Thursday, June 26, 2008

Two cups of coffee and a prayer...

That is what it took today to get me through doing an extraordinary large amounts of housework today! You would NOT believe the work I got done. Ron has been gone nearly all day, and it has been Jesus, the children, me, and my phone... I survived putting away an estimated 6 loads or so of laundry, mopping, doing a little dusting, loaded the dishwasher about three times, vacuumed, picked up loads of stuff off of floors, washed some more laundry (do any other moms have to wash blankets as much as I do?), cleaned the bathroom, and made sure the children had something to eat for each meal (even if it was cereal, PB&J sandwiches, and mac-n-cheese). Every child got a bath today as well, and I still have a little sanity... although it certainly was difficult to keep sane... here's quite a story...
Well, today I woke up to a BANG! NOT AGAIN! Okay, I should know better than sleeping with my baby, but that is how I actually get SLEEP! She feel off onto the hard-wood floor. Being the calm rational mother I am, I became very dramatic! I scooped her up and started my "Poor baby" cries, and tried to nurse her, but she wouldn't do it. She got sleepy... which REALLY made me nervous! Why can't a day go by without any drama? It turned out she must have landed on her little face because her nose is skidded up and bruised. I called the doctor's office, being worried her little nose was broken... yes, I am a worry-wart... but, my children have check-ups tomorrow, and they can look at it then. She is back to smiling and sticking out her little tongue when she is happy, and yes, I even did the pupil check and kept checking up on her in her crib during naptime because she took a long nap and I was afraid something would happen to her. I called my sister-in-law, who is an RN, and she told me what to do and to just keep an eye on her. My children are VERY precious to me, and that is why I am so dramatic when something happens to them... it seems someone is getting hurt everytime I turn around... you see, I ALSO had to call Poison Control today because Charity got into something she shouldn't have even been able to find in her reach and tasted it (yes, just tasted it, but I still was a little concerned), and she is fine. Why do they pick times when Mommy really needs to get work done to find things? So glad I caught her before she actually ate it!
They now have had their baths, dressed for bed, been given something to eat, those who have teeth, have them brushed, been prayed with, and are safely tucked away in their beds... Oh, how sweet and innocent they look when they are sleeping! I even got them to bed earlier than usual... sigh!
All in a day's work... yep, I think I am a nurse, teacher, housekeeper, laundry-maid, or maybe I am a slave... afterall, I don't get paid for it... Actually, yes, I do... Seeing my children hunger after Jesus and seeing my family's smiles is pay enough.
Gotta go and have devotions while it is nice and quiet! Good night!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

If you wanna see pictures of camp...

here is a cool website with plenty of pictures of camp. I even saw pictures of Shenna and her children! There are some very good pictures of my children in Children's Choir, and Kyle in the Youth Choir (Kyle is my nephew)! Thank you to Ruthanne for e-mailing me about this. The website is http://photo.blsnelling.com/, click on church photos, then on the 08 Camp. Faith and Charity are on page 10. They are both wearing turquoise and brown with poky-dots. I am not sure that there are any close up pictures of Hope. If you look at some pictures of other years and camps, you will probably find old pictures of us at this same website! There are pictures of Ron and me as well for this year, but our children are cuter :-) The people with the double jogging stroller in the long lunch line is us! Anyway, I have visited this website before, but did not realize that they would have pictures so quickly! They did a good job!

Clap for me... I have returned to potty-training Charity, and I washed probably 10 loads of laundry yesterday, sent Ron to the store with a much needed list of groceries, and started a new rule with Faith that there is to be NO crying unless she is hurt... sooo tired of toddler whining! Today, I mowed my grass, folded some laundry, potty-trained, took a walk, made no-bake cookies, and moaned at the very messy house... and, the fact that I have a huge pile of clean laundry in the guest room to fold, hang, and put away... and, some have need of serious ironing since I just threw clothes out of the dryer into the guest room as I continued to wash laundry like a factory! Oh, how I love laundry after camp... NOT! Especially with the need to wash the blankets.

Today, Faith had a close call! I was getting the children down for their nap, when I heard Faithy scream! It was an urgent cry. I went into her room and saw coins lying on her bed, and little Faith with an expression of one who is about to vomit. I quickly realized she was choking on money! I snatched her up up, flipped her over (kind-of upside-down), and I think I slapped her back. It was a penny! I am not sure when it came out, but she vomited a little fluid, and I nearly had a heart-attack! I kept thinking... what if this... what if that... Thank God for His help and grace! He rescued my little girl!

