Do you ever have those weekends where you wish every weekend were like that? That’s how I felt on Friday the 13th (a holiday I love to celebrate), Valentine’s Day (a day a hardly celebrate) and the day after.
I’m grateful that I’m starting to feel at home in Atlanta again, that I finally have a truer sense of community and that I’m continuing to meet new people, try new things and experience true joy.
Dinner with Devin, Colin and AlexAlex’s first time at Build a BearOur new stuffies!Linley thinking the stuffie was hisLinley’s sweet bandanaThe Alex’s cheering with sakeTwinning at the burlesque showLinley watching himself get groomedLin sleeping with one of his actual stuffies
I also had a lovely dinner with a dear friend, coffee with another friend and her daughter, a fun Lunar New Year concert with Alex and a great dance class this week. Although I love staying busy, I’m excited for a lazy weekend!
Media taken Friday, March 13 – Sunday, March 15, 2026 🧧
Last Saturday, Alex and I felt like kids again while sledding up in Michigan. My parents still had some sleds and we headed to a hill I’d sled on as a kid all the time. My dad was so sweet to not only drive us there, but video us going down the hill!
I hadn’t went sledding in three or four years, and it’d been almost 20 years for Alex! We had a blast and it was so sweet to have these moments captured. I can’t wait for next time 🫶
And while we were sledding up in Michigan, Lin enjoyed some snow down here in Georgia!
Yesterday was probably the best Christmas I’ve ever had. I used to love my family get-togethers before my estrangement took place, but holidays haven’t been spent with my biological family since 2018 or 2019. As much as I miss spending time with my parents, Alex and I will be seeing them next month, and that dedicated quality time will mean so much to me.
I was tossing and turning on Christmas Eve night into Christmas Day, and Alex let his parents know that I was feeling anxious and emotional about my past. My first Christmas with his family in 2023 was nice but it doesn’t even compare to the love, support and ease I felt yesterday. I couldn’t be more thankful for that.
We visited Lau Lau (Alex’s grandma) for lunch with all the aunts and uncles and their families, then had quality time with Alex’s parents and brother on the Tracey side, followed by a lovely dinner at Aunt Susan’s and Uncle Ray’s house. Spending quality time with the cousins and our friend Trizzie was super fun, and it felt very much like the cousin time I’d had as a kid long ago. It was nice to feel young again, and I haven’t felt that way on Christmas in probably almost twenty years.
I couldn’t be more grateful for Alex, the love he has for Linley and me, his parents, and entire family for welcoming Lin and me with open arms. As my therapist always says: I deserve to feel safe and loved in every space, and I felt that way in spades yesterday. My father-in-law even turned to me, we clinked champagne glasses, and he told me how happy he was that I was there. And my mother-in-law told me that she looks forward to many more years of love and celebration to come.
November seemed a lot calmer than October, but things are changing just as the leaves did.
November was a good month and I’m excited to practice more mindfulness in scheduling, peacefulness and achieving my goals.
Lunch back at one of our favorite places in Hilton HeadDinner with our best friendsA much-needed girl dinner
Piedmont dog park
Viagra Boys!!!
The best way to wake up
A new routine in La Mezcla classA beautiful sunset with Alex and LinleyExploring Folly Island and Charleston for the first timeLinley had the best time on National Hiking Day!More dog park fun
Being so close to nature
A pup cup from Uncle JesseA fun weekend with Linley and the Alex’sAdopt don’t shop!!! And donate this holiday season!Raindrops
Lin got another pup cup!My two favorite guysLinley’s version of being a sous chef!Thankful for Miss Ellie
Hiking Stone Mountain againAfternoons as a family
Lin being cute and sweet as ever
Yet another dog park day!My goofy husbandAnother metal show with Justin
I hadn’t been to Tybee Island until the first weekend of November, and I already can’t wait to return! Alex, Linley, Courtney, Chris and I rode with Captain Seth on a charter boat through the marsh and sea of Tybee Island. It was nothing what we expected, but it was absolutely beautiful and I couldn’t be happier with the experience.
As mentioned, we first rode through the marsh in our tiny boat. Seth went fast and it was such a rush! The water was only three feet deep, and was a delta where all the rivers fed into the ocean sea. Our boat actually got stuck at one point, but Alex and I knew Seth would get us out of the mess. Afterward, he went faster again and I was smiling from ear to ear! Seth took us to a sand bar that basically felt like a private beach, and we enjoyed some stretching and running around as we watched the sun begin to set and the birds begin to flock.
