Dedicated to Stanford

I decided to write a blog for Stanford since I don't get to see him while he's in Salt Lake and I miss him so much. I hope that we can all remember the sacrifices these soldiers are making for us everyday. Diana (Bree's mom) turned me on to this poem and I thought it was the best representation of what soldiers do for us everyday. I love you and miss you so much Stan!

A Different Kind of Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight. The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near. Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold. Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here! Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.. To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said Its really all right,I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night. So that your family can sleep without fright.

It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December," Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers

"My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ', And now it is my turn and so, here I am. I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue... an American flag. I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.

Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall." "So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least, "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled. Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us"


Of course I wouldn't be a Bell if I didn't have something about Christmas in my June blog but I really love the way it shows what soldiers go through for us. My brother is amazing and every day he is gone I think and pray for him. I ask all of my family and friends to please remeber the soldiers who are away from their families risking their lives for us everday. I love you so much Stanford.

Life in St. Maarten

Here's a little bit about St. Maarten for all of my family and friends. The island is split up into two sides: the French and the Dutch. I live on the Dutch side of the island near the cruise port. The island survives off of tourists and when there are no cruise ships in it's like a ghost town. It's so funny because when cruise ships are in it is the funnest place on earth. There are islanders playing the steel drum and singing along the boardwalk (I work on the boardwalk), people are walking up and down selling their handmade goods, locals are offering to braid the tourists hair, not to mention the loads of people on the main public beach. When there isn't a boat in none of that is happening, there aren't even people on the beach.

Come to find out the main public beach is actually one of the "worst" beaches on the island and if you go there you are just such a tourist. I think it's really nice, but in comparison to the other beaches here it is a little bit trashier. The beaches are amazing. On a clear day at the beach you can see at least 8 feet below you with perfect clarity. And on a really wild wavy day you can only see six :) We just did a boat and snorkeling excursion on our day off and I saw two sting rays, and two barracuda, as well as a slew of different kinds of fish. I love my days off!

The culture is really different here. When you hear about how islanders are go with the flow, slow paced, that is dead on. It's been a stuggle trying to get the girls in my store to understand why they can't fall asleep on the job. They are hilarious, things that are not appropriate to say to someone in the states are nothing here. They tell each other how fat they are all of the time. But when Katherine asked how old one of their boyfriends was it was the biggest deal, they couldn't stop talking about how awkward it was. We always laugh at the things they think are appropriate to say. The entire street I work on is now aware that I am a virgin, thanks to my girls telling everyone I see, "she hasn't lossed it." I am still trying to explain to them why it's not ok to talk about that, ha ha. They always keep you on your toes.

Our apartment is really nice. We have an amazing view of the ocean that we can see from our covered porch, just that would be enough to keep me happy. We share a room but we have a big living room and kitchen area with a fair sized bathroom. We are about 5 minutes from work and 15 away from my favorite beach.

Work is a little bit more than I though it would be, we work at least 50 hours a week. I am in charge of cruise relations, I "take care" of the Port Lecturers that promote our product on the ships. I mostly write them emails to tell them how they did in port, offer to help them with anything they need, take them out to lunch, and come up with promotions we can run in our port for each cruise ship. It can get stressful doing that as well as the day to day in store routine but I'd rather be busy than bored.

That's kind of a brief look into my St. Maarten life for everyone. I miss you all and I love you so much!!