Stan Bell

Noah's first trip to the farm

2011-12-12T09:48:00.000-06:00

Melissa and the kids were just here for a few days. It sure livens the place up! It was fun to get to know the newest Grandson better and see him turning on the smiles. In about another week we will have everyone here for our last Christmas on the farm. We will enjoy the memories made here with all five little ones, but we'll just be moving home and family fun 3 hours north! for next Christmas. Hopefully we'll combine some fun with cousins next door as we visit with Gerry and Lorna's family, too.

"Counting our many blessings and naming them one by one..."

2011-11-07T10:26:00.000-06:00

We begin our 38th year of marriage!

2011-10-19T10:31:00.000-06:00

Just think. It was 37 years ago that two "kids" got married and went farming. Life has been good. :-) In our 38th year of marriage we move to 38 Wood Meadows! Hmmm. I think that's pretty interesting :-)

Stan and Maxine family updates

2011-10-11T12:50:00.002-06:00

The summer flew by as we knew it would. We had a wonderful harvest and now comes the "cleanup and put it all away" time. This time is a little different as things get cleaned up even a little better than usual with the auction sale in mind. We have moved a few things up to Saskatoon acreage already while we still own the truck and will hold off now until the final move sometime in May. Roy and Monica have things set to go on building their new home so we will see how soon they are ready to do the furniture shuffle. We were in Saskatoon this past week or so as we celebrated the birth of Noah James Orr to Robert and Melissa on September 30 (our youngest grandchild) and Linaya's 5th birthday on October 5th (our first grandchild and daughter to Roy and Monica). We had relocated our trampoline in time for her birthday party, so the kids all enjoyed that!

We are becoming more excited about the move and we anticipate what things we will be doing there to make it "home" and our own. We have seen it now in all seasons. There are trees and perennials that will require a little attention. I'll be wishing I had my Mom's "green thumb" for gardening. I am looking forward to Stan and I working together on the yard. He has always been interested but lacked the time. We know many in the church there already, so we look forward to becoming part of their activities as well.

It has been fun to see how the grandchildren are growing and I look forward to being a more consistent part of their life. I love the school concerts, soccer games and everthing else that will be withing easy driving. I'll add a couple of newer pics of family. I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving too.

Our final summer on the farm... mixed emotions.

2011-07-29T11:18:00.004-06:00

We have had a busy summer. Have you seen the circus act where they spin plates?? We're spinning plates. What an unusual time in our life. Since the decision was made to retire, we have been completeing the plans for transfer of the farm into the capable hands of our nephew and his wife and "looking over the fence" and making little visits to the acreage in Saskatoon to get a feeling for spending more time with our family there. We continue to be so pleased with the acreage we purchased. The location is wonderful and we look forward to the work we will do there to make it our own.

The first step toward the auction sale was to have the machinery washed up and posed for the advertising pictures for the Ritchie Bros. Auction. The date is set for April 10/12 but they are professionals at getting us organized. With that behind us we are moving into harvest preparation. Soon the swather will begin to cut canola. We have a beautiful crop coming with only one tangle with hail this week. We have yet to assess the damage on some of the chickpeas. I have become nostalgic as I consider how many things are being done by us for the last time on this property. We look at the changes we have made since we have lived here and raised our family here. This has been a wonderful home and has blessed our family. We will still own most of our land so that still anchors us here and we will remain connected and enjoy coming back to see everyone here and still be interested in the farming being done here.

This is what a "someday we'll buy an acreage" looks like!

2011-04-01T09:57:00.003-06:00

Well, here we are at the beginning of something new. This is a picture of our new house on the south side of Saskatoon. We are happy that Roy and Monica and their girls have decided to make it their home for the next year and give us time for one more growing season and an auction sale next spring. We had decided that we would look around at the properties close to the city and closer to our family in Saskatoon and we found this wonderful house, shop and 14 acres of trees and grass. We are pleased with the location that still has a very quiet rural feel to it. The address is actually Corman Park even if it is only minutes from Saskatoon. This farm has been Stan's home for his whole life and mine for the past 37 so it will definitely be a major change in our life. Stan and I have been blessed by farming, this wonderful place to raise our children and wonderful neighbors and friends. Planning when to retire has not been an easy decison. The next year always looks promising to the Saskatchewan farmer and we always are wondering what the next year holds. We look forward to this being a good year of farming. You just know we have enought moisture!! :-) I think we'll be taking more pictures this year and approaching each step with mixed emotions.

Happy birthday, Abby.

2011-01-19T17:57:00.001-06:00

Abby turns 2 on January 20th. Happy birthday, Sweet Abigail!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T08:28:00.006-06:00

Here it is, Christmas morning and all is too calm. I'll really feel like it's Christmas in a couple of days when the family is home. We just got home from seeing Stephen and attending his grad in Oklahoma. We had a great visit! This will be the first year without him at Christmas but I know he is in good company in Oklahoma and he had been home with Cara for 10 days in October. We'll still miss him with us.

It as been a very long time since I wrote on blog and I am still surprised at how many people still say they check on us to see how things are going. It has been four summers since we connected with blogging as we shared Stan's progress during his fight with "the disease". Just recently Stan has begun the process of having a tissue expander inserted and we have begun a weekly procedure of adding saline to expand a bag under his skin that resembles a large sub sandwich. This was to happen for about three months and then surgery to repair the scared area under his arm for more mobility. After this was started, the plasic surgeon told us that there had been a meeting of medical powers that have just reduced his operating room time to half and have given it to Orthopedic Surgery. I guess that's good news for people waitiing for hips and knees, but not such good news for us. It may be August or after harvest before they can get him in and he will have the inconvienience of having a growth on his chest and in his way as we work. It seems to me that they didn't fix the problem of waiting lists, they just shuffled the pile of papers! We will pray for things to work out with earlier surgery in mind.

I guess the next update is that we have booked an auction sale of April 10,2012. We have purchased an acreage on the south side of Saskatoon. It is a beautiful home and on fourteen acres in a very quiet area. We get possession April 1st and Monica and Roy will be living there for a least a year until we make the move. We have our inputs purchased and will farm for another year. This will be a big change in our life but have decided that we wouldn't be farming forever so this is the time. We have left loopholes so we could get out of our sale if "grain goes up to $15.00 a bushel and we just can't quit" (Stan's quote)

Happy New Year to you in 2011. We pray for Peace in your life and God's presence as we all face the things unknown ahead of us.

Sweet Moment!

2010-10-29T18:05:00.000-06:00

This is the greatest joy, to have your family all together at once. We all had big smiles because we were done harvest, too! We would have rather been done about a month earlier, but we were blessed to have our crop planted and to have taken off an abundant harvest.

Happy birthday, Gianna!

2010-10-28T10:06:00.001-06:00

Gianna is two years old today. We got to share her purple carebear cake with her ahead of time on the farm when the family was all together, including Uncle Stephen!and Cara. What a great time we had.

Summer 2010

2010-07-15T09:58:00.003-06:00

Well. I just checked our weather station and we have had 11.51 inches of rain so far this year. Wow. I think about 6 inches is normal for us. I haven't been watering my garden and flowers very much. Our crops are growing well, but every storm makes you hold your breath hoping there is no hail damage. I don't think I can hold my breath until after harvest!

We have had family around to visit after their 10k runs in the Moose Jawg on July 1st. I'm so proud of Roy, Monica, Melissa and Robert! I had the fun of entertaining the grandkids and a few other little friends and relatives while that happened. It may turn into a yearly event. We got away to Cypress Hills for a couple of days with Robert, Melissa, Josiah and Abby. Is it fun to go to a favorite spot with Grandkids that used to be the camping spot with our little kids. How sweet it is! We have never seen the hills so green. It is just south of Maple Creek that had the major flooding. We went on into Medicine Hat to visit my brother, Allan and have lunch with his family. We took a little time to try out his little tractor creations. We had a lot of fun checking out a few of his fleet of tractors.

For now we are busy getting fungicide sprayed on our crops so all this rain and humidity doesn't take them down. As usual, I look forward to harvest. If it ever stops raining, we will be harvesting, durum wheat, canola and chickpeas. I have sadness for those people affected by all the rain. We are blessed by the beauty around us and continue to pray for good health and the energy to appreciate the abundance of another growing season.

The empty nest!

2010-06-18T10:31:00.000-06:00

Well, the time has come. I was away for two days and thought I would have missed flight school for the baby robins. I looked out this morning to see the last little robin gripping the railing of our deck, Mom come to feed him there and then he flew back to the tree. Good job! The nest is empty and it's time for a new hobby. I hope you enjoyed this little session of bird watching with me.

Most recent, Sunday afternoon

2010-06-13T15:52:00.000-06:00

We need a bigger nest!!!!

2010-06-13T15:41:00.000-06:00

As you can see, the nest is getting pretty crowded. Mom still manages to sit balanced on the top when it's raining or as protection but she's running out of room, too. I finally caught a picture of Momma and Pappa as they both bring food and scold me from a nearby tree when I'm on the deck doing a photo shoot. I have enjoyed my little birds very much. I expect to see them on their way very soon.

