It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Scott & Matthew felt this was needed....not sure WHY!

 I'm still not entirely clear as to WHY the Halo Army Snipers felt it necessary to take up vantage points in the Christmas tree.  Scott said it had something to do with the ornaments and lights staging a mutiny? 
Oh, these boys!  There's never a dull moment around when they're home, that's for SURE!

The Cookie Masters (or is it Cookie Monsters?) at work!

Our Red, White and Blue Christmas tree!

 

As you can tell, the boys had a wonderful time decorating the Christmas cookies! (By the way, all the cookies were gone by 5 the next day!  HA!)

Blue gingerbread men?  Oh, well!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and remember to Thank God for sending us Jesus, without HIM, Christmas is just another day!

Love,

Dea  

Family Time!

This summer we went to my 20th class reunion for my high school  Cotter High School---home of the WARRIORS!!!  We were considered a big class...we had 36 kids graduate, I believe.  The picture above is of the bridge that crosses the White River at Cotter.  My parents owned a trout dock there when I was growing up.  

Jason and I left the boys with my parents when we came back.  They stayed about a week before they got homesick, so we met them at the Bass Pro Shop in Garland.  This picture is taken from the front of the store.  We had a devil of a time getting all 4 of them to smile at the same time they were looking at the camera!  Phew!  I'll say this, they adore their grandparents!  On both sides!  We're hoping to be able to see Jason's parents soon. 

We also recently found out that we will be going to get Matthew's Service Dog in February.  He and I have to be there for 2 weeks to learn how to "handle" the dog and learn how he/she works.  :-)  We are currently soliciting funds for our trip.  If anyone knows of anyone who is willing to help us, please let us know.  We estimate it'll cost between $2500-$3000 for the trip. (This includes travel, meals, and hotel.)

Who would've ever guessed that I'd be a mother of boys???  I love them to death even when they drive me crazy.  Can anyone explain how they can each be as good as gold when it's just one of them, but the minute the other shows up, the "devil" in them comes out????  Anyway, it's started to cool off here finally this year!  That means it's in the 80's instead of the 110's.  Hee hee!  This also means it is SOCCER time in the Shatterly household!  Scott mostly plays goalkeeper (goalie for those of us, including me, who don't speak soccer!) Jason is the assistant coach.  The head coach and Jason come up with all sorts of one-liners during games and practice like, "Sorry I didn't send you an email telling you to be off-sides!"  Those of us on the sidelines laugh so hard we cry at times!  

Enough rambling for now, let me know if you have any ideas on how to be a good soccer mom!

Love,

Dea 

Randomness on Labor Day!

Well, it's FINALLY started to cool off here in Central Texas!  (At least temporarily!)  After who knows how many 100+ degrees days, today is supposed to be in the mid  90's.  YIPPEE!!!  Please continue to pray for rain for us here as there are several fires burning out of control all around us.

On a happier, much happier, note, Matthew will be receiving his Service Dog in the Spring of 2012!!!  Happy Dance!!!  If you or anyone you know is willing to donate money for our trip to Ohio, please let me know either by posting a comment on here or by emailing me at deashatterly@yahoo.com.  We will be there for 2 weeks learning how to handle the dog and Matt at the same time therefore, we'll need travel money for hotel, gas, food, etc.

The boys started school a couple of weeks ago & they really seem to like it.  We put them in a free public Charter School.  It's VERY different from anything Jason or I have experienced.  They work independently at their own pace through the work required for their grade level.  When they finish that grade level, they take a test to make sure they understand it, then they go ahead & start on the next grade level for that subject.  It's kind of interesting to watch them struggle through their work & then BAM!  the light comes on and they're off and running with it.  

Hope everyone has a safe and cool FALL!

Love,

Dea

P.S.  I'll try to post pics next time.  I haven't taken any lately.

A Special Mom

 I've often wondered why God chose me to have a child with autism instead of one of my siblings.  Perhaps this explains why. 


Did you ever wonder how mothers of disabled children were chosen?

Somehow I visualize God hovering over the Earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

"This one gets a daughter. The Patron saint will be Cecelia."
"This one gets twins. The Patron saint will be Matthew."
"This one gets a son. The Patron saint.... give her Gerard. He's used to profanity"

Finally He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a disabled child."

