Trick or Treat night - '08

Tonight, we once again experienced one of the highlights of our year - Trick or Treat night. We always look forward to getting together with MANY families from our home church and letting our children visit, play and trick-or-treat together. We saw so many creative costumes and our children truly had a blast! Mommy and Daddy also enjoyed our time with friends - old and new! One particular family in our church who took us in just like members of their own family years ago continue to have us over for Trick or Treat each year - this made the 10th year. We all gather at 5 p.m. for supper - homemade potato soup/chili/chicken salad sandwiches/homemade goodies/drinks. Then, after we all trick-or-treat in the neighborhood, we go back for homemade hot chocolate with marshmallows. It is our time to wind down and enjoy each other while our children play.
(I apologize now for the poor picture quality - not sure what went wrong!)

Trick or Treating with our friends...
Jonah as a "Man-Eating Shark." He actually told mommy several weeks ago that he wanted to be a "shark that eats people" - a classic Jonah concept. And, Marvel Mommy to the rescue - we found it online...what did we do without the internet when I was growing up?
Isaac as a "cookie and pizza baker". He had a great time showing everyone his "pizza" he had baked up!
Abigail was the prettiest brunette Cinderella that you ever did see. She absolutely loved her crown and wanted everyone to see it. She got a little tired while trick-or-treating and finally gave in and rode in her stroller the rest of the way.
Our annual by-the-mailbox picture - my how they've grown!

Home, Chicken Pox and Festival of Marriage

We arrived home last night after a wonderful trip to Ridgecrest, NC, for the 2008 LifeWay Festival of Marriage. We had a great weekend - Thursday night through Sunday night - while our children spent much anticipated time with both sets of grandparents. Upon arriving home, my mother said that she was concerned that Abigail may have the chicken pox - and of course - she does! She is so proud of her pox - almost like she won a prize or something. She seems to have a pretty mild case and is feeling fine. I stayed home with her today and Mike is keeping her home tomorrow.

The Lord has done so much in our lives this past weekend. We stayed on the Ridgecrest campus - and although it kept us from doing as much as we would have liked to with our friends that attended, it did allow us to totally focus on one another and our relationship with God - which is a rare thing for us to get three days to do and we were grateful for it.

And, as I said previously, we are still trying to process it all. We were blessed to attend 6 different workshops, including topics such as Spiritual Intimacy, How to Date Your Mate, Prayer and Bible Study with your Spouse, The Four Seasons of Marriage, and Extraordinary Marriage. We had a delightful time sharing with other couples in the areas and issues that every marriage faces. It was wonderful to laugh, cry and learn together as husband and wife. And, I was so proud to be there with Michael. He truly is a great spiritual leader, husband, father and friend - and he is a grand model - in my mind's eye - of what a scripturally-based husband should be. We had many 'a-ha' moments when the light bulb came on - the elevator went to the top floor for both of us. We would look at each other and nod - implying "yep - we are going to start doing that now!" We also truly loved worshipping together on Fri./Sat. nights and Sunday morning. You see, we often worship together - in the same building. But, with Michael's current role as worship leader in our home church and me on the 3rd row from the front with two rough-housing boys in head-locks, it is hard to get the "worshipping two-gether" thing going strong. We loved being side-by-side, holding hands, holding each other, singing and raising holy hands to the Lord in worship. It was a highlight for us, for sure. On Saturday night, we were able to participate in an incredibly moving "Vow Renewal Candlelight service." How moving it was to stand - after 11 1/2 years of marriage - after 11 1/2 years of ups and downs - and re-promise it all. We both cried so much - it means so much more now because of what we have been through. We had a delightful time visiting with church family who attended as well during the workshops, the meals, and the travel. We were able to glean some awesome ideas from them as well for improving our home lives that we plan to implement in our home very soon, including regular family meetings, monthly family nights, books to read and studies to participate in as well as many other great ideas. We are blessed with many great Christians friends - brothers and sisters who love us for who we are!

