tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43406361515648272392024-03-13T21:34:52.169-05:00Shatterly AnticsThe ongoing Antics of the Shatterly's and their various locationsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-60017739541913842742014-11-03T17:10:00.000-06:002014-11-03T17:10:05.287-06:00Back to School!<br />
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<a href="https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10626486_10152433807686032_4588540765028935212_n.jpg?oh=d16ddd6e892d2f855c6f4420de85efc4&oe=54F49F55" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10626486_10152433807686032_4588540765028935212_n.jpg?oh=d16ddd6e892d2f855c6f4420de85efc4&oe=54F49F55" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What better place to be than Mom's lap when you're sick?</td></tr>
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I met with the principal at Matthew's school about a week ago to see about getting Omri to go with him. He seems to think it won't be an issue, but we have to make sure the School District/Board is up to speed before he can start attending. The principal has worked with Service Dogs before & really appreciates them and the work they do. I'm hopeful this will help. <br />
<img height="400" src="https://scontent-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/988405_10152486121181032_1948007808697564852_n.jpg?oh=3b608c113c447fe2f84f651b13c41aad&oe=54E9AB57" width="300" /><br />
Matthew has been sick with the flu. The above is a picture of Omri & Matthew at the doctor's office while we waited on the results of his flu screen. Unfortunately, it was positive so they've both been homebound for a few days. (Omri has had his flu shot so he's good to go!)<br />
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<img height="400" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/10622729_10152380330456032_2175067806382933026_n.jpg?oh=3cf67245e90f149b0970d2434aaa12f1&oe=54D9E118&__gda__=1425330933_b55fad8fdb82d17575f324f211b619b0" width="300" />Scott's trying to convince us he's old enough to drive...yeah....NOT YET, BUD!<br />
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Jason & I are doing well. We're staying busy. He's working as a courier, and I'm still working as a sonographer. He bowls in a league 2-3 nights a week & throws darts twice a week. (I'm their sub on the dart teams as my shoulder isn't completely ready to throw that often.) <br />
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We've started to get snow here in Alaska.<br />
<img height="240" src="https://scontent-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/1546443_10152470060251032_2548251678635489784_n.jpg?oh=a38a12d07b930b2ea6cb1e26d1d55365&oe=54E27301" width="320" /><img height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10635809_10152470060186032_7945695687323640508_n.jpg?oh=4dd21e077aa727308c01e3c339c5c976&oe=54EBA468&__gda__=1424323710_a52b82ef8f0833ea600d9bce1e7efada" width="320" /><br />
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The temperature is anywhere from -10 to 20 degrees F right now. It's only going to get colder!<br />
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Stay warm, we love you all!<br />
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Dea<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-25075612112110164932014-02-14T17:15:00.000-06:002014-02-14T17:15:13.964-06:00Changes2 years ago, we met someone who has absolutely CHANGED OUR LIVES!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Omri at 4 Paws 2-14-12</td></tr>
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Feb 14, 2012, we met OMRI! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Omri and Matthew at Coconut Island in Hawaii summer 2013<br />
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Now, we are getting ready to embark on a new adventure!</div>
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<img class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTEgcS6LvQlAfzpIuL5DYADKQgtcOa-nu_cHd1ouXMdFHzVf6Uipw" data-sz="f" name="cNfCJJIKLtUPLM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTEgcS6LvQlAfzpIuL5DYADKQgtcOa-nu_cHd1ouXMdFHzVf6Uipw" style="height: 184px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; width: 256px;" />Yep! We're moving from the warmest state to the coldest! Hawaii has been great, but it's horribly expensive & just not our thing. We will be living 120 miles or so south of the Arctic Circle so instead of pictures like this:</div>
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you'll get pictures like this:</div>
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<img alt="YC_SITE 09" height="168" src="http://www.icealaska.com/cache/com_zoo/images/TEAM_f6eebcc7234d8ef3dc51f564e2e6f0b4.jpg" width="300" /></div>
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Why Alaska after Hawaii? Why not?</div>
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Love,<br />Dea</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-70458048948548148682013-11-01T20:06:00.000-05:002013-11-01T20:06:01.475-05:0030 Days of Thankfulness, Prayer Requests and Pictures!<div style="text-align: center;">
<img 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" 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<span style="color: #274e13;">As this month is Thanksgiving, I would like to ask all of you to join me in 30 Days of Thankfulness.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;">November 1: I am thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;">What are you thankful for?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I also have a ton of prayer requests:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">1. Please pray for the family of my Dad's cousin, Walton. Walton passed away early this morning.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">2. Please pray for my dear friends battling cancer: Angela, Tyson, Cheryl</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">3. Please pray for my mother. She is still adjusting to Dad's death.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">4. Please pray for my niece's church: First Southern Baptist Church of Pearl Harbor. They need to raise the money to buy the church building form the navy. The building is priced at $1 million (I think.) They have a small congregation of around 60...not very many for Honolulu! There are a lot of military families that go here.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">5. Continue to pray for my rehab from rotator cuff repair. There were 3 of us that tore ours all around the same time: Jennifer, Chena, and me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">6. Please pray for persecuted Christians all over the world...especially in the Islamic world.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130;">Finally, how bout some pictures of Hawaii?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-size: x-large;">Love, Dea</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-23209588538804201072013-10-14T17:03:00.000-05:002013-10-14T17:03:04.043-05:00Just pics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-4555999775862660202013-07-25T22:00:00.000-05:002013-07-25T22:00:03.168-05:00Oh, The Things You Hear! <span style="color: #0c343d;">I had initially planned on having this post be about this past year of our lives in the Pacific. However, after a conversation, make that 2, 3, 4, 50, that I've had at work (and out in public) lately, I changed my mind. As a healthcare worker, I get asked a lot of questions: What is this for? How long have you been doing ultrasound? When did ultrasound mean more than babies? Why couldn't I eat before my test? Why couldn't I use the bathroom before my test?, etc. Those are normal questions that I expect to hear and answer. </span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #20124d;">The following are questions I've had directed at me in the last week or so:</span></em><br />
<span style="color: #741b47;">1. How do you feel about the law in some states where you have to have an ultrasound before an abortion, they shouldn't have that right to tell ME what to do?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47;">2. Don't you think Congress is doing a great job? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47;">3. Don't you think we need to get rid of this Congress?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47;">4. I think all guns should be banned, don't you?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47;">5. Why do people even go to church? There is no God.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d;">Yes, these are real questions and comments from people I've encountered. (These are just the ones I can post here!) My usual answer is: I'm not going to discuss that at this time. (This is the one I use while I'm at work.) If someone persists, I'll just get really quiet & not say anything.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d;">For the record, if anyone is interested, here are my answers:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47;">1. Personally, I like this law. I am a born again Christian & believe life begins at conception. There is a reason for EVERY pregnancy. I don't always understand what that reason is, but I put my faith in God, not man. However, I also feel that it isn't my place to force my beliefs on you., nor judge you. That's between you & God. Professionally, it doesn't make a difference to me or not, and I will take care of you to best of my ability no matter if we disagree vehemently or agree wholeheartedly.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47;">2 & 3. I have no opinion about the current Congress. I'm not a politically minded person & really don't keep track of what they're doing. I do feel that if you're going to represent us, you need to keep in touch with what we, your constituents, really want.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47;">4. No, I do not believe all guns should be banned. I think we need more research into countries that have taken away their citizens guns before we do that HERE. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47;">5. God is real, and I go to church to worship Him and remember that without HIM I am nothing. I can go to God anytime any place and know He is listening and cares.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d;">For someone who was born, raised & has lived most of her life in the Bible Belt, these questions and a liberal atmosphere like we have here in Hawaii are quite shocking at times. For those of you who have known me my whole life, you're probably wondering ... does Dea really keep her mouth shut? I'll leave that for you to ponder & maybe one day, when I'm not working, we'll discuss is. :)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;">Dea</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-23430515062337980762013-06-30T14:57:00.000-05:002013-06-30T14:57:19.561-05:00I've put off writing this post for a while. My dad died May 10, and I've been out of sorts really ever since. He went quickly, and he isn't having any pain any more so those are blessings. He had a stroke sometime in April, and his speech, swallowing, and one side was affected. When we talked on the phone, he seemed to be in great spirits. He knew where he was & he kept his sense of humor to the end. Deep down, I have peace because he put his trust in Jesus when he was 15, and I know I'll see him again. I do have emotions that are normal grief emotions. I get angry, nervous, etc. These are all normal or so I'm told.<br />
