Tap tap tap… is this thing on? 😉

It’s been a minute since I’ve opened my laptop and started to write a blogpost. I’ve missed blogging, but in the last several years, writing blogposts for the joy of writing and sharing has taken a backseat to a lot of other things.

Years ago, in the very beginnings of Nancy Ray Photography, I blogged often. Mostly personal thoughts and photos of my life, mixed with weddings and engagements and family sessions. I blogged about my goals on the first of every month without fail, as well as anything and everything that inspired me, and I LOVED it. I even did 100 days of blogging in a row, complete with a giveaway at the end of it! (Special shout out to anyone reading this who remembers those days!)

I should mention that those were the days before I had a photography team, when I wasn’t fully booked, when Will worked for Walgreens and we lived 3 hours from our families, before we had kids. Life was much simpler back then!

As my business grew, my blogposts grew full of client work by myself and my team, and slowly… it felt that there was little to no room in my blogpost schedule for me just writing for me. And to be honest, with the business growth and family growth (having 3 babies in 3.5 years!)… blogging just took a backseat. My clients and my family took priority, as they should have! And in the midst of it, Instagram took off. I gained followers as my photography business grew, as I hosted the Contentment Challenge, and as a certain photo went viral. It was yet another place to post and to write and to keep up with.

Fast forward to today. Nancy Ray Photography has been closed almost 2 years now (crazy!), and we’ve added a 4th precious baby to our family. (He happens to be starting to cry right now, so he might be the one to keep my blogposts short and sweet in the coming months!) I’m taking a break from my podcast for 2 months, and I’ve also decided to take 6 months off Social Media (August 2021 - January 2022).

So now, my family plate is full (hello being a mama of 4 kids, 6 and under!), but my creative outlets, my work, is resting. It feels good. AND it feels nice to do something just because I want to do it.. and that thing is blogging!

So, if you are one of the very few people out in the interwebs who are reading this, hi! And thank you!! I truly mean that. I don’t expect many people to read my posts, because my blog has basically had moss growing on it the last several years 😂. But I’m so glad you’re here, and I’m looking forward to sharing more of my life and thoughts with you.

Fair warning: I’m in the thick of baby-land with my 5 week old boy, so my first few posts will likely be about that!

Any thoughts on what you’d like for me to blog about? Feel free to leave a comment! Anything is fiar game, and I might need some ideas as I get back into the swing of things!

These photos. Gosh they already hold such a special place in my heart. Thank you to my dear friend Olivia Suriano for taking these photos we will cherish forever!

As I’m approaching my due date, these photos remind me what an absolute gift it is to carry life inside of me. Something I will never, ever take for granted.

Things I never want to forget about pregnancy

• Feeling flutters for the first time

• Crying when I heard the heartbeat

• Driving to my midwife appointments, and also welcoming her into my home for some appointments as well

• Being surprised by the gender - the mystery of wondering the whole time is so special. One of life’s last greatest surprises

• The taste of ginger ale while pregnant (it’s soooo good, but only when I’m pregnant haha!)

• The look of Lyndon’s face when she feels the baby’s hiccups. Pure wonder and the biggest sile I’ve ever seen!

• Beaufort saying “It’s moving!” every time he touches my tummy (even though the baby is sound asleep and not moving at all)

• Milly having little midwife hands! She feels for the baby and can even guess the body parts and positioning… and she says she wants to be a midwife one day

• Laying in the bed with Will at night and letting him feel baby dance and kick

• Watching my belly move and change shape completely by itself as baby moves

• Learning to trust God deeply, claiming faith and giving no place to fear, and focusing on victory in the months leading up to birth, as well as during labor and birth itself

• Being so hot and sweaty and swollen in the summer

• My legs going numb when I sit too long, and my ankles getting swollen when I stand too long

• Waking up every time I need to roll over

• My pillow tower for my heartburn

• Feeling like everyone everywhere smiles at me - being pregnant literally creates so much wonder in everyone around you

• Teaching our kids about how sacred and beautiful life is, how mommy’s body was made to do this, and how special it is to have a secret brother or sister who will come meet us any day

This pregnancy has for sure been my most difficult one, but I’m overwhelmingly grateful to be healthy and have a healthy baby. Trying to soak in every feeling, every emotion, every baby kick and roll, and the mystery of it all. What a gift, thank you Jesus.

Well today I’m excited to announce something that has been years in the making:

An Integrated Life : Practical tools for your Faith, your Home and your Work

An Integrated Life is an 18 lesson audio course (think a podcast that you can keep coming back to!) outlining a framework for you to grow deeper in your faith, take authority in your home, and gain clarity in your work - all for the kingdom of God.

And most of all, this course is about integrating your faith, home and work to work beautifully TOGETHER.

You can learn all about it here.

It will only be available for 2 weeks (until July 13th!), as I am preparing to welcome our 4th baby in just 4 more weeks and will be taking a 6 month work and social media break after that. 

Here’s what is included:

There are 18 audio lessons (think podcast meets short audiobook meets online course!)

• 6 Lessons on Faith

• 6 Lessons on Home

• 6 Lessons on Work

• A full Workbook for you to complete as you listen

You can buy each set of lessons separately, and I’ll be going over whats in each over the next few days. Or you can buy them all together! 

I have been SO excited to release this course. I feel like it’s truly a representation of my heart, life, and work. I begin each lesson with Scripture, and I talk about my faith in Jesus in almost every lesson. I share practical ways we run our home, and my favorite tools to work effectively with a clear vision.

I’m so grateful to finally be able to share it with you!

It’s basically my heart meets my podcast meets my life meets an online course.

Can’t wait to hear what you think about it!