HA!

That was a pathetic post last night... that's what happens to me when I am overtired! Strange thing is that I have been having trouble getting to sleep. Think my eyes looked rather black around them this morning... got to stop fighting that pillow! It is getting the best of me! I have even tried taking medicine to help me sleep!

Guess what?! My parents are giving me a washing machine for my new trailor!!! I am so excited! My very own washing machine, and it is probably only 2 years old or less! The people we are buying the trailor from left their refrigerator and stove... they said we could have them, because the place they moved to already had what they needed in that area... amazing! God continues to supply our needs!!! We won't have a dishwasher, but one can survive quite well without one... still have to get a dryer, but if that is the only needed appliance, that is not a big deal! Funny thing is that another GREATLY desired item seems to have been supplied as well... it is one of those unnecessary things, but I really wanted one... it is a swingset! You see, they had this frame left at the trailor that went to a big swing (like a porch swing, but it isn't on the porch, but on a frame); well, they had given away the swing part, but left the frame for us. If we wanted we could attach the girls' chain swings to the wooden frame, and wa-la... a sturdy swing set for the children. I have been wanting one for maybe a year!!! COOL, HUH? They also left a very nice picnic table with an umbrella for us! I can hardly wait to show you all some pictures! No, we don't have a yard, really, but there is a park in the trailor court. Now, there is one other thing that would be really cool... if there would be someone in the court who teaches music! Would LOVE LOVE LOVE for my two older children to start lessons! God REALLY DOES CARE ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS! I'll try not to leave too many posts like the previous one... If you went to Bible school with me, or worked with me in NM, you know how I am when I am tired... either very hyper and talkive or depressingly sentimental... so bare with me!

Got to go listen to my daughter read her Little Owl book. She is doing well, but struggles a little with b,d, p, and g. I have been trying to come up with creative ways for her to remember them... it is helping some.

I know this might surprise you...

but, I think I am tired of doing a blog...
tired of comparing myself with all of my productive friends.
tired of taking time away from my responsiblities
tired of posting, but finding that really my blog isn't that exciting
tired, and probably need to go to bed, probably it has been a long day, probably the next couple of weeks have overwhelmed my brain until I am not my normal chipper self. Probably, I had better stop writing such a pathetic post, and go read my Bible which will convict, change, yet relax me.
Probably I will be glad when Ron's radiation is over, we are moved into our new home, my children are no longer ill, and bla bla bla...
SNAP OUT OF IT, SARAH!!! (I say, then I slap my face, and set myself straight.)
Okay, actually, there is good news... the radiation doctor is very optimist about Ron's cancer being taken care of after 17 treatments. That would be awesome!!! That is enough good news to just make this wife very happy... cause I really love my man more than I can say!
Then, today, we got the lean to our trailor! That was exciting! Never owned a home before, and this is a pretty nice one!
Whew! My emotions are on quite a rollercoaster! Isn't there a rule that one should not post when one is exhausted?! Oh, my blankey and pillows are calling for me! Goodnight!

Let it snow!

Wow! We got some snow here!

I thought Fireproof could be a nice tool to reach broken, or breaking homes. Good challenges. Ron is not really into movies unless it is one about the Bible or a preaching DVD... so, he hasn't watched it yet. He has been quite tired in the evenings, too... of course, he usually gets up very early. He worked hard today... he didn't have to go to his job, but he did shovel snow, WENT GROCERY SHOPPING, and did some other things. He can drive in just about anything... and, this weather was bad!

Baby Hope continues to be sick. I decided to not give her any of her soy milk (she appears to be allergic to cow's milk) today, and just nurse her (well, I did give her Sprite), I do wish her cough and diarrhea would quickly go, as well as the nasal greenery... poor little thing. Charity has it, too. I think Ron might be catching something, too... he has a sore throat, and I think he has a little bit of a cough. Faithy and I have so far escaped it. I don't want it!

I continue to pack, and our house no longer looks like a home... without the pictures and the curtains, and with all of the boxes, it is difficult to feel comfy.

Slow going...

Been sluggish today... got alot on my mind. Been packing some. Still need to finalize the purchase of the trailor, but it should be done soon.