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This is a picture of Mom, Dad and my boys a couple of years ago at Bass Pro Shops in Dallas. Dad had that same look on his face when we buried him. I think he's waiting to pull something on Mom,personally. I'll write more about Dad later.<br />
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I went to Maui earlier this week for work. Here are some pics from there:<br />
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These are called silversword & they're only found on Haleakala crater on Maui. They bloom once every 50 years. Pretty, huh?<br />
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Love, Dea<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-61933355741765732013-04-25T15:18:00.001-05:002013-04-25T15:18:20.487-05:00Top 10 listsThis is just a fun post for me. Nothing too serious...just light-hearted fun!<br />
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In no particular order, I have compiled lists (that sounds so serious, huh? HA!) of my favorite things.<br />
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Top 10 movies:<br />
1. Top Gun--even though Goose dies..it's still a fav!<br />
2. Shrek--LOVE this--gotta look at what's inside someone!<br />
3. Pretty Woman--what woman wouldn't love to have a spending spree on Rodeo Drive?<br />
4. Double Jeopardy--Ashley Judd & Tommy Lee Jones...need I say more?<br />
5. Star Trek--the 2010 version where Spock & Kirk meet at Starfleet Academy<br />
6. Zorro--Antonio Banderas anyone?<br />
7. True Lies--just a great movie!<br />
8. any Indiana Jones!<br />
9. Sweet Home Alabama--one of my favorite lines. "Just cause I talk slow doesn't mean I'm stupid."<br />
10. Monsters, Inc.--who doesn't love Kitty, Mikey & Boo?<br />
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Top 10 Drinks:<br />
1. Pepsi--duh!<br />
2. Raspberry Lemonade<br />
3. 7-Up<br />
4. Sprite<br />
5. Water<br />
6. Mountain Dew<br />
7. Cherry Limeade from Sonic<br />
8. Apple Juice<br />
9. Margarita<br />
10. Strawberry Milkshakes (thick ones only!)<br />
***Incidentally, I am from the South, but I can't STAND tea!***<br />
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Top 10 dog breeds:<br />
1. Lab<br />
2. Beagle<br />
3. Cocker Spaniel<br />
4. Golden Retriever<br />
5. Yorkie<br />
6. Shar Pei<br />
7. English Bulldog<br />
8. Siberian Husky<br />
9. Basset Hound<br />
10. Boxer<br />
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Top 10 Places<br />
1. Arkansas<br />
2. Georgia<br />
3. Hawaii<br />
4. Wyoming<br />
5. Northern California<br />
6. U.S. Virgin Islands<br />
7. North Carolina<br />
8. Missouri<br />
9. Virginia<br />
10. Montana<br />
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Top 10 Books<br />
1. The Bible<br />
2. The Left Behind Series<br />
3. Arkansas Traveler by Earlene Fowler<br />
4. Laura Ingalls Wilder books<br />
5. John Grisham books<br />
6. Carolyn Coulter's FBI series with Sherlock & Savage<br />
7. Men are From Mars, Women are from Venus<br />
8. 50 Shades of Gray series<br />
9. Devil's Island by John Hagee<br />
10. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer<br />
(My High-School English teachers are probably rolling their eyes right about now!)<br />
<br />
Top 10 Foods!<br />
1. Vanilla Ice Cream from Dairy Queen!<br />
2. Strawberries<br />
3. Peach Cobbler<br />
4. Chicken Fajitas<br />
5. Homemade Salsa<br />
6. Poi--just kidding! Mashed potatoes really<br />
7. Baked Sweet potatoes<br />
8. Fried Ham<br />
9. Caribbean Ham<br />
10. Homemade buttermilk biscuits<br />
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Top 10 (Modern-day)Celebrities:<br />
1. Jon Bon Jovi<br />
2. Trace Adkins<br />
3. Carrie Underwood<br />
4. Jennifer Lawrence<br />
5. Harrison Ford<br />
6. George Strait<br />
7. Blake Shelton<br />
8. Bradley Cooper<br />
9. Helen Hunt<br />
10. Diane Keaton<br />
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Do you like any of these? Let me know!<br />
<br />
DeaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-77082180060990638402013-02-06T22:08:00.003-06:002013-02-06T22:08:40.654-06:00Pictures of Hawai'i. . . FINALLY!<span style="color: #6aa84f;">I finally got around to borrowing Scott's computer to download pictures from the camera to put on here. I'll try to note which island the pics are from. TRY!</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-boLswAB5B5k/URMg0fIRBsI/AAAAAAAABGY/9SZDvZ1oUek/s1600/feb+2013+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-boLswAB5B5k/URMg0fIRBsI/AAAAAAAABGY/9SZDvZ1oUek/s320/feb+2013+080.JPG" width="320" /></a>This is Rainbow Falls on the Big Island.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O9gUCC-enp8/URMg70GTmnI/AAAAAAAABGg/qXGB_8qk3z0/s1600/feb+2013+068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O9gUCC-enp8/URMg70GTmnI/AAAAAAAABGg/qXGB_8qk3z0/s320/feb+2013+068.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is Oahu.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ELPpdduyAEw/URMhEmMztFI/AAAAAAAABGs/JwMWv7bKhjs/s1600/feb+2013+087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ELPpdduyAEw/URMhEmMztFI/AAAAAAAABGs/JwMWv7bKhjs/s320/feb+2013+087.JPG" width="320" /><br />
This is steam from Kilauea Volcano on Big Island</a><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4F6FUjLJHl4/URMhNxmZf6I/AAAAAAAABG0/w8zVXjKBIs8/s1600/feb+2013+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4F6FUjLJHl4/URMhNxmZf6I/AAAAAAAABG0/w8zVXjKBIs8/s320/feb+2013+086.JPG" width="320" /></a>Matthew and</div>
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Scott with Kilauea in the background (Big Island)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ks2pRMNRj0c/URMhQl2A1NI/AAAAAAAABG8/iHGp0IqgCHM/s1600/feb+2013+100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ks2pRMNRj0c/URMhQl2A1NI/AAAAAAAABG8/iHGp0IqgCHM/s320/feb+2013+100.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sunset off Maui with either Lanai or Molokai in the background</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-caTPsnCxXD4/URMhTJnqVNI/AAAAAAAABHE/49cj67ULrtw/s1600/feb+2013+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-caTPsnCxXD4/URMhTJnqVNI/AAAAAAAABHE/49cj67ULrtw/s320/feb+2013+090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Jason & the boys when we first got to Big Island--these are the cliffs</div>
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that are closest to our house here.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nbXJdTznSYo/URMhWpES4QI/AAAAAAAABHM/ASzDycK9Lkg/s1600/feb+2013+103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nbXJdTznSYo/URMhWpES4QI/AAAAAAAABHM/ASzDycK9Lkg/s320/feb+2013+103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Maui sunset again</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2VX3wNUmLRo/URMi7jE3SKI/AAAAAAAABIE/_wq8Z-z3Rxc/s1600/feb+2013+148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2VX3wNUmLRo/URMi7jE3SKI/AAAAAAAABIE/_wq8Z-z3Rxc/s320/feb+2013+148.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Scott & Matthew playing at the top of Rainbow Falls (Big Island)</div>
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Jason and me with Akaka Falls in the background (Big Island)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TXs-0Jg_EIQ/URMi-gF537I/AAAAAAAABIM/fEImxpisMIw/s1600/feb+2013+152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TXs-0Jg_EIQ/URMi-gF537I/AAAAAAAABIM/fEImxpisMIw/s320/feb+2013+152.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is me at the end of the road north of Hawi on the BIg Island</div>
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The 3 pictures above are all from Maui--Paia is the town's name.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P9zy9Jowakg/URMl51SQHUI/AAAAAAAABJQ/xpMAhQgmxoI/s1600/feb+2013+189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P9zy9Jowakg/URMl51SQHUI/AAAAAAAABJQ/xpMAhQgmxoI/s320/feb+2013+189.JPG" width="320" /></a>Big Island</div>
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Big Island--Jason laid down on the cliff's edge down from where we live to get the picture below for me. I'm too chicken to do that!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BKZq-G8JV-s/URMl4QJHiJI/AAAAAAAABJA/_GpCYgGDpQY/s1600/feb+2013+178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BKZq-G8JV-s/URMl4QJHiJI/AAAAAAAABJA/_GpCYgGDpQY/s320/feb+2013+178.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bzOlIjd6vAo/URMmDKNKQVI/AAAAAAAABJY/t8zacHQfh-E/s1600/feb+2013+197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bzOlIjd6vAo/URMmDKNKQVI/AAAAAAAABJY/t8zacHQfh-E/s320/feb+2013+197.JPG" width="320" /></a>Big Island</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YwEDI1puXhI/URMmL5SCG5I/AAAAAAAABJs/wUYgg8IFOz0/s1600/feb+2013+204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YwEDI1puXhI/URMmL5SCG5I/AAAAAAAABJs/wUYgg8IFOz0/s320/feb+2013+204.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Big Island surfers</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XaiyPy12ZeE/URMmNIbodKI/AAAAAAAABJo/t6O2vYnu4CA/s1600/feb+2013+212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XaiyPy12ZeE/URMmNIbodKI/AAAAAAAABJo/t6O2vYnu4CA/s320/feb+2013+212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Double Rainbow on Saddle Road you can see the lower</div>
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portion of Mauna Kea in the background. This is </div>
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Big Island also.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xIZOL3zsnBU/URMmTpckPmI/AAAAAAAABJ4/c7uSlc_-xtU/s1600/feb+2013+214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xIZOL3zsnBU/URMmTpckPmI/AAAAAAAABJ4/c7uSlc_-xtU/s320/feb+2013+214.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Big Island</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jfYhCjqu3Ro/URMmbU0BcUI/AAAAAAAABKA/W9S3EblmhPg/s1600/feb+2013+220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jfYhCjqu3Ro/URMmbU0BcUI/AAAAAAAABKA/W9S3EblmhPg/s320/feb+2013+220.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Matthew looking for humpback whales</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rdnID-RaZwA/URMmbzxX0FI/AAAAAAAABKI/-LBGL3kFQlk/s1600/feb+2013+222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rdnID-RaZwA/URMmbzxX0FI/AAAAAAAABKI/-LBGL3kFQlk/s320/feb+2013+222.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;">There's a hole in this rock that makes it look like a whale's </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;">blowhole when the waves crash in.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;">We have a TON of pics, but we tried to only select a few "representative" pictures for ya'll to look at.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;">Tell Scott & me which one is your favorite from the above & we'll print one out for 5 readers & send to you! Be sure to leave your comment & email address so we can get your address, ok? Next time, Matthew & I will pick the "winners".</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: x-large;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: x-large;">Dea</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-70241865697926771612013-01-24T13:21:00.001-06:002013-01-24T13:21:04.959-06:00I recently signed up for an online weekly Bible study. These words are from it.:<br />
