Steve & Pam Bell

Audrey Bell	Stuart Bell	Hillary Bell

2002 "Year in Review"

    Greetings from the Vermont Bells. Here is our 2002 year in review.  In January we returned to Vermont from a wonderful Christmas visit in Tennessee with Steve’s family.  We celebrated our immediate family Christmas on New Year’s Day.  The next day we jumped right into our busy schedules with basketball for Stuart and Hillary, youth retreats, and various band concerts.  Stuart celebrated his 13th birthday in February.
    Spring brought a change of activity with Track and Field for Audrey and Stuart. Stuart came down with pneumonia early in the season and had to miss a few weeks to recover.  Pam was selected to take over the Milton High School boys and girls varsity track program as head coach.  She had two great assistants.  They had 24 athletes qualify for the Div. II State Meet, 13 qualify for Meet of Champions, and 2 for New Englands.  A highlight was Audrey’s qualifying for States in the long jump.  Steve helped with electronic meet entries and scoring. We were all glad when the season was over in mid-June though!  Hillary turned 10 in May. In May, Pam’s mom underwent two surgeries: ovarian cysts (one 9 lbs.!) and intestinal blockage. We are thankful for God’s healing of her.
    In July Pam’s mom had to go back in for surgery to have her gall bladder removed.  Pam was able to spend several days with her.  July also brought field hockey camp and a couple of family camping trips.  We went to Maine the end of July to spend a week with Pam’s family.  The kids enjoyed getting reacquainted with their cousins over swimming, water skiing, and playing games.  We visited the Maine Museum in Augusta and went to Popham Beach State Park. The ocean was very warm (Sharks were sited down the coast from us; this after I had reassured the kids that sharks do not like the icy cold waters of Maine!).
    August included another camping weekend with church families, field hockey pre-season practice for Audrey and Pam. Pam is in her third year as JV coach and assistant varsity coach at Milton High School.  Audrey played for the varsity team.  Stuart also began football practice for the Milton Rec. team “the Broncos” where he had a great season as co-captain.  He received the team’s Sportsmanship trophy at the final playoff game. Steve enjoyed watching him play this year and being “waterboy”. School began on August 29.  This year Hillary joined our Bell Homeschool Academy!  All three continue to take classes at their respective schools.  Audrey is a sophomore, Stuart is in 8th grade, and Hillary is in 5th grade.  Keeping all of their schedules straight and teaching three levels is a challenge.  Steve has been recruited to teach Audrey’s biology labs!
    In November, Pam’s dad was hospitalized with kidney stones.  They were unable to remove them because an aneurysm was discovered on his aorta. (He is schedule for surgery on Dec. 26.)  Hillary had a week of the flu and fever. After that week, we spent a relaxing Thanksgiving week at home together.  Steve and Stuart began some major refinishing of our basement.  They have a ways to go but it is looking more like a family room as the weeks go by.  The week following Thanksgiving Stuart started basketball (after a week of the flu and 102º fever plus strep throat).  Steve, Audrey, and Pam are glad they have not come down with it!!  Steve will be exercising his coaching skills on Hillary’s 5th and 6th grade recreation basketball team this winter.
    December was a whirlwind of concerts, auditions, and gatherings.  We will be spending Christmas at home this year. A highlight is always the Christmas Eve candlelight service.  It is a special time to refocus all our busyness and reflect on the wonderful gift of eternal life we have through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.  We rejoice in his birth, death, resurrection, and coming again!  Following Christmas Day we will go to Maine to be on hand for the surgery of Pam’s dad.  We would appreciate your prayers.  We look forward to 2003 and all the wonders God has in store.

Steve’s Notes
    I continue to enjoy my work at the University of Vermont in cardiology research.  We moved into the lab and offices into a new research building.  We have had some transitions in doctoral personnel and are currently seeking long-term funding for additional heart research.  The daily work continues to present new challenges as well as the routine personnel, administrative, surgical, mechanical/electronic fabrication and repairs, and regulatory responsibilities.
    At North Ave. Alliance Church (CMA) I have worked with the Battalion group (grades 7
& up) in Christian Service Brigade. We ended the year with a camp-o-rama in Lovell, Maine.  I am also a youth sponsor in the Jr. High program Sunday evenings.  We have a good size group ranging from 20-40 kids on any given night. We continue to enjoy the fellowship  and ministries opportunities at NAAC.  We have developed many meaningful relationships over the past 16 years.  We have continued with our small group that meets in the Milton area monthly for fellowship and Bible study.
     I have been doing a bit of running this year.  I ran in a 5K race with my brother-in-law, Erik Lewis, in Maine during our July vacation.  I also ran in my first ½ marathon in October.  It was a windy, rainy day along the shore of Lake Champlain and I was glad to complete the race!
     In my “spare” time I have been able to do a few home improvement projects.  We are continuing the “long-term” project of finishing the basement family room.
     I am still a big part of Chester’s life (our Chesapeake Bay Retriever) and enjoy having him around.  He and the cats (Sunny and Casey) keep us amused.
 

Pam’s Notes
    Life is full and very busy these days.  Some days it seems I am on the road all day shuttling kids to and fro.  Homeschooling all three kids this year has presented a HUGE challenge.  Sometimes it is overwhelming but God has enabled our schedules to come together so that I have blocks of time with each one of our children.
    I am coaching Track and Field and field hockey at Milton High School.  Although it adds some stress to our already crazy lives, it enables me to have direct contact with so many kids at the high school.  I am able to develop positive relationships with students and school administrators in a way I would not be able to otherwise.  It also allows me to be involved with Audrey and Stuart in an activity outside of academics. I do hold several certifications related to coaching now.
    At North Ave. Alliance Church I am completing my 3rd year as Sunday School superintendent.  I will be stepping down at the end of this year to focus more on youth activities.  I will continue to be involved with helping in Sunday school, Bible studies, being a Pioneer Club prayer pal, and the secret sister program.  For the most part I feel the need to devote my energies (or what is left of them!) into homeschooling and local student opportunities to serve the Lord.
    Crafts?! What are those?  This area has been neglected this year but I hope to find room in 2003 for some “Mom” time.  I miss the outlet and satisfaction that comes from making and creating things.
    This year has been challenging as my parents have gone through some health issues.  But God has graciously allowed “minor” problems to occur to reveal more serious ones so that the doctors could deal with them.  It has been hard to be so far away from them and I cherish the times we spend together.
    Throughout the year God has continually reminded me that He is still in control of all circumstances, and that He loves and cares for us.