christmas favs

my new love...

"I'm in love. I'm in love. And I don't care who knows it." - Buddy the Elf

Well I have a confession... I am now in love with 3 men!

Wes, Caleb and Evan!!

I really did not know I could love another soooooo much!

I would like to introduce you to my newest love...

Evan Graham
Born December 21, 2009

5:06pm
6lbs 8 oz
19 1/4 in

Thanks for all your prayers. Everything went very smoothly and we are all healthy and resting!

December 21st

My doctor's office called and said they were able to get me in on Dec 21 (my due date) for an induction! Yippee!

So if Evan does not make his appearance this weekend, we will have our little boy on Dec 21st!

Your prayers are appreciated!

no room in the inn

Today I decided that I would go to my doctors appointment and ask to be induced. I have been nervous about that decision, but my doctor offered it to me a few weeks ago. Problem now is the hospital is FULL! Even on my due date! Everyone is trying to have their babies before Christmas. So we will just wait and see.

Next appointment is at 9 am on my due date (Dec 21).

I am now 3 cm and 75% effaced so maybe it will be tonight (I say that about every night-ha).

Thanks for all of your words of encouragement and prayers. We can not wait to meet this little man, what a special Christmas it will be!

39

I really did not think I would still be pregnant at 39 weeks. Neither did my doctor. I guess this little guy still needs to grow.

I am now hoping I go in to labor either tomorrow or on my due date (Dec 21) becuase my doctor is on call both of those days- ha!

It is exciting the really any day now he could be here! What a great Christmas gift!

I go back to the doctor on Wednesday, so if nothing happens between now and then, I will give you an update!

Santa baby...

So Caleb met Santa today (Dutch Sq Mall-- free-- bring your own camera).

He loved it. He was very intrigued. He kept saying "Danta" "Danta".

update

well i am excited to say my due date is now less than 11 days away! i was so sure i was going to have this little boy early, but he has other plans!

i went to the doctor today and have not progressed much since last week. she still does not think i will make it full term, but only time will tell.

i was watching "i did not know i was pregnant" on TLC (which is the craziest show by the way) and these women are having intense pain (contractions) and i am thinking... oh i wish that were me... yes, i think i am a little messed up in the head after 3+ weeks of false alarms...

overall i really do feel good and have tried to keep living life as normal.

so that's my story and i'm stickin to it!


ps this is my 100th post!

sundays

on the way to church!

on the way home!

EGC

Maybe, just maybe, if I announce his name, he will come out an meet the world ;)

The name of our second son is Evan Graham Church!

We've been calling him Evan for a while, but finally decided on Graham for the middle name.

Evan means "God is grace"
Graham is a name Wes really liked and says its after the Rev Billy Graham.

So there you have it! We actually named this baby before labor this time!

Can't wait to meet him!

Thankful

I am so thankful for my wonderful friends who have called to check in on me! I am sorry I have been terrible at returning phone calls. I am just a little anti-social right now (hard to believe I know).

I am feeling pretty good. I have given up on the whole idea that this baby could be here any minute. I am trying to just live life as normal. So maybe something fun will happen like my water will break at Target or in the middle of church!

My only complaint is that I am very easily exhausted. Chasing Caleb around does not make it any easier. I am also thankful for my husband, sister and brother-in-law who have done SO MUCH to help me out! I could NOT do it by myself!

I am thankful that I can just rest and relax while waiting for this little one to get here. God is good and His timing is perfect. So I will wait for Him.

Christmas...a labor of love

Artist: Andrew Peterson
Album: Behold The Lamb Of God (a must have CD)

It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David's town

And the stable was not clean
And the cobblestones were col
dAnd little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother's hand to hold

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love

Noble Joseph at her side
Callused hands and weary eyes
There were no midwives to be found
In the streets of David's town
In the middle of the night

So he held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love

Progress

I went to the Doctor today. Everything looks great. They did another ultrasound to check measurements and they are estimating 6lbs 9 oz right now!

I have still had contractions off and on pretty often, so you can imagine the mind tricks it can play on me. Good news is, I have progressed! I am now 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. So I guess all these "false contractions" are doing something!

The Dr says she really doubts I will make it to 39 weeks, the girl at the desk said she doubts I will be back for my next appt (next Thurs). I hope the girl at the desk is right.

Until then, I am enjoying spending time with just Caleb. He will be 18 months tomorrow! I can not believe he is already that old! He really is becoming such a big boy and I know he will be a wonderful big brother.

I THINK we have finalized a name for this little one. I have to get Wes's approval to post it. So I will keep you guessing a little longer.