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"When we turn away from the light of Christ, even for a brief season, it’s unsettling how quickly darkness clouds our minds. We begin to doubt, to question, to fear.<br />
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What if God isn’t real? What if believing in him is pointless?<br />
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That’s when we run to the Word. Drink in the truth. Let the words refresh our faith and bring new life to our souls. Jesus is our only hope. And our best hope."<br />
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<img align="right" border="0" height="121" hspace="10" src="http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/inspired_word.jpg" width="181" /><br />
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I have a confession to make. I haven't read my Bible in several months. I haven't been to church since August. I brought my Bible with me to Hawaii, but so far, it has just been sitting in my bedroom waiting for me to pick it up. It has even gone so far as to collect MOLD because 1. we live on the rainy side of our Hawaiian island and 2. I haven't read it. (Personally, I think #2 has more of an impact than #1 does.) That doesn't mean I haven't talked to Jesus and heard him answer me. It just means that I haven't grown in THE WORD. The Word is where we as Christians grow and get the strength we need to get through our daily tasks. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." I personally take this to mean that it influences how we think -- are we manipulative or pure in our hearts and thoughts? <br />
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I am far from being a Bible scholar. I am SOO not perfect! However, I am forgiven by Jesus' blood on the cross. I sin so much every day even though like the apostle Paul, I don't want to. "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate."--Romans 7:15 <br />
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We must persevere toward our goal. What is our goal? To be more Christlike and to live our lives in a manner that's pleasing to him. Faith comes into play here also. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 If we have faith, we can be assured that God is for us. He will never leave us even when it seens the whole world is against us. Faith, hope and love get us through our darkest days
Do YOU have God's love in your life to help you? If not, I pray you will. If you desire to come to know Jesus, all you have to do is sincerely seek him and pray for his forgiveness & for him to come into your heart. If you would like to, but you don't know how, here's a start. (It's just like talking to a friend....He IS THE FRIEND!)<br />
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Dear Jesus, I know I've sinned & come before You asking Your forgiveness. Please enter into my heart and cleanse me of my sins. Amen. That's it. You don't have to do anything to earn forgiveness. I'd love to hear from you with your thoughts about this post. It's not my usual post, but I felt led by God to post it this morning.<br />
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Love<br />
Dea<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-52409196663177234262013-01-14T16:11:00.003-06:002013-01-14T16:11:47.855-06:00ALOHA from 2013My, my, my! How time flies! I can't believe I've been in Hawaii 5 months already! WOW! Let's see...what all has happened in those 5 months?<br />
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1. Jason & the boys successfully made it to Hawaii from Georgia. ALOHA to all the Shatterly & Parker cousins who are reading this. <br />
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2. Omri finally made the long flight from Ohio to Hawaii. He says ARF, by the way! He also says the weather's a LOT nicer! He has gotten in the ocean a couple of times. I don't think he really cares for the waves, though. He keeps trying to rescue the boys from them. HA!<br />
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3. I've "island-hopped" several time for work. I've been to Maui 3 times & Oahu twice just for work. I'd like to be able to go sight-see on those islands--maybe after the boys get grown & I don't have to pay for their tickets, also. (Hey, a Mom can dream, right?)<br />
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4. I "met" my first sea turtle (Honu is the Hawaiian word). As I was snorkeling, I put my head down as he/she was headed up to get air. SCARED ME TO DEATH! I got out of the water as quickly as I could & just sat on the shore gasping! Jason, of course, was laughing at me for letting a gentle giant scare me. He did eventually talk me back into the water & there was an OLD turtle just hanging out watching us watch him. :)<br />
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5. The boys got new bicycles for Christmas. They are tall enough now that they got "adult" bikes instead of kid bikes. This is a big deal at our house right now.<br />
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6. The boys have also played on their boogie boards so much we had to get them new ones. They LOVE, LOVE, LOVE being in the water! (me--I don't like sand in my bathing suit, but love the water)<br />
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7. We had a traditional Thanksgiving with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, etc.<br />
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8. We still haven't gone to a luau, but we HAVE been invited to one in April. We'll be celebrating a little one's 1st birthday. 1st birthdays are a BIG deal here in Hawaii. There are over 200 people invited to this. I got stressed over 10 people coming to my boys' first birthday party, I can't imagine trying to organize over 200 guests! WHEW! <br />
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9. We have gone to see the volcano a few times. You can only smell it & see smoke from it during the daytime unless you fly over in a helicopter. At night, if you go to the Jagger Museum at Volcanoes National Park, you can see the glow from the lava inside the crater. It's pretty amazing. (I'm attempting to post pictures from my phone onto here...we'll see how THAT works out! HA!) <br />
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10. We have watched countless surfers attack the waves. I have decided this redneck girl is too chicken to try to surf! I think some of these guys & girls have death wishes. It scares me just to watch them sometimes.<br />
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11. Hawaii is GORGEOUS! My pictures cannot possible do it justice. (As I said, I'm trying to figure out how to get some on here for y'all.)<br />
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Til I figure that out, Happy Aloha Monday, y'all!<br />
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DeaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-87894822659289408192012-09-25T17:52:00.000-05:002012-09-25T17:52:55.351-05:00I am horrible at updating what's been going on since we moved to Hawaii! This is the first post from the Aloha State, can you believe it??? And..no pics! I mean, come on, I live here & am being selfish not posting pics for everyone to look at! Seriously, I rarely remember my camera & don't have a computer here so until I do, no pics. Sorry guys! <br />
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It is beautiful here. However, beauty comes at a cost. A very HIGH cost! Grocery prices are crazy high cause everything is shipped in. We've learned to buy our fruit & veggies at the local farmers' market. Unlike mainland prices, fruit/veggies at the grocery stores are all priced by the pound. Yes, lettuce, cabbage, green onions, celery...all priced by the pound..not the "each". I told Jason the other day we weren't buying any more lettuce at the grocery store. The last head of iceberg lettuce I bought in Texas was oh, about 85-90 cents. Here? It cost $3.87...yes, that's for ONE head of lettuce! However, I can buy 6-7 papayas at the local farmers markets at a cost of 6-7 for $1. :-) I am LOVING me some papaya! Mango? not so much I never did care for fresh pineapple from the grocery stores either, but the fresh ones here? straight from the fields? AWESOME! And truly fresh bananas? YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
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Anyway, as soon as we get a computer up & running, I'll put some pretty pics up. Til then, imagine all the gorgeous pics you've seen & yep, that's what it's like only more so.<br />
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Aloha,<br />
DeaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-19466967264150574022012-07-30T23:14:00.001-05:002012-07-30T23:14:09.690-05:00Last Day<p>By the time most of you read this, I will be on my way across the nation to the great state of Hawaii. I am super excited & can’t wait to get there. It all seems a little surreal right now, though. I just will ask that ya’ll keep Jason & the boys in your prayers as they’ll be on their own for about a month. </p> <p> </p> <p>(I’ve kept this post short as we leave for the airport in a just a little bit and because I fell at Dad’s & skinned my elbow which makes it painful to type.) I plan on posting pics from Hawaii sometime soon, but til then, head over to Facebook for mobile uploads from my cell. Til we hear from each other again, stay safe & aloha!</p> <p> </p> <p>Love,<br>Dea</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-70748404428119897942012-07-15T19:24:00.001-05:002012-07-15T19:25:34.336-05:00A smile isn't always a smile!Although I did not write this post, it is written by another 4 Paws mom who gets it. Her life is a near parallel to ours with Matthew. Here's the link, please go & understand, I'm not whining about my life...well, not much, anyway!<br />
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http://zachandtwinkie.blogspot.com<br />