The girls have poor little Hope stuffed into the TinkerToy bucket. Poor little girl! The funny thing is that she doesn't seem to mind anymore. It is just a part of her life to be put into clothes baskets, toy baskets, packing boxes, whatever they can put her in. She just "goes with the flow."

The girls and I played outside in the snow today, Faith did some schoolwork, we ate, I read to Faith and Charity, gave medicine to little Hope who is battling a cold or allergies, did a little research about a symptom that Ron is experiencing and about his radiation coming up, etc. I am feeling that wave of uncertainty today... why didn't all the cancer disappear the way it was supposed to? Will the radiation kick it? You are not supposed to be able to get radiation in the same area again even if it is years later (at least that is what my research says)... It's in the Lord's hands.

Just another day at the Cook house. Maybe I need a little coffee to wash away the hum-drums... coffee gives me quite a kick.

Got "Fireproof" in the mail today. I'm picky about videos, so I hope it is as good as it sounds... looking forward to the "date at home" with Ron tonight. Good to see that there are good Christian videos being made... I don't own a television, and I don't want one either, but we do occasionally watch a video, and have been looking forward to this "Fireproof."

My house is a wreck... but, how do you get a house clean when you are packing it up?! I think I am going to get rid of about a quarter of what we own by the time it is all said and done... the less you have, the less you have to clean up, huh?

Guess the news about what is going on in our country recently is a little depressing, too... How can people be so blind? How can they believe that murdering babies is okay? How can they use MY tax money to do something I do not believe is morally right? How can they teach children sexual immorality? I really hate the rapant sin! How can they threaten to take away our freedom of speech? Is our country going backwards? Oh, Lord, save our country from moral destruction, and save our Constitution... the things our forefathers fought for! Open our eyes! Push away the fog... the spell the people are under! Please, help our President to see the Truth and lead in wisdom!

Alright, I guess I had better go... got much to do, just thought I would spill my stress on you, so you could be stressed, too... aren't I a nice friend?

Results of the PET

We got the results yesterday, but were quite busy, as we were taking a group of young people to a youth outing in Franklin... counting our family, we had 15 on the bus. Very fun time!

Well, the results, according to the oncoligist, show that the cancer is 95% better. There are two small areas of concern in the chest area that showed up on the PET. They would like to do radiation on them, but we are thinking about that... there is alot of information to consider that I am not going into here right now, and the doctor is going to talk with some others and to OSU doctors to see if they think radiation is the best decision to treat these questionable spots. It is nice to know that the cancer is mostly gone right now. He has had quite a mean disease, and seems that it is a rather aggressive thing! It doesn't want to go away without a fight... so it is getting a fight! Thank you for praying... prayer is the toughest weapon there is!

Been teaching my children today how to fold laundry, work in the kitchen, play tick-tack-toe, we even did school since I didn't do it yesterday, read to them, gave them piggy-back rides, put batteries in a new toy, had them listen to a Bible story, gave baths, fed them, diapered one, and chatted with Ron, and although my house isn't all clean, I feel pretty happy about my accomplishments! We have gotten rid of quite alot of stuff this week from our home in preparation to move in our trailor. ***uh, oh! The children have Hope in a box again, and they are pulling it around with a jump rope! I think she is actually enjoying it this time! I guess it keeps her out of the toilet... which has become quite a favorite of hers these days... YUCK!*** I think I am going to like the idea of owning a home! I might even like living in a trailor park, since I am a people person! It is funny to think 10 years ago, I was finishing up high school, and I had been terribly shy! Not anymore!

One of THOSE days!

I MUST HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BED!

Well, the nice thing this morning is that when I got up, Ron had done alot of housework to surprise me! I was VERY happy! He did not have to work today, because of the holiday, but he did have a PET scan.
I decide to vacuum with my new sweeper while Ron used the shop vac for edges... it is called "teamwork." Well, that all sounds nice, but I bumped my middle toe on my left foot on one of my kitchen chairs... now it is the lovely colors of pink and purple and very stiff! (Oh, BTW, I learned that walking on the treadmill with a freshly injured toe was NOT a good idea... the thing hurt horribly afterward!) Grrr!
Then, as if that was not enough of an injury... I fell trying to give Hope a bath (who had an explosively messy diaper that leaked on her high chair and she was in a desparate need of a bath!). I hit my left knee on the hard tile floor in the bathroom, and now the top of my knee shares the same pretty colors as my toe.
Maybe tomorrow I should where a helmet, knee and elbow pads, and stay in bed! Didn't know normal household chores could be so dangerous!
Any suggestions? HA!

