Thirty Five Weeks ~ One Day

33 Weeks 2 Days

Marli Grace's Room

It's starting to come together!! Still missing a few things, but hopefully we'll get the rest completed before she gets here!! We're still working on getting polyurethane on the dresser I am refinishing for her. And, there's a mirror that's in the paint stages... almost ready to hang above the lamp. And, of course, the rocking chair. I'd like to slipcover the cushions, but we'll see if I get to that! ;) If I don't, it'll still rock the same I think!! Enjoy the sneak peek!!

view with lamp on... no overhead light

her lamp I painted and trimmed... eventually there will be a mirror hanging above the lamp... still in paint stage!

overhead light on.. very bright!!

the hairbow holder I painted for her

crib with the canvases I've been working on... still need to finish the "G"

32 Weeks 2 Days

Thought I'd post a couple of pictures of my belly! Won't be much longer and she will be here!!

{and She will be called}

Yesterday, Baby Girl Rainey's bedding arrived.
Her room is starting to come together and it's finally starting to sink in we will be welcoming a baby girl into our family very soon! She is going to be Daddy's little princess & very protected by her big brothers who can't wait for her to be here!
Tomorrow, I'll be 27 weeks. The boys all came at 36 weeks 5 days, 36 weeks 3 days and 36 weeks 5 days. So, she could very well be well on her way in just 9 short weeks! We have so much to do to get ready for her arrival.
We love & can't wait to meet you Marli Grace Rainey!!

It's Confirmed: It's a Baby Girl

On Friday, I went in for my 20 week appointment. My tummy was measuring right on time. We were very fortunate that the docs office was testing out a new ultrasound machine & the tech had a sales rep there showing her all the bells & whistles that the machine would do, so we got a pretty lengthy appointment! That combined with Dr. Williams had been called to an emergency over at the hospital gave us extra peeking time! All her measurements were within normal limits. This made me very happy because I was worried that I had not gained enough weight therefore maybe she wasn't growing like she should be. Dr. Williams reassured me that a 3 pound gain in a month is plenty right now and everything with the baby looked good. She is very active. Moving all the time in my tummy. I've only been able to feel kicks and movements on the outside a couple of times. It's all mainly felt inside. Can't wait for the boys to feel their baby sister kicking!!

The ultrasound tech at Dr. Williams agreed with the other ultrasound tech at Baby Vision that Baby Rainey is in fact a girl! We are so excited! Still pondering names and keeping them to ourselves to prevent any feedback. We have one we think we're pretty set on though. Most likely she'll have a good ol' southern double name, but we're trying to come up with something that isn't so popular. I mean, we don't want her to have a crazy radical name, just would rather there not be 3 or 4 in her class one day! I've used Nate & Alex's school yearbook to look through names. The name we have wasn't listed anywhere in their yearbook. So, we're hoping in the next few months we won't come across very many!

Anyway, here's the photos we got! If you click on them, it'll be bigger and you can see more!

top: hand beside head
middle: not a great pic
bottom: profile facing upwards





top: foot with all piggies
middle: girlie parts.. three white horizonal lines
bottom: sweet face and arm



I'm Choosing To Trust My Lord!

**Warning Long Post**
Ok, so ever since Saturday & our exciting news that the baby is a sweet girl, I have been consumed with worry, doubt and fear. My mind hasn't stopped racing. Did the ultrasound tech really see a girl? Did she really know what she was doing? Am I far enough along to really tell what the baby is? Am I going to have to call all our family & friends in 5 more weeks to say 'we jumped the gun'? Am I crazy for really believing the Lord has promised to hear & answer my prayers? Doubt and worry led me to have a horrendous headache all day yesterday. It was the kind of headache that felt like my head was about to literally explode! Where was my focus? Not on the Lord & what He's told me since I've been pregnant.
Coincidentally, our resident snake is back, too. The one who hangs out in the knot-hole in the tree in our backyard. Each day I go out & sit on the deck & we just stare at each other. Interesting how the timing is with our fantastic news & the arrival of this slithering creature! LIGHTBULB MOMENT: I've been focusing on that crazy snake "the devil" and not keeping my eyes on the Lord.


Yesterday & today, I've had wonderful devotions from Proverbs 31 Ministries which have given me a swift kick in the pants for me to get refocused on the Lord and to take my eyes off of that crazy snake A.K.A. doubt, fear, worry!


See the Lord showed me several times in my bible study where He was going to fulfill my desire. Scripture He's given me over the past few months: Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding 2 Samuel 7:28 Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. Philipians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.