The most exciting part of attending a conference like this is not the mountain-top elation that you feel while you are there. It is the coming home - the 'making-it-happen-in-the real-world' - that we look forward to. For example, in the How to Date Your Mate workshop, we got to actually plan 12 date nights - one for every month of the next year. We were able to plan what we going to do, where we were going to go, whether or not we would eat a meal or snacks while there, the budget, any preparation needed and a back-up plan for each one. Some examples include a movie night, progressive dinner, hiking, game night, etc. We have them all planned out and are excited to get the first one going...after we figure out childcare of course!

We have decided that we want to have a Matthew 6:33 marriage - our challenge to you this night..."But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you..."

We're at Festival!

We have been at the Festival of Marriage in Ridgecrest, North Carolina since Thursday night and we have had an incredible experience here - actually almost too much to ingest at one time. For those of you who may not have yet had this opportunity, we highly recommend this venue for strengthening your marriage in a Christ-centered atmosphere. We have grown so much through the workshops we attended, the other married couples that we travelled with and met on the grounds, and the joint worship sessions in the evenings with Travis Cottrell and Dale and Jena Forehand. Tonight was especially wonderful as we were able to renew our vows to one another. It was such a touching time for the both of us - definitely the mountaintop experience we have been needing after 11 1/2 years of marriage.

And, the most exciting part is that we have been seeking God's leadership in several areas of our lives lately and feel so strongly that God has spoken clearly to us here about the next steps in our lives that He desires to walk with us through...He is faithful...and we desire our marriage to be a reflection of His love, faithfulness, and forgiveness.

We are so grateful to have had this experience - the time away has been good - and we MISS our children desperately. However, we are grateful to those who surround us at home that allowed this to happen - allowed and encouraged us to come and refresh our marriage so that we could be the parents God has called us to be while they kept our children.

In the next few days, we hope to share with you things that God spoke to us about here - things too good to keep to yourself...AND...

We are already planning to come back next year for more...hope to see you there!

10 things you may not know about me...

1. I am very comfortable being by myself in a quiet place for hours at a time. Unlike alot of people I know who say they always must have music, t.v., telephone conversations, or people around them all the time, I am very comfortable being by myself. In large crowds, I like to shrink back and not be noticed if possible.

2. I LOVE to bargain shop! One of my favorite pasttimes is to go shopping clearance racks, outlets, and discount stores for bargains. Most friends are amazed at my ability to buy name brands at really low prices!

3. I start Christmas shopping in January every year for the following Christmas. I love Christmastime and enjoy the thrill of the hunt for gifts. I make out my Christmas list about a week after Christmas every year so I can plan what to buy those special people in my life.

4. I have insomnia that began spontaneously when I was 19 years old. I do not know what it would feel like to sleep through a whole night. Fortunately, and by the grace of God, I have learned to lay and relax at night (most nights) when I can not sleep so that my body actually does receive some degree of rest.
5. I love, love, love to scrapbook. But, because of my self-inflicted crazy-life schedule, I end up being more of a scrapbooking supply collector than a scrapbooker because I have so much difficulty finding time to do it.
6. I have a secret ambition to be a master seamstress...I asked Michael for a sewing machine for my birthday and I love trying to sew, but - again - haven't actually had time to perfect the craft yet - have only made one apron.
7. I thoroughly enjoy trying to decorate my little home in the primitive-country style: i.e. quilts, old-looking things, saltbox houses, enamelware, sepia garland...and I must stop at every shop I find that has primitive style decorative home "stuff."
8. I have a difficult time watching home videos of my children - they make me so sad! I probably don't record as much as I should because they are so hard for me to go back and watch.
9. I am an avid reader...would rather snuggle up on the couch with a good book than go anywhere I can think of on vacation - primarily non-fiction is my preference.
10. I feel very insecure at times. I am continually praying that I will overcome this and be able to demonstrate my confidence in God's ability to keep me secure - not in my own ability - but trusting Him. I find myself often asking Michael aloud -"Is everything going to be alright?" or "Are we going to be alright?" or "Are we raising our children right?" I struggle when I don't know what tomorrow may hold - but none of us EVER do...it is the issue that God is dealing with me most about right now - TRUST in HIS divine plan. He is able!