Until then, keep us in your prayers...

a quick update

yes, i am still pregnant

tomorrow i will be 37 weeks!

i had caleb at 37 weeks, so i am a little excited, but then again, i am not getting my hopes up.

My boys

love them!

super productive

for those of you who were wondering, baby #2 is still nestled cozy in my belly! however all of these "false alarms" have really gotten things movin' around our house.

yesterday, wes's mom and dad came down to help us watch caleb while we get some things done around the house. i can not believe how much we got done in half a day!!!

we finished the nursery by hanging window treatments and prints, added shelves and organized caleb's closet, washed more baby clothes, cleaned out the stuff we did not need, vacuumed the entire upstairs, washed the car seat, did the dishes, put up the Christmas tree and other decor, steam mopped the bathrooms, kitchen and hardwoods and much much more!

thank you so much mimi, pop and my wonderful husband!!

since my last post, i have had 2 or 3 episodes where i just knew i was going into labor...then everything calmed down and nothing.

i really do want this baby to grow more. so i am happy a week has gone by, however this wondering/waiting can make you go crazy.

i keep thinking, "this could be my last meal" or "tonight could be the night"

i really am about to go insane. i am reminding myself to enjoy these last days with Caleb and to get as much rest as possible. i also keep trying to tell myself, it could be another 4 weeks, so quit being anxious! only God knows and i am glad He does!

thanks for all the emails, phone calls and text messages! i really appreciate your prayers the most!

Is it time??

So I have been having a few mild contractions today and some this weekend and it has freaked me out a little. Is it already time to meet our little boy?

I went to the doctor today and they said I am 35 weeks today. Which is a little further along than I was counting. The crazy thing is, I am already progressing. The baby head is down low and I am dilated 1 cm.

This means I could have the baby in a few days OR a few weeks. How is that for a waiting game.

My biggest concern is his weight and lungs, etc. Please pray for our sweet son that he will be completely healthy when it's time!!

belly pics- 34 weeks

34 weeks!

I can not believe that I am 34 weeks today! That means baby boy #2 will be here in 6 weeks or less! Caleb was born at 37 weeks, so we will be prepared early this time. Of course you never know.

We just put Caleb in a big boy bed and he loves it, except for when it is time to sleep- ha! Last night he slept in it all night. Nap time has been rough though. Please pray he gets used to the transition soon.

We are working on the nursery. It is painted and all the bedding is washed. We just have to rearrange furniture, since it was our guest bedroom.

I have been sick since Friday and today I am finally feeling better (thank you Jesus). Caleb has also had a runny nose and some coughing. We have taken him to the doctor 2 times and they say it's just a cold and may have to do with his teeth coming in.

He is getting 4 incisors and when they finally come in, he will have a mouth full of 16 teeth!

I am working on posting "belly pictures" for those who have been asking, but I never look real cute these days. I live for comfort...big soft t-shirts and pj pants.

Don't be surprised if you stop by my place and see Christmas decorations. That is next on my to-do list. I figure if it doesn't go up now it will not happen once baby gets here!

Upcoming blogs...baby #2's name! We are getting close! And Christmas pics...

State Fair Fun

Yesterday we went to that State Fair! It was beautiful outside, but very chilly!

We checked out the livestock. Pigs and rabbits were a favorite. Had some corn dogs, fisk fries and my favorites, the mini-doughnuts (which were also Caleb's favorite).

Caleb and Wes also rode the flying bumblebees! Fun time for all!

My Big Boy!

I think I am long overdue on posting pictures of Caleb! He is 16 months old now and just a joy!

Partner with me!

Wes and I just got back from an amazing 2 day conference in Atlanta called Catalyst.

It was refreshing and really helped me refocus on the most important thing in life: JESUS!

I get caught up in daily grind that it is easy for me to lose sight of the ONE who truly matters. When we do focus on Jesus alone, everything else pales in comparison! He is the priority...seek Him first and everything else will fall into place. A simple yet life altering truth!

So my desire and prayer is to fix my eyes on Him and let go of the things that steal my heart away from Him!

One of the things they do at this conference is make us aware of the needs in the world and how we can help!

One organization, Hope International, gives us the opportunity to invest in small businesses accross the world by giving them a small loan. Read more here:http://neverendinghope.org/?page_id=2

The leaders of the conference gave all of us $10 and challenged us to use it to raise $100 and then invest in one of these businesses!

This is where YOU come in, I am going to put in $10 to match their donation and only need 8 friends to do the same!

Will you partner with me?