And, on the way home to take the pregnancy test, He gave me His words through song: Casting Crowns - Voice of Truth lyrics that were on the radio right as I pulled out of CVS on my way home - the voice of Truth says, "this is for MY glory".... the voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid"


So WHY do I question?? I'm not focused on Him!


And, here's what I have learned from my 2 devotions the past couple of days.


Today's Lesson:


Feeling Emotional
Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” John 14:1


I felt, I felt, I felt … all I was doing was feeling, letting my emotions spread out and lay claim over every aspect of my day. There are instances where Jesus is described as feeling “deeply troubled” and “distressed.” (Mark 14:33, John 13:21, John 12:27, NLT)



If Jesus got emotionally agitated, then it’s unrealistic for me to expect to go through life without feeling some stress. The problem isn’t my emotions, it’s my reaction to them. The trouble comes when I give them free reign in my heart and mind. That’s when I become unstable. **Note to self: Hello, this is EXACTLY what I've been doing!**


That’s when I lose sight of God.


That’s when I say or do things I regret.


Jesus spoke today’s key verse to His disciples, knowing what their futures would hold. He knew His death was coming and it would trigger fear, sorrow and doubt in their hearts. Not wanting them to wallow in those emotions, He counseled them ahead of time to keep their focus on God and all that He’d been teaching them. Jesus, knowing what our day holds, speaks the same words to us. He tells us to not let our emotions fly about, creating an unstable and troubled heart. Instead, our trustworthy Lord tells us to focus our attention on Him.** Yes, He has... He's been telling me all along! **



Eventually, I made the decision that morning to pray and place my trust in God, despite how my day was shaping up and despite how volatile my emotions felt. He calmed my anxious heart. It feels good when I trade in my troubled emotions for a source of strength that will get me through my day.


Yesterday's Lesson:


I Need To Know The Truth
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32


When did I start believing I was crazy? ** yep, I thought I was crazy to believe the U/S tech ** I recalled the chronic pain I’ve suffered for the last two years. As I did, familiar accusations ran through my mind: You’re such a wimp. There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re crazy. Ah, there it was, the lie that had slithered unbidden into my mind and nested there. **There's that crazy snake in my yard (mind) nesting and taking up room! **
You don’t have to be a survivor of childhood abuse to believe lies. I think they’re part of the human condition. And women seem especially susceptible. Perhaps that susceptibility is an imprint of the fall when Eve believed that first untruth the serpent hissed at her in the garden.

But good news comes with the truth. Not our truth. But the Truth — Jesus Christ. **REFOCUS KELLY**
In other words, when condemning accusations coil around my mind, I know — I can be fully assured — they’re not from God. And if they’re not from God, they’re not worth believing.After my doctor’s appointment when I recognized I’d fallen prey to the lies again, another thought went through my mind: You’ll never get it right. Good grief! This time, I had to laugh. I was aware of the crafty serpent and wasn’t falling for another lie. Instead, I turned to Jesus and thanked Him for the freedom found in Him, the Truth.**Thank you, Jesus for refocusing me! **

While the enemy will continue to try and thwart God’s truth, we can know he’s already lost the battle. It’s a done deal. In Genesis 3 we read that the head of the serpent will be crushed under Jesus’ heel, defeating him for all time. He holds no real power over us.
The longer we walk with Jesus, and the more we seek His truth, the more we’ll recognize His voice and enjoy the freedom found in Him. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. (Galatians 5:1, NIV)

Ok... that's my blip for today!
Pretend I have a great singing voice and hear me singing...

1. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
Refrain:This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long; this is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.
2. Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight; angels descending bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

(Refrain)

3. Perfect submission, all is at rest; I in my Savior am happy and blest, watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love.
(Refrain)

It's A......... Girl?!?!