One week!

2010-06-09T08:51:00.000-06:00

I took this picture in the morning sunlight. It has been fun tracking these little robins over the past week. What a change. Both parents bring food now to keep up with the hungry little ones. Their feathers are less fuzz.

Newest pics cont'd

2010-06-07T23:21:00.000-06:00

My babies are growing...

2010-06-07T23:17:00.000-06:00

These new pics were taken over the last few days. I had a couple of bird watchers stop by to share the view. The last pictures show a larger, hungrier baby and wing feathers have shown up! I'm thinking I'll be going through the "empty nest" syndrom very soon!

and then there were THREE

2010-06-03T10:24:00.000-06:00

Beauty in the eye of the beholder...

2010-06-02T10:38:00.000-06:00

Beautiful Springtime !

2010-05-14T07:22:00.004-06:00

It is a beautiful day in Southern Saskatchewan and the tractors are humming..or droning..or whatever sound they make. There is a meadowlark on top of every road sign and the first dandilions are smiling. What a great day. Isn't it funny how fast we forget snow? Even the endless clouds and drizzle have faded from my memory and I'm just in the mood to enjoy the beauty of now. Have a great day everyone.

It just got better! A robin is building her nest right outside my living room window in my Thunderchild. I'll be able to watch her from the deck. Nice!

Floyd Jacobs

2010-04-22T13:29:00.001-06:00

Another special man in my life has gone Home. I recall being with Uncle Floyd and Aunt Marion in their home in Willen, Manitoba and spending time with them in their home after they relocated to North Weyburn to work for Western Christian College. To be with them was such a joy! Each of my kids had their after grad party in their house in Dauphin, Manitoba and we have always been an extension of their family. I will miss the little twinkle in his eye and hugs. Another lesson in appreciating those we love and regrets about too few visits too far apart. Thanks for your love for all these years, Uncle Floyd. I miss you.

Gianna and the sheep dog!

2010-04-06T23:18:00.001-06:00

It is March!

2010-03-07T07:25:00.003-06:00

It has been such a long time since I wrote on the blog. I welcome the days getting longer. Last evening was my first after supper walk and it felt so familiar. Ahh. This morning is one of the few that hasn't been foggy! The soft glow of sunrise on the snow makes a pretty picture. We were away for a week from Feb.7th through Feb.14th. We were at Negril which is on the west end of Jamaica. We had a wonderful time or relaxing and taking in scenery we haven't seen before. We enjoyed the snorkeling and hobie craft sailing. It does my heart good to see such green leaves and beautiful flowers in the winter! It feels like a different world. You know that somewhere there is still snow. Somewhere there is a list of things to be done to get ready for seeding. We got home in time for me to attend Ladies Retreat at Kenosee Lake. What a wonderful weekend of being with old friends and meeting new ones. The theme was about letting God Lead Us. It is always a blessing to be there. I love the times of singing and enjoying the snowy park. Jamaica is excited about their sunset but I must say, our "living skies" of Saskatchewan seem to me of equal or greater beauty :-) Good to be home. I am now anxiously waiting for family home at Easter. That makes my heart sing.

Happy New Year from the Bells

2010-01-01T20:43:00.003-06:00

Hi there. I'll not post too much tonight except to wish you all a happy and healthy new year. We have been blessed by having our family home with us and we enjoyed a wonderful time together. We appreciated Robert and Melissa bringing home their photography equipment to update our family photos. We are happy to show you how much all the little ones have grown. They were sweet last year and even sweeter now :-)

How things have changed!

2009-12-17T22:29:00.002-06:00

I had written my yearly news letter a couple of weeks ago with full intentions of getting my usual batch of Christmas cards in the mail. I had baking in the freezer and plans to head up to Saskatoon for a week to look after two little grand daughters. Within the course of an hour on Dec. 2nd, I heard that something was wrong with my father-in-law, Elford Bell, and then that he was gone! Life certainly changes in a moment. We will miss his visits to the farm. It was great that he was still so very interested in what was going on our here and loved to show up for a little visit or a combine ride. I'll miss telling him about the kids and how everyone is doing. I will miss getting a hug on Sunday mornings and having him over for a meal. He was a wonderful part of my life for 35 years and I don't let go of him easily. He has been my other "Dad" for all my married life and am grateful for his love and support of our marriage and our family. His strength and gentleness made him such a wonderful example of a Godly man!

Casey At Bat

2009-11-30T08:57:00.000-06:00

Casey At Bat

"There is no joy in Mudville! The mighty Casey has struck out!" Okay, so it's a different game and Riderville is not Mudville, but I see a parallel here! Check out the last verse...

Post harvest

2009-10-27T12:52:00.002-06:00

Well, it has been noted that we have not been updating the blog. That's a good sign I think that life has been busy and productive and pretty normal. We are thankful to have put the last of the chickpeas in bins and now is time for other fall projects. If you're not a farmer you will think we are all done now until seeding :-) Not quite.

This week is Gianna's 1st birthday. She shares the birthday of my Mom, Grace Jacobs. It makes a difference to me that instead of a sad day of missing my Mom, it is also a joyful day of thanking God for a special little life that blesses us again! My Mom loved children and I'm always sorry that she never got to cuddle these sweet great-grandchildren of hers. I still have a stash of her fabric and each manages to get a little piece of Grandma Jacobs stash!

I'm off to a ladies bible class this afternoon. It is called "Giving For All It's Worth" What a wonderful book to study, wonderful ladies to fellowship with and wonderful lessons to shake me up and inspire me to do more! Last week was about money and the widow's mite, this week is about looking for talents we can use and share as illustrated by Dorcas. You have talent you know! Just think about what you enjoy doing. Must go. I'll think on this and write more and maybe add pictures next time.

Before and after flower shots. Can you tell the difference??

2009-09-13T17:42:00.000-06:00

Uncle Stephen is home and Josiah's first combine.

2009-09-13T17:14:00.001-06:00

It was so great to have Stephen back to the farm. The visit was too short and the days were full of harvest activity. It was still a special time for him to be in Canada to reaquaint with the nieces, Linaya, Gianna and Abby and the nephew, Josiah! They all love Uncle Stephen. It won't be long until Christmas and hopefully we can all be together at the same location for a new family picture.

Harvest is going well. We have been stopped only twice for repairs. It feels like we're a couple of weeks into harvest. You reach a point that a nap is not enough. It is exciting to be see all the progress around us. Sometimes at night, the fields in the neighborhood look like there are fireflies. Combines and trucks. On a repair run to John Deere I happened to find a combine for Josiah. He loves the combine SO much and was very excited when Grandpa gave it to him. The next time he rode on the combine, he had it sitting on the combine floor beside him pointing out the window. We have also rewritten the song to "the reel on the combine goes round and round" (There are MANY verses :-) )

My combine buddies

2009-09-13T17:07:00.000-06:00

Ahh, before the grasshoppers moved in!

2009-09-13T15:42:00.000-06:00

It's August already

2009-08-09T08:21:00.004-06:00

Well, here we are. It's August and the machines are ready for action. Are we? I am realistic about energy levels and the unpredicability or weather ahead of us, but also excited to see the wheels in motion as we head into the fields. God has always provided us with what we need and I'm sure He has his eye on us this harvest, too. Along with the sparrows :-) It is an interesting year. We have Canola in two stages. Some had been hit by frost and survived, while Stan reseeded some parts of the fields that weren't coming back! We have Duram that was touched by drought, some rallied after rain and some stayed shorter and affected. Then we have chickpeas. As long as they get water, they keep green and growing. They really need to shut down and ripen before the frost comes knocking and locks in the green color. See what I mean about intersting?? Hmmm All in all, I'm still excited to get back out to the combine as that is one of my favorite things to do. We'll keep you posted.

Summer fun

2009-07-18T10:00:00.002-06:00

WEll, here we are in the middle of July. We have had a busy summer with family around. We were happy to get to visit Stan's sister Karen and most of her family. They came for a week and we bounced them between houses and backyards for meals. There was even a Canada Day celebration over at Shamrock Park. Our Canada kids got to celebrate with our little US kids, Victoria and Alexandra. We have fun pictures of time together. The "kid table" tradition lives on. There were 12 kids around! We had Melissa and Monica here with their little ones at the same time that week. In addition to the mini family reunion, it has also been Vacation Bible School. Monica, Roy and the girls were here again as Roy was helping out with Teen activites. Now, we regroup and get things in place for harvest, which will approach quickly. The July heat has finally turned on!

Heavenly sunlight!

2009-06-11T09:50:00.002-06:00

Well, maybe not "heavenly", but it's sure great to see the sun and feel a little heat! I has been nice to have a few days inside but now that the sun has decided to return the outside work is calling. I'm excited to go see what has grown in the garden. I look forward to picking the fresh veggies this summer!

Stan's Dad did not end up having surgery. We are so grateful that he got feeling better. Stan's sister, Karen, and some of her family are headed up from Nebraska later this month. I will be wonderful to have family together and let the next generation of kids get aquainted and bond!

