It's her birthday!

Today is my favorite sister's birthday. I woke up thinking how much fun it might be to post some old memories of her!!! I seem to remember having a BIG birthday recently, and opened up my Facebook page to find horrible pictures of ME all over it....courtesy of Tammi. So, I wouldn't actually call this revenge or getting even...let's call it- "I had to do it, but at the end, just remember that it's only because I love you SO much!". Ok?

It all started here...

Tammi Lynne Cook
August 11, 1966

Two years later she had a sister...

because being an only child would have made her spoiled and lonely

Sportin the box-cut



Growing up in the PINK room...which I'm still bitter about....mine was YELLOW?!??! Whatever.

Our awkward 80's years

High school years...

I remember that dress. She wouldn't let me borrow it.

Right after these pictures she decided to grow up and go off to college. Leaving ME as an only child. I remember the day we took her to Nyack College and mom, dad and I drove away in our Buick station wagon. I cried all the way home. Somewhere between the elementary years and all of the sisterly bickering --(I distinctly remember the one fight that you yelled, "I HATE YOU" at me...something there's no way on earth I deserved. I'm sure it had NOTHING AT ALL to do with my desire to be the golden child of the family. You spit it out right outside my bedroom door, I remember. I doubt that I did anything to you. I doubt that I was pestering you or trying to borrow your clothes. Meanie.)--anyway, somewhere between all of that and the day she abandoned me for college I decided I kind of liked her.

So...fast forward a few boyfriends and a few years forward....

Motherhood

The thing she always wanted for herself. I remember her being OBSESSED with each new baby in the church nursery. Every young mother around wanted to chum up with her so they could have a break while she held their newborns. Funny how you can look back and realize there was a theme of life forming and we didn't even know it!

love the hair and makeup!

Pregnant just about all the time!

(haha!!! I had to use this one...look at that profile!!!!)

The motherhood years have been some of the hardest, but she's raising some pretty great kids....some of my favorite in the world!

What a blessing to be raising our crew up together.

Some days are just long, hard and lonely. Being a single mom is constantly presenting one challenge or another, but she's doing it. One day into the next, she's rising up and meeting each challenge. And it's making her into a better woman, and my prayer is that it makes her children into better people, too. She's staked her foot into the ground and purposed to follow the path laid out before her each day.

These little women are watching her. They're observing what it means to follow after God with all their heart. They're watching what it means to meet a challenge and humbly face it. They're seeing that even when it hurts, life goes on. And I pray each of these girls (and the three boys too!) will one day reflect on a mother who gave her all so that they would see Jesus in their home each day.

So...my favorite sister in the world, Happy Birthday. May this day be filled with unexpected blessings. And, may the year ahead bring JOY even when there is pain, HOPE even when you don't think you have any, and PEACE like you've never known before.

You are my hero for so many reasons...I'm proud to be your little sister.

I love you