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Love,DeaUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-1057335458726192162012-07-08T22:05:00.001-05:002012-07-08T22:05:52.583-05:00Randomness<p><font color="#800080">We’ve had a very busy couple of weeks. A week or so ago, I flew to Little Rock to see a concert with Danielle, a BFF from college.</font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0NHlE04-CbY/T_pKeAHJMCI/AAAAAAAABEc/ktqWHl4pszs/s1600-h/dea%252520and%252520danielle%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><font color="#800080"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="dea and danielle" border="0" alt="dea and danielle" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oLkFRxcd-mw/T_pKe0G4HbI/AAAAAAAABEk/NsackhWQiOo/dea%252520and%252520danielle_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="139"></font></a><font color="#800080"> <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-a6wcP-32Kck/T_pKfcFOb9I/AAAAAAAABEs/F3tkEUAaT2M/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"> We went to see Lady Antebellum. </font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r0Z7XQAIDFM/T_pKfi93PNI/AAAAAAAABE0/V7SdoKNTymI/s1600-h/lady%252520a%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><font color="#800080"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="lady a" border="0" alt="lady a" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WyKru4_SXck/T_pKgEkTfNI/AAAAAAAABE8/bz6Sc9oFe3o/lady%252520a_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></font></a><font color="#008000"><font color="#800080">We really enjoyed the show. They had Thompson Square and Darius Rucker open for them. I liked Lady A, but I liked Darius Rucker better. For those who aren’t aware, he is “Hootie” from Hootie and the Blowfish.</font> </font></p> <p><font color="#008000">While I was in Arkansas, Scott was at pre-teen church camp. A really exciting thing happened while he was there! He came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior! He will be baptized on July 22. The same week, Matthew spent a week with very dear friends of ours, the Pivonkas. Jamie and John’s daughter was in our training class at 4 Paws when we got Omri. Their daughter got a Service Dog also, Kyto. Omri and Kyto played all week! Jamie & John woke up their last night there to one of Matt’s night terrors. <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-sadsmile" alt="Sad smile" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-024XgSJitPU/T_pKglzY2dI/AAAAAAAABFE/rc42xTDQ8Xk/wlEmoticon-sadsmile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"> Not good! Luckily, since they had gone through training with us, they knew the commands to use on Omri for him to help calm Matthew down. Thank GOD for 4 Paws and for Omri! Thanks John, Jamie, Hailey, Katie and Kyto for having Matthew over!</font></p> <p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-W62pUxnBS0o/T_pKhGW_A1I/AAAAAAAABFM/-r26Qp3rs8w/s1600-h/happy%2525204th%252520omri%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="happy 4th omri" border="0" alt="happy 4th omri" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Lo6tXXoWXag/T_pKhaOkjdI/AAAAAAAABFU/DxMlyT91qGM/happy%2525204th%252520omri_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="129" height="171"></a> <font color="#0000ff">We went to see our local July 4th parade. This is Omri under the truck. Doesn’t he look patriotic? We spent the day napping, eating hot dogs and hamburgers that Jason grilled out and vegging in front of the TV. That night, Scott wasn’t feeling well so I stayed home with him while Jason and Matt went to see the fireworks. While they were gone, Scott got worse so I took him to the Emergency Room. They initially diagnosed him with pneumonia then changed it to an asthma crisis. (They’re still not really sure what caused his breathing crisis.) He was admitted to the hospital overnight. We went home the next day around 6:30 P.M. Here is Omri calming Scott down on his hospital bed. Matthew had gone on a church youth group trip to 6 Flags and to see the Texas Rangers play ball. We were afraid Omri would burn his pads on his paws so he stayed home. Good thing, too, cause when we took him to hospital, Scott’s heart rate dropped 30 beats!</font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oobobniHQlo/T_pKh2RJkPI/AAAAAAAABFc/d9AWABgvGHk/s1600-h/Omri%252520on%252520Scotts%252520hospital%252520bed%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><font color="#0000ff"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Omri on Scotts hospital bed" border="0" alt="Omri on Scotts hospital bed" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-t35GLl6uzBE/T_pKifzYZYI/AAAAAAAABFk/_7n82ZSsBbE/Omri%252520on%252520Scotts%252520hospital%252520bed_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></font></a><font color="#0000ff">Currently, Scott is in bed, but we have a follow-up appointment with his pediatrician first thing in the morning to see if he is doing better or not. He is breathing a little better, but I can tell he’s still not 100% & probably won’t be for a long time. I just hope he doesn’t have to be re-admitted!</font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PhBX0sGeQQ0/T_pKi0Z_9fI/AAAAAAAABFs/hEjxVB1cMZo/s1600-h/Omri%252520on%252520Scotts%252520hospital%252520bed%25255B6%25255D.jpg"></p></a> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-l7wEM7FPdbw/T_pKjY7eGsI/AAAAAAAABF0/st2Ww210IRU/s1600-h/Omri%252520as%252520men%252520in%252520black%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Omri as men in black" border="0" alt="Omri as men in black" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4s8M-yQ9UME/T_pKj8NeYII/AAAAAAAABF8/EMiSh2kSRfk/Omri%252520as%252520men%252520in%252520black_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="165" height="244"></a></p> <p align="center"><font color="#400000">Scott took this picture of Omri earlier tonight.This is Omri in his</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#400000">Men in Black costume. Whaddya think?</font></p> <p align="left"><font color="#800080" size="7" face="Comic Sans MS"><strong>Love,</strong></font></p> <p align="left"><font color="#800080" size="7" face="Comic Sans MS"><strong>Dea</strong></font></p> <p align="left"><font color="#9b00d3"></font></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-22818522198506371232012-06-24T16:32:00.001-05:002012-06-24T16:32:55.024-05:00What the heck is that thing anyway?<p><font size="4">First of all, I gotta ask, What the heck IS this thing?</font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-smBgOanoKhg/T-eHYN6kzfI/AAAAAAAABAw/L1jxRUunFCQ/s1600-h/photo%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="photo" border="0" alt="photo" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UOJVT_dsRzs/T-eHYvYgxtI/AAAAAAAABA4/uplls5PKLx0/photo_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="183"></a>A friend of mine’s son is stationed at Ft. Hood & he sent me this picture of a critter he found in his shower stall. The consensus on Facebook was that it was some kind of creature from the cricket family.</p> <p>Of course, we’ve gotta have some Omri pics, right?</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bCrcj-SBUkE/T-eHZNbkvRI/AAAAAAAABBA/KU3C1zSdHNI/s1600-h/382438_10150871294761032_62462686_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="382438_10150871294761032_62462686_n[1]" border="0" alt="382438_10150871294761032_62462686_n[1]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1B-vUyfCQl4/T-eHZtU5pQI/AAAAAAAABBI/ZGal6vVMkO8/382438_10150871294761032_62462686_n%25255B1%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EafyNER1hlg/T-eHZ5VUnCI/AAAAAAAABBQ/p3iSNZjZGhY/s1600-h/538165_10150888354206032_1052309027_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="538165_10150888354206032_1052309027_n[1]" border="0" alt="538165_10150888354206032_1052309027_n[1]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OX453SkyZzE/T-eHaOb0VRI/AAAAAAAABBY/vLAnLDLgBnk/538165_10150888354206032_1052309027_n%25255B1%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-F8vuEHRs_lQ/T-eHapA5PCI/AAAAAAAABBg/kneKpYobEMQ/s1600-h/229893_10150888359041032_439519512_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="229893_10150888359041032_439519512_n[1]" border="0" alt="229893_10150888359041032_439519512_n[1]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OQCOdDsVcq0/T-eHa4Wf7VI/AAAAAAAABBo/Nrrs_TjsYDw/229893_10150888359041032_439519512_n%25255B1%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xP56cI_VhU4/T-eHbSXtP_I/AAAAAAAABBw/6rFnm1u2sWI/s1600-h/487089_10150889319391032_1680770881_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="487089_10150889319391032_1680770881_n[1]" border="0" alt="487089_10150889319391032_1680770881_n[1]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BX5vRYqut2Y/T-eHbnm1vSI/AAAAAAAABB4/3GFvTGnYkbM/487089_10150889319391032_1680770881_n%25255B1%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--ALKfQv9iNI/T-eHcJYj6oI/AAAAAAAABCA/GDYURjDjvmY/s1600-h/196051_10150899855901032_1764942994_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="196051_10150899855901032_1764942994_n[1]" border="0" alt="196051_10150899855901032_1764942994_n[1]" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3VgGgSL6O2M/T-eHcekEvmI/AAAAAAAABCI/ECaVL1uq67I/196051_10150899855901032_1764942994_n%25255B1%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a>This <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GaOXRLny-V8/T-eHcolg4lI/AAAAAAAABCQ/JrWVVvnvw7s/s1600-h/577719_10150899863791032_926019138_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Omri laid a watermelon!" border="0" alt="577719_10150899863791032_926019138_n[1]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VmpxLrxkFSs/T-eHdBpn-dI/AAAAAAAABCY/JQ2-nZluk4k/577719_10150899863791032_926019138_n%25255B1%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a>is after he recuperated from burning the pads on his paws at 6 Flags.Unfortunately, once he healed, we took him swimming at Lake Belton and now he has an ear infection. This is him at the vet’s office getting checked out. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nkFAN2W-KRM/T-eHdRUjNWI/AAAAAAAABCg/ji2N8CiMmQI/s1600-h/552895_10150915673076032_814924696_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="552895_10150915673076032_814924696_n[1]" border="0" alt="552895_10150915673076032_814924696_n[1]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lc68cIbpXtQ/T-eHd7CzEMI/AAAAAAAABCo/A1Njzi5RDTc/552895_10150915673076032_814924696_n%25255B1%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a>This is him getting his ears cleaned by Jason and me<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VQ2BXL4P-aU/T-eHeHfwhjI/AAAAAAAABCw/75TAo96HFH0/s1600-h/533032_10150896152926032_1486789164_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="533032_10150896152926032_1486789164_n[1]" border="0" alt="533032_10150896152926032_1486789164_n[1]" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VWS-jFjJ8PU/T-eHeQGndaI/AAAAAAAABC4/2M_abjjQ4m8/533032_10150896152926032_1486789164_n%25255B1%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a>Let’s just say he was NOT impressed with ear cleaning. LOL Jason and Scott had to hold him still yesterday while I put his antibiotics in his ear. If a dog can give you a Go to Heck look, he gave me one when we got done. <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ccLGcg5hNtg/T-eHeyKrlVI/AAAAAAAABDA/lAeyckT81AA/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"></p> <p>Jason and the guys at work have become the “adoptive” parents to a litter of kittens. