Here we go...

Now check out the site below... the tons of pictures from the past are now available for your veiwing... click on All Things Work Together Album to see over 300 pictures... yes, some are repeats, but, hey, at least it is better than nothing! Hope's dedication pictures are available, too. Still have to get the zoo and camp albums done. If anyone could tell me how to just have people click on a picture on my blog and bring it up, that would be great! Thanks, and enjoy!

Not finished yet

There are more pictures to come. It is just taking me alot of time to figure out all the details of how it all works. There will be pictures of our zoo trip, Youth Camp, Hope's dedication....
Just give me a day or two to get it all figured out. It's comin' together! I think this will much faster than what I was doing!

testing...

http://picasaweb.google.com/theroncookfamily

This should show up with old pictures of our family. You will want to check this out when you have plenty of free time, as there are MANY pictures from the past, perhaps, year and a half. I know that there are repeat pictures, but I am trying to learn how this works. I am messing around with it, so bare with me. I have video clips, too, but I have to figure out how to do that with my computer. Enjoy!

Click on "my pictures." Let me know if this works!

***Later... I know it needs fixed... I am trying... thanks for your patience!

Slowing down... MAYBE!

Well, it certainly HAS been a busy time! With Youth Camp being over, Hope's dedication completed, my parent's gone, etc., we still have my birthday tomorrow and Ron's PET scan and MRI this week.
I was pretty proud of myself Saturday. I did about 3 days work in one day! The laundry from camp was all put through the wash, house cleaning somewhat caught up on (did not get dusting done, though), washed outside and cleaned most of the inside of our van, mowed the lawn, and made the lazana, garlic bread sticks, and baked the cake for Sunday dinner. My back and feet were sore, but I was thankful not to have all of that work hanging over my head!
I have sooo many pictures and video clips to show you from the past few weeks... I am trying right now to figure out a way to do that! Just hold tight, I hope to get that done today.

Going away again!

I plan to be gone Monday through Friday for Youth Camp.

On Saturday or Sunday, my parents are supposed to be coming up to visit. They celebrate 25 years of marriage on July 30. They are supposed to stay with me for a couple of days.

Hope is to be dedicated to the Lord this coming Sunday.

This is going to make for a busy week...

You probably won't hear from me for a while, but, continue to pray for us. Ron has a PET scan and MRI the following week. (I think one is on the 30th and one is on the 31st.) Hopefully, there will be no problems... one can get weary of having themself cut on and put through torturious chemicals.

I also celebrate my 27th birthday on July 29.

Have I mentioned the situation with my hair? Yes, it may seem a bit sad, but I am turning gray. It has been happening for a little while, but it seems that it is speeding up a little. I haven't even had a chance to turn 30 yet! Perhaps they are strands of wisdom... now that could be a good thing... hey, gotta think that something good will come of it!

Well, as much as I love to chat with you all, I have much to do, seeing that early tomorrow, we will be off to start a GREAT week! Pray that God will move in a mighty way!

Have I ever mentioned how I feel about ironing?

My back hurts... you want to know why? I have once again mowed my grass, and I have also spent MUCH time ironing today! I am now taking a break. I have been trying to get ready for Youth Camp, which begins this Monday. We are bringing about 8 young people. Please, pray for the teens (and us!). We want to see God move in a mighty way! Getting packed, and trying to be sure that nothing is forgotten can be fun, and stressful! I am ironing before hand for a few reasons, but one is that camp is sooo fast paced that I don't know how we will squeeze in extra jobs like ironing.

I have cut several shirts' sleeves the past couple of days to make long-sleeved shirts into 3/4 sleeves... I am very happy about that! I have been busy at my sewing machine, fixing Ron's damaged pants, making 3/4 sleeves, and sewing up monster-splits in some of my skirts. (The pins I had in some of them were tearing the material, so I had to iron patches onto those areas.) It doesn't look too bad.

Worked alot on the office/schoolroom the other day... it is really starting to look like a K4 classroom, although it is very small... and, it also has Mommy and Daddy's work in it, too. I think she is a little too young to enjoy Daddy's Bible "Beacon Commentaries" and Mommy's "Elizabeth George" books... although she does have "A Little Girl After God's Own Heart." Anyway, I wish I could paint my rooms in happy colors like some of you do, but I rent! So, I will have to just decorate the best I can! Maybe I will post a picture in the future. Still haven't gotten to the library to upload pictures... life has been way too busy with playing with the girls and doing house projects! I am actually excited about starting school with Faith. She would love to start now, but I want to wait until August. I am using A Beka Book this year. She already can recognize a quite a few of her letters, does well with colors, shapes, etc., because we've "played school" in the past.

