and baby really does make three

So our little one is finally here, our sweet little Morgan! Scott and I are getting to know her better every day. Not only does she look like him, but she seems to have inherited his best qualities... she's not too terribly fussy when things don't go her way, she's incredibly patient and understanding, and she loves to sleep! Scott and I were thrilled this morning that Morgan slept happily in her own room and crib all night! Can we make it two for two tonight?

We are truly blessed and thankful. God is always looking out for us, and I see more and more every day that he has a great plan for us (now if I could only learn to trust him a little more instead of making my own plans!). Here's some pictures I wanted to share from the big event. I hope to be able to keep more news coming.

All 22 inches of her!

Daddy changing the first diaper. What a pro!


Getting ready to go home.

All strapped in.

Here we go!

39 weeks

because doesn't everyone want to know how we decorate?

A work in progress has finally ended. And we are glad! Some of you have been asking to see pictures of the baby's digs, and well... we're able to finally give a reveal.

Here's the inspiration for our kid's room... the Hanna Quilt Cover from IKEA. I ripped it apart and sewed it into a crib skirt with one box pleat on each side. Bought some plain sheets, and voila! Instant decor.... and decor that I love. I just couldn't bring myself to like all of the animal-printed, cutsie-wootise things found in most baby sections of the stores. Even Pottery Barn couldn't sell me on their baby gear. It's just not a part of who I am, I suppose, and I walked around for a good seven months feeling guilty and wrong for sticking my nose up at that stuff. But in the end, Scott and I are both happy with our choices, and when it comes right down to it, this is our house, our family and our life. And so, this print is where it all began...



It was easy to find the paint once we settled on the fabric...



And here's the shot-by-shot of how the room got underway. Scott had the brilliant idea of doing a horizontal stripe, and I must say, it's his best decorating idea to date! I absolutely love it.

The room finally came together on Saturday. The furniture is arranged, the art and pictures are hung (even though some of the frames are waiting photos) and there's a rug on the floor. With less than two weeks to spare, it's finally done. We're both very proud of our work.

Thanks for looking!

38 weeks

37 weeks

36 weeks

35 weeks

it was time

Tonight we said goodbye to my Olds Alero. It was surprisingly easy to trade that thing in after all the costly problems it had given me in the last year or so. Before the farewell, we snapped some pictures, and then took some of our new Chevy Impala. Thanks to the trade, incentives, GM discounts and credit card earnings (all of which were much appreciated gifts), we are now the proud owners of yet another silver car. So easy to keep clean! And it's got some nice trunk space for hauling our belongings across the state.

While having a new vehicle to drive is quite exciting, I have to be honest and say that it doesn't do much for me. Sure it's a brand-new, big-ticket item, but... so what? It's a practicality of life that gets me where I'm going and costs money to own, maintain and keep the gauge on full.

I've always known this, but have felt it most recently, that it's not the material things in life that bring me happiness. Case in point... the month of February has been one giant overload of gift-giving and each time, I've been the recipient. While I'm completely appreciative of everyone's generosity (be it for my birthday, Valentine's Day, baby gifts, etc.), it's very hard to be wowed. I usually find myself underwhelmed, and the giver usually feels slighted. And believe me, it's quite hard to feel something that you don't, just for the sake of the giver, when you're as transparent as I am.

The thing is, though... and I'm not certain that most people in the world understand this... no matter what new item I receive, it doesn't hold a candle to the joy and comfort I feel knowing that I get awesome hugs every day from my husband who squeezes tight even with my belly in the way, or that I have family who loves me unconditionally and finds my personality endearing even when I am honest and share MY true feelings, or best of all, that I have a God who will never leave me or give me more than I can handle.

There's so much more to life than the temporary highs that any object can bring. I guess when you believe that this world we live in is just that... temporary... and you are confident knowing that your life eternal is so much greater than it already is now, your priorities change. So while our new vehicle is very nice and very appreciated, it's just out on the road with all the others. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty sweet (it came with a remote starter) and I am so grateful this has worked out for us, but at the same time, I'm glad I can keep it all in perspective.


One last picture with my Alero...


With the new Impala...


Driving home...

34 weeks

33 weeks

kitchen facelift... almost

Scott and I have been working hard (off and on) over the past few months trying to get our kitchen painted. One would think that this task might be simple. After all, it's just paint. Well, we like to do things right the first time in this household, and decided that we were going to scrape off some painted-over-wallpaper before even selecting a paint color. This made the process that much longer. That, and the fact that there were SO MANY nooks and crannies to tape, including the entire hallway and down the basement steps. I bet we went through at least two rolls of painters tape.

Another very important part of the facelift was replacing the horrible vertical blinds. Not only were they vertical, but they were painted silver by the previous homeowners. Ugh. Along the way, we also opted to switch out the light fixture near the sink.

While we haven't quite finished this project, I still wanted to share these pictures because it seems that time is quickly getting away from us. And the finishing touches don't seem like they will be a part of this process for several more weeks (i.e. artwork, new blinds, maybe even new flooring?).

Here's the first set of shots. We tried hard to get the wallpaper off without damaging the drywall, but it didn't quite work that way. Scott spent lots of time with spackle and sandpaper. We also haven't found a replacement for the vertical blinds and are currently living with a tacky sheet and a tension rod... so classy. And may I just say for the record... I know pregnant women are looked down upon for painting, but I did it anyways, and was glad to be a part of Team Scott & Rach for yet another household project.

This has been a pretty long process, obviously. I wish it was green outside today! Don't you love the loafers with the fleece and sweatpants? I think I'm making quite a fashion statement.

A shot from inspection day 2004 starts this sequence. The previous owners were still in the house... it's all their stuff, but you can see the khaki, purple and green walls. Yikes! We added the French doors in December 2006 which lead to the addition. And the light fixture came with the painting.

Here's some other random shots to share...

32 weeks