We got a mini visit in Saskatoon last weekend. Robert and Melissa's house addition is progressing well. They are drywalling their new upstairs rooms. All the "little people" are thriving. Their personalities are so unique to each of them and what a fun time to get to know them all better. We are thankful for a healthy family. I am excited that they will all show up here sometime through the summer and look forward to the fun ahead. I've added a picture of our fun pack! God is good!

"Are we there yet?"

2009-05-25T22:22:00.003-06:00

Waiting, waiting, Waiting. I bought this fridge magnet years ago because the message spoke to me of my impatience. How many time does our life hinge on when a certain day comes or a certain event happens. A birth, a holiday, a graduation, a visit. Sometimes it is an anticipation of something wonderful. Sometimes I think of it as "waiting for the other shoe to drop", a feeling of tension that anticipates, "Oh, what's coming next" The next hours will tell us if Stan's Dad needs to have surgery for a restricted bowel. We have been praying for it not to be necessary, but what if it is necessary. We switch our prayers for success and healing, for courage and strength for a man we love so much. I pray for courage for other families tonight who love and nurture those they love who are so very ill: To Reed and Angie as they hold their little boy for such a short time longer, for Ernie Jacobs' family and friends as they pray for comfort for him, for my sister-in-law, Jeanette Jacobs who just lost her dear Mom on Sunday morning and prepares for her funeral on Wednesday. We are all waiting for something significant. May we wait in the Lord and continue to trust Him to see us through tough situations ahead.

May 16, Spring is shy this year!

2009-05-16T17:25:00.002-06:00

Well, we've almost finished seeding. Stan had been hoping to seed the last of the Durum wheat this week, but the weather threw us a few curves. The grass is greening and some of the trees that would have been in full bloom by Mother's day are finally opening their leaves. I haven't planted a garden yet or worked up my flower beds. Seeding and spraying are the priority and my hobby garden will come next. We will appreciate fresh veggies so I look forward to getting those started.

We are two weeks away from the offical dedication/opening of the new addition to our church building in Gravelbourg. We have been using the upgraded facility for several months but have waited for warm weather to be able to welcome people to the indoors while feeding them outdoors :-) We are pleased to have more room and to be able to have one level accessable to our seniors while still enjoying the space downstairs for classrooms. I should post a few pictures! (Note to self!)

It is such a beautiful day that I should have been outside enjoying it. Today is the best I have felt in a week so I needed to turn up the burners and get caught up on house chores. I think my allergies ran away and I finally got some medicine on Thurs. I actually was glad for a couple of slower days to rest up. I'll be glad for seeding to be done so Stan can rest up, too. He's been doing great but this time of year is always a bit of an endurance test. Hope all is well with you!

And we're off! Seeding begins today!

2009-04-25T09:07:00.002-06:00

This is an exciting day for us. Stan is off to the field to begin seeding Canola. There is so much preparation time to get to this point where he can sit on the tractor for a few hours at a time and relax. My job description changes a little for the rest of the spring and summer as well. Instead of just keeping the farmer fed, I now get to do seed delivery to the field, general "gopher" (go for ____________)and water truck driver when we begin spraying. It's so exciting! (I guess you'd have to be here to understand) I bought my garden seeds in Saskatoon last week and look forward to getting a few things growing again, too. I must admit to being a hobby gardener and don't rely on it for our winter supply. Rather, it is a joy to eat fresh veggies and put some away if it doesn't conflict with our harvest schedule, at which time I turn into the combine operator (my favorite!) Hope all is well with you,too. Have a great day, the sun's shining and God is good!

Update for the blog

2009-04-06T17:33:00.003-06:00

Oh my, where has the time gone? We have just returned from a two week trip south to see our Stephen in Oklahoma and Stan's sister Karen and some of her family in Nebraska. We traveled with Robert, Melissa, Josiah and Abby! What a great trip. Melissa said that was odd that we could say "what a great trip" after experiencing a sick boy the first couple of days, tornados, rain, hail and 8 inches of wet snow! I guess you just had to be there. We were stormed stayed an extra 2 days in Nebraska as we waited out the snow storms and flooding between Nebraska and Canada, but even that had it's up side of spending the extra time with Karen and Terry. The upside was always the companionship of traveling with family, spending time with Stephen and meeting old friends as well as making new ones! We heard some wonderful speakers and singing at the Tulsa Workshop and Robert and Melissa were excited to meet up with some special people who knew Robert from his time with Acappella. We have returned home to the anticipation of Spring and Stan is gearing up to start the planting. Every day the wind blows in warmer temperatures and the geese are beginning to find their way north. Life is good. We thank God for the safety of our travels and the encouragement of all the visits along the way!

And we're another day closer to Spring!

2009-02-23T13:30:00.003-06:00

Well, time has sure flown since our last post. The days are brighter and Spring must be coming. We have had Robert, Melissa, Josiah and Abby here for a lovely visit and now the house is pretty quiet again. No little footsteps on the stairs in the morning looking for Grandma :-) I am happy to see Melissa feeling so well again and Abigail is a healthy baby. We had a lot of fun last week. We head up to Saskatoon for appointments soon with our favorite dentist and will get to see Roy, Monica, Linaya and Gianna. I'm glad to get to visit them under any excuse!! Stan has been busy with farm work. He's been hauling grain away to sell and hauling in seed to plant. He's been working in the shop getting machinery geared up for the Spring rush. We plan on a road trip next month to see Stephen and Stan's sister Karen and her family so he wants to be ready for the land when we get back. We look forward to seeing where Stephen lives and works. We haven't been in his "neigborhood" since he graduated and it's time! I still have a couple of projects I need to finish for the grandkids before Spring. Somehow I got a little behind!

And now there are four!

2009-02-02T09:21:00.005-06:00

Well, I just got home last evening from my time in Saskatoon. Now we have four wonderful little people and are blessed that they are healthy and loved and well cared for. Melissa is recovering nicely and Monica heads back to her dentistry part time starting today.Daddy has them the other half day. Always adjustments! I guess that's what life brings us, every day you wake up and see if your center of gravity has changed and make adustments until you feel the new normal :-) It will take a few days to get a normal feel for me here, too. I woke up and it's February! I can't believe how fast time has flown since Christmas! I'll look for a couple of pictures from the last month to share. We were in Mexico on the Mayan Riviera from Jan. 11-18 and returned to Saskatoon 2 days before Abby was born! I stayed and Stan returned home to get some work done. We loved the change of temperature and the relaxing pace. We did a LOT of walking and climbed to the top of Coba which is 120 steps! You see across the top of the jungle. What a view! I'm glad to be in my house again, but have loved the places I've been, the time to help my family and now being back with Stan on our farm. I need to update the picture with the new picture of Stan and I with the FOUR kiddos. (My picture updated on facebook but not blog!?)

With a grateful heart

2009-01-25T23:24:00.003-06:00

The time spent here in Saskatoon is one of thankfulness for new life, the two new little girls in our family in October and January, and a time of reflection of being here in the fall of 2006 as Stan received medical attention. I was told how the treatment he received through vacuum bandage system has changed a lot of lives for the better. Homecare now uses pictures of his treatment and progress to train most of it's staff to be able to use this technology. I hadn't realized at the time how new it was to them, how skeptical some were of it's effectiveness to treat wounds, the contoversy of cost effectiveness and the very limited number of qualified people to make the bandages work. It is now a widely used system in this area with Stan as their unidentified "Poster child" of it's value. I am so thankful for God's provision for us to use this tool for healing when we needed it the most.

All is well!!:-)

2009-01-21T11:16:00.002-06:00

What happy news to tell you. Melissa has given birth to a wonderful baby girl named Abigail Mary, Mary after Robert's mother. Her blood pressure continuted to be a problem and she had started into labor early. Her original due dated was around Feb 8they just came in the door for lunch!! More news later. :-)

How was your Christmas?

2009-01-03T11:36:00.004-06:00

Inspite of colds, flu and some chest problems, we all managed to get in one place and still be so happy to be together. Christmas dinner was at Roy and Monica's and we stayed in Saskatoon until after Stan and Josiah's birthday on Dec. 28th. We brought Stephen home until he catches a ride back to Saskatoon to continue his visit until his plane flies on Jan 5th. I'll post some pictures of our fun.Instead of "GRandma's Feather Bed" we had fun trying out "Grandpa's Camping Bed"! We'll be camping in style off the ground now! :-) The kids all love their uncle Stephen and like his drawing ability and stories. Our little ones know about puzzles and were soon in the thick of things at the kitchen table. Josiah got a little bike for his second birthday and Linaya joined him for a little ride in the livingroom. I hope you all had a happy holiday, too. God Bless and let's all go bravely into the new year.