How can I get Hope to stop eating important papers? *Pause... while I rescue something*
*Okay, I am back.*

Here is the most exciting news! After I told Faith and Charity a flannel graph story about Jesus yesterday, Faith wanted to ask Jesus in her heart! I was delighted to assist! Charity wanted to do it also, and so I prayed with her too... not sure if she quite understood, being only 2, but at least she is interested. They "played missionary" yesterday (which consists of wrapping things around their necks and Hope's, too! Not sure what it has to do with being a missionary, and I wasn't thrilled with the idea of putting things around their necks!), and today, they were saying something about "drinking Jesus' blood," then they would take turns drinking this water they had... not sure where they got this idea either... Maybe it was like communion, or something. Faith said something to me yesterday about Hell... so I tried to explain to her about Hell being for the Devil, and that people who don't ask Jesus in their hearts and are not sorry for their sins, will go there too, that there is fire and people biting each other. Then, we talked about Heaven, and how there will be no sin there, no crying, that the streets will be gold, and we will be singing songs to Jesus... she asked if she could go to Heaven now. I told her that when she dies, or when Jesus comes back, she could go, but that Mommy wanted to keep her here until then... Pretty deep conversation for a four year old! The girls are still singing the songs they learned from VBS, even the Spanish one! Very impressed!

Well, if you don't hear from me for a few days, I am out basking in the sun... HA! (ie, YOUTH CAMP). Have a great week!

Getting organized!

Well... in the middle of trying to have fun with family, I have been organizing! So excited about my labeling projects! The girls' room looks about the best it ever has! Just thought I would brag!
Got Scriptures posted around my house as reminders to help me in areas that I need to improve!
Had help from Ruthanne Buckland with folding laundry today, and she even watched the children for a while so that Ron and I could go out to eat! Thanks, friend!
House doesn't look too bad, but of course, there is always projects to do! I was able to get much work done the other day, because Ron took the girls out for several hours... they ate out, went to the lake, and the girls even took a nap in the van. Thank you, dear, for helping me sooo much. He even helped organize some of the back room!
It is amazing how much better a woman can feel about herself when her house looks decent! I even steam-cleaned some of my carpets!
Okay, I will stop bragging now, but I was just so excited about what the Lord has helped me accomplish this week.
God has also answered two important prayers this week, and I just want to thank Him!
Reporting in... this has been Sarah Cook on the happenings of the past few days!

Just because I can...

I will share with you a bit of what I have been doing the past couple of days...

I sort-of let the house go, and had fun with my children... yep, got a lot of clean laundry waiting to be put away and a bathroom that needs scrubbing down, and the kitchen floor needs mopped... but, my girls have certainly enjoyed having Mama play with them. They have played in the pool, we have played Candy Land, walked together to the park and played, I have read lots of stories to them, play, play, play! They've played with Play-dough, bubbles, colored, watched Bible Stories (one of the very few things I actually allow them to watch), played "Simon Says" (okay, this did not go very well), they played outside some while I mowed my grass AGAIN (second time this week), helped Mommy "exercise" (the girls make nice weights! They love this!), and so on! Loads of fun! I am very happy about it, too! They are such cool kids! Yes, they still got into trouble, and we had to have moments of painful correction, but overall, we have had a really nice past couple of days! I figure, "Hey, I will always have floors to sweep, but my children are growing up way too fast, and I need to spend time with them while they are little... or, I am going to open my eyes one morning and I won't have little children climbing all over my bed anymore, they will be all grown up. They won't keep begging, "Mommy, will you hold me tight?" (SO CUTE!) Or popping out of bed, saying, "I forgot to give you a hug and a kiss." Or, a little girl pulling at the single hair growing out of my chin... okay, maybe I could live without anymore of that! You get the point! I love them, but I have been too busy for them... way too busy!!! I wanted my babies back, but I can't rewind time. I will just have to do better from here on out! I think I have nearly smothered Hope with kisses and hugs... my little baby! Yep, it's almost 1 am here, but I just thought I would tell you "I LOVE MY CHILDREN!"

Oh, I love my hubby, too! Afterall, why else would I have picked up over 50 earthworms *yuck* yesterday and put them in a container in my refrigerator as a surprise for him. (He likes to fish.)