Friday, I went in as last reported to my OB for my 15 week check up. All is well with the baby & my doctor wanted to see me back in 5 weeks for the "big ultrasound". However, I couldn't stand waiting 5 more weeks to find out what Baby Rainey is. So, Allan & I talked about it & decided to go to a 3D place in Roswell called Baby Vision. It was $60 for gender determination. After, Nate's ball game yesterday, we loaded up the boys & headed up to our appointment. The appointment from start to finish was only 15 mins. It took her about 5-6 mins to get some pics of the baby. I tried really hard to find the "turtle head" like I saw in Nate, Alex & Seth's ultrasound photos and never saw it. The ultrasound tech told us with almost no doubt that Baby Rainey is indeed a girl. I was in total shock & am still in shock. Why? I'm not sure. I think I really thought it would be a boy. I have prayed and asked if it is God's will, for Him to bless us with a baby girl. And, I've claimed Psalm 37:4 "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart". I've felt this whole time that this baby is a girl, so why can't I make myself believe it's a girl?? Doubt? Fear? I don't know. We've called and told all our family & friends and now I think I fear having to call them all in 5 weeks to tell them it's actually a baby boy. Lord knows I would be thrilled with a boy, too. I can't really put it into words the confusion I am feeling right now and if it's actually warranted or if I'm just over analyzing our fantastic news. Reading wrong gender predictions on the internet doesn't seem to help either. I've promised myself after today no more looking at ultrasounds online. 
Here's a few photos they took of her. You can click on them for a larger view.

15 Weeks and Counting

I am 15 weeks today. I just got back a little while ago from the doctor. Everything looks great. I've only gained 1 pound. That's good. I got to hear the heart beat. Dr. W said the heartbeat sounds like a boy to him. Only time will tell! He's probably right. I think he's been in the biz long enough to give an accurate guess. They took blood for the maternal serum alpha fetoprotein test. This is the lovely test we had come back with a false positive with Alex. It's not mandatory, but I opt for it anyway. If there were to be a problem in utero, we'd like to know as early as possible. Praying for good results. We should get results in about a week.

We're still pondering names. We have no idea for a boy. If it is a boy, we'll have to dig deep since we have already used all the names we LOVED. Now it seems a bit more challenging because even if we like the name, sometimes it brings to mind kids we've played ball with or taught in Sunday school. LOL... and those are usually the ones you remember .. and not for good reason! :)
We've got 2 girl names. We'll divulge when the time is right.

Monday I had my endocrinologist appointment. He upped my dose of Synthroid to 137 mcg. from 125 mcg.  He seems to think that will be good until the baby is born. I go back in 2 months to check again. Feeling like a human pin cushion. You'd think I'd be used to needles by now between pregnancies & thyroid issues, but I'm not. I still cringe!

I feel great. I have no nausea which is a true blessing. I'm having to remind myself that there is life growing inside since nothing really fits and I'm not quite in maternity clothes either. Trying to take it easy & enjoy this last pregnancy.
I will go back to Dr. W in 5 weeks to get the big ultrasound. I'll be 20 weeks then. Very excited to find out what this baby is!
Til next time.......

Spring Break in Blue Ridge

About 3 weeks before Spring Break, we had the idea of going back to Blue Ridge, GA and staying in a cabin that we had previously stayed in. The boys ask us all the time, "when can we go back & stay in the cabin with the piano & "hotpool"?" Well, we decided to book it & spend the last 4 days of our Spring Break in the mountains! We had a great time & ate LOTS of yummy food! We arrived around 4 o'clock on Thursday afternoon. Went in, got settled & headed out for groceries where we spent more on 4 days worth of groceries than I normally spend on 2 weeks worth of groceries! We ate good!
Friday morning we got up & the boys wanted to go fishing. However, it was very misty rainy and there was a chance of thunderstorms. We headed out anyway looking for some water to wet our hooks! Lake Blue Ridge has been drained in order to fix the dam and won't be filled up again until the rainwaters fill it. I wonder if that's why there was so many homes for sale in Blue Ridge. I bet that eats into the town's profits since that lake is beautiful and offers so much recreation for the area. Anyway, we ended up in McCaysville, GA on the Tennessee border at a park called Horseshoe Bend Park on the Toccoa River. It was a very nice park & after going into ACE for a few fishing supplies and the local IGA store for a can of corn for bait... we baited their hooks hoping the rain would stop. The rain stopped and the haze finally burned off to reveal a beautiful sunshiney day! The boys never caught a fish, but Allan caught one small rainbow trout. He tried to get Nate to reel it in, but Nate was by a little waterfall area of the river and couldn't hear him over the water rushing. He let Nate hold it up & have his pic made as if he caught it. That made Nate's day! After staying at the park all day, we headed back to the cabin and grilled yummy baby back ribs! The kids played in the "hotpool" for a long time. Then after dinner we played UNO. Nate became quite the little player & schooled us a few times!
On Saturday, we were up early to find something else to do. We ended up driving into Morganton and taking a small hike to a Swinging Bridge over the Toccoa River. It was on the Benton MacKaye trail. We found a neat little waterfall. Lucy loved playing in the water! Then, the boys wanted to go fishing again. So, we went on an adventure trying to find another public area to fish at since the Horseshoe Bend Park was about a 45 min to hour drive from where we were. We ended up on the Toccoa River again in the Aska Adventure area next to the Shallowford Bridge. That water was faster moving than the other area & we didn't stay long. I learned I am not a river fisher... I'd rather fish a lake! We stopped & got hot boiled peanuts & other snacks and headed back to the cabin. We had planned a yummy dinner, but were so full from boiled peanuts that we just cooked some garlic shrimp while the boys enjoyed the "hotpool" then we watched Terminator 2. Nate had been wanting to see it & since it was on TV it was a "better" version for him to watch.
Sunday morning came way too soon! We hated leaving our mini-vacation, but we had to get back to reality. Of course, we made a stop at Mercier's Orchard for a jar of jalapeno peach jelly (my pick) and southern peach pecan preserves (Allan's pick). We all got a fried pie and some old fashioned sodas made with cane sugar. Yummy and we spent $50 less than we did last time! We disciplined ourselves because that's what it takes when you go in that place. Everything looks & sounds so yummy! We walked around downtown Blue Ridge & browsed through a couple shops and the boys played at the little park in the center of town before heading back home. We had a yummy dinner of grilled ribeyes, grilled onions and corn on the cob and yummy parmesan red potatoes! It was the perfect ending to our Spring Break!
Here's a few photos of our trip! Enjoy!

