Welcome, Rayna Yael!

On Jan 12, 2011, I finally went into real labor and got to enjoy every minute of it. All 12 hrs. =D It was not easy, but I truly did enjoy it. That may sound strange but after my labor with Travis was cut off by a C-section, I relished every part of my labor with Rayna. God was with us and gave me the strength I needed. I labored all night and amazingly none of the kids ever woke up until they heard the baby cry.

Rayna with Mommy and Daddy, just minutes after she was born. This is also her first time to be prayed for on this side of the womb.

Rayna Yael was born Jan 13, 2011 at 5:08am. She was my first HBAC. (Home Birth After Cesarean) She weighed 8lbs 3oz and was 20 1/4" long. Her daddy's hands were the first to hold her as he caught her as she entered this world. As you can see, she is beautiful and worth the wait. =) God's timing was perfect, as usual, and we are very thankful and blessed to have our little Rayna Yael.

Rayna with her happy big sister Keilah

Pleased big brother Jakin with his little sister Rayna. He really wanted a sister.

Rayna being held by big brother Travis, who is also totally thrilled to have a baby sister.

Big sister Sarah enraptured with her new baby sister.

1 day old

Devoted big brother

5 days old caught smiling as she was in between sleep and waking up

5 days old and ready to learn about the new world she has entered

Labor, Or Rather, Lack Of True Labor, Struggles

This post was also written earlier, and scheduled to post later....The date I wrote this post was Jan 10, 2011

Image via Wikipedia

I had my worst time yet in this pregnancy last night.

Things seemed to be getting ready for the baby and then seemed to really start cranking up, so I called my midwife and she headed out. David and the kids got things prepped and ready, and we all were excited. Midwife checked me and I was 1cm. She further ascertained that this was just a better version of false labor than I had previously experienced.

Needless to say, this is not what I was expecting or wanted to hear. Honestly, I am still having a hard time this morning. I am doing better, but my emotions are really giving me a ride when they take the notion. After nearly 2 weeks of this kind of thing, I really thought that I was dilated further than basically a 0.

There is not really a way to go through explaining all the reasons why this is hard for me. But God is faithful and has given me help in my time of need, just as He always has.

One thing that I am really being encouraged with this morning is that God is the One Who will bring me to the time of labor. I know, duh.  

Is 66:9 "Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” says the LORD; “shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?” says your God."

But as He reminded me of this this morning, I just gave a sigh of relief as I realized that all this really is God's deal and He is the One Whose job it is to bring this baby into this world. I am just a vessel that He has chosen to carry this little person. My part is to stay submitted to Him and rest in His timing. Can I do that on my own? Uh, no. But with His grace and power given to me, I can.

A further calming balm to my out of control emotions this morning is, God is God, not me. Another, duh, I know, but it really does help when things are not going my way to stop and remind myself that I am not the one who sees all. He is. Do I really want His job, do I really want to sit down, throw a fit and demand that the Author of the universe sit up, pay attention and cater to my feeble demands? Really, I don't have access to enough information to make those kinds of demands. I can't answer the questions God asked Job any better than He could, and so, like Job, I surrender and plead no contest.

This video sums it all up.



Really, in the scope of things, my issue is pretty piddly compared to lots of things that other people go through, or even things I have been through in the past. But, an issue is an issue, so no matter how piddly, if the heart can become settled  and still knowing that God is God, then it lays a foundation for other battles. I am praying that God burns this into me in such a way that it is my first response to a trial, no matter how big or how small.

Thoughts From My Pregnancy

This post was written Jan 6, 2011, but I scheduled it to post at a later date, after the baby was born. Rayna Yael was born Jan 13, 2011.

The question on the minds of all around me right now, and understandably so, is, have you had the baby yet? Or, haven't you had that baby yet? It has been on my mind a bit as well. =D Esp since earlier this week it looked like I might go into labor, and then it all went away. And then it looked like I might again, and all went away. And so on. I have been in and out of labor mode a few times this week. A bit like lining up to the starting line, ready for the race, and just before the gun goes off, the whole thing is called off. Leaves you feeling a bit like, "Now what?" And then we line up again... And again....

I have never really dealt with this in my earlier pregnancies and hadn't "prepped" myself for this. But I have been learning a few things that I want to record here. If anything I am going through/learning in this time is helpful to anyone reading, then that is great, too. =)

As I was telling a friend, I am having to just rest in God's timing right now. Or rather, fighting to rest. Sounds like a contradiction, but it has been a constant striving to wrestle my emotions down on the mat and hold them there 'til they submit to the facts: I am resting in the Lord's timing and plan. End of story. This battle has sometimes had to take place several times a day, and I have lost count of how many times I have won and then had to rejoin the fight to rest and trust in the last week. =)

As happens often with this type of battle, I have not been without the encouragement of the Lord. If I had gone into labor on two of the occasions that I thought I was going to, it would not have been good timing. There are two babies that are happy with their mommies right now, and if I had gone into labor my midwife would have either missed my birth or theirs. God knew. =) And His encouragement to me to rest in Him and His timetable was right on.

This is not an easy time for me right now, but I am thankful for it. I am looking forward to taking from the trenches of this battle the lessons that God is teaching me and using them to make other battles easier, or at least helping me to see them differently.

Hot Chocolate Mix

I have been craving hot chocolate. I don't know if this is due to baby, the weather or just weirdness. =D What ever the case is, I am.
So, I made some. Hot chocolate, that is. And it was so good I thought I would share it on my blog for whoever else is having a thing for the hot drink that warms you down to the toes.
Here is the recipe I used:

Hot Chocolate Mix

3 1/2 Cups nonfat dry milk
1 Cup powdered sugar (Hint: I put some of my natural sucanat sugar in my Vitamix dry container and turned it into powdered sugar. This gives rich taste as well as being a bit healthier than the white stuff...)
1/2 Cup cocoa powder. ( I like the dark chocolate...)

Combine all ingredients and store in air tight container.
To make a mug of yummy brown stuff, add 1/4-1/3 Cup of the mix to a mug, and fill with hot water. Stir and enjoy!