The Otte's

Quinn helps us be a better version of ourselves.

I will post Christmas pictures, but after today, and a few other days, this Holiday season, I am grateful, and wanted to say so.  

Now I could focus on the not so great, with our amazing nurse moving away, and not having another nurse filling in her shifts quite yet, and insurance changing, which will change everything up, and change is so hard.  We could focus on the crazy crowds out and about today, and how hard it is, to get a big wheelchair through the crowds, but rather then focusing on the frustrating, we are going to focus on the good.

Today, we went to the Omaha Zoo and Omaha flower gardens.  It was packed.  When it is packed, having Quinn's big ol wheelchair is hard.  We have to be patient and wait to get through places.  We get lots of double looks, and kids ask their parents lots of questions.  Some parents don't know how to answer, but some do.  We had a mom and daughter hold an elevator for us, and the mom talked to Quinn and told her what a beautiful headband she had.  Then her daughter who could not be more then 8 or 9 chimed in saying, oh you are just beautiful.  Her mom agreed.  Her mom then talked to her about how they were  going to hold the elevator door open for us to get out and then they would go out.  This is just one simple story, but if we can help others share the love and learn tolerance and acceptance, then getting out there in the crowds is totally worth it.  Having folks part ways for us to get through, and hold doors, and give that extra smile to Quinn or Isaiah, or Denali, or me.  That extra smile, that shows they see the love.  That smiles that shows they see the beauty.  That smile that shows they understand a bit of what we are doing.  Those smiles from strangers are priceless.

So I am once again reminded that there are so many good people in the world.  Those folks who take a moment to hold open doors, who smile at strangers, who take time from their own moments of joy to share a moment of love with us.  We are blessed to live where this happens often.  We are blessed to help educate and share the love.  We have been given an opportunity from God, and we are going to try to get out and make a difference.  Sometimes it would be easier to hid out at home, but we are going to continue to get out and experience life.  Get out and do our best to educate, and enjoy life.  Get out and continue to grow as people and help share the love and acceptance, we all need and want to see in the world.  

Maybe I'm tired after a busy day, but my heart is full, seeing all the people willing to share just a bit of love with us.  I am grateful and will continue to share our adventures and so forth!  We are lucky to have the family we have, we are pushed outside our comfort zone at times, and grow as people because of it.  We are grateful!