Preparing......

This is not our usual Easter Sunday. There is a quietness around all of us here at the Bell household. A time of preparing. Amber is packed for the hospital. She will be admitted in the morning. Laundry is done. Plans have been made for the coming week.
She is outside as I write - enjoying some time with her beloved dogs. She's going to miss them.

At her appointment on Thursday, the doctor assured her nothing had really changed with her pregnancy - but he was admitting her to the hospital for the rest of it - however many weeks that may be. Hopefully MANY! We love the fact that her doctor is using every precaution and treatment available to ensure mom and all four babies have a happy outcome. It's still hard to leave the comfort of home and familiarity for an extended stay in a sterile environment.

When they came home Thursday we were all prepared to leave and then come back - or stay another week. Whatever they needed. Fortunately we are at a place in our lives where we enjoy great flexibility. They both said they would be more comfortable if we hung around so that is our new game plan for the next week. And 'hang around' is just what we have been doing! I think Louis Dean needed this time to rest and he'll be better able to tackle that camper when we do get home.

We begin and end our days out on the front driveway. Thursday night we all sat outside enjoying the starry night - Amber and Mike and her black lab, Jersey. Friday night LD and I crossed the street and sat out with A & M's good friends and neighbors.Saturday night we watched the very powerful movie 'We Were Soldiers' before going back out for our nightly 'sit.' We seem to need that little sit time to finish up our day.

This morning we had just concluded our reading time when Mike called us in to breakfast!

He had fixed scrambled eggs, biscuits, and sausage made from the deer he shot last fall.

He said it was only 40% 'Bambi' and 60% pork.

I am here to tell you it was 100% GOOD!!!

I cleaned up the kitchen, Mike went out to do the yard work and LD is working with his music. There is a peacefulness as we all 'do our own thing.' Tonight Mike will grill some steaks as we celebrate the beginning of the last phase in the Quad Squad Pregnancy.

Mike will be with Amber tomorrow as they get her all checked in. She will be starting an IV of magnesium sulfate - which is going to be pretty rough on her for the first few days. I am going up to the hospital Tuesday- Friday and staying during the day.
Louis Dean can hold down the fort here - which includes the care and feeding of four dogs and 2 cats! Lucy is acting as if she belongs here!

The circle of life.......as Amber is preparing to bring four new babies into the world, we received news that a dear friend is now on hospice care. This man greatly impacted the lives of all my children but ESPECIALLY Amber and Benjamin. He and his wife lived next door to us for 17 years. Amber has loved him with all her heart all of her life. They moved out to East Texas and every August Amber, Benjamin and I would go visit them for a week. He would show them the time of their lives!! Fishing, riding horses, fishing, target practice, fishing. Doug let Amber drive for the very first time in her life! We all have treasured memories of our time with Doug and Reaoma. Amber so wanted to go visit them this past fall but then the quad pregnancy happened.
It seems appropriate on this Easter Sunday to thanks God for the blessings of Doug's life even as we prepare for the eventual arrival of Amber's babies. The circle of life.......joy and pain at the same time. Fear and praise. Such a mixture of emotions - but that is the way of this precious gift called LIFE!

"When you have come to the edge

Of all light that you know

And are about to drop off into the darkness

Of the unknown,

Faith is knowing

One of two things will happen:

There will be something solid to stand on or

You will be taught to fly."

Patrick Overton