03/10/09

A lot has happened since Eddie did such a great job writing the story of the first 30 years of my life. I’d like to bring you up to date on what’s happened since then. Not long after helping me with the bio, Eddie started telling about this guy I needed to meet. “You don’t have to marry him,” he said. “You two just need to know each other.” To make a long story short, Eddie introduced me to Kent Blanton backstage at the Ryman during an Opry show. Kent is a great upright bass player and just a darn good guy. So, I married him just over a year later in December, 2002.

We knew we wanted a family, and I knew I didn’t want to travel and try to be a mom too. I had found an interest in nursing during my Mom’s battle with cancer several years earlier. In January, 2004, I made the difficult decision to leave the band and go to nursing school full time. I graduated from Belmont University, for the second time, in December of 2004 with my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing.

Not quite two months later, we learned that we were expecting our first daughter….Nice timing! Kaylee Janis Blanton was born on September 18, 2005. She is now 3 ½ years old and keeps us busy! She loves music, and her favorite singer is Connie Smith. We’re trying to raise her right! Kaylee is also a great big sister.

Megan Alean Blanton was born on December 3, 2008. She is just a sweet little blessing with a great little personality. She even lets us sleep most nights! We are enjoying having a baby again and watching her change and grow and develop into her own little person.

I am currently a labor and delivery nurse here in Nashville. Although I miss playing music full time, I do love being a nurse. I am blessed to have a job that I enjoy that also allows me to be home to watch my girls grow up. I hope the future will hold more opportunities to play music, but for now I’m just thankful for this place that God has led us and am excited to see where the road leads from here.

(click any photo for enlargement)