Our Duck Family

I took this picture last May on a visit to Stone Mountain Park. We were riding around checking out their campsites. I just loved the family of ducks on the bank by the water. They looked so cute together. Then, today, I was reading my verse of the day, Jeremiah 17:7-8 But blessed is Allan & Kelly who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. Allan & Kelly will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Now when I look at this picture, I can see Allan & myself as the parent ducks and the four baby ducks represent the children the Lord has entrusted us with. I am thankful for the confidence & peace the Lord has given us as He trusts us with another baby duck. Our family is like the tree that is planted by the water...rooted in the Living Water. With that Living Water in our daily diet, we'll not give way to fear when the heat comes and will not worry in a year of drought. We are quite confident that whatever the Lord brings us to, He'll bring us through. Thank you Jesus for being our Living Water that quenches our spiritual thirst & sustains us!

With Obedience Comes Blessing

A couple of weeks ago, I was approached by the assistant teaching director of my weekly Bible study. She wanted me to share something with the 100 ladies on March 2nd. My first thought was "I have nothing to share with these ladies who are much wiser & more spiritually mature than myself." But as I thought & prayed about what to share, obedience kept coming to mind. I find it pretty ironic since I think of myself as anything but obedient most times. But, in reflecting, I found several times where I was obedient & how the Lord blessed that obedience... so there it was: My Topic! So, I'm going to post what I shared with these ladies. I was scared out of my mind. As much as I love to talk, don't ask me to stand in front of 100 ladies and give me a microphone. Surely, I'll faint & make a fool of myself. But, the Lord showed up & I made it through without fainting! I hope it encourages you if you are struggling with something the Lord is calling you to do to just respond obediently.... you will be blessed for doing so!!

When L*** approached me with the idea of me sharing with you ladies, I thought she must be confused. Surely, she has mistaken me for a much wiser, more spiritually mature person. Immediately, the devil starts in on me attacking my insecurities with: fears of criticism, judgment, embarrassment, and failure. This happens to me each time the Lord has called me to do something which requires obedience. It happened when I was called into CBS leadership, when I was called to my 1st mission trip last summer to the Dominican Republic, when He led me to host & lead a Bible Study in my house, when He showed me He wanted me to teach a group of 9th grade girls at church and now when He wants me to share what He’s been teaching me with you all.