Sabbath greetings to all my lurkers!

Today, I want you to rejoice with me as God moved in a special way in children's church, and a child asked to see me after church, so I agreed...
Sooo... after the story, craft, snack, and game, church was over upstairs, and those children who needed to say their Books of the Bible did their recitation, and then I met with the little girl, Nadine, who wanted to talk about the lesson. She wanted to be the ark of safety... she wanted to ask Jesus in her heart. So, it was my honor to kneel at those tiny little chairs and lead this child through the sinner's prayer. Thank You, Jesus!

Yes, it's true...

Yes, it looks like we are going to be moving soon, if everything goes as planned. Our landlord has been awesome to rent from, but he would like to sell this house, and I can't blame him for that! So, we needed to make a decision... Do we buy this house which costs more than we can really afford? Do we find somewhere else to rent? Where do we go? Well, we actually did not have to wonder long when some friends of ours who recently moved offered us their trailor at a VERY low price! So, we are not moving far, and the trailor we are planning to move into is nice, and although it is a trailor park, it is a nice one... with a playground!

Three of the biggest things I am going to miss by leaving here is...
1. My awesome neighbors! I LOVE them so very, very much!!! I couldn't ask for better ones! I feel very connected with several people in this neighborhood, and I feel like crying just thinking about leaving them!
2. My big front yard... need I say more?!
3. Easy access to the stores I shop at most, and the short distance to the church.

But... I look forward to making new friends, playing at the park, and checking out the new stores... old neighbors are definitely not forgotten!!! After all, some of them go to my church!!! This new home will be much more affordable for us. One cool thing is that we will own it, so I CAN PAINT!!! Goodbye to the off-white walls... okay, I actually love this house we've been living in, but it has some serious issues, like a bowed roof, bowed floors, and bowed ceilings... and, not to mention a basement that floods fairly often... things that would really cost to get fixed. But, I still loved it... it is big and pretty, but, you have to go through life with an open hand.

Now, the task at hand is to pack, clean, get rid of lots of unneeded furniture, baby stuff, etc. There is also a little repair that needs done in the trailor, but I think we have some friends who might be able to help out in that area. The girls' room needs painted pink (got the paint for a VERY cheap price!), the lean needs signed, and much of our income tax money handed over (this is what makes this purchase possible!). We really appreciate how things are working out. The trailor is very pretty and very kept up. Even has a new heater and some new carpet... guess the roof is either new or in great shape (that is always a good thing:-) )

To me, I like the debt-free thing... we have never gotten into much debt, and I don't plan to now. We really can't... it would be unwise knowing Ron's health situation, to jump into something we cannot afford. We have been blessed incredibly by having health insurance... I know that God would have taken care of us if we didn't, but it sure has lessened the stress in our situation by having it... Take a GUESS how much money our insurance plan has had to pay in ONE YEAR! Let me just tell you, I could buy probably 20 trailors or a couple of houses for the amount we would have had to pay for LAST YEAR ALONE if we did not have insurance!

If you, my dear friends and family, are bored and in need of something to do in the next few week... I might be able to help you out with that! HA!

A special thank you goes to the kind person who ordered a vacuum cleaner and had it shipped to my door... one little thing... I believe I know who you are! Who else would have known? THANK YOU!!! I had been just thinking how nice it would be to have a new one... I actually had just about given up on my old one, and started using my shopvac. I am sooo amazed how God takes care of our needs, and we don't have to tell anyone... HE KNOWS!