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jTdpVoE8nAc/T-eHfI44QCI/AAAAAAAABDI/NpJ1GRNmrkk/s1600-h/401788_10150913809276032_1756807072_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="401788_10150913809276032_1756807072_n[1]" border="0" alt="401788_10150913809276032_1756807072_n[1]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-egiyrqyAi-M/T-eHfbWCZNI/AAAAAAAABDQ/eIldm2BnVUs/401788_10150913809276032_1756807072_n%25255B1%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a>These are the 2 girls from the litter. They’re lying on the top step of one of the cement trucks. Someone dumped them off a couple of months ago. When they were first dropped off, Jason wasn’t sure if they’d make it at all—they were THAT little. Now, I’m not a cat person AT ALL, but there is NOT reason for someone to do that to a litter so small they may not survive! If Scott wasn’t allergic to them, we’d bring one of them home.</p> <p>Right now, Matthew and Omri are visiting one of the families we went through training at 4 Paws with, but this picture is the Friday we picked Matthew up from Boy Scout Camp. Omri didn’t get to go cause we haven’t trained any of the Scout Leaders as handlers. I think they were happy to see each other, don’t you?</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AM8bEsQPVW8/T-eHf80cQ0I/AAAAAAAABDY/Jx6afIExhyA/s1600-h/382443_10150903337121032_715322987_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="382443_10150903337121032_715322987_n[1]" border="0" alt="382443_10150903337121032_715322987_n[1]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OVFFdDYL13s/T-eHgK4HMTI/AAAAAAAABDg/pKmdP2hfq6w/382443_10150903337121032_715322987_n%25255B1%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a></p> <p>I will end with a picture of my handsome, man! He HATES having his picture taken so this is about as good as it gets for him.<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-J3-fU8ReWWA/T-eHg-vtepI/AAAAAAAABDo/efWMITwBqEU/s1600-h/532836_10150907301196032_1665081705_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="532836_10150907301196032_1665081705_n[1]" border="0" alt="532836_10150907301196032_1665081705_n[1]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hIDTZtwajeg/T-eHhX8dZSI/AAAAAAAABDw/dTIJpBd2SWo/532836_10150907301196032_1665081705_n%25255B1%25255D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>Oh, I almost forgot to tell you my most exciting news! If all goes well, I will be starting a new job in August. Here’s a picture of where we’ll be going:<img alt="" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTZLDKioPgGD0Q8ByRTbXxF86MOAWvqQXMaZYdtoozCBYmMc1YR" width="275" height="183">Can you tell? No? How about this one:<img src="http://www.hi-ren.com/images/big-island-of-hawaii.jpg" width="190" height="253"> Still no? Okay, here’s a map from googlemaps: <img src="http://www.allbigislandhawaiitours.com/images/MarketingModules/%7B2D2AD950-4755-4DB4-861D-D4329B0A49D9%7D/0.jpg" width="406" height="285"> (In full disclosure, all these images came from googling Hawaii.) I’m hoping to get some similar once we get there. </p> <p> </p> <p>Now for my final question, Who will come see us?????</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-27170983176263948232012-06-03T21:50:00.001-05:002012-06-03T21:50:10.938-05:00What’s been going on around here anyway?<p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OP2kFe7PmUA/T8wiMM9PgkI/AAAAAAAAA9U/1ChZd9II5-g/s1600-h/Mothers%252520day%252520present%252520from%252520Jason%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Mothers day present from Jason - Copy - Copy" border="0" alt="Mothers day present from Jason - Copy - Copy" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--x1s7rrPxOs/T8wiMl15q6I/AAAAAAAAA9c/t81z00BChno/Mothers%252520day%252520present%252520from%252520Jason%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a>I haven’t posted very much lately. We’ve been way too busy! May was taken up with soccer—Scott’s team didn’t make the playoffs! Wah! They failed to make them by 1/2 of a goal. Really? half a goal! Instead of going to the playoffs, our coach had a pool party at his house. A good time was had by all!<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YoTRARvJ2PI/T8wiNNzuBTI/AAAAAAAAA9k/j1s6l1OzNzE/s1600-h/Soccer%252520cookies%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Soccer cookies" border="0" alt="Soccer cookies" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Gb7igHDuIws/T8wiNgtMGnI/AAAAAAAAA9s/HWkcsv8z3Eo/Soccer%252520cookies_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lIEOMPLy6EQ/T8wiN743oYI/AAAAAAAAA90/owf3Nu1PSDw/s1600-h/Scott%252520soccer%252520swim%252520-%252520Copy%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Scott soccer swim - Copy" border="0" alt="Scott soccer swim - Copy" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NTFiC_O284A/T8wiOe50BvI/AAAAAAAAA98/X11PnaqAiBk/Scott%252520soccer%252520swim%252520-%252520Copy_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a>We also had Science Fair competitions. Scott won 3rd place for his! Way to go, son! His project dealt with different gauge copper wires and conducting electricity.</p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PBqhxEkwKqs/T8wiO51F6PI/AAAAAAAAA-E/OnUqxrqprDs/s1600-h/Scott%252520science%252520fair%2525203rd%252520place%252520-%252520Copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Scott science fair 3rd place - Copy" border="0" alt="Scott science fair 3rd place - Copy" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XECZE9j4WjY/T8wiPKzdBeI/AAAAAAAAA-M/335yUEYt16g/Scott%252520science%252520fair%2525203rd%252520place%252520-%252520Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a> <p align="center"></p> <p align="center"><font color="#0000ff">We had field trips as well; Scott’s class went to one of the local TV stations for a tour, then they visited the Dr. Pepper museum. The teacher divided the class into groups of 4-6 at the end of the tour & those groups got to mix their own soft drinks. Scott’s group mixed watermelon, strawberry and coconut---it was interesting…I was the “chaperone” for their group so I got to taste it…</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-brMjlCQHOO4/T8wiPpsANWI/AAAAAAAAA-U/4-5YKqruBe0/s1600-h/Dr%252520Pepper%252520museum%252520sign%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Dr Pepper museum sign - Copy - Copy" border="0" alt="Dr Pepper museum sign - Copy - Copy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ETuUjxW6qnI/T8wiPz9rkzI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/6MSAsa2i2Os/Dr%252520Pepper%252520museum%252520sign%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-26TNwBEOWfE/T8wiQZaVNbI/AAAAAAAAA-k/g-Eqbk34AUk/s1600-h/Scott%252520and%252520group%252520at%252520tv%252520station%252520-%252520Copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Scott and group at tv station - Copy" border="0" alt="Scott and group at tv station - Copy" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-omZk2FNlmXI/T8wiQyR2HPI/AAAAAAAAA-s/qRmOlNnjMCc/Scott%252520and%252520group%252520at%252520tv%252520station%252520-%252520Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-57cYHW40NzE/T8wiRV_mdWI/AAAAAAAAA-0/Nxq2dNq5Qfk/s1600-h/Dr%252520Pepper%252520museum%252520well%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Dr Pepper museum well - Copy - Copy" border="0" alt="Dr Pepper museum well - Copy - Copy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PqfxebN-Pa0/T8wiR99rxiI/AAAAAAAAA-8/7XbxyWbwX4A/Dr%252520Pepper%252520museum%252520well%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5-LHIISHPiM/T8wiTqnvT1I/AAAAAAAAA_E/HCgCVlMLPGM/s1600-h/Scott%252520and%252520group%252520at%252520Dr%252520Pepper%252520museum%252520-%252520Copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Scott and group at Dr Pepper museum - Copy" border="0" alt="Scott and group at Dr Pepper museum - Copy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JKNKQ6aEaSE/T8wiT7LbRcI/AAAAAAAAA_M/WDbPVJbhChk/Scott%252520and%252520group%252520at%252520Dr%252520Pepper%252520museum%252520-%252520Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a></p> <p align="center">For Memorial Day, we took the boys, and Omri, to 6 Flags over Texas in Arlington. The boys had an absolute BLAST! Jason and Scott rode the roller coasters and swings. Matthew was scared to ride them so he rode go-karts, the train and all the water rides!<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6d55f-FAO3E/T8wiUUqYYpI/AAAAAAAAA_U/2TnygRsnc58/s1600-h/Scott%252520Jason%2525206%252520flags%252520-%252520Copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Scott Jason 6 flags - Copy" border="0" alt="Scott Jason 6 flags - Copy" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lgCkHWHr-gg/T8wiU03KnHI/AAAAAAAAA_c/-DmUbsGQtO4/Scott%252520Jason%2525206%252520flags%252520-%252520Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-L32nJNpshrg/T8wiVABv5JI/AAAAAAAAA_k/3dJEQj6d_TA/s1600-h/Dea%252520and%252520Omri%252520pink%252520hat%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Dea and Omri pink hat - Copy - Copy" border="0" alt="Dea and Omri pink hat - Copy - Copy" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rrfGnvWX5G0/T8wiVoOeYRI/AAAAAAAAA_s/SklhIIVeybI/Dea%252520and%252520Omri%252520pink%252520hat%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a>Omri didn’t get to ride anything except the train, but he was a trooper! He got LOTS of attention while Jason or I<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--LMS9yYlhOI/T8wiWA5yTkI/AAAAAAAAA_0/vNDnk1wwngs/s1600-h/Omri%2525206%252520flags%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Omri 6 flags - Copy - Copy" border="0" alt="Omri 6 flags - Copy - Copy" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hAMMgBFO86I/T8wiWWlcP1I/AAAAAAAAA_8/l8hgabrGfe0/Omri%2525206%252520flags%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a> would wait with him while the boys would ride. (Being a true Lab, he lapped it up! LOL) He was a little sore for a few days afterward…he didn’t even want to walk to go outside to “potty”. Poor baby! Obviously we need to exercise more. Today, we took them to Belton Lake & Omri chased tennis balls and swam til he couldn’t swim any more!