We know that God has given us the big job of educating folks about how we are all special and how we are all amazing.

With Quinn it can be exhausting some days.  I call tell folks one thing, then due to many factors, they don't see what Quinn does, and in turn, they might not believe what I say about Quinn.

I understand that, even though it is hard.  So that means we, as a family, need to keep educating.  So this last weekend, we started filming Quinn learning.  I was so happy, Quinn was so happy, we were all so happy with how hard Quinn worked.

I'm sharing a longer video, but it shows her getting a 90% on her math homework.  It shows patients.  It shows trying new ways to figure things out.  It shows her thinking it through.  It shows Annette and Quinn working as a team.

So you really have to get into it a bit to really see them take off, but it is amazing!

click here to see it.

https://youtu.be/GsXZuocOlpE 

Happy Valentines Day!

Here are our cards for this year.

Imagine suckers coming out the end where the sticks come out.

It is so fun to do this with my kids.  I am understanding this is not going to be able to happen forever, so I am so thankful for the moments I get.

We went to the groundhog ball!

It was a dress up, costume up, or dress down, day, which is great,

because all three kids were happy.

Denali wore a dance costume.

Quinn dressed up.

Isaiah wore his staple joggers and a t-shirt.

They were all so happy!

 It was fun to dance and be silly!

 We took pictures in the photo booth even.  Quinn's chair made it interesting, but we got it to work.

 Quinn and I did the limbo.

 Isaiah and Denali did too.

 and we danced!

 What a fun family night!  We are blessed!

Here Quinn is in the waiting room of the doctors office, telling me how upset she is.

Just wait, this story blew me away!

I have a super smart, super sassy daughter!

Quinn showed me once again how smart and naughty she can be.  I picked her up from school around noon today to go to the doctor’s office, and on the way there she would tell me with her Tobii: why are we going, why are we doing this, what's going on, I hurt, and so on and so forth.

So we get inside and Quinn talked to the receptionist.  She went on talking about how she wants to go back outside and she still has questions and she's worried.  So then we go back into the patient room.

Quinn looks at me and gets this big smile on her face and I'm thinking OK maybe this is going to go better than I think, instead every question that she was asked by the nurse she would turn her head as far to the side as possible and not answer.

Then the doctor comes in and checks her out, and physically she's doing great the doctor says once again I don't know how she is doing great and I know it's all in God’s hands and he is helping us out.  Thank you God for keeping her healthy!

Then Dr. Martin ask Quinn to please talk to her.  She then asks her questions like what is her brother’s name and what is your sister’s name and Quinn once again yanks her head over to the side with no answer, and raises her no hand and will not answer.

So then they asked Quinn if she wants a sticker and I say oh Quinn does not need a sticker unless she's going to answer you because she's been making bad choices to not answer.  So we give her another chance to answer either with her hand or her Tobii computer and she chooses not to answer.

So then on the way out she looks at me and starts giggling and giggling and giggling.  I finally start catching on to this game that she's playing she thought it was hilarious that she did not answer anything they asked her.  She knew she could out wait them, and she did.

Then to top it off we get back in the car and she says I choose I choose and then she goes on to say Isaiah is my brother Denali is my sister and again start laughing and laughing.

So this was a loud wake up call for me to see that she is totally choosing when she talks and when she doesn't and she totally has people right where she wants them.  So I am now looking at some behavior charts for her, we are going to chat with school,  and she is officially in her room grounded and is going to bed early for the rest of the week.  Oh my goodness I love her so much and part of me is amazing by her and her actions while the other part of me knows we got to get this in gear and get her on track because she can do amazing things. 

I love this girl so much, but she is stubborn and smart and it has gotten her through a lot, and now we need to rein in some behaviors and see her beautiful butterfly 

While Denali is practicing her Viola and working hard,

the other two will play!

I love how my kids look out for each other.

 We are working on Quinn controlling her computer with her joystick via blue tooth, she will also be able to use her head down the road if that is easier.

 Right now it is hard, and she is not loving it, but it is getting better.

 We put pressure on her hand to make it easier for her to use.  Chrissy said if she tries to help, Quinn gets frustrated and does not do as good as if we just give her pressure to help her control it herself.

 I love how my kids want to be right there helping Quinn and willing her to do well!

Her assignment was to type Chrissy into google to see what would come up.  So this is not all that bad at all.  Very good in fact.  She has to move the mouse over the letter and then let it hover there for a few moments, then the letter will come up, and right now the way it is set, up is down and down is up, so she is having to work hard to get things to go.  She can do it!  She is such a smart kid!

We are also excited and thankful.  The community we belong to is willing to share and exchange things all the time.  We are thankful someone gave up their walker, and now we get it.  These items are so expensive and so we are so grateful to be able to be donated this one.  Quinn was so excited to start walking again.  We think she took about 14 steps in 10 minutes, so we are excited to keep practicing.  

So we are thankful for the small moments, because small moments turn into big moments pretty easily!

A quick story from speech therapy last night.  Quinn was eating lemon pie, and her therapist told her she would be graduating soon and would be discharged.  Right away she got on her dynovox and said that hurts me.  Uggg, way to pull at my heart strings.  Quinn loves therapies more then anything!  Stacie told her that she would get to do one a month for awhile yet, and that got Quinn to bust into the best belly laugh!  She was happy for that, and ended with yes, more please.  Oh how I love her and her love for therapies.

 Happy 11th birthday Isaiah!  We love you so so much!