I am humbled that He calls me into these roles. I’ve learned that all He requires of me is to be an obedient and willing vessel. He will do the rest! And He’s proven that over and over because I know that alone I can’t accomplish the missions He’s called me to, but with Him every and anything can be accomplished!
So, obedience is what He’s been teaching me about. One of the largest tests in obedience was His calling me to serve Him on the Dominican Republic trip last summer. Even though I had prayed for Him to present the opportunity for missions and He was faithful to answer that prayer, I still wrestled with obedience. I am a stay at home wife & mother. Could I really leave my husband and 3 young boys (then aged 6, 5 & 3) ?? Could they really survive without me?? Surely, not!  Luke 14:26 became a reality & finally made sense to me. He had instructed me to go to the Dominican and I had to choose obedience and serve Him, not put my husband and children before Him. I really wish my natural inclination is obedience, it’s not. I’m learning obedience is a choice; a daily choice for me. While in the Dominican we were having devotion time on the beach one night. It was a beautiful night with a full moon reflecting on the ocean. While sitting there, I began reflecting on everything I had experienced while on the trip and thought WOW, what a blessing to have experienced all of this & what a privilege it was to be the hands & feet of Jesus to the men, women & children while on that trip. I would have missed out on so much if I had chosen not to follow His lead and gave way to my insecurities. I was in awe at how far He had brought me in my life to get me to the point of being on mission for Him. If you had asked me 7 years ago if I would be on a mission trip in the Dominican Republic, I would have laughed and thought absolutely not and went right back to my self-centered world I was living in. Everything the Lord has done in my life in the past 7 years is a direct result of faith and obedience. It took faith and obedience for me to surrender my life to Him, it took obedience for me to step out in faith for the leadership roles He’s called me to and the mission trip definitely took obedience. I want to obey Him because I love Him and am so thankful for what He’s done in my life! I owe Him nothing less than all of myself!
We just saw when studying Saul how the Lord had huge blessings for Saul, but because of his disobedience in choosing to do things his way, the blessing was passed on to David. That makes me wonder how many blessings the Lord originally intended for me but because of my lack of obedience has now been passed on to perhaps one of ya’ll. It challenges me to always be listening for when God is calling me to do something and I pray my response is always cheerful obedience.
True joy, fulfillment and happiness do not come from knowledge, but by what we do with that knowledge.


John 13:17 - Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them


James 1:22-25 - Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do


Luke 11:28 – Jesus said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it”


1 Samuel 15:22 - But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams
A little quote I came across while preparing for my trip to the Dominican Republic that I loved was this: The Lord doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called!
So, what I want to leave you with today is if the Lord is calling you into a leadership role, or to go on a mission trip or lead a group of kids, or anything that takes you outside of your comfort zone, respond obediently! Don’t allow Satan’s lies to discourage you from the work the Lord has intended for you! With obedience comes blessing.

Rainey, Party of Six, Your Table Is Ready

Yes, you read that right! Our family will expand by two feet come October 2011. We are beyond excited! We are thrilled and are eagerly anticipating this arrival. We have known for quite a while that we wanted another baby. We were just unsure of how the additon would come... either by adoption or by getting pregnant. Adoption still has a soft spot in our hearts and we had decided we'd pursue that route if we couldn't have one on our own. Praise the Lord it only took 2 months of trying and we were pregnant. We have known for 4 weeks and just shared with family & friends after our 1st doctor's appointment on Friday. The boys are very excited. I think the pregnancy with this baby is going to definitely be memorable. The boys are older and will be able to remember watching mommy's belly grow, feeling the baby move and seeing it roll around in my belly. Even though they are boys, I know they will be great helpers! Hard to believe Seth will be 5 when this one arrives and just one month after that Nate will be 8! Wow! Last time we brought a baby home we had 3 in diapers! They are all excited and curious to know how fast it will grow and when will my belly start getting "fat" haha and when it will be born. Nate & Alex want a baby sister. Seth wants a baby brother. Of course everyone's first comment was 'maybe this one will be a girl.' Our hearts aren't set on either/or. Naturally, we want a healthy baby. If we have a boy, that's fantastic. Clearly, we know boys best & are equipped. If it's a girl, that will be fantastic, too. She will have 3 older brothers to protect her! Psalm 139:13-16 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
We know life in the Rainey family will be busy, but we trust in the Lord's plan for our family. We sought him diligently while making this decision and He was faithful to hear our prayers and answer. We know that if He brings us to something, He'll be there to walk us through it! 1 Timothy 1:2 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.
Stay tuned for more updates & pictures. This definitely gives me more to blog about! :)

Chain Buster Race

Over the weekend, Allan participated in his first mountain bike race with 2 of his friends in Oconee County at Heritage Park. The race was 9 hours long. And, they got 2nd place in the 9 hour competition. There was also a 6 hour competition. The boys & I are so proud of him!! I do believe this is the first of many races for him! WAY TO GO DADDY!!! We love you & are so proud of you!! XOXO

Working hard to get up that hill... mile #8

SUPRISE!! Daddy is happy to see us!

The Muddy Bike

Allan after he completed an 8 mile lap

The Set Up

The Boys waiting on Daddy

The Team: Chris, Ryan & Allan

Way to go guys!

Stinkin' Cute Alex