</p><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="omri puppy - Copy - Copy" border="0" alt="omri puppy - Copy - Copy" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-l1nXIm9zpPA/T8wiW_fUSDI/AAAAAAAABAE/fypZYdKp0BY/omri%252520puppy%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="246" height="367">(wasn’t he a cute puppy???) He LOVES his tennis balls! <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-a62q7RY-oU4/T8wiXbMxWxI/AAAAAAAABAM/v1OsLSpMk-Y/s1600-h/Omri%252520swim%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Omri swim - Copy - Copy" border="0" alt="Omri swim - Copy - Copy" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pCoH47UiZ9c/T8wiXnEhD_I/AAAAAAAABAU/7QO8e9XEdpc/Omri%252520swim%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-e8YA4__Fdvk/T8wiYKlw34I/AAAAAAAABAc/D3VPtVmznL4/s1600-h/Omri%252520tennis%252520ball%252520swim%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Omri tennis ball swim - Copy - Copy" border="0" alt="Omri tennis ball swim - Copy - Copy" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QCcHmja_6JM/T8wiYS2HDvI/AAAAAAAABAk/UFt_F5niUKU/Omri%252520tennis%252520ball%252520swim%252520-%252520Copy%252520-%252520Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>What’s been going on in your neck of the woods????</p> <p> </p> <p>Love,</p> <p>Dea</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-18298585411889204272012-05-06T20:06:00.002-05:002012-05-06T20:06:14.413-05:00Child with Autism Seeks Mom Who Isn't Crazy...LOLWhile reading the Caffeinated Autism Mom's blog, <a href="http://www.caffeinatedautismmom.com/2012/01/pyramid-of-crazy.html" target="_blank">http://www.caffeinatedautismmom.com/2012/01/pyramid-of-crazy.html</a> , it occurred to me that while as a mom of a child with autism may think their child is odd or indeed crazy at times, they probably think the same thing about us as parents. What other parents go absolutely insane when someone in public insults their child thinking we can't hear them? Or that we don't see the same things they do when our child "acts up" or "throws a fit"? If you have children at all, you understand how stressed and, yes, embarrassed any parent gets when a tantrum is thrown in public or when they run off & you can't find them. Now, imagine this happening <b>every</b> time you go out in public, or experience something new, or when you go to church and something unexpected happens. <span style="color: #0c343d;"><b>This </b>is what our lives are like ALL the time.</span><div>
<span style="color: #20124d;">In our instance, Matthew will willingly go to Scott's soccer games because he likes being outside. That being said, it is extremely difficult to "control" him at these games if Omri isn't there. Our local soccer complex will ask us to leave if we have Omri with us. I'm not quite sure how to go about fighting this attitude even though I know we have the ADA on our sides. It's not like we have an attorney on retainer that we can call & ask them to "go to bat" for us. (or would that be Go to goal since it's soccer?) Anyway, imagine the dirty looks you would get if your child were to run off screaming from you. People instantly believe you are beating them or worse...there is no sympathy...no help except from the people you know & they ARE willing to help. We consider them our angels. Thankfully, all of our soccer parents this season have fallen into that category. If Matthew disappears, they'll notice before we do & ask if we know where he's going or why. If we don't, one will help us try to find him.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">Anyway, if you read my blog at all, you know how we live, and there's no reason to beat a dead horse to death, but I do think you'll enjoy reading the above link.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;">Dea</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-810255331811285642012-04-17T21:11:00.001-05:002012-04-17T21:11:48.855-05:00Over it<p>I am <font color="#ffc000">SOOO</font> over it! Over what you ask? Over IT! You know, IT! Life as a special needs parent, life as a working mom, life as a wife, life in general! Most days, I go along just fine humming the song from “Finding Nemo” that Dory sings…you know….”just keep swimming, swim, swim, swim.” However, today is NOT one of those days. I am FED up with everything. I don’t even want to think about cleaning my house, cooking supper or helping with homework. I just want to sit & do nothing but vent to you, my friend(s ). I am done…stick a fork in me…done! Not medium rare or medium well done either…I’m talking 100% Well done…like Beef Jerky! Maybe I need a vacation or a margarita or two or twenty? Who knows? There’s not any one thing that has set me off either. I <strong>have </strong>resigned myself to the fact that one or both of the boys will have to attend summer school this year. Wah! I have also resigned myself to the fact that my husband, who I love to distraction, will not help me with the laundry or housekeeping unless <strong>I </strong>have a meltdown. Omri is the only one who does what he’s told. Thank God for the wonderful trainers at 4 Paws !!! </p> <p><img title="Omri thinking...would you PLEASE stop taking my picture?" alt="PLEASE stop taking my picture!" src="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/524705_10150685377996032_659976031_9801978_354812825_n.jpg"><img style="display: inline" src="http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/523586_10150687948011032_659976031_9812486_300207315_n.jpg">Jason and I saw this sign at McDonald’s while waiting to go through the drive-thru & thought it was funny. How are you supposed to rent them anyway? Are you supposed to have someone with really long arms try to pick your movies while you drive slowly by <font color="#ff0000">REDBOX</font>? LOL</p> <p><font color="#004000">Jason and I did have a little bit of fun, though. We came into possession of 2 tickets to the Alan Jackson concert Friday night. It was a SOLD OUT concert. (Like no one would’ve guessed that, right?) Anyway, we had a “good time” like it was “5 o’clock somewhere”.<img src="http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/574721_10150686633346032_659976031_9805891_1177057096_n.jpg"><img src="http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/580652_10150686518991032_659976031_9805516_1939847067_n.jpg">Sorry about the image quality, but I was using my phone’s camera…not bad all things considered I think.</font></p> <p><font color="#0080ff">Even though I am, by my own admission, over it all, I know someone who is always there & isn’t “over it all”. Do you know this Special Friend I have? Do you know who I’m talking about? Jesus is the only one I can turn to in times like these & know He really cares & loves me in spite of myself! <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/Christianity_symbols.svg/425px-Christianity_symbols.svg.png">My genuine hope for anyone reading this is that you will come to realize that even though we get down, depressed & just in a “funk” sometimes—that doesn’t mean Jesus isn’t right there beside us cheering us on. We have decided to send Scott to Preteen Church Camp this summer. Join us in prayer that he will develop a closer relationship with Jesus & that he will, hopefully come to know Him as his Savior. After all, isn’t that more important than being “over it all”???</font></p> <p><font color="#0080ff"></font> </p> <p><font color="#0080ff">Here’s praying my attitude gets better!</font></p> <p> </p> <p><font color="#800080">Love,</font></p> <p><font color="#800080">Dea</font></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-25779863020034315342012-04-09T21:20:00.001-05:002012-04-09T21:20:16.419-05:00Autism Island: 50 things you SHOULD say to autism parents.<a href="http://www.autism-island.com/2012/04/50-things-you-should-say-to-autism.html?spref=bl">Autism Island: 50 things you SHOULD say to autism parents.</a>: Wow! 50 things you should not say to autism parents went viral this week getting over 10,000 views in 48 hours. Thank you to everyo...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-89305031063791796192012-04-06T21:27:00.001-05:002012-04-06T21:27:02.471-05:00Autism Island: 50 things you should not say to autism parents.<a href="http://www.autism-island.com/2012/03/50-things-you-should-not-say-to-autism.html?spref=bl">Autism Island: 50 things you should not say to autism parents.</a>: I wrote this post for two different people: autism parents, and the people we interact with. If you are an autism parent I hope...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-16659731711974153282012-04-03T21:29:00.001-05:002012-04-03T21:29:21.101-05:00Autism’s UGLY side<p>It’s not often that the A word rears its ugly head as badly as it did yesterday. THANK GOD FOR THAT! Yesterday, Matthew was completely <font color="#ff0000"><strong>out of control</strong></font>! He refused to get out of bed to start…that should’ve let me know what kind of day it was going to be…then I got 3…<font color="#ff0000">yes 3,</font> e-mails from his teacher in less than an hour. He failed his Science test and didn’t do his English homework at all. (Okay, not that big of a deal…he just retakes the test and gets detention for English…) It gets worse…At lunchtime, as his class was walking into the cafeteria, he saw Scott. For no reason that anyone who witnessed it could discern, Matthew walked up to Scott, punched him in the arm and flicked his ear. (Scott’s arm is still sore tonight.) Finally, he was doodling in his Math workbook instead of working so his teacher got onto him. What did he do? He utterly DESTROYED his Math workbook to the point of no return. Yep…got to get him a new one ordered—you read that correctly---they have to ORDER him a new one. *sigh* Is that it? Not yet! When she asked him why he did that, he then started yelling and throwing stuff around the classroom. </p> <p align="center"><strong><font color="#800080" size="4" face="Georgia">Have I mentioned I believe his teacher is an absolute SAINT????</font></strong></p> <p><font color="#804000">I do not know why he does this kind of stuff, but I do wish he didn’t. I’ve had people tell me it’s because we don’t discipline him enough or the right way. I’ve also had people tell me,”if he were <font color="#ff0000">MY</font> kid, he wouldn’t do that!” (These statements are from people who work with kids every day—kind of scary, huh?) When he runs off in public, they’ll say stuff under their breath, thinking we can’t hear them, like “what kind of parents are they anyway to just let him do that?” Seriously? Do they think we WANT to chase him and try to find him when the sensory overload gets to be too much? Do they think it’s fun to see everyone of his peers get invited for sleepovers & birthday parties & not him? Do they really think he’s not noticing this? HE DOES! I DO! His Brother does….he’s not invisible…just different. Autism is not contagious! Your kids won’t “catch” it from him. They may even be better off if they know him! It’ll make them more compassionate & aware of the fact that just because someone thinks differently than they do—it doesn’t mean they can’t be your friend! Do these people think it’s fun for Scott to have an Autistic brother? Unfortunately, Scott gets the brunt of Matthew’s aggression. Jason & I stop it when we can, but it is impossible for us to be around ALL the time. We can’t afford it financially for one of us to quit and stay home with them. We tried that for 2 years & it isn’t feasible at this time. He doesn’t qualify for Social Security because of our income, but if I quit work to take care of him, the Social Security he would get wouldn’t be as much as I make—kind of hard to justify that, huh? Money isn’t everything, but it is essential if you want to live in a halfway decent part of town.