Jesus tells the story in Luke 19 about a master giving talents to 3 servants to take care of while he is away. When he returns, he wants to know how each person responded. The first servant had a 100% return on the money, the next had a 50% return, but the last servant did nothing. There was great responsibility given to each person, and each made a decision of what to do with that responsibility. We all dream of what we would do in that situation. How would we respond?

NeverEndingHope.org

My hubby is 30!!!

Wes turned 30 this past Friday and we had a surprise party for him to celebrate his big day!

So in honor of his milestone, here are 30 things I love about Wes!

1. He is my best friend

2. He loves people

3. He is genuine

4. He is so much fun

5. He loves me

6. He is the best Da-Da ever

7. He truly desires to follow God

8. He encourages me to follow God

9. He is a great dancer

10. He is a great snuggler

11. He is a selfless husband and father

12. He is a hard worker

13. He has wisdom beyond his years

14. He loves to sing

15. He is a family man

16. He is a gifted teacher

17. He is very thoughtful

18. He is a wonderful cook

19. He is spontaneous

20. He loves to travel

21. He is Caleb's best buddy

22. He is a man of his word

23. He has a contagious laugh

24. He is loyal

25. He has great taste in music

26. He is creative

27. He is very smart

28. He loves Jesus

29. He makes people feel comfortable

30. He is my Prince Charming :)

Hair Doodles

Today we took Caleb to get his first haircut. He really did not need much done, but was definitely growing a rat-tail/mullet. Our friends told us about this cute place in town that is a kid's salon, Hair Doodles.

It was a unique experience. They put him in a booster-seat type chair, draped him with a fun "car" cover and gave him some animal crackers. I was super impressed with the stylist, because Caleb was not very still and somehow she managed to do a great job!

He did not think it was so much fun. He cried, every time she trimmed.

Overall he did really good! His haircut sure makes him look like a handsome little man! Just like his daddy!

( You really can not tell a difference in these pictures because she mainly cut the back)

Domestic Diva

Ok, that is NOT me at all, but I will say I am super excited about my new vacuum that just arrived via UPS!



The Shark Navigator!
It never loses suction, so it cleans the last room as well as the first. Less than 15 lbs., easily maneuvers around furniture and toys. Power nozzle, pet hair brush and 24" crevice tool eliminate pet hair and other debris from stairs, furniture, and tight spaces. A 30 foot power cord and 12 foot stretch hose makes cleaning multiple rooms and stairs easy. Bagless design, lifetime filters and belt – mean no additional replacement costs.



Yes, I did originally see it on an infomercial. I did some research on the web and found great reviews, so I bought it at Bed, Bath and Beyond (with the 20% off coupon of course).


I am axious to try it out. I just need a little assistance with the assembly and then I will be off!


Check back for my review!

Goooooo Cocks!

Bears Bears

Caleb is enjoying a new CD by Andrew Peterson called Slugs & Bugs & Lullabies. Actually the CD was a gift I gave Rachel for her birthday (she asked for it at some point in the past).

The songs are glue for the brain...impossible to remove from your mind throughout the day. Like "You better eat them beans, boy" and "Tractor, Tractor, harvesting the wheat."

Caleb dances to a lot of the songs, but there is one that he sings along too (which is amazing since he has a vocabulary of about 20 words or so). The song is Bears.

He sings:

Bears, bears, they got no cares

Bears don’t drink from a cup

Sharp teeth and claws and furry paws

To catch you and eat you up

No, grizzly bears don’t wear underwear

Socks, or jammies, or gloves

No baby bears, don’t wear diapers

No Pampers, no Huggies, no Luvs

Of course we recommend the CD. But at the top of our recommendation list right now...

That's right, the Pumpkin Spice Latte. At your local Starbucks beginning tomorrow (Sept 1). I have waited months for this flavor that tickles my taste buds like no other taste on earth. So if you're wondering where I will be tomorrow morning...IN LINE AT STARBUCKS!

written by: wes (da-da)

29 and holding

August 24, 1980 a precious and beautiful baby was brought into this world...ME!

Monday I celebrated my 29th birthday. The day began with Caleb bringing me a card and a gift card to Target (how thoughtful Caleb). Followed by a low-key, no plans day. These days are few and far between, so it was the perfect birthday gift.

That evening we went to Zorba's (yummy Greek food) for dinner.

It was a blast! Thanks Wes, Kristin and everyone else for making it such a special evening!

I have decided that I will stay at 29! So no more birthdays for me!

To see the rest of the pictures from the festivities, click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/rachelreddchurch/RachelS29thBirthday?authkey=Gv1sRgCKPs0fKioq-xTA&feat=directlink

I'm a big kid now

Caleb is growing up so fast. He is 14 months and into EVERYTHING. He has been walking for most of the summer, but he really seems to have it down now. Which means his new venture is CLIMBING! Up the stairs, onto the couch, on top of his slide. He keeps me busy!