Well, it is busy here and it is time to get the girls in bed! Gotta go!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

WE'RE BACK!

...BUT I regret very deeply to say that although I had great plans to take pictures and make video clips of camp... MY CAMERA WAS FORGOTTEN AT MY CHURCH FOR THE WHOLE WEEK! I was sooo disappointed to not be able to share with you some pictures... so here is my plea... if any of you were able to snap a few pictures of camp, especially of our family, our girls singing in the children's choir, ANYTHING, would you please email them to me at sarahgbs@yahoo.com ? I would greatly appreciate it... I love to keep memories of my family's activities.
My nephew and nieces were great for me! I am sooo glad that they were able to come. They made lots of friends and heard good teaching! My children were much more difficult because of their ages, and they wear down terribly. I was embarrassed nearly every time I gave my girls a bath, Faith would be so tired she would scream about everything. The children's melt-downs were very difficult because it was in public, and I kept having to discipline them... but, overall, they had a blast playing and going to the children's services.
I had my camera at my church on Sunday for a Sunday School class craft (it required pictures of the children) and the teens also sang in their choir robes on Sunday, and I just forgot it there. I was sooo very sad to not be able to share with you our week.
The preaching and singing was sooo rich and beautiful. It was wonderful seeing so many friends again! Ron even SHOCKED people by his playing basketball and softball. Some people came up to me and shared how they just couldn't believe what a miracle they saw. Yes, it exhausted him, but I think it was good for him! (Minus his injured toe... it was infected before playing basketball, and someone accidentally stepped on it causing it to really bleed! Every little thing is big here!) Charity had some injuries, but I was told she didn't need stitches, and the nurse was right... I think her lip shall heal well. Poor kid, she just kept getting hurt over and over! Plus, she had some diaper prob all over a tweenager... I felt very sorry for the tweenager who had "Charity" big time on her shirt! I held Charity under the shower and made my niece run to get her a change of clothes! Oh, the joys of motherhood!
One of the sermons that really helped me was one about being Spirit-filled and staying Spirit-filled! It was SO RICH! The evangelists were Brother Peirpoint and Bro. Dan Stetler, and the musicians were the Sankeys, and they did excellent! Randy Brown worked with the teenagers, while the Blacks worked with the children. How I appreciated the ministry this past week... even the cooks did a good job. So many people worked to make this camp great!
Shenna, Ron's sister, and he husband stayed Friday and Saturday night. So my nieces and nephews went to stay with their parents then.
I am sorry if you missed it! Many memories were made and it was a pleasure to see those who have helped pray us through Ron's cancer and gave in sooo many ways!

On another subject... Yes, my piano from the previous post is really out of tune! I need to get that taken care of before my other children get married! HA!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Who would have ever thought?

TAKE ONE (Rehearsal)

Today, we had John and Janelle Manley over for a cook-out at our house! It was so very fun! The children played on the slip and slide, rode bikes, and played inside while it rained. Ron and I cooked a rather large meal, and we feasted! We had beef hoagies, grilled corn-on-the-cob, sweet potato cassarole, home-made macaroni and cheese, veggie pizza, chips, baked beans (dressed up by Sister Manley), and brownies! Completed with pop and iced tea made by Sister Manley.

TAKE TWO (More rehearsal)

Today is a special day for little Hope. This day marks her half year birthday! Can you believe she is already six months old? She is still so smiley and cheerful. Poor Brother Manley got some Hope-mess on him today... she is already a sharing child!

Tomorrow is a special day for Ron and me... OUR 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY (It is also his mother's birthday!) These videos are a reminder! It has been a rather busy five years, but it has helped us grow (in more way than one one... HA!).

Sunday is another special day... FATHER'S DAY! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD! GRANDPA! FATHER-IN-LAW! AND ALL THOSE FATHER-LIKE FIGURES IN OUR LIVES! I would also like the say that to my husband! He is the best daddy my children could ever ask for (besides our Heavenly Father). He loves our children sooo much, and they LOVE him!

DADDY

I have a special friend

Who holds me many days

Tells stories, plays, and kisses,

Loves me in many ways

He provides and trains

He tells me of Jesus

He preaches well

He prays for me

To go to Heaven, not Hell

He is amazing

He is my hero

Me he will not neglect

Though there be sorrow

One day he got sick

Perhaps he would die

But he praised God anyway

Saw my Mommy cry

My friend is well now

Strong he will soon be

He's funny and smart

He is tall as a tree

He will run again

He will laugh

I love him so

I can't say the half

I know he would give his life for me

My best friend's name... Daddy!

