Oh, we had a fun weekend at the Pumpkin Patch.

We try to keep the tradition of meeting wonderful friends there.

We were hoping the weather would be ok.

 We started in the corn.  Then moved to haunted houses, and then the rain came in.

 Even the animals ran for cover.

So we headed to McDonalds to dry out and play.

Weather does not dictate fun in our world.

I did not hear any complaints, and thankfully

we have a new plan to meet out at the pumpkin patch again.

Oh we love friends and wish we could see them more.

We will be so thankful for the time we do see them.

a simple week

 Denali in the mornings, not wanting to get up.  I get it!

 Isaiah and Buttercup showing off his project.  He and his partner had to make a cardboard chair, with no tape or glue, just the cardboard.  They spent most of the weekend making it.

Quinn and her therapists.  This might be the last week for one of them, as a baby will be greeting us soon!  Quinn working hard.  Pray we get good results from the allergy test we are getting Monday, and that we survive the weekend with no allergy meds.  Yikes!

Oh, this time of year gets so busy!  Thanks to the weekend and getting into school to get things finalized for this week, I am not feeling to crazy.  I am also thankful my kids are willing to come help.  We got a lot done in a few hours.

Quinn still has crazy allergies this time of year, yet she still is in such a good mood, with a smile on her face!  Oh if we all could have that attitude, smiling through the frustrations, this world would be pretty great.

Quinn made a monster in one of her classes at school.  It is so cute!

So off to work, parent teacher conferences, dance classes, and a busy week!

Thankful!

Husker Hero's Happened.

 This is a day where The University of Nebraska work with a number of organizations to create a day where the student athletes get to play with kids with a disability and their families.

 It is so good for the college kids to have this experience, while it is also so good for all the families to be able to get out and just be.  Not having to explain anything, or be scared of standing out.  Everyone fits in and is accepted.

 It is also a different crowd then what we usually might hang with, so I catch my kids being observant and looking around, and seeing different kids with different ways they sit in a chair, or different braces and how so many of us get through this world in so many different ways.  So my kids continue to learn about differences in a safe way.  They are great with how they are accepting, and it's good for  them to continue to see new situations.

 Quinn got to meet a drummer.  She still is working hard on her percussion.

 Cheerleaders, mascots, all kinds of athletes.

The red carpet where the huskers run out onto the field.

 We made it to the screen.

Love the giggles

 Oh the competitions, the games, the smiles and giggles.

 It's always fun to see so many of our friends there too!  Such a beautiful day!

Oh how we love our therapist and therapy.

Quinn gets stretched out, practices standing, eats, drives, and so much more at therapy with her therapists.

It is so good for her body, but it is so much more then that!

It is good for our souls!  Sometimes I get so tired of advocating for her.  I will keep doing it full force, but I start to doubt myself.  I am sure she can do things that others don't see and I start to second guess, can she?  I know she can but when so many folks doubt it, I start to wonder.

Thankfully, our therapists see it loud and clear, and so they are such a blessing!  They can double check me and say, oh yes, she has that down, she can do that, she can do this, she just needs practice, or it's so much better then it was, or she can do it with me!

That is such a needed part of therapy.  Having folks verify how amazing she is.

In fact yesterday's therapies were some of her best ever.  On the way there, she told me how she was naughty in the kitchen, which is true.  Every time Isaiah tried to talk, Quinn would use her computer to talk over him,  he would stop and she would stop.  This went on until Grandma told her to stop.  

Hey, she should have the right to make her siblings crazy too.  She did have a chat and did go to bed early too.

On the way to therapy she was talking about getting in trouble and then talked about all the food she was going to eat and how she would do good.  She talked about goldfish crackers, ice cream, brownies, water, soda, milk, and a few other things.

When we got to therapy she continued to tell the therapist what she wanted to eat, and when she needed a drink, and when she needed help.  She does so good talking to Stacie.  Then at the end of therapy, she said 

no more eat with you.  thank you

Then it was off to driving practice.  Granted while we were waiting she told me lets go home, all done, but once she saw we were with Chrissy, she was fine.

She drove in straight lines, she turned both ways, she drove great with her head, and again did better with her hand then what she has done in a long time.

Oh validation is such a big deal.  Knowing we are not in it alone!

Oh how thankful we are!

I love how these two love each other.  Isaiah loves them too, but Denali is always more then helpful helping give Quinn showers, and she is helping change her clothing and making sure things are not bunched up in her chair.  They are so good at cuddling and loving each other up!  It's so good to see the innocent pure love they have for each other.

Denali is also doing a good job coming home and filling me in on what Quinn is doing at school.  It's nice when Quinn might not want to share what she is or is not doing, but Denali is right there helping everyone hold Quinn accountable.  I have to be careful to reign that in at times, but it's nice to have the kids holding each other accountable within reason.

So if I am having a hard day, or have to call home health companies, because Quinn's percussor, that vibrates against her to break up the gunk in her lungs, and make time to switch that out, or get home only to remember I need to pick up meds for her, it is always worth it, time consuming, but worth it, but being in the midst of the innocent smile, hearing I love you on her computer, and seeing her continue to be so patient with me, Quinn gives so much love.  Then seeing the girls share it with each other is beautiful.

I will include Isaiah in here as well, as he can not help with Quinn's cares, but he loves to get her in trouble and be silly with her, or help with her therapies.  I try hard to include everyone to their comfort level and then push just a bit, but they all have a way they love each other and I am oh so grateful!

So now I'm off to get a percussor fixed.