Although Courtney and Chris were with us this time, and although Alex was there and we’ve been to the beach as a family before, I couldn’t help but think of all the sunrises that Linley and I experienced during our year in Chicago. I took him every single morning, and it honestly saved my life. I didn’t have many friends there, I’d lost my job and was going through a divorce at the same time. Our sunrises together taught me that I could start anew, and Linley had been my loyal sidekick through all of it. It’s always hard to look back on the past without dwelling on it, and it makes me appreciate the moments we have together now more than ever.
After our fun on the sandbar/private beach, just when I thought our experience couldn’t get any better, it did. We were going fast in the ocean when Seth decided to stop suddenly. As we came to a stop, we saw a family of dolphins approach our boat! I’ve never seen dolphins before and I couldn’t believe my eyes; I started tearing up, Alex started filming and Linley was whining away haha. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience and it took my breath away.
Being with my two favorite fellas, two of my close friends and someone who led us to that moment was truly an unforgettable experience. We watched the moon and rode fast again once the dolphins let us be.
The last part of our ride back to the dock was equally as breathtaking as I saw the most beautiful sunset, which reminded me of a safari. I’ve seen sunsets in a few different countries and continents, but there was something really special about this one.
I didn’t get a horizontal picture of the sunset or photos of the constellations in the sky at night, but I’ll never forget any of it.
Until next time. 🫶
Media taken Saturday, November 1 on Tybee Island, Georgia. 🌅
October was a month of some serious ups and a few downs, but all-in-all, November has some big shoes to fill. 😉
A lovely dinner with great friendsGetting Linley’s nose print tattooed on usLinley’s third annual Splish Splash Doggie BashLin bein’ goofy and cuddlyA great French metal showBurgers after Edgar Allan Poe shenanigans A family hike on the Appalachian TrailAtlanta Pride!Goofin’ around with my birthday twin…like I said: goofin’ around!Justin’s and my third annual birthday celebration Seeing a friend from dance class at another friend’s weddingThe best wedding date aroundChris Distefano liveLin is a Georgia voter!Sumo and Sushi eventA lovely weekend with my parentsFinally dressing up with my mom againAn interesting showChecking out Savannah bars with the boysLin being a ghost for the third year in a row!
This past Friday, Alex and I had dinner with two other couples: one who Alex has known since college, and the other who we met at the college couple’s wedding last May.
The dinner we had brought me so much joy and I had so many great epiphanies from our time together:
I’ve been putting too much pressure on myself to find “my own friends” in Atlanta, when really, the community I’ve met through Alex has accepted me more than my own family ever has.
This friend group is the microcosm of who Alex and I are: people who bring others together. Alex met Christina and Tyler in college, then we met Jordan and Rachel at their wedding because I struck up a conversation with them… and look at us now!
Just because my friends from ten years ago may not be in my life anymore, doesn’t mean that I will never have those sorts of friendships again. In fact, some of the friends I’ve made in the past two-ish years have been the healthiest, most supportive and fun friendships of my life yet.
You’re allowed to change and grow and value different qualities from your friendships now than you did before.
Making friends and finding community is hard – especially if you move and when you grow up – but finding the diamonds in the rough is SO incredibly worth it.
The rest of our weekend was wonderful too, except for Sunday evening. I’d reconnected with a friend who is going through a hard time, and used me as a “punching bag” this past year because of it. She’d admitted that she was angry and jealous of me and that’s part of why she treated me as she did. But truth be told: I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to trust her the same way ever again.
My relationship OCD wants to fixate on that conversation instead of all the good that happened this weekend and week, including our fulfilling triple-double-date, hanging out with our buddy Matt, taking Linley to his third-annual Splish Splash Doggie Bash, and having a great conversation (and hugs!) with my bestie Grace last night.
I couldn’t be more grateful for my friends who make me feel at home, and I’m not going to let one bad apple ruin my weekend or night’s sleep again…
…the leaves are changing, and so am I. 🙂✨
Media taken Friday, October 3 – Wednesday, October 8 in Atlanta, Georgia. 🍂
I decided I’m going to make a new blog page about all our Tracey Trio adventures from July onward. It’s been a couples months of healing, facing hard truths and resilience. That said, it’s been wonderful to heal, laugh and love with Alex and Linley by my side.
Our summer adventures were so much fun and I can’t wait for more together!
