, busy week!
I forgot to add in a few weeks ago, Quinn, Casey, and Annette painted the most beautiful painting!

Grandma Vicki, Quinn and a good book, what more can a grandchild want?
Monday Grandma Vicki came to Lincoln to help with the Zeman Art room, getting it ready for this next year. We took a break from working for Quinn to get measured for new magic shoes. We settled on a butterfly design, and it would have looked very lovely with purple straps, but Quinn very clearly picked yellow, so yellow will be what they will be.

Here we are in the process of having her shoes fitted. We will pick up the actual shoes in a few weeks! Yeah for new shoes!

Tuesday we started off at school and spent part of the afternoon at the 10 /11 TV studios. Quinn and Grandma Vicki looked so good sitting in the Newsroom, and of all days I forgot my camera. I don't usually like to talk about my ventures on here that are not Quinn based, but I'm one of six women who are on a journey, the American Heart Association Better U challenge, to change our lives and our hearts. It's a twelve week program where I will focus on me and my health. I'm thankful that they are willing to watch Quinn there while I get my rear into shape, and my mind full of the knowledge that I need to do this for the rest of my life. I filled out paper work and went through an interview and was lucky enough to have been selected to change my life. There are six of us along with a TV news anchor and radio talk show DJ that are all going to be on this journey together. We will have a very busy schedule meeting with personal trainers, dietitians, and speakers, doing all kinds of workouts, eating healthy, all that stuff. We will also be journaling about our experiences, so it's going to be a big deal with a lot of accountability, so I'm ready, I'm nervous and excited, but I'm ready. When the website is ready, I'll put a connection on here for you to go to.
It's a free website where anyone can go through the process with us online, so you can read our blogs, (I'll be double blogging) and get healthy along with us. Also if you see the commercial online or on channel 11, when you see me, listen very carefully for Quinn in the background, as she loved the studio and sang and sang while we were taping. I had to tape my part a few times so Quinn was not quite so loud on it.

Bright and early at Chrissy's house. We have to get use to the early mornings again!

Wednesday was my first day back to school, and in turn was Quinn's first full day with Chrissy. She loved it and loves Chrissy to pieces. Over the last few days they have had friends over to play, went to therapy, the library, and volunteered at the county fair. One afternoon Chrissy got Quinn to take 22 steps! Wow, that does not happen very much at our house! They have been busy.

Thursday after I picked Quinn up from Chrissy's, we rested, that was good.

Here is Quinn with her main Excite Teacher, Miss Rachael. We are getting excited for school.

Look at our great support system now!
Friday we had a meeting at Riley School to fill out papers and meet the team of people working with Quinn as she starts the Excite program during the mornings. I have to say I have always said I loved my job with Lincoln Public Schools, but seeing it from a parent perspective, with a daughter who needs more services then most students, I was amazed and so impressed by the time we were done with the meeting. We have so many teachers, and therapists, and support staff that are excited and want to work with Quinn. It was bitter sweet at the same time, because as we are gaining some amazing people, we are also loosing some wonderful people. So I send out a very sincere thank you to our old caseworker, Physical therapist, Occupational therapist, and Vision therapist. I can only be thankful because I believe we will stay in contact one way or another. Quinn was wonderful throughout the very long meeting and then got to see her classroom. She was acting a bit upset, and
Chrissy picked up on that right away, and figured out Quinn was a bit sad that the other kids were not there. I've been telling people that I'm worried Quinn is going to be scared the first few days of school, but after today, I'm not sure that will be the case. She loved all the people and her teachers are all wonderful, so this should be great. I've talked to the nurse for along time, and still have more paperwork to fill out, but we are getting closer to starting. We have even met the person who will probably be her one on one Para, and she is going to be amazing as well. I'll talk more about that soon. To finish out the day, Quinn did the best at water therapy then she ever has. So all the stimulation she has been getting is not wearing her out, she is sleeping great, and working so hard when she is awake. She is still fighting a bit of a cold, but what a great week we have had.

Here are Jill, and Catalina, a big thank you to both of you, and Jen for all your hard work and inspiration you have given to us, we are grateful! We also give a big welcome to Miss Rachael, we are also looking forward to a great future!

Here is to many more amazing weeks!