Moving on up!

Or over to the side, rather...to the West Side. Of Tennessee. Well, more central TN. Anyway, we're moving to Nashville in the next few months. It is definitely official. We put our house on the market tomorrow. We don't even care what we get for it as long as we at least get what we paid.

Mike is still waiting to hear back about jobs...the most exciting one being the Entertainment Manager at Rocketown. He would be in charge of booking and promoting all the bands that come through. He would also be in charge of all volunteers at the events. This job is perfect for him so please be praying that he gets it. We won't know much of anything until either May 2nd or May 6th.

We're basically still planning on moving whenever the house sells or when Mike gets a job...whatever happens to come first.

Again, it's going to be hard and sad to say goodbye to all of our friends...but we're not going that far away. We visit Nashville all the time now so I'd say we'll do the same thing for here when we move there.

Anyway, I need to get back to work. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Prayers please!!!

I have just found some awesome job opportunities for Mike is Nashville. Jobs that he would be perfect for. I'm not going to go into detail b/c I know he wouldn't want me to in the event that he doesn't get them. Just be praying for the jobs that I found today and that something will come through with one of them. God has been working tremendously in our lives in the last few weeks and I know that He can make this happen as well! This just makes me so excited to see what he has in store for us there!!!

Thanks!

Spring is here!

And yet, not really...

I am ready for the good stuff. The blue skies and pretty flowers. The 60+ degree weather so I can take Delia out for walks.

Speaking of, she is doing great. Had a scare two weeks ago and had to put her in the hospital overnight. She had an allergic reaction to formula (which she rarely has to have) and a respiratory virus on top of that. She was a bit dehydrated from vomiting but she is back to normal now. She's added grumbling to her speech. She sounds like she's mad and complaining about something but she does it all with a smile on her face. Cutest thing ever.

We also celebrated our first Easter with her. She got to wear her beautiful little Easter dress to church and slept through most of the service. She does that every Sunday though. She had a little basket waiting for her when she got home.

To update everyone about our move; we are really and truly leaving our home here in East TN. We'll be moving to Nashville either when Mike gets a job or when we sell the house, whichever happens first. We keep getting confirmation after confirmation that this is the right thing to do. We haven't told his parents yet and we're both extremely nervous about how they're going to react so please keep us in your prayers and also keep this on the DL for the time being. I know they're going to feel like this is my doing and my fault but I seriously am just following my husband's lead.

We'll be living with my parents once we get there, at least for a little bit (especially if the house is still up for sale when we move) until we can find a new house there. We're thinking we're actually going to be either in Mt. Juliet or Lebanon. We don't really want to be in Davidson County.

I'm getting more and more excited about moving. I'll be able to stay home with D and it almost seems like we get to start over from scratch. That thought is both scary and exciting. I can't wait to be closer to my mom, my dad, and my sisters. It really hit me hard about how much I really do miss them once Delia was born.

Oh and another big thing is that I just became a consultant with Southern Living at HOME and I am so happy with the decision to just do it. It is an answer to a prayer and a way to really help me be at home with D.

If anyone would like to book a show with me or view the current catalog, you can go to my website at www.southernlivingathome.com/stephaniegentry .

Well, I need to get something to eat before I teach my class tonight! Have a good rest of the week!

Don't wanna be here!

I'll be honest...with everyday I'm in my office...I realize more and more I'd rather be home with Delia. I am not a lazy person by any means...I am just a mother who loves her daughter. I know I am not unique in this desire to spend my days with my child. It just hurts to be away from her. Please pray that my days become easier or that we will find a way so that I can be home with her.

Also, we have some big life-changing decisions to make and I know they're going to be very difficult to follow through on. Not so much for me as for Mike. It will be hard on both of us...but more so for him. There is a very good possibility that we will be moving to Nashville within the year. That's where I'm from so it would be easier for me in that regard only. I'll still have to deal with all the changes that will come along with it. Finding a new job, finding a new house (after we just bought one less than a year ago), finding a new sitter, finding a new pediatrician...not to mention just the headache of moving in itself. We're not moving until Mike gets a job. This isn't a decision that was come to easily. It's just that Knoxville can't offer what Nashville can as far as jobs/income. And this wasn't even my idea either. Mike brought it up without me ever even thinking of it as an option. Obviously it will be so hard for him leaving his parents and us leaving our friends and what I have come to consider as my home. We just want to do what is best for our family, whatever that means.

