Category archives: The Rays

Lyndon’s Birth Story Part 2

by Nancy Ray in The Rays
Lyndon's Birth Story Part 2
8:05PM We got checked in, made it to the room, and the nurse checked me: 7 centimeters! I was pretty thrilled about that! I labored in the bed with the heart monitor strapped around my belly. Goodness labor was intense at this point. I remember feeling hot, and my prepared mama busted out her American flag fans and kept us all cool! I loved having [...]

Lyndon’s Birth Story Part 1

by Nancy Ray in The Rays
Lyndon's Birth Story Part 1
Beautiful pictures that we will treasure forever by Elizabeth Tate. 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[...]

Welcome Lyndon Ray: A Legacy Film

by Nancy Ray in The Rays
Welcome Lyndon Ray: A Legacy Film
It's not lost on me that having these moments captured is a rare treasure. I can only imagine watching this film again when the girls are older, full of shared memories and the close bond that only sisters share. The fact that Milly almost always said "baby sister" when we asked "What is in mama's belly?" is the sweetest, because it's like she knew when all of us didn[...]

Meet Lyndon Whitfield Ray!

by Will Ray in The Rays
Meet Lyndon Whitfield Ray!
Hi Everyone, Nancy’s husband Will here. Nancy and I are thrilled to announce the arrival of our second little one, Lyndon Whitfield Ray! You may have seen a number of pictures already via Instagram or Facebook, but we’ve been getting back up to speed so just now having the chance to post here. Lyndon was born in a whirlwind at 9:38pm on July 26, 2017. Nancy is l[...]

Highlands Babymoon

by Nancy Ray in The Rays
Highlands Babymoon
Our babymoon before Milly was so sweet, and I’ll be honest - it was quite the trip! I laugh because it was before we had a kid, so it was more on the extravagant side - 5 days in California with all the adventures. This babymoon was no less special, but was a very typical “2nd baby” babymoon. We lumped it together with a wedding weekend and mother’s day weekend - [...]

Camping 2017

by Nancy Ray in The Rays
Camping 2017
5 years! We’ve been camping with these sweet friends of ours for 5 years now. And to celebrate, Emily and John had T-shirts made! Yes I’m pregnant, but when she gave them to us I totally burst into tears. You can re-live some of our camping experiences here: Hanging Rock Blue Bear Wilmington Blue Bear Stone Mountain This 5th year was one for the books. Firs[...]

Preparing for Baby Ray #2

by Nancy Ray in The Rays
Preparing for Baby Ray #2
I don’t know what it is about me and babies, but for whatever reason, I am not the kinda of mama who has the nursery planned out and done months before the baby’s arrival. I’m the kind of mama who is scrambling with two weeks left, because I always think I have more time than I do! With that said, even though the new “kids room” isn’t quite done, even though I stil[...]

Planning for Extended Time OffMaternity Leave 2.0!

by Nancy Ray in For Photographers
Planning for Extended Time Off
“I could never take a sabbatical.” “No one could do my job for me.” “What if they mess up?” “What if I miss an opportunity?” I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - delegating is one of the hardest, most rewarding aspects of being a business owner. Taking extended time off is one of the most challenging and best things a Type A person like me can do. And the[...]

Strawberry Picking

by Nancy Ray in The Rays
Strawberry Picking
Every year for mother's day, I have two requests: Go strawberry picking with my family. Get a massage! I'd say that's a pretty awesome line up for every mother's day for the rest of my life, because I LOVE my family, I LOVE traditions, I LOVE freshly picked strawberries, and goodness knows I LOVE a massage. This tradition began on the very last mother's day [...]

A note to Milly on her 2nd Birthday

by Nancy Ray in The Rays
A note to Milly on her 2nd Birthday
Peek of my maternity session by the amazing Elizabeth Tate, NRP family photographer Sweet Milly girl, You are beautiful. Or "Booo-full!" as you would say. Inside and out, you are beautiful. Your love for people is something that can't really be taught - it runs deep in who you are. You love people. You are lavish with your kisses (yes, on the lips) to so many. Y[...]