Children are a heritage of the Lord...

    We are finally ready to share the news with the world that the Lord has given us another baby. Yep you heard me right, we are expecting our 5th baby on or around March 4th. I was as surprised as you probably are. Matt and I thought we were done having children after our son Jeremiah was born just a mere 6months ago. At first I totally panicked, cried, and asked God why? Then I went through three months of uncertainty as to if this baby would make it or not due to some complications. It was literally like being on an emotional roller coaster. God's grace has been amazing. He has been with me through it all, all my emotions, all my uncertainty, all my lack of understanding. I am finally at the point (13 weeks into the pregnancy) that I am looking forward to holding this baby. The joy of the Lord is my strength! One thing that has kept repeating in my mind over and over is "but God, this wasn't in our plans" and thus the response I always get... Jeremiah 29:11"For I know the plans I have for you, "declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future". And so what we think is a good plan for our lives doesn't always pan out just like we think it should, but all things are possible with the Lord. So we are differently in transition in the Bailey household and their are some big things in store for us I know.   

The Art of Multi-tasking

  

    There is one thing that I have found as of late, okay, more than one thing but for now we shall focus on one. With having four children ages 9 to almost 3 months you have to learn to do things a little different. The word multi tasking takes on a whole new meaning.
    Most women are known for having good multi tasking skills and why not, I mean if I am going to be able to get anything done (such as posting to this blog, yep eating lunch in between typing) I have to do multiple things at once. Have you ever asked yourself ..."What all can I do while feeding my baby a bottle"? or "What all can I pick up on the way to throw the diaper away"? Wait, you haven't asked yourself those questions, well I am sure the questions will vary from person to person. If you are the mother to four kids, one being a baby, you will ask yourself those and many more.
   As of late I have learned to incorporate my exercise routine into whatever it is that I need to do. So if I have a fussy baby Jeremiah, then I will rock him while doing some side lunges, or some squats. If it's time to have some one on one time with Hannah we turn up the music and do some dancing. You get the idea. But of course like everything there has to be balance. There are times that I cannot and should not do three things at once ( I would give examples but I am sure you have already thought of some).
   There are times that my husband need my attention, all of my attention. There are times that my kids needs my attention, all of my attention. While I can pray as I drive my car somewhere or as I fold clothes etc. there are times that I need to have all my attention focused on seeking the Lord.

   Maybe a better title would be the art of balancing multi tasking :) We live busy lives, I am learning the things that I need to busy myself with and what I don't. After all time is precious. Speaking of time, mine is up for now. I pray you are each blessed today. Till next time.....

Jeremiah means....God is Exalted

Jeremiah means....God is Exalted

Me and Jeremiah ..one month old

Photography by Jonathan Howe

The Bailey brood, L to R, Hannah Grace, Lydia

holding Jeremiah and David

Photography by Jonathan Howe

Jeremiah Wayne..one month

Photography by Jonathan Howe

First Day Home

Jeremiah Wayne Bailey

Feb. 20th, 2011

8lb. 2oz.

21in.

The Grandparents: David and Kathy Reese

Precious Baby Boy

Okay, so I realize it has been some time since I have blogged. It is now the end of March 2011 and our precious baby Jeremiah Wayne Bailey has not only arrived but is now a month old already. I do have a fairly good reason for just now blogging though :) The past month has been a dozy..hum, not sure that is a real word or spelled right if it is a word but I will go with it for the moment. Let me back track to the end of Feb. 2011...one month ago.

I was a week away from my due date, had been having contractions on and off for more than two weeks, was 3cm dilated and about 70% effaced, meaning I could go into labor at any moment really. I had my bag packed and in the van, had already arranged child care for when the moment arrived. I had planned to have a natural delivery this time around at the Lisa Ross Birthing Center, actually a water birth to be more specific. I had been practicing my breathing exercises and all that jazz and was nervous but ready for the blessed event to take place. I would give birth at the birthing center and then go home within 6 to 12 hours after Jeremiah was born. Well that was the plan. Okay we are now at Sunday Feb. 20th....plans changed...within moments really. It was around 4:15pm and I was out running errands with one of my sisters. I was heading home after I grabbed a few things from the store but decided to go ahead and get some gas in my husbands van that I was driving so he wouldn't have to do it early the next morning on his way to work. At the gas station after putting the hose in the tank, I turned to put my card and keys back in the van and tripped over the hose ( I think) and landed straight on my stomach. Long story short I ended up at hospital were they performed an emergency c-section less than two hours after I fell. It's amazing how everything you planned for can change in an instant.

This was to be my first c-section. The last four weeks have had lots of ups and downs and I certainly did not expect for my recovery to take this long. I have had a ton of help, love and support. God has been exalted in this whole ordeal. It was not a surprise to him that I was going to fall and have an emergency c-section or that I would pull a muscle at my incision site three weeks later. A week before my accident I received a phone call from my out of state Grandmother who called to pray for my labor and delivery and for the health of me and Jeremiah. Coincidence, I think not. The night before and the day of my fall I had received more prayer from various friends over my labor and delivery. God knows!! God's hand was on me and Jeremiah that day, from that very moment. Was it scary, sure it was, but I prayed the entire time. From the moment I landed on my stomach till the moment he was in my arms, I prayed. I had a host of people from my church, Harvest Church that were all praying as well. Nothing shakes God, and I can tell you I have learned many things from this unexpected delivery. For one, I do not take my health for granite, being able to do simple things, getting up on my own, being able to sleep on my side, putting my shoes on, taking a bath, yes even shaving my legs...lol, those are things I did daily without a thought. Suddenly when you cannot do those things for a time, you realize just how precious health is. I value being able to do those simple things and am looking forward to the day in the near future when I feel normal again, when I can do those simple things in a normal frame of time and not 30 to 45min :) My God, the God who holds everything in His hands, has held me the past four weeks. He is to be Exalted above all else. He is my comforter, my deliverer, my salvation. I should hopefully be blogging again soon, at least before he is a year old :)