The angel is curious, "Why this one God? She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a disabled child to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" askes the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it. I watched her today, she has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has her own world. She has to make her live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiles, "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect - she has just enough selfishness."

The angel gasps - "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word'. She will never consider any 'step' ordinary. When her child says "Momma" for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and will know it! I will permit her to see clearly the things I see... ignorance, cruelty, and prejudice... and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing my work as surely as if she is here by my side."

"And what about her Paton saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in mid air. God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."

by Erma Bombeck

I do not consider myself a saint AT ALL, by the way, but I do think it takes a different set of skills to parent these children without completely losing your mind.  I love my boys!  Their different personalities and quirks just makes for a more interesting life.  It's never dull around my house, that's for sure!

Love,
Dea

Happy Mother's Day

Ok, so I am officially a BUM!  I have done absolutely NOTHING productive all day!  When I told Jason I was going to take a nap at noon, he started laughing and said,"if you can't take a nap on Mother's Day, when can you?"  Gotta love him, eh?  As I write this, my boys are a.playing the Wii they got for Christmas from Granny & Papa (my mom & dad) and b. playing with a HALO lego thingy Scott got for his birthday from Nana & Grandpa (Jason's mom & dad).

My mom may not see this, but I have been blessed with 2 great moms!  My mom, Dru, has sacrificed every day I've been around her to make sure her kids have everything we could possibly want, need or desire.  Jason's mom, Frances, desires more than anything for her boys to be strong, wise men in a world run amok. Who could ask for better role models?  They aren't perfect, these women, but they are just what Jason & I need.  God always knows what we need even if it's not what we want.  My mom is my friend, but she's always made sure I understood her primary job was to be my mother.  She has healed many wounds through the years...even before she became a nurse, and she isn't afraid to discipline me even though I have kids of my own now.   Many people think I went into healthcare as a career because of my mother.  yes and no

I went into healthcare because I had planned on going into business, but the stock market crashed while I was in high school & even I, as a spoiled rotten teenager, could see that I needed to be able to work in a field where it would be highly unlikely I'd ever lose my job because of the economy.  Mom suggested I be a nurse as she had just finished LPN school...NO....I love all the nurses I'm around, but I don't think I could do that.  Then, she systematically went through every career in the hospital until she said, "How bout you be an x-ray tech?  They don't do anything anyway!"  Hmmm.... I thought, I could take x-rays of ankles and elbows.  Little did I know what I was getting myself into.  Within 3 months of being in "x-ray school", I could attest to the fact that we do more than most people imagine!  After I graduated, mom went back & got her RN since she couldn't do that and help pay my way through college at the same time.  I love my mom!  When I started Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at UAMS, she helped us even more!  

My mom is one of my heroes, is yours?

Love,
Dea

It's Resurrection Day

Happy Resurrection Day, Y'all!  Today we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus.  Death couldn't hold Him, Hell couldn't contain Him.  He lives and because HE lives, we live as well.  Death has no hold on us anymore. 

I may bungle this, but I'm gonna do my best.  People don't go to church because they think they have to be perfect to go.  They don't realize that it's only through Jesus that we are made perfect.  As Christians, sometimes we forget that it can be a little intimidating to those who are to step foot in the door of a church.  We need to be willing to reach out and go to where our lost brothers and sisters are to reach them where they are before we expect them to come to us.  This has been a very difficult thing for me to grasp, but I am starting to come to grips with the fact that my career is my mission field.  As such, I need to be willing to show Jesus' love to my patients and their families regardless of other factors.  I don't have to be "in your face" to make that work, I just need to let Jesus work through me.

As far as the boys go, things are pretty much the same.  Matt's had an increase in meltdowns lately, and Scott's bumming cause he has a strained hip flexor & can't run and play like he likes to do.  Jason is communing with the computer chair, and I'm sore from exercising, but it's all good!  On a happy note, congratulations to my nephew, Chris, and his wife, Katie and the birth of their new baby girl!

Love,

Dea

April Showers?