HE knew we needed a home, He knew Faithy needs skirts, He knew we needed kitchen chairs, He knew I wanted Ron to have new dress shoes, and sooo many other things he has taken care of recently... I still feel in SHOCK of how well He is taking care of us. BTW, if you don't know the chairs, skirts, shoes, etc., stories, read precious posts. Only God can give you size 15 dress shoes for $6.50! I see His Handprints all over the place... not to mention those groceries that were given to us at Christmas-time! I feel RICH! Thank you, Lord! I love You! You are Good with things look good, and You are Good when things look bad.

Oh, and farewell, dear Brother James Adkins... until we meet again! You were a great soldier in the Lord's Army... your prayers, testimonies, and outreach has not been forgotten. You lived 88 years here, but the best has just begun for you. Give Jesus a hug from me, and tell Him thank you.

head-over-heals over life!

I was trying to post a video of Faith doing a summer-saut, but I am having trouble... I will try again!
Wow! I certainly have enough housework for about 5 women to feel fulfilled in accomplishing! Why am I posting on my blog, then? I am trying to escape!!!
I went to the eye doctor finally (I skipped some appt because I thought it was not that necessary compared to everything else... but, since I was having a floater problem, I thought... Guess I better go and at least count it as a yearly check-up. He says once again that the optic nerve shows some border-line signs of glaucoma, and he wants me to come back in 4 months. The pressure in my eyes are okay. At least right now, I don't need to get new glasses! That is good news!
Oh, in case I didn't tell you, I am no longer taking thyroid medicine for that annoying nodule... the specialist said it is not proven to help... so, why take something that isn't helping?! She also acted like my choking was "just a sensation of choking." Guess that vomiting session was a sensation! HA! If the nodule grows (they check this by ultrasound), then they can have it removed, otherwise, unless it annoys me too badly, I can just keep it as a souvenir, I guess. Sometimes they shrink on their own.
It is getting beautiful and white out here!
The kids are doing very well. I am seriously amazed at Faith's memory. She has been recalling and sharing stories from WAY back. She told me last night about how she had lost her fish net in the lake... I remember that time, and I had felt so badly about her little net we had just got for her. Ron had had her in the canoe and I guess she dropped it and it didn't float... it just sunk away. I can feel pretty sentimental sometimes... HA! This story came up while she was reading "Little Book #7" (for those ABEKA teachers), and she read the word NET. I find that listening to her read her little books is a great time to hear old stories! Faith is excited for Spring and Summer to come so she can go fishing again!
Skinny little Charity LOVES to be involved with Faith's school time, too. I am sooo happy to have this little one potty-trained! She is so independent, she wants to do everything "by myself," even through tears of frustration!
Hope is walking very well now. She is now 13 months and 1 day! She has learned a new trick. I was hushing the girls the other day, and Hope makes this hilarious face, and says, "shhhh." Cracked me up! The pediatrician's office called the other day to tell me some routine blood test of Hope's came back that she was slightly anemic, and to be sure that I give her vitamins daily. So, I have started giving her those nasty smelling, clothes staining, vitamin with iron drops. She doesn't seem to mind it at all!!! I think she actually likes the stuff! She is a doll! Looks sooo much like her daddy! Can't help but to give her a squeeze!
Daddy's about as busy as ever! I actually shaved the back of his neck last night for the first time in months! It's nice to see him with hair again!

It's just about time!

Faithy with her new guitar.


Charity with her violin.

The girls showing off with their doll house.

Daddy playing with Faith and Charity in the snow.

Two little beauties.

A purse I made for one of my neices for Christmas... Her sister loved it so much, that I have promised to make one for her as well... but, she really would like hers to be pink and light blue.

Charity enjoying her "gingerbread house" that she helped make in Sunday School... not really gingerbread, but very yummy... I know because I helped make and eat Hope's!

Faith with hers!

The mess of groceries... Thank you, kind friends, for the gift!

Can't say that I am a professional cake decorator, but I gave it a try... Thanks to all our friends and family that were able to come, we had a pretty good turn out for a one year old's birthday party! They seemed to like the peanut-butter-chocolate icing cake best! I just LOVE icing!!!

Hope's First Birthday. I think she liked her cakes!

Sarah, the not-so-great hunter... actually, I don't find much of an opportunity, since I must find babysitters for my children, and ever since that big hospital stay of Ron's, I try to not overwhelm my children by my absence.