We have also not missed a night of VBS this week! And, tonight, I may have worried Faith a little when I was trying to speak in Spanish and act Mexican during snack-time (VBS was Mexican this year)... I was trying to have fun with the VBS kids, and Faith starting crying... She actually might have been not feeling well... maybe she was dehydrated from all of the heavy playing outside today, not sure, but she was not excited about Mama's change of language. Overall, though, the girls had loads of fun, and learned their first Spanish song. Thank you, Charlotte Fredrick, for sharing the Good News with the children!

And... Hope looks like she is ready to start crawling very soon... She is loving rocking on her hands and knees (she just needs to figure out how to move those arms and legs). Seems impossible that she is old enough to do that already!

Sorry if this bores you...

I know I haven't gotten to the library yet to post those pictures... but, I just have to share my excitement. Perhaps this does not warm your heart and soul like it does mine, but here is some new info on my children.

Hope can sit up, although a bit wobbly. She also has begun rocking on her hands and knees! You know what usually comes after that! I felt a little sad (strange, I know) because she is getting big so fast! It looks like crawling is right around the corner. Right now, one of her favorite things to do, is to lie on her back and kick things that make noise. She loves to do this in the bathtub, too, splashing water big time!

Faith got this little toy dog at the garage sale that barks and walks, but it quit working. I tried to change the batteries, but it still won't work. I think I told her it was tired. She came to me the other day and told me it was very sick, and she was going to take it to Jesus. I was hoping God would heal the little toy for her, but it still doesn't work. I told her that it is not always God's will to fix things... wasn't sure if that was the best answer or not. Get this, she gave the dog a very interesting name... She calls it "Stethanita."

Charity is talking so very well, although some people don't know how well she speaks because she acts shy around a lot of people. There are some down sides to a chatter-box two year old, especially when they talk in public restrooms. I was reminded recently of someone's past post on their blog about funny things said by kids in bathrooms. Charity is very blunt, and asks way too many questions! I just either try to keep cool about it, or just keep hushing her.

I have been trying to do little fun things with the girls... one is making shapes with the pancake mix. Yesterday, Faith had a teddy bear pancake, and Charity had a heart pancake. Charity just gasped and said, "Oh, WOW!" So cute! Today, I asked them what shapes they wanted, and Faith said she wanted a strawberry, and Charity said she wanted a rainbow. Out came the food coloring, and they got their rainbow and strawberry... I took pictures of them... maybe I will share that with you later, too.

Here is a cool idea for you, mamas! Recently, when I was cleaning out and organizing the girls' drawers, I decided to label them. For example, I wrote underwear, shorts (for under their dresses or swimming), and bloomers for the top drawer, then I drew pictures of each item. Next drawer down is tights and socks, and so forth. Now Faith can put away her own folded clothes as I work on the laundry! Sure save me some trips! One more job handed over to the children! Hurray!

Still in VBS this week. Pray hard, we have a situation with one family that needs a miracle!

Until we meet again...

How did I forget?

I believe in my trying to squeeze the update in last night, I forgot a couple of milestones of Baby Hope's. About July 2, 2008, Baby Hope was introduced to the world of teeth! About two days later, another tooth came pushing its way through those gums! Now, she has added another cute thing to her list as she has officially started jabbering... it looks and sounds like she is actually trying to carry a conversation with you. SOOO CUTE! She had already started moving her mouth without noise a while back, and it reminds me of the Bible story of Hanna praying without actually using her voice. Hope makes me laugh, also, when she is happy... because she sticks her tongue out! She is a great baby! Just thought I would share that with you.

On another note, I was a bit, uh, how do I say it, GROSSED OUT today!!! It appears that some large dog took its liberty at the bottom of my yard a couple of times since I last did my lawn work. I was mowing my grass with flip-flops on today, and guess what?! You guessed it... I stepped in one of the stinky messes! Have I ever mentioned how I feel about the smell of dog messes... well, my feelings toward it is still not positive, especially when it is on my flip-flop! Just thought I would vent on you for a moment!

Just another week or so...

Yeah, right! I plan to share with you pictures and video clips of portions of this past week at a later time. I usually upload those at the library, because my computer is too slow for me to wait all day!

Since the last time I posted, many things have taken place. Yes, there was housework, grass to mow, children to feed, diapers to change, potty training to pursue, apologies to be made for a bad attitude... you know, the normal stuff we have to do. BUT THEN... well, I am trying to remember what I wrote about last (It is past mid-night here, and my brain is shutting down). Let's see. Well, the children survived their doctor appointments, even the dreaded shots. Hope ran a fever the night of the shots. The doctor did not think her nose was broken from the fall off the bed... but she did have quite the bruise and a bit of swelling. Ummm... oh, yes, the doctor had us go to Urgent Care after I told her about Faith's nearly choking on that coin. She wanted to be sure she had not actually swallowed any... don't worry, there was no foreign objects in her stomach. Hope was nearly 19 pounds. Charity may be a little lactose-intolerant. Faith and Charity are, I believe, only about in the 5th percentile in their height. Um... let's see... I guess the children are considered healthy... yes, I am glad that their check-ups went well... actually better than expected, since I scheduled all of their check-ups at one time so that I did not have to run back and forth to the doctor.