April in Texas has been HOT!  No showers here!  We did have strong winds the other day...this was the same day severe tornadoes roared through Arkansas & Oklahoma.  Sadly, some people were killed in both states, but the storms were NOT close to my family.  Here in the great state of Texas, we've had issues with wildfires north and west of us.  I'm not sure what started them, but they've wrecked havoc on people with asthma around here.  Scott was kept inside for the past couple of days due to the horrible air quality.  (There's been smoke, ash, etc.)  When I stepped out of work on Friday walking to my car, I could feel the air burning my eyes and lungs..therefore, Scott did NOT go to the Soccer Clinic as we had planned.  :(  He's been really bummed lately.  He was playing "war ball" at scouts 2 Tuesdays ago, and he took a hard fall resulting in a hip flexor strain.  The pediatrician said it may take MONTHS for him to heal!  Needless to say, this does not make him very happy! Since he's playing goalie for his soccer team, it's almost impossible for him to kick a goal kick or be terribly aggressive when a ball is kicked toward him.  My little competitive boy is very frustrated at his decreased mobility to say the least!

Matthew, on the other hand, had been doing remarkable well.  When we go to the park, he's able to not only keep up with Scott when they run and play, but he can outrun him as well.  This has NEVER happened before!  At least not before he had his surgery.  Obviously, this means our hopes that his lung capacity would increase post surgery have been realized!  THANK GOD!  There were times right after his surgery that Jason & I both wondered if we had made a mistake by having it done.  We're very glad now that we went ahead & did it.  He is progressing in Boy Scouts as well.  We hope to be able to send him to Summer Camp with Scouts in June.  It's a little pricey, but hopefully we can swing it.

Well, I gotta go, Jason's calling for me to come "play" outside.  Hmmm....wonder what kind of work he's cooked up for me this time?

Love,

Dea 

March 19

It's been an eventful month around here.  Matthew has gotten his complete clearance from his surgeon so he's healed completely and able to fully participate in whatever he wants.  This means he can enjoy going to Boy Scouts again...they play "war ball" after every meeting.  It's like dodge ball, but after a certain length of time, they can go back in.  He also received his Pathfinder Merit Badge.

This past Monday, we woke up to Matthew SCREAMING like someone was killing him!  He was in severe pain in his right lower abdomen.  We were worried about his appendix so we rushed him to the ER.  It wasn't, thank God, and he is back to normal now.

Scott has started his Spring Soccer Season.  He is playing goalie for his team.  They have only played one game so far, but he did really well.  The only time the other team scored was when Scott was playing a different position.  Scott also received the "game" ball from the coach for being the MVP for his team.

Jason is still looking for gainful employment.  We ask for prayers for him as he is starting to get down on himself for not having a job.  He is supervising Matthew's homeschooling so that keeps him occupied during the day.
I passed my registry I was worried about.  YEA!  I now have 2 registries under my belt.  I'd like to take the Vascular Registry and Neuro Registry too.  The hospital I work at gave me a small raise for passing it so that is definitely something to celebrate.  :-)

Love,
Dea

Heart Month!

Did you know that Friday, February 4th is Wear Red Day to build support and awareness for heart disease in women?  This is a subject that is very dear to my heart.  (No pun intended!)  Heart disease runs rampant in my family on both sides in men and women.  PLEASE, if you have risk factors, get checked!  IF you're not sure if you have risk factors, visit the American Heart Association's website here.  For those who are wondering about Dad, he is at home, in good spirits and has lost over 20 pounds in water weight.  I'm hoping to be able to make a trip to North Central Arkansas soon to visit.  There's nothing like a trip "home" to get your head back on straight and to relax a little.  :-)

Matthew is doing very well!  He has a 2 month appointment on Thursday with his surgeon to make sure he's on target.  I think he is.  We took he and Scott to the park over the weekend, and he was running around and playing just like the other kids.  A year ago, that wouldn't have happened.  He would've been hanging on Jason & me gasping for breath.  Scott is sick right now.  He apparently is allergic to something here in Texas, and his eyes are swollen quite a bit.  The doctor said he doesn't have a sinus infection yet, but he does have fluid backed up into his ear canals so it wouldn't surprise me if he develops one.

Jason is trying to get his days & nights straightened out.  He's been staying up all night playing computer games & is hoping to get back on track so he can "get a haircut and get a real job"!  (HA!)    He did forget to close the bathroom window last night so when the cold front came through, that Arctic wind blew into my bedroom and boy was it COLD!  I am preparing for another ultrasound registry and losing my mind over that, but I'm okay otherwise!