SARAH COOK (about her husband)

TAKE THREE!!!

Congratulations Cale and Faith! Ha! Oh, yes, there are reasons Janelle sings and does not play the piano at our church (she wanted me to tell you that!)

Yes, I am aware that I missed Mother's Day... So Mom... Here you go, too! I LOVE YOU! Thank you for praying for me and loving me! You have really cared! And, to my mother in law... thank's for all you've done... I love you, too!

Do you feel all the love today?!

Next week is camp, so if you don't hear from me for a while... have a great and loving week!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

REJOICE WITH ME!!!

TODAY PERHAPS MARKS THE END OF A LONG AND DIFFICULT JOURNEY! ONE IN WHICH OUR FAMILY HAS LEARNED MUCH, CRIED MUCH, AND FOUND OUT JUST HOW MUCH OUR PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL FAMILIES LOVE US! THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH US AND PRAYING FOR US! RON HAS NOW COMPLETED CHEMOTHERAPY!!!

My dear husband is now home tired and pale (which is pretty typical after he receives a chemo treatment), and he is in bed... but, rejoice! From the resent tests results... THIS SHOULD BE THE LAST ONE! He made it! Praise God!!! Praise GOD! I told God that if He would bring him through, I would give Him the GLORY! Thank you, Jesus!

It is sooo funny at the cancer center, when someone completes chemo, they blow these party horns, blow bubbles, and cheer for the survivor! They also hand out a certificate. I came today to watch the chemo nurses celebrate RON!

I felt sooo sad for some new couples who came in today. The nurses were showing them around, and what goes on while one sits for hours being pumped full of the strong chemicals. They can read, have a visitor with them, watch TV, or sleep (Ron has used some of this time to sleep and witness to others). I felt a wave of emotions knowing that they have a difficult journey ahead, and that they were just starting. I remembered back to when it was new to us... it was scary and my heart was broken. When you would hear them cheer for others who made it, you hoped you would someday have that celebration. We knew that God knows best, and He would take care of us... we held on for the ride, and now the ride is slowing down and we are MORE THAN READY to get off!

He has another PET scan next month, and is supposed to have PET scans about every 3 months for the next year, I believe. Gotta make sure nothing pops up again. Today, I rejoice, because I still have my husband and my children still have their Daddy to wrestle with them! I love you, RON!

Oh, yes, thank you to the York Bible Methodist Church for the nice gift! God bless!

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Exciting days! With a lot of this and that again!

Sorry, no pictures this time!

I do like Summer time... as long as I have AC!
My children have a pool, and enjoyed that earlier today... but, now it is naptime, and they are sleeping beautifully. We've had sooo much rain with all of the storms lately, it is nice for them to be able to get outside to play! However, in the time they were out (although I did use sunscreen) they turned DARK! Martha, I thought of your recent post, but hopefully Faith and Charity's won't turn into a burn! It is supposed to get to 90 degrees out today!

Camp is coming up, and I am doing a brave thing... I am planning to bring my husband's sister's children with us! I think they will have lots of fun, make good friends, and grow spiritually! I am sooo excited! It is just a week and half away! Hope to see some of my blogging friends there!

Ron's final chemo is scheduled to be this Tuesday! Then, another PET scan is, I believe, scheduled sometime in July! I am sooo excited that we've made it through this, and it looks like Ron may be cured!!!

God has opened MANY opportunities for us to witness lately... through Sunday School, Children's Church, family situations, and even with several neighbors. It is neat to be able to share Jesus' love. It can also be a bit stressful. Today, our 94 year old neighbor was working in her strawberry patch, and fell in it. Mud covered part of her face. Ron helped her up, and we helped finish picking a large bucket of stawberries for her. She is such a sweet woman... often she has shared with us from her garden. She is a hardworker for being 94!

I have been extra stressed lately... not sure why, but it has made me a bit grumpy, so if I am short with you, please excuse me... I have been that way toward my family, too. Confess your faults one to another, huh? Ask my hubby... I have had to majorly apologize to him! Why is it that the people you love the most, you are the roughest on?!

Ron has been cleaning out our basement today, which has been a bit flooded. He is throwing out some ruined items. It is a nasty job! So thankful that he is willing to do it!

Ron bought me a double jogging stroller for $25 the other day from a flee market! I am so excited! The big tires help pushing to be much easier, although the front tire does not rotate!

Everyone is doing well here, and I am very thankful!
I have enjoyed the comments and emails!
Enjoy the rest of the day!