October was a month of some serious ups and a few downs, but all-in-all, November has some big shoes to fill. 😉
October 2025 Gratitude
gratitude
Finding community & growing strong friendships
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. 🍂
September 2025 Gratitude
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!
Gratitude in Heaviness
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.
August 2025 Gratitude
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… 💛
Early morning thoughts // overcoming verbal abuse
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… 💛
June & July 2025 Gratitude✨
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:
Cheers to a new month full of new adventures and memories! 🤗
There’s something about disposable cameras…
March was our best month yet! Our best friends got married in one of our favorite places, we were married at one of our favorite places, and we had the honeymoon roadtrip of a lifetime as a trio. Although more photos of all that will come, I wanted to share the disposable camera photos our friends and family took during our reception. I immediately knew having these out would be a hit, and what a great idea it was! I look forward to seeing more photos soon, but here’s what we have so far…
Photos taken Saturday, March 8, 2025 at Bantam Pub in Atlanta, GA. ✨
Frustration turned into fondness // It’s all about perspective
I had to upgrade to the WordPress business plan, and I was pissed about it. But then I realized after all the time I was trying to spend cleaning out my storage to meet the 13 GB limit, “Wow, what a blessing that I’ve written and photographed and filmed and traveled this much!” So now I’m happy again 🙂
Back to journaling about and sharing photos from recent travels tomorrow! For tonight, relaxation… and wine…
Celebrating six months in Atlanta!
Yesterday was my six month anniversary of living in Atlanta, Georgia — and all I can say is that I’m in awe of my life now. I dreamed of this happiness as a young child and haven’t felt this good for this long… ever. The love Alex and I share, the relationship I have with Alex’s family, his friends who have welcomed me and the friends I’ve met since moving here are all beyond my wildest dreams. With happy tears in my eyes, I can tell you this is the best life I’m living for myself — and young me would be very proud.
Photos taken September 2023 – March 9, 2024.
I turned 30!!!
On October 19, I turned 30. Unlike most people who have a “milestone birthday,” I couldn’t have been more excited to enter into a new decade of life. Last year I was in Germany with one of my best friends who made my day incredibly special, so Alex had some big shoes to fill, but made everything leading up to it, during and afterward better than I could’ve imagined.
Wednesday, October 18, I had a phone date with another one of my best friends as I walked Linley through Piedmont Park. It was such an awesome evening weather and conversation-wise. Alex came over and we played the War card game and drank spicy margs until midnight. And on my actual birthday, I took the day off and didn’t look at a single work email and I even had my personal phone text notifications off. I FaceTimed two of my best friends while I was in Target, buying things I didn’t need. I had the best evening with Alex and two of our friends (his longest friends who I’ve become closer with since moving down here) filled with good Latin American food, strong drinks and much-needed laughter. It was the first evening where I took a deep breath and thought, “I’m home.”
Alex planned an incredible weekend in Savannah for us (us including Linley!) and it was an amazing first family trip. I’d never been to Savannah but have always wanted to see the mosey trees, beautiful southern architecture and cobblestone streets. Alex and I enjoyed a lovely seafood dinner and awesome drinks that Friday night after our long drive and walk with Linley. Seriously everything was perfect: the Airbnb, Linley’s behavior, the company… I felt so much love the entire weekend.
Luckily we found out that Tybee Island Beach isn’t dog friendly the night before, so we traveled to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Seeing Alex and Lin on the beach together melted my heart, and it was Alex’s first time seeing Lin like that (and Linley’s first time in the Atlantic Ocean!). We all ran around and then enjoyed some delicious seafood and drinks on the dock. The highlight was someone walking up to us and saying, “He’s a daddy’s boy isn’t he?!” when seeing Alex and Lin together! It was the perfect ending to a perfect afternoon.
After finding a not-so-great bar after a much-needed lazy afternoon, we went back to our bar from the night before, then had a blast at our spooky bar crawl. We met some awesome strangers along the way, including none other than comedian and Impractical Joker Sal Vulcano! I couldn’t believe that we saw him at the end of the night! The hangover the next morning was SO worth it.
We enjoyed a morning walk, some attempted ghost photos, brunch and stopping at Buc-ee’s on the way home.
I fall in love with Alex more and more as the days go on, and I can’t wait for more adventures as a trio!
Media taken October 19-22, 2023.
Coworkers-turned-friends
I’ve been an Atlanta resident for exactly one week, and as happy and at home as I feel here, I miss my friends I met through work. This time last year I left Chicago for Michigan on much different terms (going through a divorce, feeling lost, unsure of the future) and now it’s the complete opposite—all thanks to my support system who helped me through difficult times back home.
I wouldn’t be the confident woman standing in Atlanta today if I didn’t have these friends by my side this past year. I only wish they were here with me. 💛