New look for the ol' blog

2008-12-29T23:16:00.002-06:00

Thanks to Roy, the picture has been updated. I didn't want to leave the impression that I am so capable! We have returned tonight to the farm with Stephen and will find him a ride back to Saskatoon to catch his plane before Jan 6th. Hopefully he can be there a day or two ahead and do a little more visiting with his sisters and their families. It was a fun time being together, but we never got a family picture this time as one or more of us were not feeling well over the days we were together. Gianna and I had a cough going on, and then we decided to bounce the flu bug among the adults! Sigh, oh well, we were in good company. I will add some pictures from the time in Saskatoon. The kids joined the puzzle tradition and sure go involved!! Linaya was so excited she crawled right up on the table and sat at Grandpa's elbow. Stan and Josiah celebrated their birthdays together for the second time! Now there are two 2 year olds in the family! Linaya had her birthday back in October.

All is calm...

2008-12-26T10:36:00.002-06:00

Well, we were off to flying start on Christmas morning with Stephen put up in a hotel for the night somewhere in Denver as he waited for a connecting flight and Robert calling to Monica's house to say he was off to the hospital with Melissa as she had a terrible night. By mid afternoon, Stephen and Melissa were both back with the family as we opened gifts and settled down to Christmas supper (yes, supper! We're prairie people :-)

No word from Melissa this am, but I know we won't be doing boxing day sales together. Please contiue to say a little prayer for her as this has been such a tough pregnancy and she can really use the encouragement of people who care as she waits these last weeks. The ultra sound shows a healthy baby on the way and we are just excited to meet this newest little member of the family. Gianna has improved so much from last week when she needed to be on nebulizer treatments for her congested chest. Today she is all smiles! She's just happy to be feeling better, too!!

We are reminded how great it is to be together as family and we count our blessings as we look around us. We are safe, warm, well fed and have a loving God who's always near. Have a good day :-)

Merry Christmas and Happy holidays

2008-12-23T14:54:00.003-06:00

We head to Saskatoon tomorrow to meet up with the rest of the family. Roy, Monica and the girls have been here for a few days and just headed back to the city ahead of us. Gianna had been having some resperatory problems that come with having a cold when you're 7 weeks old. She's doing a little better today and is to continue with nebulizer treatments for a week. Lots of cuddle time and she got lots of pats on the back, too! It was fun to play with Linaya. She changes so much between visits.
We're looking forward to time with Melissa, Robert and Josiah. She is looking forward to the new baby's arrival and feeling well again. She is 33 weeks now and baby seems to be very active and progressing well. Stephen flies in tomorrow night, I think?? If you've been following air travel over the last few days you will have noticed a few bottlenecks and delays. Stan got over the pneumonia and has been back looking for things to do in the shop. Good sign!! I have "turned into my mother" and have been packing up things to take with us to Saskatoon to use for Christmas dinner and beyond. I used to tease MY Mom and say "Don't bring water. We have some of that" Now I hear that from my girls :-) God's blessing over you and your family as you travel and spend time together!!

Now what?

2008-12-12T12:02:00.002-06:00

Well, we've never thought our life was predictable. Stan thought he must be getting some kind of flu but it turned out to be pneumonia. I think the Doctor caught it early enough to get some antibiotics going and hopefully he'll feel a lot better in just a couple of days. It is hard for him to sit around and take it easy. We're on day 1 of that! I need to get some Christmas baking done so that's my good reason to stay home and in the house. They're forcasting a blizzard tonight and tomorrow. Our winter may really be on its way.

Home from the mountains

2008-12-06T09:13:00.003-06:00

We had a wonderful time visiting lots of family between here and Vancouver and back. We saw, brothers, sisters-in-law, an aunt and uncle, cousins and their kids, neices and nephews and their families! In between the visits we took a little quieter time off and went on the Harrison River on a tour of a salmon run and bald eagles. Did you know there could be over 2000 bald eagles on the same river when the salmon are on the move! It was so amazing.(If you click on the picture of the tree you will be able to see a sample) The rest of the trip we kept watching for eagles. "On The Wings of an Eagle" is a special song and Bible verse to me. It was so exhilarating to watch so many rising and soaring!!

Here is my updated prayer list. Melissa continues to wait for the new baby. Her blood pressure has remained mostly constant but still a little too high. She has passed 30 weeks so let's make it 37 and then forty!! Go Melissa! Our prayers continue for you to do well. My friend Vicki has begun her chemo and radiation. Please pray for her to find the side effects tolerable and for her healing.

How many weeks until Christmas?? I haven't got my head there yet. My greeting cards are still on the kitchen table and not in the mail. Most of you know all about us if you're reading facebook, or blog anyway, right?? Thankyou for caring enought to check in on us. I hope this can be a wonderful Christmas season for you to be with people you love and not stress about "stuff".

Prayer request

2008-11-15T16:28:00.003-06:00

Hi there, If you are reading this then I know that YOU know that our family believes that God is good and answers prayers. I'm asking you to keep our daughter, Melissa Orr, in your prayers. She hasn't had an easy pregnancy and now her bloodpressure has become a concern. We are asking you to pray that her bloodpressure stays consistent and that Baby continues to thrive "in there" until the due date of Feb. 8th. She is being monitored weekly and although the pressure is not dangerously high and the blood work has been good, we want it all to stay that way.

Home

2008-11-10T11:41:00.002-06:00

Well, I'm back home with Stan and it feels pretty nice. As much as I loved Saskatoon and being with everyone there, I really missed Stan! I guess I've got pretty attached to him in 34 years! The best is when we are all together and then I don't have to be missing anyone. Stephen will be home at Christmas and that is always such a special time.

I'll add a few pictures of being with Linaya, Josiah and Gianna. I found myself stopping for a moment of "Super Y" on tv this morning for ol' time sake. The kids are busy learning their letters already! and are doing pretty well at it.

Stan is busy trying to get a few more outside jobs done before the snow piles high and the temperature drops. I have a few projects on the go. I have started a cross stitch name sampler for Gianna Pearl, baby quilt to be quilted for the next little Orr and a "Go Go" quilt of trucks, cars and tractors to finish for Josiah for his big boy bed. All that and a freezer to stock before the family is home for Christmas. That is not very far away is it?

My friend, Vicki, begins radiation soon and Ruby is home from hospital after her knee surgery.

One week!

2008-11-04T18:45:00.002-06:00

Little Gianna has been with us for one week today! and is imbedded in our hearts and our family. You forget the innocence until you look in these little faces. I just keep thinking that every child should come into the world so wanted and so loved. Linaya has been very comfortable with her around.

Stan will be coming to pick me up this weekend as Roy has next week off to spend with his family.

I'll post pictures from my computer at home but I don't think I'll be able to show you anything better than have already been posted by Roy and Monica. Keep checking in on adventures ith roy blog.

God blesses us again!

2008-10-28T20:43:00.002-06:00

Well, the only thing better than having two grandkids is now having three!!!! and the anticipation of the fourth. Monica gave birth to a wonderful baby girl this morning on October 28th, my Mom (Grace Jacobs') birthday. If you can see from Heaven, then my Mom is smiling, too! Linaya is very excited. She just keeps hugging her so tenderly.
Gianna Pearl and Mommy will be back home tomorrow. Pearl Orr was Roy's great, great grandma, wife of Wilfred Orr.

Ruby Bell had her knee surgery last Wednesday and is still in hospital in the General in Regina. Things have not progressed as quickly as she had hoped. Keep her in your prayers for a speedy recovery.

I feel guilty being in Saskatoon without Stan. Even if it's considered "helping out" I know I'm having just way too much fun! You can check out Roy and Monica's blog for baby pics. Many more cute ones to come. :-) Happy Grandma and Grandpa!

Snow? in October??

2008-10-17T21:40:00.003-06:00

We had a wonderful time with our family in Regina on Thanksgiving weekend. We have come up with our own tradition of having Sunday dinner at Red Lobster! It is almost like having a private dining room when ordinarily it is very busy. It had started snowing by the time we left on Sunday evening so Stan and I decided to stop overnight at the Spa in Moose Jaw to celebrate our 34 Wedding Anniversary a week early. It was a relaxing way to end a weekend and the next morning we were surprised to find 10 inches of wet snow on our car. By the time we got home, the ground was bare!

I hadn't posted Linaya's birthday picture. I made her a sling to carry her baby as she is quite the "little mom" already. She'll make a great big sister. Josiah and Linaya are busy little people these days. Now we can talk on the telephone!

Vicky Knutson had her surgery today. Carman seemed encouraged that it went well and now they wait 2 weeks for biopsy results and begin radiation in 6 weeks after she has had some healing time. I hope they can keep her comfortable as she heals. They plan on sending her home on Sunday or Monday. (I can't believe how little time they allow you to take up space in our hospitals!) We continue to pray for healing from her cancer.

Thankful at Thanksgiving

2008-10-10T09:55:00.003-06:00

I am indeed thankful. Thankyou, God, for my healthy husband,Stan, for our wonderful children, Monica,Melissa and Stephen and grandchildren, Linaya and Josiah. Thankyou for Roy and Robert added to our family. Thankyou for another successful harvest. Thankyou for so many in extented family and friendships that warm our lives and give us strength.