Now, if that is more than you wanted to know...no apologies...I am who I am! I love this crazy life and I wouldn't trade nothin' for my journey...just being real...

Trunk or Treat...

The boys had a blast at the Trunk-or-Treat party - they ate, played games, and spent time with their friends.
We had a great time tonight with our church family at our annual "Trunk or Treat" activity. The best part was seeing my children so willing to share what they had with others. Isaac gave up his treat bag to another child who didn't have one, Jonah gave candy out of his bag to other children and Abby had a blast handing out candy as the kids came by our car. She also had a great time playing with the Indian Corn in the back of our friend's truck.
It is so wonderful to have such a great church family!

This was our "trunk" all dressed up with items from our home that had a fall theme.

Abigail ate 5 suckers in a row!
She loved visiting at one of our friend's trunks - he was showing a Halloween cartoon from the back of his car - now how cool is that? We had a great time!

Wedding Day 1997

Mike and I are so excited to be travelling to MarriageFest at Ridgecrest, NC, this week with friends. We have wanted to attend for years, but have never been able to make it happen. This year, we just decided to schedule it and then work out the babysitting details. Thanks to Poppy, Nana, Granny and Papaw, we are able to see it happen this year and can't wait! The speakers sound great and Travis Cottrell, Beth Moore's worship leader for her Living Proof Live events, is the worship leader. He is also doing a concert on Fri. night!

So, looking ahead to a weekend of marriage related events and time together as husband and wife, I thought it would be fun to look back to our wedding day, April 5, 1997. We were married in our local home church in a ceremony perfomed by my dad/grandfather. Michael's brother was his best man and my sister was my matron of honor. Michael planned the music and my mom's sisters/sister-in-law decorated the reception area in the basement of the church. It was beautiful and we enjoyed the day so much. My colors were Navy and Gold. We had a great "90's" archways in the front of the church filled with flowers. Michael stood out front until one minute prior to the wedding to greet guests while I frantically got ready in the back. The little church was packed with all the special people in our lives. There were so many guests that we spent the whole reception time visiting with friends/family and didn't get to eat much - as I recall - one bite of cake was it! After the final photo shoot, we ran to the parking lot as we dodged pelts of bird seed and hopped in our get-a-way car that had been decorated with lots an lots of toilet paper. We stopped one mile up the road to remove all the toilet paper from the front windshield so we could see, stopped in the next town for burgers and fries at Burger King and off we went to Louisville. We spent our first night as husband and wife at the Executive Suites in Louisville, Ky., and then on to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. We had an incredible honeymoon - and then married life really set it...please allow me to reminisce...

How handsome he was! I was so happy to be marrying this man!

I was nervous, but had a wonderful day! I felt so special that day.

The ceremony was memorable...performed by my father, introduced by my grandfather, songs sung by Mike's brother, Melisa's aunt and cousin, instrumentalists were friends of Mike. We talked to each other frequently throughout the ceremony. When we lit the unity candle, Mike looked at me and said, "you better enjoy this...it's going to be the biggest birthday party you ever get." And, it was my 25th birthday that day as well! What a gift!
We were so excited!
Where does our youth go so quickly? Did we really look that young? Boy, do I miss that time in our lives...little did we know what was coming down the pike...sometimes ignorance is bliss! And, what a ride it has been...ups and downs, hilariously funny times, moments of grief, years passing by...I would do it all over again...and again...and again...and again!
I love this man!

National Day of Remembrance for pregnancy and infant loss...

Tomorrow is a very important day in our lives...a day to remember, a day to reflect and recall the path God has chosen for the Bell family. We celebrate the lives of our first two children - be them ever so brief - and look forward to the future with children #3, 4 and 5 with glad anticipation!

In Sweet Remembrance of:

Allison Makenna Bell

September 1, 1999 - September 1, 1999

Michael Andrew Bell

August 5, 2000 - September 15 2000

God is faithful and good!

In honor and memory of Allison, Andrew, Amber, David, and those precious unnamed babies that were such an important part of our extended families lives, all blog comments are closed through tomorrow night and will resume on Thursday morning...

