Now Presenting.......

CANON JOHN RAINER

Jess and I have decided on a name. We love calling our son by name!

Canon is still kicking away like crazy and is a very active little boy. He gets really excited when I am at the dentist (I have been there way too much lately) and when we are in church. He goes crazy when the music starts playing. My mom visited last weekend and Canon put on a show for her. I laid down and mom put her hand on my belly and he moved around for a few minutes straight. I was glad my mom got to experience that. Canon is also responding to Jess when he talks to my belly. One evening I was cooking dinner and Jess put his face up to my belly and started talking and Canon gave him a little quick kick on the face. Jess and I both just started smiling and laughing. We can't wait to meet him!!

We have started rearranging our house to get ready for the little guy. Our upstairs looks like we just moved in. We also ordered the crib and dresser this weekend, so we are really excited about getting it put together and getting the room finished. There is still lots to do, but like Jess told me the other "it has to look worse, before it looks better".

I will write more later. I need to post about my weekend with my mom. It was so good to see her! I can't wait to see my whole family in August! Stay tuned...

Love,

Rachel

Pictures of our Baby Boy

May 14th

Here are a few pictures of our sweet baby boy. The appointment was so amazing and we are so in awe of God's creation. Baby Rainer was showing off for us during the ultrasound. He was moving his arms all around and sucking on his fingers. He also wasn't being shy about his gender. There is no doubt he is a boy. The tech and doctor both said he is perfectly healthy and he is a very active baby. Baby Rainer is measuring about 7 days ahead of my due date and said he might end up being a big baby, I guess we will see. I am so in love with him already and can't wait to meet him. He is very active already which I think is a little unusual, but I don't mind feeling him. Jess was able to feel him for the first time on our vacation (we were both really excited). We also were able to see him moving around by just looking at my stomach. I can only imagine what it is going to look and feel like when he gets much bigger. 

Enjoy the pics

Profile

Profile

His Foot

Fun in the Sun

Jess and I had a fabulous time in FL at the end of May. We went to Sarasota, Long Boat Key, and Cape San Blas. We were able to visit with Jess's brother Sam and our sister in law Erin for a night/day and it was so great to see where they live and just spend time with them. We were lucky enough to spend a couple of nights at a resort in Long Boat Key to have a romantic get-a-way for our anniversary. We then went to Cape San Blas which is special to us due to us getting engaged there, spending some of our honeymoon there, celebrating our year anniversary there, and now our two year anniversary. We were such beach bums throughout the entire week and loved every minute of it. We both really felt we were able to spend much needed time together talking, being lazy, and laughing together.

Here are a few pictures from our vacation.

Ringling Brother's Museum in Sarasota

My sister in law Erin
Long Boat Key at the Resort





Cap San Blas, FL

My sweet husband

20 weeks pregnant- still in at the Cape




Love,
Rachel

Baby Rainer's Nursery

Before Jess and I found out we were having a boy, I of course had been looking on the internet for both girl and boy baby bedding. I had found a few girl nursery sets that I really liked, but there was only pattern I liked for a boy. Once we found out it was a boy, I kept going back to the baby bedding I liked on line to look at it. I found out they were going to discontinue it, so Jess and I talked about it and decided we would go ahead and purchase it. I felt like I was a kid in a candy store when we went to go get it, ha. I still love it and can't wait to have his nursery ready.

We didn't get the hot air balloon bed skirt, we got a striped bed skirt that matches the other side of the bumper and quilt.

2 Year Anniversary

Jess and I celebrated 2 years of marriage today. We stayed at home tonight and ate a home cooked meal and watched Marley and Me. I love lazy evenings at home with Jess. (We pretty much celebrated our anniversary in FL when we were on vacation, so I wanted to stay in tonight).
It seems just like yesterday we just moved here to NC and started our life together. I have learned so much from Jess over the past 2 years and am so thankful for his selflessness, hard work ethic, patience, outgoing/fun personality, giving heart, positive attitude, and his love for the Lord. I strive to be a better person because of him.
I can't wait to see what else the Lord has in store for us. We have so much fun together, so I can only imagine it is only going to get better. I know my love for him will also grow when I see him with our baby boy. He is going to be the best father.
I am so thankful for a Father that knows best for my life and perfectly matched me with someone that lifts me up, makes me want to be a better woman, and pushes me to be more like Christ.

I love you Jess!

Love,
Rachel

Jess's 24th Birthday

Jess celebrated his 24th birthday in April. I love celebrating his day of birth. He doesn't like to make a big deal out of his birthday, but do. We had a great dinner at Mellow Mushroom with some of our dearest friends and then everyone came over to our place to have birthday cake. We celebrated the next day too with one of his favorite dinners, cake, and presents!

Here is his Dairy Queen Birthday Cake!

I think everyone had too much fun singing Happy Birthday! Here is Jess, Brandt, and Jill. Missing is Nathan, Scott & Megan (and Silas- he was sleeping), and Laurie.
Here is the Birthday Boy and me!
He is my most favorite person in the world! I am in love!

Love,
Rachel

Easter 2009

Jess and I had plans to go home for Easter this year. A couple of days before we were to fly out, I got the dreaded call from my mom telling me my Me-Maw had passed away. I knew it was coming and tried to prepare myself for this moment, but how can you really prepare for death. My Me-Maw moved in with my parents when I was a junior in high school and have lived with my parents ever since. When I think of home the past 8 years I think of my Me-Maw sitting at the end of the kitchen table sipping on hot tea. I have such wonderful memories of her. She had the most beautiful white hair and always smelled like roses. We would watch Dancing with the Stars, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, and American Idol with the TV turned up very loudly. She always had a smile on her face while her hand cupped her ear while watching. She loved the Lord, read her Bible regularly, and was very diligent in her prayer time. She lived almost to see her 101 st Birthday! Wow, what a life. She will forever be missed.

Even though the weekend was sad, Jess and I did have a good time with my family. There was a lot of family time which I thoroughly enjoyed!

Here are some pictures from Easter Sunday.

My sister and I

Jess and I

Miss Emma Grace

My sweet parents

Love,
Rachel