We are off to Regina this weekend to attend Lectureship at Western Christian College. It has become destination for Thanksgiving weekend over the years and it is wonderful to hear encouraging lessons from talented speakers, share in singing hymns and praises with hundreds of people and reconnecting with people we haven't seen for a while. They say it may snow, but that really doesn't seem to matter!

I would appreciate your prayers for our friend Vicki Knutson of Regina. She is married to Carman and Mom to 6 wonderful sons. She will be having surgery next Friday to have a cancerous tumor removed from inside her nose. Please pray for the success of her surgery and for her strength for recovery. Ruby Bell (married to Elford) is also scheduled for knee surgery in Regina in two weeks. Please also keep her in your prayers for a quick recovery.

Happy thanksgiving to all of you. Enjoy the day with your "attitude of gratitude" :-)

The Grain is in the Bins!!

2008-09-28T08:32:00.003-06:00

Yes, it's true. As of yesterday, we are finished the harvest of 2008. We are thankful for our good health and safety through it all and were able to complete harvest without running for any major repairs for the combine :-) Some of the grain has already been delivered to the elevator but Stan will have some trucking days ahead of him. We were blessed with a good crop, even after the hail storm. Don't think we're on vacation yet. We still have some fall work to complete before we're relaxing too much. I think our near travel plans will include a weekend to Saskatoon for Oct. 5th (Linaya will be 2!) and Thanksgiving weekend in Regina at Lectureship.

September has arrived

2008-09-10T11:33:00.004-06:00

Well, where did the summer go? It smells like fall, doesn't it? We haven't had frost yet which is a good thing. Roy, Monica and Linaya were home last weekend and we got a lovely visit because the weather was holding us back from full day combining. It was fun to have Linaya for a combine ride, too, as well as letting her help bring in veggies from the garden. She would show up in the kitchen and want to be picked up. Monica took a picture of what I was calling "The Cooking With Grandma Show" She would watch so carefully. We also had a very loud Roughriders game in our living room on Sunday afternoon. Linaya and Daddy got all decked out in their "Go Riders!" shirts. We're back to longer days in the field. I'm planning on being done so we can get in on Linaya's birthday cake on Oct. 5th! Harvest has been going well. Stan has been busy moving grain around to different bins to accomodate what is being dried and what is incoming dry already on the grain trucks. He is working hard and pleased with the crop that survived the hail storm. Onward we go!

August 31st update

2008-08-31T15:29:00.003-06:00

Well, here I sit on a drizzly Sunday afternoon. The house is quiet with everyone catching up on well deserved sleep. Harvest has been going well. We have enjoyed Robert, Melissa and Josiah home the last few days. Robert has given me a break from the combine and they stayed over so I could help my "second born" to celebrate her birthday! We are off to an evening of singing in our church building and I look forward to spending a nice evening with friends. I can't believe it is the last day of August. We are just over half done harvest, kids are back in school for another year and we are about 2 months away from out next grandchild being born. I will be excited to go spend time in Saskatoon with Linaya as Monica has the new baby in October. Melissa has been feeling a little better but still thinks February could be a long time away as they wait for their new baby. Josiah and Linaya are such fun. They have both stolen our hearts and entertain us with their rapid change from baby to walking, talking toddlers! We are very blessed by our family. Stephen was in Saskatchewan for a week and we shared him between home and Saskatoon. As always, it is wonderful to have the family together and we look forward to Christmas.

Harvest has begun!

2008-08-16T12:23:00.003-06:00

Last night Stan took the combine a couple of laps around the Canola field. It wasn't quite ready, but so near. It is hot and windy today so it will be "all systems go" by Monday for sure, and maybe even later this afternoon. We had our last lunch at the kitchen table for a while as I eat before I go out to the combine and he eats when he brings grain back to the yard. I have the oven working today to stockpile a few basics like buns and cabbage rolls etc. so if I don't have something ready in the fridge, there will always be something for backup in the freezer. It is such an exciting time of the year! I look forward to the beginning and later I will be just as happy to see the conclusion. God has been good. We have some good looking crops and even the stuff the had hail as come back the best it could.

Concerning my recent health problem? I am without pain and ready to go! I am SO thankful this kidney stone is gone in time for the harvest.

Almost there.......

2008-08-13T06:13:00.003-06:00

I woke up this moring feeling like "I'm back". I have spent that last couple of weeks feeling some kind of pain or haze from some kind of medications. I woke up this morning and stretched and thought, "Hey! nothing hurts" Good sign, The stent is still irritating and it still stings if I flex where the IV enters the top of my hand, but other than that, I think I'll be quite mobile tomorrow when the stent comes out. They will let me know if I continue with once a day trips for one kind of antibiotic while I take pills at home now for the other kind for another week. Stan and I don't have a good batting average for infections. I guess we just better stay out of trouble. Excuse me while I go get a LARGE glass of water and go back to bed for a while. Stan is off to the swather later than usual as he stayed up a little later last night and visited Stephen, Robert and Melissa and Josiah. They have been here since Sunday afternoon and leave today. It has been great to see them and I hadn't seen our Stephen since Christmas. He's looking great and we had some really nice visits as he did some trips to town with me. Robert learned the fine art of swathing yesterday and let Stan catch up on a nap. Melissa is looking good but still not having a real easy pregnancy and little Josiah? Well!! He just spreads sunshine where he goes!! He makes me smile!!

Continuing saga......

2008-08-10T16:25:00.003-06:00

Well, I woke up on Sat. am with a temp of 104 and have been back in the hospital with infection. Once the fever broke I convinced the Dr. to let me live at home and drive in every 6 hours for continuing antibiotics. Please keep us in your prayers. I'm STILL trying to be in shape for harvest.

Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy...

2008-08-08T19:27:00.002-06:00

a new way to say ZAP! I just got home from Regina General Hospital and Dr. Tse is again my hero for using modern technology to rid me off my latest frustration,a one cm. kidney stone. It just wasn't about to go away by itself. The procedure took 49 minutes and I'll need at least 5 days recovery time. I think I'm back in the harvest business. Hurray!!!

Quiet before the Harvest Rush

2008-08-05T10:17:00.002-06:00

Well, we're poised on the edge of leaping into harvest. I've been busy trying to put some food in the freezer ready to pop in the microwave between loads of grain. I did a couple of days in the "all inclusive" Gravelbourg hospital with a kidney stone attack. It is still with me, but hopefully relocated so it won't bother me through harvest. Stan has been busy getting machinery and grainbins ready. This is such and exiting time of the year. The hail took away our "elusions of grandeur". It had looked like a really great crop before he storm. Now it's a tribute to nature's desire to come back! There is more crop than anticipated, but very close to the ground. Please say a little prayer for our health and stamina as we go into this busy time. Stan has been feeling well but it will be a hard time to keep up with needed rest. God is good and we'll keep relying on Him to meet our needs. We wish our other farmer friends a boutiful and safe harvest.

Elkhorn revisited

2008-07-24T07:17:00.004-06:00

Well, I finally returned to Elkhorn and stopped just before sunset in the little cemetary where Mom and Dad were laid to rest. I wasn't sure how I would feel as I hadn't been there since before Dad passed away. I have a sense of calm. The cemetary itself is so well kept and respected. Dad had taken his scooter downtown in Virden one day and picked out the headstone himself. He had spent much time thinking of what to write for Mom and came up with a etched picture of a rose and the statement "Always Kindly Remembered" That could be read two ways and is appropriate either way. For himself, he had chosen an etched picture of the Bible and before he passed away we told him we had chosen "Blessed are the peacemakers" which ended up shortened to "Peacemaker" and he had been pleased. Their little house in town still boasts a big garden, Mom would have liked that. The chaos of the rest of the yard just restated to me that Manley and Grace don't live here anymore. As we wandered around the cemetary I was reminded of old friends and familiar names and of life being brief with many paths that cross perhaps only once. In comparing headstones I could see that Dad had chosen well. They are memorialized in simplicity and dignity with the polished headstone but remembered so large in our hearts and memories that it takes all of us to do it. Thankyou God for the chance to go back and for your gift to me of such loving parents.

Summer Days!

2008-07-08T18:45:00.007-06:00

We just returned from camping with family and friends at Palliser Provincial Park, Riverhurst. We had connecting campsites and a family size table in the middle. It came complete with bunnies and squirrels to amuse the kids and cute kids to amuse the adults! We were missing Stephen, but he comes north to visit for a week in August. We enjoyed the sandy shore of Lake Deifenbaker and spent hot days cooling off wading in the water. Here are a few fun pictures of the family. We were joined by Lynn and Emma Orr and Rob and Diane Waddell and their kids. We used the deisel truck to pack up all the gear we believed necessary. We had retired Warren's 1.4million kilometer truck to the farm and decided it was time to take it on vacation :-)

Sunny days

2008-07-02T07:07:00.003-06:00

Here we are, July 2nd! Time has been flying by and it will be harvest before we know. It has been an eventful summer already. We have had beautiful rain to make the crop and countryside a lovely shade of green! The heat has come now so we're hoping it doesn't dry up this crop before it's ready. We're not spraying chickpeas every 7-10 days this summer so it had feels like we actually have a "little breather" between seeding and harvest.