Thanks for allowing us to share....

Yep - i made this cake...

Looks yummy, huh? I had a lot of fun making this for my good friend who is coming back to work tomorrow after six weeks maternity leave. I thought I better take a picture of it and post it hear just in case I have a 'mishap' in the morning and it doesn't make it...thatway I can prove that I did make it:)

Spent the rest of the evening cooking for the fam...ham, dressing, corn on the cob, broccoli casserole and rolls...it was a blast! The kids ate great...I love family mealtime. It was a good evening.

On this Sunday, I am thankful for...

...a Godly husband who listens, puts my needs before his own and truly lives out the role of leader of our home. Tonight, I was sharing some concerns with Michael concerning our future, our family, our plans...I had no doubt that he heard every word I said - he even repeated most of it back to me to make sure I knew he heard me. Then, after church, he reminded me that he hadn't forgotten my concerns and was thinking about them. It is so nice to be heard by the one that I want to hear me the most!

...my Bible. I am so thankful that I have access to the most important book in the world, God's Word. I have had this particular Bible since I was a senior in college. I happened to attend a MissionFest event in 1995 and bought this Disciples Study Bible, NIV, at the conference and it has gone to almost every church event since with me. I am a Bible notetaker - in other words - I mark it up. I benefit so much from reading old sermon/study notes from years past that are marked in smudged ink in the margins. I encourage every Christian to always have a pen on hand and write down particular things that God speaks to you. Typically, I have so much to gain from the messages at church that I just can't take it all in during one service. I must write things down and meditate on them, study them further and let them become part of who I am in Christ.

...the old Andy Griffith Show episodes. Yes...we are Andy and Barney nuts! I guess this is more than you wanted to know about us, and maybe it makes us kind of boring. But, we have several CDs with multiple episodes. Since we made a decision as a family a year and a half ago that we needed to discontinue receiving television service in our home (a story for another time/another place), we love to sit down and watch these old black and white stories. It doesn't get any better than this...we actually know the episodes so well that we start quoting them and seeing who can guess the next line first.

A great day for a parade...

Today was a beautiful day for a hometown parade. We had such a good family day today. The boys were excited, but Abby was even more excited to see her boys in the parade. She kept asking mommy, "Are they comin' mommy?"
We were so proud of Isaac and Jonah. We are so pleased that of all the activities that children can choose to be involved in, so far, they have alot of interest in wholesome activities. They followed their den leader's instructions and marched with pride.
Afterwards, they were exhausted...Daddy had bought two big cups of ice and they stayed good and hydrated the whole distance. But, the mile trek was a long-haul for these short, little legs! Boy, were they tired!
They looked so handsome in the Boy Scout uniforms. They were very proud to be in the parade...
I wish they could stay this way just a little longer...

New couch, feeling better, homemade pizza...

So many people have asked me to post pictures of the new couch and chair (see post below regarding the recent change). So, here are a few pictures of the brown microsuede set that we are so blessed to have. As you can see we, we are already making memories on the new furniture and maybe in about 10 years I can re-post all that we have experienced in this living room.

I must add that minute by minute my headache (see previous post) is improving and the kids and I are having a great evening. I feel refreshed and renewed thanks to God's mercies. He has answered my prayers!

The kids and I made homemade pizza for supper, have homework finished, and all baths are now complete! They are resting on the new couch watching a Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas movie (because Jonah said it is almost Christmas Eve, after all!) and I am about to commence sewing on the Boy Scout uniforms. We hope everyone has a great Thursday evening!

Headache - Be Gone!

Well, I am happy to say that after 2 nights and 3 days, I am finally in the recovery phase of a migraine headache. I have been very fortunate the last few months to have evaded them completely, however this one has truly knocked me off my feet for a few days. I have had moments that I thought the pain was improving and then it would slam me again. I actually stayed home from work today to give in and sleep - which I have done all day! My head now feels very tired - I sort of have a weird feeling - what the doctor calls an 'aura' that will hopefully leave in a few hours. If you have never suffered from migraine headaches, let me assure you that they stop life right in it's tracks for me. This, you can imagine, is very difficulty for a working wife and mother of three children. I am so very grateful that my family is so supportive - right down to the children whispering when they come in the door and Mike anticipating what I need before I am even able to think enough to ask for it. He serves me with such tenderness and truly understands the grip it has on me until it passes.