</font></p> <p><font color="#0000a0">Then there’s the part of me that worries about what would happen to him if something happens to me or Jason. I know one of our family members would take him and they would try their best, but they don’t understand what Autism is and how if affects our daily lives. They get to see bits & pieces when they’re around, but unless you’re around it 24/7, you just CAN’T “get it”! I don’t want Scott to feel obligated to take care of Matthew, so we encourage Scott to have as many interests as he can that are separate from Matthew. </font></p> <p> </p> <p>Sorry if this has turned into a rant, but I just got to let it go sometimes or I feel like I’m going to explode. </p> <p> </p> <p>Peace and love to all!</p> <p>Dea</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-79827719829020443142012-04-01T17:22:00.001-05:002012-04-01T18:41:46.011-05:00Palm Sunday<p><img src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTesz3UrUyOkTvpgOLiS5nM23xssDAmbdlS5EkgFkKKeqyHdFFK9XjgMkPb"><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/miniatures/1/0/w/h/-/-/palmleafpoint.jpg" width="321" height="215"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/2380/2059846020_83e2f090d8.jpg" width="277" height="229"></p> <p><font color="#004040" size="3">What did you and your family do for Palm Sunday? Did you worship the Lord? It’s a great time to do so! This is the time of the year when Christians all over the world celebrate Easter. We do not celebrate Jesus’ death so much as His resurrection and his triumph over death and sin. Why is it called Palm Sunday? Here’s the Biblical Reference from the book of John—chapter 12: </font><font color="#0000ff">On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, </font><font color="#0000ff"><sup>13</sup>Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.</font><font color="#004040" size="3"> I’m no preacher, but Palm Sunday was 6 days before the Passover feast in Israel. Jesus was crucified the day before Passover and rose 3 days later. This rising from the dead is what we’ve come to celebrate as Easter. It’s not about eggs and candy. It’s a celebration of being free from the curse of death that was laid on us when Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden. Jesus offered himself willingly as a sacrifice so that we as unholy creatures can approach and be with the Most High Holy God. I attended Sunday School with Matthew today as we’re still working on getting Omri used to going to church. In his Middle School Youth class, they talked about the Parable of the Wedding Feast in the book of Matthew in The Bible. “Many are invited, but few will enter.” I believe this is a reference to the fact that God desires all of us to accept Jesus as His Son and our Savior, but not all of us will come to him and accept Him as Savior AND Lord. Do we live our lives everyday to reflect this or are we caught up in petty spats at work? Do we willingly share with others what God has done in our lives or are we too afraid of being ridiculed and cast out? These are tough questions and ones I struggle with every day. I’m not perfect, Lord knows, and it’s only by HIS Grace that I can approach God’s throne with confidence that He hears my prayers. Do you have this same confidence? If not, I encourage you to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and find a good Bible believing/Bible teaching church in your area. Sometimes you will need to visit several before you find one that feels like “home”. How do you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior? It’s as easy as A, B, C. Accept Jesus is God’s Son and that He came down from Heaven to die for your sins. Believe that He died for your sins, rose again, and is in Heaven preparing a place for you. Confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior. </font><font color="#004040" size="3">Although this blog is more about family than a Christian outreach, I feel that I would not be fulfilling my responsibility to spread the Good News if I didn’t offer up this opportunity for everyone who reads it to accept Jesus. </font></p> <p><font color="#000080" size="3">As far as our Wonder Dog, Service Dog, Omri goes, he is doing GREAT! He went with us Friday night to Texas Roadhouse. I had a Steak Kabob, Jason had Steak and Ribs, and the boys had Ribs. Omri did really well! His little nose was working overtime heading into the restaurant, but he went right in and went into an “under” at our table. He got up only once…when the servers started clapping and dancing to celebrate another customer’s birthday. All he did then was stand up under the table and look at Jason. Jason told him it was ok, and Omri just laid back down. As we left, we got a lot of stares and I could hear people saying, “I didn’t realize there was a dog in here.” That is the GREATEST compliment we could get when he’s with us. <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AzBvWGRxc44/T3jVFhtrdQI/AAAAAAAAA5I/Y4w0GdYBNts/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"> He</font><font color="#000080" size="3"> did well at church this morning, too. He laid down in Sunday School for about 30 minutes, then he started whimpering so I took him to “potty”. When we got back in, he laid back down and chilled out til we finished.</font></p> <p><font color="#804000" size="3">It’s been a rough week for Scott. I received a phone call from school on Monday saying he was complaining of a tummy ache. When I went to pick him up, he was pale and sweaty. I asked where he hurt, and he pointed right over the spot where his appendix lives so as a precaution, we took a trip to the ER at the new Children’s Hospital. Thankfully, it wasn’t that, but dehydration so we got to go home after about 7 hours. He did have an ultrasound AND a CT Scan just to be sure because of how tender he was. Then on Friday, when I took him for his allergy shots, the second one stung so much he had tears! Next, I think Scott broke his little toe yesterday before his soccer game. He was walking back into the living room from the kitchen and caught the corner of the coffee table. I thought he’d just stubbed it at first, but once he calmed down, he told me that the corner of the table had caught between his 2 littlest toes and pulled them apart. It looks pretty bad…swollen and bruised. He still played in his soccer game, though. He played goalie for about half of the first half and then he played mid-fielder for about half of the second half. He said that while he was playing it didn’t hurt. He has been wearing flip flops around the house instead of his shoes to try to keep the pressure off of it. </font></p> <p><font color="#800040" size="3">Matthew is working hard in school trying to get caught up so he doesn’t have to go to summer school this June. He really wants to go to Boy Scout camp, and it’s the same time as summer school so he’s been working hard to be able to go to Boy Scout camp! <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-openmouthedsmile" alt="Open-mouthed smile" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UQ2HlkzJViE/T3jVGFWlo-I/AAAAAAAAA5Q/gA8ppn6ac-Y/wlEmoticon-openmouthedsmile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"> It’s kind of fun to have something like that to motivate him to do better. Today, after church, I went to Wal~Mart grocery shopping and bought some cacti and some other little plants to go in our flower bed in the front of our duplex. Matthew and Scott helped us with that. I will post pics after the camera battery charges up a little.</font></p> <p><font color="#800040" size="3"></font> </p> <p><font color="#9b00d3" size="6"><strong>Love,</strong></font></p> <p><font color="#9b00d3" size="6"><strong>Dea</strong></font></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-29896058500064663352012-03-26T20:59:00.000-05:002012-03-26T20:59:24.245-05:00Omri's letter to 4 Paws and the Pink Girlz and Yoda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-El0y8KkJcdE/T3EehHDOOyI/AAAAAAAAA4w/Xdsfjt-af5E/s1600/Omris+first+swim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-El0y8KkJcdE/T3EehHDOOyI/AAAAAAAAA4w/Xdsfjt-af5E/s1600/Omris+first+swim.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">Dear Pink Girlz and Yoda,</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">My boy and his family took me on a new adventure today. We went for a ride in</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">that big red thing they call a truck to a place that had the most water I've</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">EVER seen! They called it Lake Belton. When we got out of the truck, my boy</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;" /><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">headed straight for the water. Wait! Why would a boy willingly go towards that<br />much water? I mean, hey, a bath is bad enough, why go into any water?<br />The adult human my boy calls "Dad" had one of those fuzzy yellow balls they call<br />tennis balls. He threw it into this thing they called a "lake". I couldn't<br />help myself! I flew into that wet stuff! I HAD to retrieve that ball! It was<br />MINE! When I got to it, I had a hard time getting it into my mouth...it was all<br />wet. When I turned around with the ball, my new family was yelling, "Atta boy,<br />Omri! Good job!" I don't know what they were so excited about, but apparently<br />I did something they really liked. When I got back to them, they told me to<br />"Drop it" and then they threw it into the water again! I was in HEAVEN! This<br />is such an AWESOME game! Why didn't ya'll tell me about this fun game? We need<br />to tell all the labs at 4 Paws about this! (Maybe the Golden Retrievers, too<br />although I wonder how long it would take all that hair to dry?) I don't know if<br />you Paps can carry a tennis ball and swim, but if you can, you definitely need<br />to try this!<br /><br />Give hugs and doggie kisses to Mama Karen, Jeremy, Alicia, Jessa, Jenn, Jennifer<br />and the rest of the gang!<br /><br />XOXO,<br />Omri (AKA The water dog!)</span><br />
<br />