Tuesday, our family sold our bunk beds and went to the zoo. We didn't exactly need them, and the people we sold them to, really needed them! The trip to the zoo was a gift for Faith for her 4th birthday. Her birthday was today... or, maybe I should say "yesterday" since it is after mid-night. We did our trip on Tuesday, because of the good weather that day and some other days of our week were already booked for other activities. Of course, we don't do those things on Sundays. We had fun, although we were hot because I dressed the girls and myself in black and khaki... Did anyone say, "Uh, Sarah, black attracts heat!"? Well, we still had fun, and the children got a lesson on God's Great Creation.

Wednesday, Ron overbooked and was all over the place. What could the guy fit into his schedule? He had to pick stuff up at people's houses for a youth garage sale, do some jail ministry, etc. It was a crazy day for him... so much that at one point, he wasn't sure how he was going to get back home in time to pick the girls and me up for church. So, I started walking to church! Thank God that Ron actually was able to pick me up about 1 mile into my walk, I believe.

Thursday, I went to the store, and that evening, a young lady from church and I priced things for a youth garage sale.

Friday was Independence Day. We went to the Perkins' house and ate more than necessary. Then, that night we walked to see fireworks. I walked from my house all the way to Delco Park. The girls seemed to really enjoy it, except Charity kept saying, "I need to potty." Where does one come up with a potty when they are sitting at a park with people all around them? So glad she had a pull-up on!

We had a Youth Garage Sale for Missions on Saturday. We were able to raise over $300. It was exhausting, but worth it! After that, and after almost bursting into tears because I forgot to bring one of the ingredients to make Faith's birthday cake, I went and bought Faith a cake, and we had a quick birthday party. After which, Ron went to prayer meeting while I cleaned up after the party and watched the girls in the basement of the church. Hope had another fall because the high chair she was sitting in down there was faulty! The tray popped off, and I couldn't run fast enough to catch her! She was surprisingly okay... but, I wasn't! I was VERY upset! You see, right before that, I had gotten locked out of the church when I was throwing away trash, and all of my children were locked in! Aaaaugh! I ran and checked a few doors, and all were locked! So I tried ringing a bell and making some obnoxious noise to try to get someone out of the prayer meeting to let me in. My husband heard me and rescued me. By the time I got downstairs, the children were crying for me! My nerves were a wreck! After that, I needed to get back into a spiritual mode, because it was time to go for Saturday calling, before it got too late!

Sunday, the house was a major disaster, but we went to church every service, and cleared enough stuff off of the table so that we could have lunch! After the evening service, we went to visit Ron's parents for a while. We had not gone to their house for a long time. I was jealous when I saw how clean and beautiful their house looked. But, then, I had to remind myself that all of her children are grown. She does care for her handicapped son, Bradley, and she is amazing with him!

It is amazing that my little girl is four years old now! She is so beautiful and smart. She makes up the wildest stories you could ever hear, and she loves to sing and pretend she knows how to play instruments. I was looking at some pictures of her from the past few years, and, oh, how she is growing up so quickly! Once she was my 9 lb 8 oz newborn, so precious that she made me cry tears of joy when I first saw her! I want to hold onto her babyness, but I can't... it has slipped away. She is now preschool age. Oh, that time would slow down!

Faithy, my prayer for you is that you will be saved at a very young age and serve God always. Walk the way of holiness. Know your Bible! Make good friends, work very hard, lead others to Christ, be honest, don't gossip, be trustworthy, and follow God's calling on your life. If God would someday give you a husband, you had better memorize and live Titus 2:4-5 and take to heart Proverbs 31. I love you so much! I am very proud of you... I know I don't always act like it when I am frustrated, but you mean so much to me, and I am glad that God gave you to us! Happy Birthday! Love you lots and lots with sugar on top (this is something I say to my girls many times before they go to bed).

Everyone, have a good week! Hope to get those pictures on soon! Vacation Bible School is this week at our church, and if we need the bus... well, guess who is the only one with a CDL licence at our church! RON! I predict another busy week! Pray that some children get saved this week!