We have been to Saskatoon a couple of times to check on our family. We are waiting on two new babies. Monica and Roy in Oct and Melissa and Robert in February. We are enjoying Linaya and Josiah SO much. They just make us smile!!! Josiah is among the small percentage of kids who gets seizures with a sudden fever so we just hate it for him when that happens. The good news is that he has had the tests to assure everyone that it's nothing serious that he won't grow out of, but it's still not pleasant.

Our family is going camping this week so that should be a good "photo opp". We're meeting on the shores of Lake Deifenbaker and will have a family group of about 6 tents for a few days. Stephen doesn't get in on it this time as he's arriving home for a visit in August.

We have seen two fireworks displays. Good ol' Shamrock park still is our favorite! We are so grateful to live in Canada. It is worth celebrating!!!

Mountain top experiences!

2008-06-10T07:08:00.005-06:00

We just returned from Banff where we watched our niece, Leanne, marry Jason in the meadow on Tunnel Mountain. It had been raining but our bride was blessed as the weather took a little turn and the wedding continued as she had believed it would!
This is the picture of"Leanne the Welder" who works with Allan, her Dad and "Leanne the Bride"! Here's the picture of Allan and Jeanette followed by the picture of Alvan and Trisha as we went hiking. (Yes, they're still identical twins!!)
It was wonderful linger in Banff an extra day and hike Johnson Canyon with Alvan and Tisha. The picture of Stan on this blog had been taken there and it was wonderful to be back there again. We also took the gondola up the mountain in Banff and spent a little time in the hot pool on Sulpur Mountain before the rain came again.
It was great to be able to spend some time with family and celebrate with them!

My favorite "little people"

2008-05-29T20:13:00.003-06:00

Here are a couple of pics of time spent with Linaya and Josiah. They are so sweet and so much fun as they are busy learning how to talk and express themselves. You can't tease me about being a grandma! I love the word and love the honor!

Taking things to another level!

2008-05-29T19:56:00.002-06:00

Well, we spent a couple of days in Saskatoon while Stan was involved in helping Melissa and Robert take a roof off their house and add a second floor. What an amazing thing to watch. Robert and his Dad spent a lot of time working out the fine details of retrofitting their house to make it warmer with thicker walls etc. for better heat control and hatched the plan of stretching the house up a floor. I got to spend wonderful Grandma time with Linaya and Josiah as well as time with my girls. I also saw what happens when a lot of friends and family come over to help and get fed in the backyard! Good job, Melissa. Again, quite a lot of planning required and executed beautifully! Here are a couple of interesting shots!

Pool Party!

2008-05-20T15:53:00.004-06:00

Well, we had a wonderful weekend full of kids and fun! Monica and Melissa brought Linaya and Josiah along with Diane and baby Patience. We were visited by Nicole and daughter, Becca as well as little cousin, Ariana from next door and her Mom and Dad. The deck turned into a splash zone around the wading pool with two toddlers swings and bubbles moving through the air. It was great to have all those fun sounds of babies. Today, a heavy silence! I put the toys back and the extra chairs away and look forward to the next visit :-)
On the farming side, Stan finished seeding on Saturday night, so we are so pleased to have the crop in the ground. Now we're ready for some rain.

Wonders and miracles

2008-05-16T07:45:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was a special day for the family of Aunt Muriel Jacobs as her ashes were returned from B.C. to be placed by her husand, Earl, in Moose Jaw. It seems like we have all been together a lot lately. The truth is, from now on, I know that life will be a series of goodbyes and it is a wonderful thing to know that God is real and heaven is our destination. In the setting of sharing memories and saying goodbye to someone we all love, there was little miracle among us. I got to hold baby Becca! If God could hand you a smile to make your day, it is on this little girl. Baby Becca has quite a story. She was born 15 weeks early weighing about a pound! and is such a beautiful little girl. God wants her here. Every little inch of her has fought for the right and she is now 9 months old and 10 pounds of wonder! NeoIntensive care in Saskatoon does good work. Seeing a baby at a time of mourning always lifts my heart. It says to me that there is a season for each of us and that life continues. Here is another little life looking for her path. May God bless Mom and baby and may I always remember to enourage them!

Reflections on Mother's Day

2008-05-10T07:18:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. I am thinking about my special Mom, Grace Jacobs and my mother-in-law, Margaret Bell. What wonderful women and I was so blessed by them. My Mom was always there for me and a wonderful example of service to her family and her church and community. She especially had a heart for children and the elderly. I was always unconditionally loved by her and one of my greatest achievements will be to have earned her trust and her desire to have me with her in her final days of facing her illness. My mother-in-law welcomed me into her family and her heart and was also a wonderful example to me of faithfulness to her family and to God. She taught me a lot of finepoints about being a farmer's wife that I hadn't learned at my home because I was still busy being a kid! Whether it was gardening or raising babies, she was always a source if information if asked but always an example to me of a tactful mother-in-law who gave us love and space. Thankyou God for my mothers. It is now my on going delight to be mother and mother-in-law and grandma! I have joy and pride as I watch my daughters mothering their children and wish them and you a Happy Mother's Day.

First Sunday in new addition!

2008-05-04T21:37:00.002-06:00

Well, I took a few pictures as people were arriving this morning. Please be aware that the color is not true. The chairs are really green and not blue and the walls are not yellow or gold, but rather a color closer to milk chocolate (not to be confused with dark chocolate) All this to tell you "Y'all come by and see us!" :-)

All is well

2008-05-03T22:59:00.005-06:00

Well, it has been a busy week. It contained seeding, rain (smile!) and today was back to spraying out the little weeds that also like the rain. The canola plants are amost through the ground and the grass in the yard is greening up along with the dandilions. Here are a few seeding time pictures. There's a whole lot of setup before Stan gets to sit in his tractor. I'm glad he has tomorrow off. He's earned a little rest from all the busyness!

Tomorrow is the first Sunday we get to be in the new addition to our church building! The chairs came this week and it's time to move into our new space. It looks great thanks to a lot of hard work from a lot of people. The offical date of a grand opening hasn't been announced.We'll keep you posted.

Lawn ornament??

2008-04-23T16:03:00.005-06:00

Stan was leveling the seeding equipment and decided our front lawn was level ground! I don't have this view out my front window every day! Tday the air tank was attached to this parade so hopefully he's ready to hit the field as soon as the weather allows. Happy seeding to farmers everywhere :-)

April 21st

2008-04-21T09:45:00.002-06:00

Stephen's birthday! We can't let the day go by unnoticed. He's just too important to us! We hope you're having a happy birthday, Stephen.
The last week has been a busy one as we work on machinery getting ready to go seeding. A few have started seeding things like field peas and lentils, but we'll be starting with Canola and aren't in as big a rush. It has been cold, even the weeds haven't started growing. There is so little water around this year. There is even talk that our well may have a hard time supplying the three households on the farm this year. I don't do a lot of watering anyway, but I do enjoy the "nicities" of a washing machine,dishwasher and showers. The automatic machines can be a little demanding. I guess the best plan if our well is low is to haul a load of water and add it to the well, that way, all the pipes still haul water to each house. We had a skiff of snow out of what had been forcast as a major system. We'll keep praying for water.

Two weeks!

2008-04-11T07:14:00.002-06:00

Yes, Stan had the use of the vacuum bandage for two weeks and the improvement was great! as we had hoped. We were to Regina to see his surgeon yesterday and Dr. C. decided that two weeks had been enough time. The rented machine is on it's way back to Edmonton. There will still be minimal bandaging necessary but the healing is going well and Stan is glad not to be carrying "the purse" out to the workshop and around the farm as he prepares machinery for seeding. Thanks for the prayers and concern.

Aunt Violet Bell

2008-03-31T08:58:00.006-06:00

We were sad to hear that one of our favorite Aunts has passed away this morning. We will miss her so much. We had been to visit Bill and Vi in their new condo in the last few weeks and had enjoyed our visit, as usual! Our sympathy to their family and so many friends. Here are three of my favorite pictures. First of Bill and Vi in their old house working in the kitchen together and the next looking comfy in their new place. (Click on photo with mouse to enlarge it)

Update: I just heard from the family that Auntie Vi's funeral will be on Thursday April 3rd at 6:30 pm at the Weyburn Church of Christ.

Misson Accomplished!

2008-03-27T20:55:00.002-06:00

We have returned from Regina with Stan hooked up to his $33,000 bandage. I kid you not!! The machine, which is the size of a lady's handbag and weighing in at about 4 pounds has a price tag of $33,000. A couple of years ago they were $16,000. The good news is that they are holding an inservice on Monday to teach nurses etc. in this health unit how to use them and Stan gets to be the model.The Five Hills Health Unit rents the machine from the company out of Edmonton and it gets returned when we are finished with it. Hopefully it will work it's magic in about 3 weeks instead of months. We also hope that when the need arises, it will be made available to others who need this kind of treatment, too! We return to Regina again in 2 weeks so his doctor can monitor the progress. We are very grateful for this opportunity.