P.S. I also went to Scott's soccer game with Matthew on Saturday. It's almost a dog's version of heaven! A bunch of kids playing with balls??? Seriously guys, who knew all this fun took place outside 4 Paws???<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-43018353455743737952012-03-18T20:15:00.001-05:002012-03-18T20:15:57.958-05:00…and in breaking news…<p>Don’t you just hate it when your favorite show is interrupted with that statement? I know some people who absolutely <strong>hate</strong> it when that phrase comes up. My son, Matthew, for instance has not been pleased with March Madness this year. <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Basketball.png/120px-Basketball.png">His number one favorite show is “The Big Bang Theory” which comes on Thursday nights. Well, guess what show was pre-empted for the NCAA basketball tournament this past week? Yep…also, tonight, “The Amazing Race” has been delayed due to basketball games earlier in the day. Right now, Matt is about to go bonkers waiting for “60 Minutes” to finish so he can see how the “country boys” do tonight on TAR. Isn’t it funny how we all seem to find a favorite team or person to cheer for whether it’s basketball, reality shows, or real life?</p> <p>The boys haven’t had such a fun Spring Break this year. Scott is so far behind on his schoolwork, he may have to go to summer school this year. Matthew is behind also, but he isn’t as far behind as Scott is. Therefore, all Spring Break, they’ve had to work on school work instead of just vegging out in front of the TV or playing video games. Omri looked at Jason and me every night when we got home as if to say, “Why aren’t they going to school this week?” I’m sure he’s going to miss them tomorrow when they go back to school. Omri went to Scott’s doctor’s appointment with us Friday. Matthew was so happy and proud to show off his special dog. Omri got to meet all the staff at the allergists’ and some of my co-workers when they went to lunch. He absolutely LOVES an audience. He did ALL his tricks and just gave his doggie grin to everyone he met. <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4FcNIdIdDog/T2aIu4mhNvI/AAAAAAAAA3E/tw7FxY1DRcg/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"></p> <p> </p> <p>Can you say Omri’s getting to be one spoiled dog???</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-poUM5tUO0kc/T2aIvWqNbsI/AAAAAAAAA3M/Xm7ivFAIVhQ/s1600-h/omri%2525203.14.12%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="omri 3.14.12" border="0" alt="omri 3.14.12" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mxAi5Hbjrko/T2aIv35dg9I/AAAAAAAAA3U/jdL01VKqeS4/omri%2525203.14.12_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VHotg198qnM/T2aIwNRpDMI/AAAAAAAAA3c/v0hio2-qu3Q/s1600-h/Omri.Matthew%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Omri loves his boy!" border="0" alt="Omri.Matthew" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xXVVtoq0iQI/T2aIwlHPdRI/AAAAAAAAA3k/8fGWvqaTJmY/Omri.Matthew_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pHD5mth4c9o/T2aIxEZURnI/AAAAAAAAA3s/fB1DN_69AmE/s1600-h/matt%252520omri%252520school%252520hallway%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="matt omri school hallway" border="0" alt="matt omri school hallway" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-24Fc5OHMZX0/T2aIxiOghTI/AAAAAAAAA30/Mkv1L0MdZtY/matt%252520omri%252520school%252520hallway_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vey2krNDyYw/T2aIx9M711I/AAAAAAAAA38/8J3QeLDDE3I/s1600-h/scott%252520omri%252520rope%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="scott omri rope" border="0" alt="scott omri rope" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ktQZ3sGTbHo/T2aIyZ6cA6I/AAAAAAAAA4E/DPHJWlmeAAM/scott%252520omri%252520rope_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bpg3eSomSLo/T2aIy4Db6kI/AAAAAAAAA4M/1S-UXd-Fv3s/s1600-h/jason%252520omri%252520rope%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="jason omri rope" border="0" alt="jason omri rope" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ma8o9yFn8iM/T2aIzXCiUKI/AAAAAAAAA4U/pynCbkT-OzU/jason%252520omri%252520rope_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a>I do promise he works! I typically have my camera in Omri’s bag that we take with us when he works, I just forget to take it out & take pictures of them! I’ve been toying with the idea of putting a sign on Omri’s harness that says “Will work for food”, but in light of the news I heard recently about people in North Korea starving to death, I’ve decided not to do so at this point in time. I really think we who believe in miracles, and I do, need to pray for the people of N. Korea to get the food they so desperately need. This is a situation that has really spoken to my heart. I really don’t know what I can do as one person, but if as a group of believers, we can band together and pray for the leaders of N. Korea, maybe their citizens will get the physical nourishment they need. I also believe that we can’t reach others for Jesus as he wants if they don’t understand how much we care about their physical well-being as much as their spiritual well-being. It’s hard to focus on the things of the spirit if our physical needs aren’t being met adequately.</p> <p>I recently started reading a book called “What Women Want: The Life You Crave and How God Satisfies” by Lisa T. Bergren and Rebecca Price. The picture came from amazon.com so please forgive me for the “Look Inside”</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="What Women Want: The Life You Crave and How God Satisfies" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ayzdZlh1L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg"> I must say, this book should be enlightening in more ways than one. I don’t have a ton of time to read, but I love to do it. Give me anything to read & I am SO very happy! I will read anything from inspirational novels to books like this one to <strike>romance novels</strike>. (That’s my dirty little secret, I guess. I love to read romance novels…I know they’re terribly unrealistic, but they allow me to escape from reality briefly.) How about you? What do you like to read when you get time?</p> <p> </p> <h1></h1> <p><font color="#9b00d3" size="7">Love,</font></p> <p><font color="#9b00d3" size="7">Dea</font></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340636151564827239.post-22152564417764187592012-03-11T20:24:00.001-05:002012-03-11T20:24:51.495-05:00Rain, Make-up days and Sick Scott<p align="center"><font color="#0000ff">For the few people who read this that don’t live in Texas, here’s something newsworthy around here: WE GOT RAIN this week! This may sound really silly, but last year we had a SEVERE drought in Texas, and we were on water restrictions for part of the year. We’re are very appreciative and blessed by God to get this much needed moisture. I just pray that it raises the water level to the point necessary to off-set what we had last year. The down-side is that Jason was called off work 2 days. <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-sadsmile" alt="Sad smile" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9rinW9oYzqo/T11QLlHIXqI/AAAAAAAAA2c/xPeIWy_YhwA/wlEmoticon-sadsmile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"> This coming week, the forecast is about 50/50 so I’m hoping Jason gets at least 40 hours. Unrelated to the rain, I am scheduled to work next Saturday and Sunday so I will be off 2 days during the week. For those who follow me on Facebook, I’ve had some stressors at work lately. I’m very bitter about some things that I don’t wish to share at this moment. There is a Bible verse in Matthew 6 about serving 2 masters, and that’s how I’ve felt lately—that I’m trying to serve 2 masters. (The verse is Matthew 6:24—“No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other.”) For those who know where I work, and what’s going on, just pray for me to put my faith and hope in God to help me through this….please don’t mention it at work. Thanks.</font></p> <p align="center"></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0RQBd1uMSHg/T11QL_xnXFI/AAAAAAAAA2k/GgEmh8s24sg/s1600-h/Omri%252520hazard%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Omri hazard" border="0" alt="Omri hazard" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Pz_4dJl7nhE/T11QMdKG_OI/AAAAAAAAA2s/NZ9fwD5TNRU/Omri%252520hazard_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a></p> <p align="center"><font color="#0000ff">Omri has played “golf hazard” all week for the boys as they practice their putting skills inside. He just watches the ball go by. </font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#0000ff">(I’m really surprised he hasn’t tried to “retrieve” the ball for them yet. HA!)</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#0000ff"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font color="#4bacc6">Due to missed days from going to get Omri, being sick, etc. the boys are required to make-up any days they’ve missed over 10 days. Therefore, they have to make-up this time. </font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#4bacc6">HOW? The options are:</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#4bacc6">1. They can make them up by staying a little later after school.</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#4bacc6">2. They can go to summer school. (Matthew booed this one!)</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#4bacc6">3. They can go to Saturday school.</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#4bacc6">If they do not make up these days, they will be failed due to lack of time in grade regardless of how they do on their work. Jason and I met with both of their teachers on Friday afternoon to figure out a solution to this issue. They will stay a little later on my days off, and they will attend the “Pak-a-thons” the school has. We will re-evaluate in about a month to see where we stand. </font></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><img src="http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/419646_2742450211590_1567517934_32094699_1384215801_n.jpg" width="150" height="225"> </p> <p align="center"><font color="#4bacc6"></font> </p> <p align="center"><font color="#8064a2">Finally, Scott has been sick for almost a week. I took him to the doctor after he threw up & was up all night being sick. He has a chest infection compounded by cough, sneeze, allergies, etc. It is that time of year unfortunately. He comes by it honestly…Jason & I both have horrible allergies, and Scott gets 2 allergy shots a week. He is allergic to EVERYTHING except dogs, horses, oak trees and maple trees. Hmmmmm…Jason & I joked that we need to live in a bubble to keep him well. Add to this he LOVES soccer. HIs asthma does flare up when he plays—his coach has been very accommodating – Scott plays goalie. He is one of the smallest ones on his team, but he is also the quickest. I think that works in his favor.</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#c0504d">This upcoming week is Spring Break here. We’re not doing anything exciting….are you?</font></p> <p align="center"><img src="http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/417715_10150619114151032_659976031_9548525_1040607035_n.jpg"></p> <p align="center"><strong><font color="#9b00d3" size="5">Love,</font></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><font color="#9b00d3" size="5">Dea</font></strong></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0