A weekday dinner with GraceOur second Wet Nose Wednesday game!Linley getting his kennel cough taken care of at the vetFinally “shooting the Hooch!” A nice dinner outStanding on a paddleboard for the first time everAll smiles with this guy!Celebrating Lin’s Gotcha Day!Alex pointing out a full moon outside our placeAll of Lin’s cuddles and quirksAppreciating a sunset like I appreciate sunrisesA game with good friendsBack to our original selvesA belated Gotcha Day celebration on the Pooch Pontoon and private beach!My first Shaky Knees, and our matching JVB shirtsAlex’s first camping tripLinley laying on the toys Alex got him for our wedding day 🥹
Seeing the otters at my second Aqua Vino eventLin being goofy as alwaysDays with my two favorite guysSeeing Pancake and Donut in the office yesterday
A couple weeks ago, I wrote about my time in Michigan and how it wasn’t the weekend I was hoping it would be. I’ve been feeling misunderstood and unheard in my career, in my friend groups, and in my family. I’ve been pushing myself to write because I truly haven’t felt like it in a while, but I know it’s good for me to get my feelings out of my head.
I’m extremely grateful for Alex, who has continued to try new things with me, explore new places with me and has encouraged me to do what I love most. The friends I’ve made through him feel like family and I’m forever grateful to them and him for that.
Even when times are uncertain and things feel rocky, there are people who care about you and love you. I need to remind myself of that, too.
Last month was wild with a wave of hardship with friends, an unexpected-yet-sensible OCD diagnosis and questioning my career path. However, all that said, August was wonderful and also full of adventure, quality time and great memories!
I’m not ready for fall, but I am ready for an equally exciting September ahead… 💛
Revisiting one of our favorite bars!Checking out a new distillery for usCelebrating our second “dateiversary!”Laughing at an old family jokeAll the snuggles with Lin while watching trash TVNot a “goodbye,” but a “see you later” 🥹Drinks at our nearby hotel bar (we spent our wedding night here actually!)Hiking with our aunt, uncle and their pups!Linley meeting his cousinsVisiting two former teammates-turned-friendsGetting closer with an old friend 🫶Family dinner!Some encouragement before a new friend dateDoing one of our favorite things togetherHittin’ a new trailJoining our first Meetup group!Visiting a new lake in one of our favorite placesWatching my guys watch the sunrise together 🤗Whitewater rafting togetherOur first baseball game just us twoOur first family Wet Nose Wednesday game!Alex and Linley spending the weekend together!
My ex-husband and ex-best friend lashed out at me a few years ago. I was told that I was shallow for wanting to make new friends (while maintaining long-term and long-distance friendships, too). I was told that I would never be happy, would never be around better people than them, and would never live the life I want to live. Their words hurt so deeply because I’d thought the verbal abuse started and stopped at my extended family, not my chosen one…
At times, I wonder if their verbal abuse is true: that because I always want more and to better myself, that I’m “greedy” or “shallow” or “ungrateful” or “dramatic” (all words they’ve called me at one point).
As my friendships change and I decide what new adventure I need to take myself on in life, I have to actively choose not to believe my ex-husband and ex-best friend. It hurts that I hurt both of them unintentionally, but I certainly didn’t deserve that type of treatment. If I ever question my worth in friendships, community, career, family… I have to let go of their words and voices telling me that I deserve to be questioning myself.
I still have so much work to do, but I’m trying, and that’s more than I could’ve said a few years ago. Oh, if only the art of letting go were easier… 💛
I used to write monthly gratitude posts a couple years ago, and I’m bringing them back! 💁🏻♀️
People I’m especially grateful for:
Alex and Linley, of course
My two long distance besties, Bethany and Carolyn
My therapist, Erin
Gainer and TyTy (aka: the fam!)
Friends we don’t see that often but have recently (Paulina, Matt, Christina, Tyler, Jordan and Rachel!)
My teammates at work
Friends from previous jobs who I’m still close with (Carolina, Emily, Janessa, Ola!)
Moments I’m especially grateful for:
More outdoor time with Linley! Fun nights out and trying new things with Gainer!Hanging out with neighbors-turned-friends!Alex and Linley having a bro-day hiking!Quality time with Karen and Andrew!Trying new things in familiar places!Exploring a new dog beach!Linley making new friends (like Buddy!)Taking Linley to work with me, just like the good ole days!Lazy weekend days!Giving Linley another bath together!Little notes from Alex!Watching Ellie again!Being goofy with one of my best friends, Evelyn!More fun times with Grace!
Cheers to a new month full of new adventures and memories! 🤗
Traveling with the Traceys 