Good visit with Dr. C

2008-03-20T22:47:00.003-06:00

Well, I think the appointment went maybe even better than I was expecting. The infection appears to be under control, however, they will not be restitching the surgery site. The wound needs to heal from the inside out. We had requested the vacuum bandage and although our health unit prefers not to use them for several rea$$$$$$$$$$$$$ons, it sounds like some people have gone to bat for us and it is likely Stan will have it put on possibly next Thurs. when he has another appointment with the Regina surgeon. This bandage has worked so well for Stan before that we are so grateful to have it used again. It changes healing time from a couple of months to two or three weeks! Thankyou, God, for good things today!

Spoke too soon......(and added update)

2008-03-18T10:54:00.005-06:00

Well, we've had a bit of a disappointment following Stan's surgery last week. Infection has disturbed healing. Our local Dr. has been working on getting it under control with Intraveous Antibiotic 3 times a day and daily irrigation and bandage change. We are hoping it looks better and that we are making progress by tomorrow, if not, we are on a road trip back to our plastic surgeon in Regina for followup surgery. Stan has "farming on his mind" as it is Spring around here and this is no doubt and unwelcome developement. We'd appreciate your prayers again.

Wednesday afternoon: We have a Thursday morning appointment in Regina with our plastic surgeon who will evaluate what bandage is needed next and make any adjustments to the affected area. The infection seems to be under control, however, the incision has not been restitched and it will take some time to heal the area. We're hoping to convince them to use the vacuum bandage again. We hope to understand better after tomorrow's appointment.

Update on our "Little People"

2008-03-16T05:24:00.005-06:00

I am just amazed how fast a year has gone and more amazed at how much Linaya and Josiah have figured out in such a short time. They are both walking with great determination and communictaing very well with new words and signing! Little Josiah has been here a few days and is so calm as he signs to tell us "please", "thankyou", "more", "I'm done" and his own signs of "take me outside to see the dog"! He calls anything with wheels a "Go!" (You may know the Dr. Seuss book "Go Dog, Go"?) He makes me laugh with his cheery little giggles and smile. Linaya is such a little "girl". She loves to feed her dolls from the bottles that you tip up and the milk and juice disappear!, wraps them up and "mothers" them! She loves pretty colors, touching flowers and knows what clothes she like to wear. She will make a fun big sister!
We just marvel at what "neat" little people they have become and just can't love them enough! Thankyou, God, for Grandchildren! What a great idea!! Thanks, too, Roy and Monica, Robert and Melissa as we see you doing such a good job of teaching them and loving them.

Ah, March 12th is over!

2008-03-14T21:46:00.003-06:00

Well, the appointment with Dr. Chang is now behind us. Stan went into Regina General on Wednesday and had some surgery as out patient with Dr. Chang who had done his original skin grafting. Hopefully, Stan will be more comfortable when the stitches come out in 2 weeks and will have a little more range of motion with his right arm after the "release" procedure has healed. I had really been dreading the thought so Melissa and Josiah walked the hallways and visited me while Stan was in surgery. Josiah is a sweet diversion and we read books and he caught a nap on Grandma's shoulder and we had a lovely time together! Thanks for you consideration. I appreciated you so much. Robert, Melissa and Josiah came home with us until Sunday so it has been such a nice visit. I have been fighting a terrible cold and tried not to pass it along to Stan and mess up his surgery schedule! So far he hasn't got it but I feel like I've been taking a double dose. SIGH.

The way we were...

2008-02-26T08:51:00.006-06:00

Neita and I were looking at this photo the last day we were together and LOVING IT.
What wonderful times we shared at Manson. Here's who you're seeing. Back row is Doris Muller, Lorna Jacobs, Leila Andreas (visiting) and Neita Elford. Next row is LaWanda Jacobs, Shelley Jacobs and me, Maxine Bell (then Jacobs) Ohhhhhhh, the way we were. Thankyou God for our connection! Neita passed away on Sunday morning. We'll miss our dear friend.

"Memories light the corners of my mind,
Misty water-colored memories of the way we were.
Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another
For the way we were.
Can it be that it was all so simple then??
or has time re-written every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again,
Tell me, would we? could we?
Memories, may be beautiful and yet
what's too painful to remember
we simply choose to forget
SO... it is the laughter we will remember
whenever we remember the way we were!"

Update: A Memorial service for Neita Elford will be held on March 5 at 2 pm at the Regina Funeral Home, Highway #1 East. You will find the book of condolences at www.regina-memorial.ca

"Not at this address"

2008-01-30T08:39:00.000-06:00

Well, we made it back to Moosomin yesterday for Ruthanne's funeral.. It was a wonderful celebration of her life, her purpose, her faith and her dedication to family and friends. Her story indeed brings glory to God, even in a life that seemed so unfair in suffering such a lengthy illness. It was a sweet moment to be in the presence of longtime friends and church family, but there was a gaping hole where I would expect to see the "always present familiar faces" The most recent on that list are of course, my parents, Uncle Gilbert and Ruthanne!! Gone are the Rogers and the Mullers of my parents generation, Ed and Helen Elford... All parts of my fabric of childhood stability in a community of church family that made me safe and loved while I grew up there. Neita and I were reflecting on our time as children in the Manson area and how blessed we were to call it Home. Well, we know where they are! The envelope would read "not at this address" Another HOME waiting for us all. They are still my family. They are still part of who I am. I am still blessed by them.

Summer revisited

2008-01-24T14:40:00.000-06:00

Hi there. Since my last blog, Stan and I made a snap decision to get in on some of those seat sales and in less than a week had booked a holiday and flown away to Mexico. We stayed by the Caribean Sea near Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The green and growing things just do my heart good. We love to walk along the water edge and look at the amazing colors of the sea. It was a very peaceful holiday. I was a wonderful time to regenerate in the sun and then time to come home to work to be done. Time away did not erase the sadness going on for loved ones that are facing serious illness. Please continue to pray for my friend, Neita and her family and for Ruthanne and her family. Both are in need of our prayers for strength, courage and comfort.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-03T11:20:00.000-06:00

Here it is 2008. "I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year; "Give me a Light that I may tread safely into The Unknown" and he replied "Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than Light, and safer than the known way" (from the King's Message, December 25, 1939.)

We were blessed and encouraged to be together as a family over the holidays. Stephen is back in Oklahoma, we are back on the farm and the Saskatoon family is back to work and the next year has begun! I indeed feel that the safest place is with my hand in the hand of God and I ask him to bless you, my friends, with his presence in the new year.

While in Saskatoon we celebrated Stan and Josiah's birthdays on Dec. 28. Monica did a great job in decorating the tractor cake. We enjoyed a fun afternoon at the swimming pool and waterside before the new year's eve party with Rob,Diane and their family and others. What a great time!,what a busy time, now we all need a few days to rest up.

Greetings from the Bell family!!

2007-12-26T08:09:00.000-06:00

Well, it is December 26th and there is a hush over the house. We had a great time. It looked like FisherPrice blew up in our living room when the presents got opened, but that's what happens when a zoo and a barnyard arrive at the same time! We had our Christmas dinner with all our family on the 24th and a smaller version on Dec. 25th when Gerry and Lorna joined us. The babies had their first sleigh ride around the farm and Josiah even joined the big kids tobogganing down the big hill on Christmas day. I think he's pretty brave for a 1 year old! I'm sure the girls will have some great pics on their blogs soon so I'll just post a couple. I hope you have had a happy time with family too. We are so blessed to be surrounded by people we love!

Are we decorated for Christmas???

2007-12-09T08:17:00.000-06:00

"... and the baseboards were removed with the greatest of care
in hopes that the painters soon would be there!"

Well, we've never been this close to having our house repainted before! so I guess all progress is good. This should be the week!? Meanwhile, I can glance in my living room to do inventory on what we own that is usually hanging on other walls in other parts of the house. It has been fun to get things worked on, but it will be great to have a spot for things again before the family is home.

Meanwhile, over at the addition to the churchbuilding. It is lookin' good as the carpet is down, the lights are up and the chairs are being ordered for the main room. I'll post some pictures when it's done!

We were up to Saskatoon last week to see family and this week is a family reunion of sorts with the Walter and Hannah Bell family as we meet them all in Weyburn on Thursday for Aunt Hannah's funeral. Their farm had been 1/2 mile east of here and Stan's family and theirs had spent a lot of time back and forth while they were growing up.

Rider pride??

2007-11-26T11:08:00.000-06:00

Well, not to be left behind by our rider fans in the family, we have embraced the Grey Cup Game as an excuse to have supper with friends and neighbors and buy new shirts!! We had fun and enjoyed a pleasant evening.

Stan is busy hauling grain to the elevator and things may actually be starting to wind down on the farm. We look forward to having a slower pace and the temperature starts to drop and the snow line will start to increase.