I remember the first migraine I had was with my first pregnancy 9 years ago. I was at my in-laws home and it was unbelievable. Mike called my mom and she came quickly - I was lying in the floor and she rubbed my head for hours. Ever since, I have several a year. I realize that there are migraine sufferers out there who have several a week - this is not my case at all. But, even as infrequent as they are, all of life stops whether I want it to or not.

I say all this to say that it is a grand reminder that I can plan all I want - cram as much into a day as I desire - but when it is time to stop - stop I must! It is a frustrating prospect for me in that I have a lot of 'irons in the fire' at any given time. Today's 'irons' were no less than any other day. So, now I feel like I am several days behind at work, behind at home, tired, guilty for not being able to do better, tired, guilty for missing so much at home the last few days, and - did I mention - tired?

So, here it is 3:40 p.m. Mike is on his way home with my precious cargo. He has a church meeting, so the kids and I will be home together this evening. We will do homework, I will wash the dishes from yesterday and throw in a load of laundry or two, count my blessings, give everyone a bath and try to keep it all calm - for the head's sake. Tomorrow, I am praying for a special measure of grace - to accomplish all that is in my heart for the glory of God! And, I decided that I will work a few hours on Saturday morning as well - maybe this will help get rid of some of the guilt for not working today??

I just love these kids!

What a fine looking bunch, huh?
We love these kids!

Abby and I are home by ourselves tonight while Mike and the boys are gone to Boy Scouts. Yes, we are now a full-fledged Boy Scouting family. My boys just love it. Actually, I have to start sewing their patches on their uniforms tonight because they are going to be in their first local hometown parade on Saturday with their scout troop - and are they ever excited!

I just told Abby that while the boys were gone, she needed to take a bath. Her spontaneous comment to me in response was, "No, mom...I not a stinky baby!" Where do they learn these manipulative tactics, anyway? I absolutely adore having in-depth conversations with her these days - just so innocent and thought provoking from a toddler's point of view. Last night, I was laying with her in her "big girl bed" trying to help her go to sleep. In her usual fashion, she wanted to converse. She sat straight up and said, "Mommy, you 'fraid?" I said, "No, Abby, I'm not afraid because Jesus is with us." She said, "Yep. He's in my heart. I not 'fraid too, mommy. He's at my chuch [church]... in da cross... on my bible. He lubs me mommy in my hot [heart]. I goin' a pray, ok, mommy?"
She then proceeded to clasp her hands, close her eyes and say,
"Heabenly Fader, Heabenly Fader, Heabenly Fader, mommy not 'fraid. Amen."

I just love these kids...

Update: After bathtime, Abby yelled repetitively "I want a snack, mommy." I told her, "Abby, you have to wait. You have to have patience!" Her reply was, "But mommy, I don't want a patience right now. I want a snack right now!"

I truly do love them so much!

On this Sunday, I am thankful for...

Today, I am thankful for laundry...rather strange, huh? Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to have an entire day devoted to the task of managing the laundry in our household. And, I must say that it is quite a task. Who would have thought that adding just 3 little people to this home would cause such a backlog of laundry that never seems to be caught up? However, it dawned on me that my family must be a very blessed family because there are so many clothes to be washed. The Lord has more than met our need for clothing - and I am so grateful!

Today, I am also thankful to be a member of a local church that loves and supports the missions causes around the world. From Haiti to Venezuela - to our local areas need - our church believes in the great Commission and puts their feet and money behind it.

Finally, I am thankful for spontaneous "I love you's" from my husband and children. These four people are absolutely the best at just telling me a random times "I love you" verbally. They will tell me at times that I least expect it and it is so beautiful to hear. I am so thankful that I loved for who I am - imperfections, goofiness, hopes and dreams and all...