One of the new things he just started doing is giving "real kisses". He even makes the sound "mmmm-wah" when he does it. Melts my heart!

He is still a pretty small kid. He probably weighs around 20 lbs and most of his clothes are still size 9 months. He is getting taller and thinner and more hair. He is becoming a toddler for sure.

He has almost gotten all 4 of his molars which gives him a mouth full of 12 teeth! This is a great thing because it really expands his menu options. His current favorites are bananas, blueberries, cheese and of course french fries!

We can't wait for him to have a little brother to play with. I can only imagine how crazy our house is going to be Christmas of 2010. I will have two wild boys, a 1 year old and a 2 1/2 year old. Fun!

Speaking of baby boy #2. Things are going well. I am 21 weeks which means this baby could be here in less than 19 weeks--wow!

Caleb is keeping all of his nursey decor, so I picked out a fun new pattern for little brother.

I wish I had some updated pictures of Caleb, but my battteries in my camera are dead-- I know terrible excuse. I will post some soon.

Pink or Blue?

Well...Caleb is going to have a little BROTHER!

We are not one bit surprised. He will be the 4th grandSON and the 7th great grandSON on Wes' side! I told you that Churches only make boys!

We are thrilled! I love that Caleb will have a brother close in age. I pray that they will be best friends.

Everything looks great. Heart, kidneys, spine, measurements, all 10 fingers and all 10 toes, etc! Praise the Lord!

i'll take a break

i guess i will take a break from reading everyone else's blog and actually write on my own. do you ever look at your last post thinking you wrote it a few days ago yet the date reveals its been a good two weeks?? whoops!

this week has been busy. i have some serious respect for all those single moms out there (wes is in europe)...you women are amazing. for real.

"single mom" + teething, irratable toddler+ pregnancy + just getting home from a week of travel = me... pooped

what gets me through- the Lord, counting down to seeing Wes, waiting for Monday at 2pm to find out what gender baby #2 is, caleb's laugh, my wonderful, helpful sister and of course brand new jewelry!!!

Can you hold me now?

So yes, I am a Kirk Franklin fan and I just discovered this old song of his. I have listened to it every day since I first heard it.

I wanted to share it because I think many people are going through tough times right now and I hope it ministers to you like it does me... If you can download it and hear the song, it is beautiful (I did add it to my blog playlist).

Kirk Franklin - Hold me now

The spring of April's gone
The leaves have all turned brown
The children are all grown up
And there's no one around
I'm looking over my life
And all the mistakes I made
And I'm afraid
Afraid
Somebody told me that you would wash all my sins
And cleanse me for the scars that are so deep within
So I'm calling to you
If you can hear me I don't know how
I was wondering can you hold me now?


You are the only one
That's patient when I fall
Your angel's come to save me
Everytime I call
You don't laugh at me
When I make mistakes and cry
You're not like man
You understand me
See people change
One day they don't like you
The next they do
I wish that everyone
Could love me just like you
So here I am
This sinful man
Peace won't allow
I was wondering can you hold me now

To every broken person
That may hear this song
To every boy or girl
That feels his smile is gone
I know exactly how it feels
To lay in the bed at night
And cry, And cry

Don't you worry
God is patient and he cares
About the tears you drop
And the pain you feel he's there
When you are weak
That's when he's strong
Even though you don't know how

God can, and he will hold you now
God can, and he will hold you now
Don't you worry, he can hold you now

Vacation Week 2

Our second week of vacation was spent at Cherry Grove (N. Myrtle Beach). This was with Wes' family. 35+ people in an 8 bedroom house! It was craziness, but belive it or not, still relaxing. Caleb loves the beach! He loves to dig in the sand, eat the sand and splash in the ocean!
While we were gone, we also celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary. We went to a really neat restaurant in Little River, SC called The Parson's Table. It was a very special and fun outing just the two of us!

Vacation Week 1

have you missed us? we have been gone for 2 whole weeks! the first week we went to orlando with my family. we stayed at a nice family resort where we spent most of our days playing in the pool.

we did decide to take caleb to the magic kingdom for a half day. that's about all i could handle in the florida sun. he did great. he loved the playground in front of mickey's house where he could crawl around and his favorite was "its a small world". we had to get him some mouse ears and a stuffed mickey for memories sake.

we also went to sea world. it was a fun family outing-- the redds, cothrans and churchs! we saw shamu and a few other very entertaining shows.

next blog: vacation week 2