We have been doing a little "polishing up" around the house and the last couple of days we have been walking around with little stips of paint colors playing the "imagine this a whole wall!" game. I think whatever "colors" we choose will be fun as we built in the era of beige and brown. Someone said those colors will soon be back. Can it be true?? Did we wait to long??? No - can't be!

Hello again

2007-11-07T15:18:00.000-06:00

It's nice to have nothing pressing to write about, but it's a little boring for the randon readers,but... Normal is good!:-) Stan keeps busy getting fall work caught up. Our next big planned family event will be to have Stephen fly home for a couple of weeks at Christmas. Our Saskatoon family was home on the weekend following Kathy Bell's marriage to Joe in Moose Jaw last Sat. (It was a beautiful wedding and we wish them happiness as a family. Kathy also becomes Mom to Mykayla, who is ten.)

Linaya and Josiah change so much between visits that they constantly surprise us. We keep asking ourselves "Did our kids used to do that???" How cute they are! Josiah caught the flu and spent and extra two days here before they thought he was road worthy. They have so much fun with each other and the toys and have started exploring the house. They also like to be talked to on the phone!

LaWanda tells me there is talk of a JACOBS reunion next summer, so if that means you, keep posted. It will probably be in Regina the end of June.

More good news

2007-10-21T20:53:00.000-06:00

Well, last week ended with a trip to Saskatoon. We had another appointment with Stan's doctor at the renal unit (kidney doctor) and the numbers were all good news. Stan was told to go back in a year and blood tests are switched from every two months to twice a year. That's progress. His kidneys aren't 100% but have stayed consistent for the last year at a very acceptable level of function. We are grateful.

While in Saskatoon we celebrated our 33rd Wedding Anniversary before heading back home to the farm. I told Stan that in the 33 years we still haven't hit the "worse". I think we confronted the "in sickness and in health" part of of our vows. Even during illness, we just found many blessings. We're looking forward to as many more anniversaries as God decides to grant us.

and again ...a door opened

2007-10-15T19:35:00.001-06:00

Some of you will remember me saying last year that I would stop calling good things that happened a "coincidence" but rather a "Godincidence" Well, it happened again today. Stan had seen the plastic surgeon in Saskatoon in the last couple of weeks and was not comfortable with the line of treatment recommended to touch up the area affected by last year's surgery in Regina. After a restless night, it was decided that it would best if we tried to get in with the original plastic surgeon in Regina, Dr. Chang. We were given the first available appointment of Oct. 29th with the hope of a cancellation before that date. Last week, we had a call from Saskatoon to say that Stan had been BOOKED for surgery in November. The pressure was on! Do we cancel? What if we're missing an opportunity?? Again, a quick decision to go to Regina by 8:30 am this morning and sit, wait, and HOPEFULLY fit into a spot of cancellation to have a consultation with the man we trust. We sat, sat, waited, waited. Everytime the phone rang, I would send up a little prayer that it was a cancellation. They said they had 30 plus people coming through his office.
(1 doctor!) At about 11:15 the receiptionist told us there was NO hope to get in as they were an hour behind with appointments already there. Here's the happy ending... A young man sitting in the corner calmly said "I can wait" I couldn't believe what I just heard! She told him, "but I don't know when I could get you in. It could be a couple of weeks!" and he said calmy, "That's fine" He gave Stan his appointment and they gave him Stan's upcoming date of Oct 29th. WOW Restores my faith in kind people.
Dr. Chang had a different opinion. The difference between a "repair" and a "renovation". Stan is booked in Regina for March 12, still time to be in shape for Spring seeding. Again I say "God is good"

Hello, October and Happy Birthday, Linaya!

2007-10-09T16:30:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful time in Regina on the weekend. We were reunited with many friends on the Western Christian College campus as well as spending time with our girls and their families. We continued on to Weyburn to visit Uncle Bill and Aunt Vi Bell before returning home. Another mini holiday! I hope you all had a happy thanksgiving and the opportunity to look around you and take inventory of everything wonderful in your life,too. We have SO much to be thankful for and just listen to the news to appreciate where we live.

Saskatoon visit!

2007-09-29T13:27:00.000-06:00

Well, it was time for the followup appointment to see the plastic surgeon to decide if Stan wanted any followup surgery this winter on his skin graft site. The option is still there, but "the jury is still out" The doctor is willing but Stan is still weighing the benefits against the risks of infection etc., with the level of improvement predicted and is yet to make up his mind for sure. We have decided to have a chat with the original surgeon in Regina who did the work and hopefully his input will be very helpful.

It sure looks like fall today! The leaves had changed and now a few brisk winds have hit and they are history! Sad to see bare trees from now until Spring. Stan worked taking off some of the last crop yesterday. I think the combine should have one more go at the wheat field and it can be cleaned up and put away until the next harvest. It is a satisfying feeling to know we have the crop off and in the bins.

The family is all doing great. I watched the babies in their swimming lessons and they looked pretty comfortable in the water for a couple of prairie kids. What wonderful opportunities are available to them. It just doesn't seem that long ago that I was the Mom in the water playing "motorboat" and now my babes are the Moms! and being so great at it, too!!

the video

2007-09-17T11:20:00.000-06:00

As promised, here's the video of Dad wall climbing. He didn't seem to think it was a big deal, but the rest of us sure did! And while some of us were sore the next day, Dad said he works much harder than that on the farm each day. We're proud of you, Dad!

A family going places!!! Up!

2007-09-13T14:57:00.001-06:00

You'll recognize these climbers, Stan, Stephen, Monica, Roy and Robert. Linaya and Josiah were able to get a little taste of climbs to come.

Finally all together!

2007-09-11T07:37:00.000-06:00

Well, it finally happened. We had all nine of us together at once. Stephen was home for a week, some of that time in Gravelbourg and some in Saskatoon. He got connected with a little combine dust to remember his prairie roots and a little of the hustle and bustle of being around two babies to remind him of fun his family can be :-) He brought his climbing gear with him so most of the family went with him to a wall climbing facility, his Dad included! That was fun to watch, but I didn't try. Well, someone needed to hold Linaya and Josiah!! (Pick me!)

Harvest is over except for cleanup on weedy patches and sloughs. We are tired and ready to be finished and rest up. It all went well with no really no holdups this year for weather or repairs. We have had some work done on our house that started July 1st and has dragged out with a few delays. I'm also ready to have that finished and to get things finally cleaned up.

Fall is definitely here. I have started checking the thermometer to see if it is freezing or has frozen. I don't have a huge garden, but there are still things like squash and tomatoes that should be rescued. The leaves are starting to turn colors which is beautiful and sad at the same time.

All is well ...

2007-08-29T21:16:00.000-06:00

This was just one of those evening when everything just seemed to feel good. The day was beautiful followed by a colorful sunset. Harvest is going well, and I had to admit to myself that it really doesn't have a lot to do with the yield. (Not that yield is not a good thing!) It just seems incidental how much crop is coming off. I was realizing that this is the first harvest I have been able to enjoy in two years! Two years ago we were flattened by the worst hailstorm we have ever experienced in magnitude of damage and area affected. Harvest that year was a matter of "housekeeping" so we could get things tidied up for the next seeding. Last year found us both in Regina and Saskatoon and thanks to Gerry and Tim and Robert "and company" a boutiful harvest went into our bins. It was a sad drive for us between Regina and Saskatoon as we watch other farmers in their fields and we were wishing it was us. I have loved this year at home. I've enjoyed my garden produce, picked apples for juice and baking and even made a little chokecherry syrup for old time sake. And best, the best, is that I'm back in the field with my husband every day :-)

Eventful week

2007-08-18T07:38:00.000-06:00

Well, we are busy harvesting the duram wheat and we had visitors for two days! Robert took some of my turns on the combine so I had more time in the house visiting Monica, Linaya, Melissa and Josiah. Both babies had combine rides and we had a nice visit. They sent a visual message off to Uncle Stephen in Oklahoma. That will be our next highlight in the fleeing summer! They'll be back in a couple of weeks, hopefully Roy, too, and we'll get some family pictures. :-)

Time out

2007-08-09T20:31:00.000-06:00

Somewhere between midnight Monday and breakfast on Tues., Stan decided we would take a couple of days between crops to go find our old camping spot at Cypress Hills Prov. park! We were packed and on the road by lunch! How's that for impulsive. We even went over to meet "Scotty" the T Rex in Eastend on the way. Two sleepovers in the woods and we're back on the farm and Stan is already out in the combine finishing off the rest of the Canola. I think our life will be interrupted from time to time with self imposed "time out"s. It seems to have a calming effect to disconnect and then carry on.

The silence of the moment was suddenly saddened on Tuesday by call from our son, Stephen, to say that one of his best friends, Brian, had just died in a taffic accident. Moments like that make me so grateful for a cell phone. There is nowhere I wanted to be more than on the end of that phone when he needed to call. My Dad saw 97 years and Brian didn't get to see 27 years. Please pray for healing for Stephen and the Windell family.