To God be the Glory...

   Four weeks and three days ago my little Reese Matthew Bailey arrived a little before we expected. It was Sunday, Feb. 26th and I was scheduled to enter the hospital at 5pm that day. I was 39 weeks pregnant with the fifth and since I had not dilated or effaced any (which was very unusual for me being the 5th pregnancy and the fact that I was very active, having just moved and my youngest just turning a year old) the Dr. was going to do a simple procedure that would dilate me to about 2cm the next morning and then they would start the induction.
   I entered the hospital at 5pm and they got me registered and set up in my room. They put my IV port in and because Reese was being a little sluggish they decided to go ahead and start up some IV fluids, thinking I was a little dehydrated. The Dr. arrived around 7pm and he came in to do the fairly routine procedure. He got started and a little more than 5 min. into it he started seeing an unexpected result. I was bleeding, and there should not have been any bleeding. In his 30 years of doing this procedure this has only happened one other time. He waited to see if the bleeding was going to stop, while closely monitoring me and the baby. My blood pressure begin to drop pretty significantly and the bleeding didn't stop and so the Dr. made to decision to do an emergency c-section. Your read that right and if you follow my blog you would note that this is the 2nd emergency c-section just one year apart. My heart sank, this is not what we planned for. After all I have four kids at home and my youngest was only one year old. I have far to much on my plate to have a c-section. Lord, why? why was this happening.
   Matt started praying over me as he is holding the heart rate monitor on my stomach so they can keep track of Reese's heart rate. There are nurses everywhere in the room, prepping me for surgery very quickly. I tell Matt through my tears that he needs to call my Mom and Pastor Tim so they could get the word out.  It all happened so fast, and at 7:40pm I hear my baby Reese cry for the first time. He was okay, I was okay but I was worried about my recovery. I had such a very hard recovery after my last c-section.
   Everything happens for a reason. They still are not sure where the bleeding was coming from but I am convinced that it was for my good. Had I gone into labor at home and started bleeding like that, well I may not be here typing this today or I might not have my precious Reese. I was in a controlled situation, I had my Dr. right there, the nurses right there and already had one bag of fluid and was on my second when the started surgery. But the story doesn't end there. It could and the fact that both of us were okay would be enough, God would still get the glory but it doesn't end here.
   From the moment they finished the surgery there was a definite difference than my last c-section. I wasn't in as much pain and the next day when they went to get me out of bed, I was able to without as much assistance. Three days later I went home and was able to climb the stairs up to my bedroom in our townhouse. Two weeks later I was able to go back to Harvest Church and be with my friends and family as we worship the Lord together. Three weeks later I was able to drive, go grocery shopping and pick up my one year old son who is a big one year old I might add. My pain has been minimal and my God has been so very gracious to me. I give God all the glory for my quick recovery. So when you are in a situation and worry starts to set in, just remember that God already knows the outcome, and He is in control. He has every detail in His hands and He loves you so much. This is my testimony, this is how great my God, my Jesus is. I pray that this encourages you today.  

It's Almost time for Cinco Bambino

It's amazing how fast a pregnancy can go by when you are busy with four other kids, the youngest being a year old. It is hard to believe that we will welcome our 5th baby, our 3rd boy into our lives this coming Monday. The past 9 months have been a roller-coaster of emotions and well, hormones to say the least. So much has happened in such a short time. We were blessed with our sweet Jeremiah on Feb. 20th 2011 and a couple of months later found out the Lord was blessing us with a HUGE surprise of another son. A few months after that we sold our home and had a matter of about 3 days to pack and move out. We were blessed to be able to stay with my sister and brother in law for five months while we searched for our new home. We moved a month ago and now we prepare for our cinco bambino as he is affectionately been named by a dear friend. Life hasn't been easy per say but I have seen the hand of God all over our lives. This, Cinco Bambino wasn't in the deck of cards that I saw for my life but I get the feeling he is going to be a huge blessing to us and many others. His name is to be Reese Matthew Bailey...Reese means having great Enthusiasm for life and Matthew means gift of God. Over the past year I have learned more than ever that "Gods grace is sufficient for you (me)" 2 Corth 3:5; that "the Lord shall supply all your (my) needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus" Phil 4:19; and "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him.." Prov 3:5-6  So when life doesn't go like you planned, don't panic, remember that the Lord of all the universe knows exactly what is going on and He has it all in control, cast your cares upon Him and walk in His amazing Grace! I have no idea when I will get to update my blog again and so for now ...I, Kelly Margaret Bailey, daughter of the Most High God, wife to one amazing man, mother to five and who has tons to get finished in the next 24 hours....signing off..goodnight to all.
ps. the picture at the top is of my amazing baby shower cake made for me by a dear friend :)

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 :)

It's a Boy!!

Okay so I realize that it has been a really long time since my last post. I blink and months have flown by. I figured that since my last post was that we found out I was pregnant with baby number four that I should probably update my blog :)
We found out on Sept. 30th that we will be having our 2nd son. His name is to Jeremiah Wayne. The first name actually came to me in a dream about 4 months before we got pregnant. It means Exalted of God. His middle name is after his daddy. Consequently it was about 4 months before we got pregnant that I found out my son David had secretly been praying for a baby brother.
The thought of having four kids can and does overwhelm me sometimes. But I remember my mom had five kids and she made it out okay. I know, I know it is by the grace of God that I too shall make it. It is by His grace that I am able to do anything. The past 5 months has been rather overwhelming at times. We started school back in July so that when Jeremiah arrives I will have a month to recoup and get into a routine again.
Rearranging rooms and trying to find space to put little Jeremiah in February has been trying but even in the midst of all of this I find myself smiling and happy at the thought of holding him in my arms. It's amazing the love that I can feel for this little life as it grows inside of me. There is a time and place for everything. As it says in Ecclesiastes 3 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh..." At any rate you get the idea
If there is anything I have learned over the past few years it is to embrace where you are in life. By that I mean find something enjoyable in the season you are in and cherish those moments. My children are already growing up at such a fast rate that I can hardly believe it. Even on the most frustrating days it is good for me to remember that they won't be this age forever and to cherish the moments I have with them.
Something else I have learned to truly cherish....a moment of peace and quiet. Just those lovely moments in the day that are filled with well, silence. If I have errands to run alone I don't turn on the radio as soon as I jump in the van. It is those moments that it is just me, my thoughts and often my time to pray and talk to God. I cherish those moments. Having some time here and there by myself is not just a bad thing, it is those moments I often find myself looking for here lately.
Well there you have it, an update. Maybe more than I actually planned on but none the less you have it. We are a mere 17 weeks from the arrival of our newest member of the family. Hopefully I will find time to get back on here before he makes his debut.

Surprise

Well I guess the picture above says it all. Yes that's right my husband Matthew and I are expecting our 4th baby. I am still somewhat in the state of shock but somewhat excited now too. Today we announced the news to our church body. I am the 4th women to be expecting in our small church. We have two babies due in December, one in January and mine in Feb. I think I have experianced all the emotions you can have in this past week.
There is something big going on at my church, Harvest Church. We have had two teens get saved in 2 weeks and five babtisms and four ladies expecting babies. I do believe we will have more in every area. Come, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. I will have more to share later. For now suffice it to say that God is good....All the time!