Pray for us, as Ron has a PET scan next week to see if there is any cancer activity.

Maybe if I shared my resolutions...

Maybe that would hold me accountable if say 100 people were reading my blog and saying... SARAH, YOU PROMISED!!! Hmmm, sounds like a good strategy... want to be an honest person, so maybe I will give it a try...

1. Would like to help 12 people to come to know Jesus as their Saviour... of course, I would be happy to see more, and I know that I cannot force anyone to give their life to Jesus, but I can tell them about Him and pray diligently for them. Ron and I have some new kiddos on the church bus... and, the timing for these children is amazing... Ron came across them the other day and invited them... their biological dad just died in a traumatic New Year's car wreck here in Dayton. Been seeing some folks we haven't seen in church for a long time return, and I am absolutely LOVING IT!!! God is on the move in this time... He is working in lives! I have felt kind-of overwhelmed at all the bad news going on, and know that Jesus could return anytime... then, I see HOPE in the reaching out of souls and in the voice of Jesus.

2. Read through the entire Bible. This is going quite well. I am actually feasting on it... been seeing the Scriptures in a new way, and it is sooo convicting and rich!

3. Loose 50 lbs. Sounds like a lot, unless you say... average 1 lb a week... doesn't sound too bad then. Think I am down by 2... 48 more to go!

4. Be consistent in teaching my children school and Scriptures. Ron has been taking care of reading them their Bible stories (they really look forward to this time with daddy), but I want to get them to memorize more Scripture, too.

Well, I need to get going... the house looks like 5 tornadoes ripped through... Guess they did!

We're still kickin'

Okay, I guess I made it sound like we got rich on the last post... not quite, but the gift was alot to us! I think it was $ 430. It certainly helps!!!

God has been majorly supplying our needs!

First, Faithy was outgrowing her skirts, and I had looked and looked, but could not be satisfied with what I was seeing in the stores. So, New Year's Day I went to a thrift-store that was having a 50% off day, and found a gold-mine of skirt that fit my girls. I love buying skirts that look beautiful and new at only 35 cents or so each!!!

Then, I had this great desire for Ron to have a new pair of dress shoes. Dress shoes are very expensive, I found out. And, rather interesting to find when your husband wears a size 15. Would you believe it if I told you I found a shiny black pair that looked like they were only wore maybe once at the thriftstore for about $6.50. They are not leather, but still, for that price, how can one pass it up. He wore them this past Sunday!

Then, this is going to sound kind-of strange, but we felt we needed to replace the chairs we were using at our kitchen table (they looked really bad!!! They weren't that bad when we got them from the doctor's office that were throwing them out, but now they were very torn up.) Well, guess what?! I went to another thrift store selling at 50% off another day, to find what?! Six hard wood sturdy chairs with a table (I don't think I really need the table, but they were selling it as a set), for only $50 plus tax!!! I was sooo excited. I had been looking around for chairs, especially on-line, and I found out that they are VERY expensive!

There are a few other little items, too, that I found that are very helpful. I just love thrift-store shopping, don't you?

Then, I don't think I told you this, but I was wanting a skillet for Christmas, and guess what my Mom bought us?! A set of iron skillets... these things should last forever. I really like them... don't like washing them, but I like cooking with them!

I think of that verse, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." Ps. 23:1

God has been sooo good to us.

Might have another answer to prayer... but, I cannot say anything until we have come to a complete decision on it. Just pray for the un-spoken.

Ron goes back to the oncologist in a few days. I think they will probably schedule a PET scan to see if there is any activity. Please pray about this, too. He is working, but I know it makes him tired. His hair is really growing back now... and, it actually isn't blond, but it is very soft.

Just talked with a kind lady over the phone on Monday who works for Focus on the Family. She has taken an interest in our family and is praying for us. I feel quite honored. Thank you to each of you for praying for us and for caring. You, my dear friends and family, have made a great impact on my life. I see how much love is in the family of God.

Have pictures to share when I get to go to the library and up-load them! Or, when I get our lap-top up and ready for internet use. This computer doesn't seem to do the job very effeciently!