Another stellar performance at East High for their talent show.

I was so impressed and humbled by how great some of the students there were.

They talked to the girls and told them how great they did.

They gave Quinn fist bumps and talked to her as an equal.

So grateful for the night!

 Quinn finally got insurance approval for her new seating, so we had to get fitted again, since it took so long!  So thankful that is going and we have such great people who know what they are doing to get us new seating!  So a couple months to get through and then new seating.  Quinn will not know what to do with herself and being comfortable in her chair!

We are always ready to try new things.

Isaiah tried cactus juice.  Denali tried bubble tea.

They probably will not choose either drink again, but I'm glad they are always willing to try new things!

Now that Isaiah has a yellow belt he needed his protective gear.

This is where it gets scary for his momma!  Yikes!

 Then per tradition we eat at Showguns for his birthday!  He caught his shrimp!

 Why we love to go!  Just look at that fire!

 And cake and gifts are a must!  Oh how I love this 14 year old!

The days are getting away from me.  I feel like I am always sleeping, when there is not a nurse and Quinn is having a hard night and we are awake for hours at a time and she is scared because she woke up not being able to breath, that is scary stuff!

Thankfully we now have a nurse a couple nights a week and that helps so much!

Isaiah just got his combat stuff for his class, and that is scary to get, I will get a picture soon, as he will start kicking and striking his classmates and they will him.  Yikes!

Denali is dancing and working on Troup dances.

Quinn is sleeping 15 hours, coming home from school and sleeping until school the next day.  She is feeling better but needs to get her stamina back, and sleep better at night.

So these Januaries are cold and long.  We have a birthday soon, and a talent show, so fun things coming up soon!

Thanks for checking in on us.

Susan

whew!  Happy New Year.

Quinn was in the hospital for 7 days!  

I love to people watch, and I noticed while I was there, how you can spot who is a parent and who is not.  They have lots of security so you can always look for the badges we wear, but more then that, you look at what we are wearing.  It shows how long we have been there and how our child is doing.  When you see folks walking around in their slippers and wearing a blanket, they have been there awhile, and are exhausted.  Is their hair done?  Maybe a couple days, sweats and drool stains, recent to the hospital.  I caught myself in leggings and flip flops with messy hair walking around the hospital a few days.  

When grandpa and grandma picked up Denali, they asked where is her coat?  Where are her socks, where are her shoes?  Oh, we went to the hospital on a moments notice, we did not grab any of those things.  We were doing good if we got our teeth brushed and that did not happen every day, and that is ok.  

Being in the hospital is the most exhausting time where you are not doing much of anything except taking care of your sick daughter or sister.  So I say to all the parents in slippers or flip flops walking around the cafeteria.  You keep taking care of you and your child.  You do what you need to do to get by, life is hard and good for you for being there for your child.  It is hard, but you are in the right place where they can take care of our children.

Isaiah and Dad visited.

 We celebrated New Years in the Hospital.

 We cuddled lots, as we got stronger again.

 Grandma and Grandpa came and took Denali home with them for a few days.  A sister can hang in the hospital for a few days, but then it is nice to spend time with grandma and grandpa too.

 The girls got lots of cuddle time in for the days they were together.

 Isaiah got his yellow belt, he is doing so good with that!

 Then we got home and started getting back into the groove.  Grandma and Grandpa brought Denali home.  Quinn got her chair adjusted so she could go back to school.  On a side note we got her seating denied by insurance, so now we have to fight that and educate the insurance company how she will get sores, she can not learn when she is uncomfortable, it will hurt her back, and it is way to small, so thanks to Chrissy and our doctors who are willing to help us fight to get Quinn the seating she needs to be able to get around in the world.

 Grandpa helped Isaiah put together a new remote control car.  I love seeing them working together.

 Buttercup was so very thankful to have Quinn home.  Isaiah told me he was sleeping upstairs while we were at the hospital, on the couch because the dog was such a mess missing Quinn.

 Then back when we were in the hospital, we had to play!

 We partied on New Years!

 Oh I am so thankful for how my kids love each other.  

Say some prayers for us please.  Quinn is home but still needing oxygen over nights as her oxygen dips down a bit at night still.  She is so excited to get back to school, but she still needs to get better as well!