Anyway, that's just a little of what's going on right now. Just send up some prayers for the Gentry family right now, if you will!!!

Thanks!!!

I'm the Mama!

I am so amazed by how quickly Delia is growing. I am also sad that I'm not there during every day to see it as it happens. I am uplifted though that each and every day as soon as she sees me, she lights up and gives me the biggest toothless grin! Being her mom is the best thing I can think of next to being Mike's wife.

We're also finally able to start bringing her to church. Mike filled in on drums at Headwaters this past Sunday and she did so well. They don't have a nursery so she sat with me and slept most of the time. She also finally got to meet her friend Sophia. Sophia is going to have a baby sister soon and she really wanted to hold D...but since she's only 15 months old... no dice.

We're going to get her 3 month photos done next week. Can you believe she's almost 3 months old?!? She sits up in her Bumbo seat with no assistance and can hold her head up so well. She looks so proud of herself sitting on her own. It's adorable.

I am back to work as I sort of elluded to above. I really do enjoy what I do...but I enjoy my time with Delia more. I'm okay once I get her to the sitter's and get to work. It's just hard when she gets up in the morning and is all smiles and being so cute and then having to leave her. I hate that part.

Someone please start a home business with me. I have been thinking about event planning (parties, weddings, etc.). I know I'd be great at it...I organize like nobody's business and I have the best ideas for parties and such. I just really want to think of a way to be able to stay home with my daughter.

Anyway, I need to get back to my work. Mike is home sick and I hope it's nothing terrible or contagious. So far, we have both had colds and a stomach virus and Delia hasn't gotten any of it.

I promise, I'll be putting photos up soon. Soon just happens to be a very unknown word to me right now. So is the word clean. Oh and sleep too.

Such a long time

Woo...it's been a while. The little one is down for a few so I will take this time to note a few things.

Thanks to everyone for the many prayers for Delia. She is doing so, so well and we know that it is all thanks to our Father! We were so scared those first few days and it was a real test for me to really just have faith that things were going to be okay.

Keep praying though for us with our hospital bills...we were hit with a lot b/c the doctors in ETCH NICU are not contracted with our insurance. The hospital is...just not the doctors. Right now we have a lot to pay that we weren't expecting.

Also, I go back to work in two weeks and it's going to be tough...I won't lie. I am going to miss being with D all day and seeing all those little things she does.

Speaking of...she has started really smiling. She can hold her head up pretty well for longer periods of time. She loves to look at lights and bright colors and she talks to her bedroom walls while she's being changed. She is truly the most adorable baby ever. And yes...I am totally biased.

We can start having visitors more often at the beginning of February which is awesome. I have felt a little like a hermit for the past month and a half.

Also, I will be 26 at the beginning of February. Not planning on anything special this year. We are going to Nashville the weekend before my birthday so maybe we'll do something there with my family.

Well, I need to get back to my precious. (That sounds a little Gollum-ish, doesn't it?) I'll add photos some other time.

Love!

Gonna be a mama...like TOMORROW!

Tomorrow is the big day. "D" Day, if you will. We go into the hospital at 5:45 am. I am not so excited about that part but I guess it's better to get an early start. Delia should be here sometime tomorrow. I keep getting asked if I'm nervous...not really. Not because I'm a strong, level-headed, cool individual. More because at this point I don't know what to be nervous about. I'm sure tomorrow morning, I'll be a dribbling mess. Please keep us in your prayers. I know Mike's already nervous but excited. He just wants me and baby to be okay...and he is also semi-afraid he may pass out. Pray that he does not. We'll be ready for visitors Thursday evening, I'd say...so come on out and see the newborn. Just call Mike first. Obviously, I don't know what room we'll be in so Mike will keep everyone posted. It will be so nice to be able to do regular, ordinary things again too. Like shave my legs without cutting every inch of them because I can't really see what's going on. Or going back to only peeing three times every hour as opposed to 15 (Melissa knows what I speak of...my nickname should be "Tiny Bladder"...Elton John could write a song about it). Also, going back to regular jeans will be good, even if it's not right away. Well, I need to finish getting some last minute stuff done. Next time you all see me, I'll be someone's real, live mother!!!