Love,
Dea

HELP!

Ok, it's official....Matthew is acting more and more like a teenager.  GOD HELP US ALL!  The back-talking and sassing is even worse than usual!  He won't be 13 til summer & I can only imagine what we're in for then.  I guess that also means he's feeling better, though so that part is good.  :-) 


Scott got a new prescription for his glasses this week.  His sports glasses came in on Friday, but his regular glasses have not.  I thought that was a little odd, but as long as he can see, I'm ok with it.  He doesn't really like his sports glasses, but I want him to wear them anyway since his old prescription is so much weaker than this one.

I thought I had submitted some pictures online to be developed at Wal~Mart.  When I went to pick them up, they told me the order had not gone through.  Wah!  So, I guess I'll need to submit them again after I get paid.  I had some 5x7's made for our bedroom of Jason & the boys and of myself and the boys.

Dad was in the hospital this week for 4 days.  He is home now.  His heart was in pretty bad shape for a while there, but I think they've gotten it straightened out...for him anyway!  I'm hoping to be able to go see him in March or April.  I'll be working a few weekends in February so it'll have to wait til then.  Please continue to keep him in your prayers.  Also, please pray for Jason as he attempts to find work here.  We could really use the extra income.

That's all for this week.  For those of you who get this in e-mail form, you can go here to see this post with accompanying pictures as well as  prior posts with those pictures of the boys at the park from a couple of weeks ago.

Love,
Dea

No SNOW!

This post will be short today mainly because I'm cold and not up to typing much!

Well, apparently, our little part of Texas is the only part of the country that didn't get snow over the weekend.  The boys were bummed!  ON a happy note, though, last Thursday, Jason had to take Matthew to the doctor because we thought he had pneumonia.  He didn't; THANK GOD!  She put him on a Z-Pack and some steroids just to be cautious and because she could tell that he DID have bronchitis.  Since it had only been a month since his surgery, his pediatrician is being more cautious than usual I think.  I'm okay with that!  Apparently most kids that have the type of surgery Matthew had are 15-16 years old instead of 12 so all the doctors are curious to see how he does.  :-)

I do solicit prayer for my dad, however.  As most of you know, Dad has had trouble with is heart for over 30 years now.  Today, he called my brother to take him to the doctor because he'd stopped breathing momentarily.  For now, they have him in the hospital back home trying to take off some of the fluid that has accumulated around his heart due to his Congestive Heart Failure.  Hopefully he'll be home tomorrow.  I'm worried about him 'cause of course I'm a Daddy's girl...even though I'm nearly 38!


Anyway, hope everyone stays warm and toasty!

Love,
Dea

He's BAAAAACK!!!!

He’s BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!

Just think…4 weeks ago, this was Matthew in his hospital bed 2 days after surgery.

And this is him today!

Jason went with us for a change!

Gotta take one with a Longhorn in the background since we’re in Texas, right?

It was a beautiful day!  The wind was a little cold, but we had a great time

(Can you tell Scott HATES having his picture taken???)  

The other day, we took Matthew to his 3 week post-op check up!  Dr. Custer was very pleasantly surprised that he is progressing so quickly!  I thank God that he did Matthew’s surgery.  I couldn’t ask for a kinder pediatric surgeon to take care of my son!  God has answered many prayers for this family especially over the past month or so.  To HIM be the glory!

Today, we took the boys to a little park close to Belton Lake.  It’s oh, around 8 miles from where we live.  It’s typically where we swim in the summer, but we wanted to take some pics for our family in Georgia since we didn’t send out Christmas Cards this year.  I apologize if you were looking for one & didn’t get one.  It was kinda crazy with Matt’s surgery & I just forgot ‘til it was too late to mail them.  Anyway, here are some pics from our outing today.  Hope you enjoy!

It was a beautiful day!  The wind was a little cold, but we had a great time!

I hope everyone has a blessed and Happy New Year!  My plan is to try to update our blog every Sunday this year.  (We’ll see how well THAT works!)

J

Until next Sunday, Keep warm and Keep Praying!

Love,

Dea