Marian Bell

.....................................................................................Yesturday at 1:30pm my Grandma (Marian Bell) took her last breath here on earth. Its interesting that when someone you love dies you start to notice everything about life. I'll never forget the weather yesturday (storms, sunshine, blue skies, rain). I looked at my kids completely different when I came home from the hospital. I scooped them up and kissed them and thanked God for the life before me. After my grandma passed I looked at her body and into her face and she seemed at peace. I knew she was in heaven with her husband, parents, and siblings that she had lost so many years ago. We had many conversations about God while she was in the nursing home. We said many prayers together and sang of Gods amazing grace. Even in the end when her memory was failing her she could still sing the words to amazing grace. As I slept last night I was flooded with memories of my grandma. My grandma was talented in so many areas. Of course she didn't see it as talent she just saw it as a way of life. To me it was talent!! My grandma loved flowers, birds, gardens, sewing, pottery, art, people, and most of all home. She loved to be at home. Last night I was reminded of several verses in the bible that perfectly described her. I Thessalonians 4:11 "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." and I Peter 3:3 "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." My grandma had a beautiful flower garden that contained every flower you could imagine. She used to take me out to her flower garden and let me pick pretty flowers to be put into a vase for the table. She also used to send me home with a few dafodils for myself. When my grandpa was still alive I remember their vegetable garden that contained corn, strawberries, beans, etc.... They used to make the best jellies!! They would can their veggies (which I thought was a talent all itself!!). Birds were another passion of my grandmas. She had bird feeders everywhere and cared for the birds as if they were people. She knew all of their names and found the greatest delight in seeing them flutter around her feeder. She would say "Come quick, shhh be quiet, look outside, its little robin red breast, or looks its a beautiful cardinal, its miss finch, or our little oriole friend." (that makes me smile). My Grandma loved to sew!! It was second nature for her. She made dresses, curtains, slip covers, and doll clothes for my babies. She taught me how to cut out a pattern and how to make hair bands and clothes for my doll. It took me hours to make one thing. I used to listen to the machine as she would sew and it sounded like she was sewing a million miles a minute. She would then put a tag on the inside "Made with love by grandma". Ok now for my favorite hobby of hers. Pottery - I loved, loved, loved slapping clay on her wheel and making a huge mess =) She would always turn my mess into something pretty. I would then glaze it and she would fire it in her kiln. I still have some of the cups and bowls that I made at her house. Along her driveway she had mulberry bushes. We used to take buckets down the driveway and pick the berries and put them in the buckets for later. I think I ate more mulberries than I put in my bucket-(ha ha). They were so sweet and tasted great right off the bush. For birthdays she would make a homemade cake and make a meal. The birthday girl or boy would get to use gold silverware and would sit at the head of the table. That always made me feel special. When my mom worked I remember that my Grandma would make a meal at her house and pack it up into a box (always the same box). She would drive to our house and put everything on the stove and serve everyone dinner. She did this almost daily for years and years. I remember her buying shoes for everyone in the family but never buying anything for herself. She was content with her aged clothes and shoes. When my Grandpa was dieing she cared for him at home which meant turning him, feeding him, changing him, etc.. b/c he was completly immobile from Lou Gheriigs desease. When she couldn't physically take care of him anymore and he had to go into a nursing home she spent every day there. Not one day went by that she didnt visit him and spend the day with him. My grandma was selfless, loving, and kind. She was a wonderful mom, grandma, and great grandma. We will all miss her dearly and look forward to seeing her again one day when we are home.