Introducing sweet Beaufort Ray!

Every year in December, I plan a time to get away, pray over the following year, and set goals. Some years I have super clarity on what I want to do, and other years I’m confused and don’t know where to start. BUT, when I follow this plan, I always walk away with more clarity than if I hadn’t done anything at all.

Since 2011, I have been blogging my monthly goals over on the Nancy Ray Photography blog EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH. I can honestly say I don’t think I missed a month since I began! There is something powerful about sharing your monthly goals, because it keeps you accountable.

8:05PM
We got checked in, made it to the room, and the nurse checked me: 7 centimeters!

3:30PM on July 25th
I had just woken up from a nap. I was already on maternity leave, It was 4 days before my due date, and I had been chasing my 2 year old Milly around all morning. I felt mild cramps, and then they would subside. “Could this be it?” I laid there for 30 minutes, praying, timing the cramps, and begging God for help and His presence.

We checked into the hospital around 11pm. I had lost all concept of time, and everything at this point everything is very fuzzy in my memory. I was completely in a different place mentally and physically, focusing all of my energy on the work before me. I remember being shocked to find out it was 11pm – I thought it was much earlier! We were delivering at a brand new hospital, and it was like a ghost town. It had only opened its doors 2 weeks prior, and we were the only ones there to deliver a baby! It was pretty great. Instead of triage, I was escorted straight to a labor and deliver room since all of them were empty.

I didn’t fully realize what a life changing experience Milly’s birth would be. I have learned to surrender my plans to the Lord’s throughout my pregnancy, and I learned to surrender to Him in a very real way during Milly’s birth. To provide a bit of context to my story, we decided to have a natural childbirth, free of medication.

Two weeks from today. Is this real? Really, it could happen today, or 3 weeks from today… it’s up to baby at this point! Only the Lord knows when he or she will arrive!

It is so hard to believe that I will already be 6 months pregnant THIS WEEK. My belly has grown quite a bit since the photo was taken above… this whole process is still quite surreal. I’ve been told that I’ll never really get used to it, even when the baby arrives, and I know that will be the case for me. My prayer is that I would slow down and enjoy every season of this, knowing that I’ll never be pregnant for the first time again.

What is so sweet about this journey for us, and for me in particular, is that God has been incredibly gracious and gentle with me. Thankfully, the Lord has taken my hand and has led me every step of the way. For me, this journey has not been typical or easy. But two things I know to be true: He is good, and His timing is perfect.

It’s true! We’re having a baby! We are so, so grateful.

Baby Ray
Due: May 27th, 2015