1 year, 1 nephew, 1 wedding and 1 new last name later...I update.

Where oh where shall a girl begin?

On September 22, 2011 we welcomed Hunter James Strickland into the world! My very first nephew and man is he a sweetie.  By far one of the happiest babies I have ever met.  He has the most gorgeous blue eyes and blonde hair.  Here are a few progression photos of this little guy...

 

On May 27, 2012 Wes and I finally tied the knot! 8 years, 3 houses, 6 cars, 1 niece, 1 nephew, 20 guns, and 1 power kite company later....WE DID IT!  It was everything I could have hoped it would be and worth every bit of the wait.  By far my favorite part was having our friends and family from all over the state in one place for one weekend.  I was fortunate enough to have a fantastic support system in my friends and family to get through the planning and stress associated with a wedding.   I know it may have seemed like I lost my mind in the process but it would have been so much worse without them! I can honestly say that I would not change a thing.  I'm sure there were mishaps here and there but none that would alter the course of the event!

There are so, so, so many more pictures that are equally as fun as the ones I've posted so if you'd like you can check out www.kkmasseyphoto.com

Since the wedding things have definitely slowed down.  We've made an offer on a house and we're eagerly awaiting an answer.  I, as usual, have gotten all worked up and will be totally and competely devistated if it doens't work out.  I'm trying to remind myself that there are plenty of fish in the sea?  Or at least there are plenty of homes in Wake County-ish area.  So I guess we'll have to just wait and see how that turns out.  

I am still in school...still. I have managed to turn a 6 year degree into a 10 year degree.  I am terribly talanted. I guess some little part of me really enjoys working and going to school.  (I can't imagine which part or why)

I've turned a new leaf.  I am making a much better effort to be involved in my friends lives.  I was slack before the wedding and stayed busy but I'm so ready to get back to a routine.  Last weekend I was in Burke County to help Tamika with Tex's Fish Camps movie night.  It was so nice to be in town and have nothing to do but be there with her and the kids.  This coming up weekend we'll be back in Burke County for Alison and Brandons birthday campout.  This is equally as exciting since it'll be full of family and good times!  Aside from these two awesome weekends I have big plans to travel via fancy train to D.C. again to be with my sweet little Amber and at some point I will show my face at another Charlotte Rollar Girl derby bout to support my beautiful Bets.

A quick update on my cousin April.  She's been diagnosed with a bit of rejection and has been admitted to Duke.  Typical Traci would freak out and fear the worst.  I would probably camp out at her bedside and ask her a million times, "are you sure you're ok?" or "are you sure there isn't anything I can do for you?".   However, I truly believe April is emotionally and mentally in a good place right now and we both know this is going to be ok.  Mainly because my April is a fighter and is well aware of all she has to stick around for.  She's my cousin-sister and I have total faith in her ability to overcome this hurdle.  (and look how stinkin' good she looks!)

Well folks, that's all for now. Until next time. :)

Summa' Time and the livin's easy

Where oh where shall I begin?? I had to look back on my posts to see where I left off. And as it turns out I failed to update with these new interesting facts:

1) Wes officially "engaged" me on 2/27/11 (yay!)

2) My baby brother (who is not so baby anymore) is expecting his first child in September



With Cody and I competing for family attention (and I am not winning to say the least) I have been leaning on my friends for extra support these days. Lucky for me I chose 6 of the best bridesmaids a bride could ask for!




These girls are my rock and I honestly don't know how I ever made decisions without them! (even the ones regarding which undie-roos I choose)

The last four months have been non stop and filled with all sorts of occasions worth celebrating. Chris and Amber, and DJ and Leslie all got married in May and what awesome weddings they were! I know I've said this in previous blogs but I truely feel honored when a bride asks me to stand next to her on that big day. So a super huge and super late congrats go out to two happy couples!

Between being in weddings, baby showers, school, work and trying to maintain some sense of sanity Wes and I decided on our venue, our food, I found a dress that couldn't be more perfect and thank heavens through all of that he isn't sick of me!

If you know me then you know that I am home MAYBE 1 weekend a month! And this month is no exception. I'm leaving this Thursday for a business trip to Myrtle Beach, the following weekend is Lauras "friends" baby shower, the weekend after that is Alisons bachelorette bash and at some point in there I start back at school! I know it seems like alot but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I know there are probably a million things I left off but at the moment that's all I have time for. I'll update more later.

Love and Peace

Gaga for Scotty

I've always wondered the kinds of things I'd hear sitting in a WakeMed waiting room. This morning I have been "blessed" to catch a conversation between some honest to goodness Southern Christian folk.

My attention was first caught when the lady in the yellow shirt with glasses as thick as a sausage links asked the man (who I can only assume is a preacher, he didn't seam to have much emotion invested in whoever the patient is) if he watched "that Scotty on American Idol" to which he responds, "oh yes ma'am, my wife almost jumped out of the chair!" I knew instantly these people were going to get on my nerves. And boy was I right.

They continued to talk about how they couldn't see Gaga's face during her performance and how much they REALLY liked Randy Jackson. Oh, how could I forget this...."Scotty is a good singer because he is a good Christian and much better than Clay Aiken." The preacher adds, "Didn't that Clay Aiken ever get married?" (he didn't get the memo the man is gay apparently. he also hasn't heard that you don't have to be married to have a baby) he quickly followed with "Shackin' up....that ain't right." Fantastic. I waited, knowing that at any moment church may erupt in the waiting area. I can't believe I forgot my ear plugs.

Updates and Life in general

It's been entirely too long and so much has changed. With that said, it's still hard to gather my thoughts and fill you in. Half my mind is on this blog and the other half is listening to Acoustic Syndicate playing lightly in the background. That's what my life has come to. Whether it be school work or work work I MUST have my tunes strumming away to keep me calm. I can't even remember where I left this thing off. A quick recap: April has 2 new lungs, Christmas and come and gone as did New Years, I turned 25 and I still attend NCSU with hopes to someday become a pharmacist. (lets cross our fingers)

I have the absolute honor to be in 4 amazing weddings this year. The "Amburglar" in May to Wesleys friend Chris, my beautiful cousin April is getting married to the love of her life, Ron, in September, long time free spirit and marcher to her own beat Leslie is marrying DJ (that's Donald James to you) in November and Wesleys sister Alison will be getting married in November as well to her sweet heart Marcus. So needless to say this year will be party time!

Back in December I "turned a new leaf". I was sick of feeling out of control. Like my life revolved around school and work with a side order of school and work. So I'm making it a point to keep in touch with friends and find time for myself. This life thing....you only get one shot and I don't want to leave this earth wishing I had done more. With this new leaf came new experiences! I'm going to San Francisco with my mother, my co-worker and her daughter in March. We leave March 4th and will return (if we see fit!) March 9th. I expect to take lots of photos and come back with lots of stories. Especially since our hotel has happy hour from 5 to 7! We're mainly going to see the Winchester Mansion but will gladly take in all this city has to offer.

This Saturday (2/12) is Wesleys birthday! Friday night the gang's going to Mellow Mushroom for a joint birthday dinner with our friend Derek whose birthday is Saturday too. We have Burkey County family and friends coming in this weekend too so as Adam and Wes say, "Souls shall be captured and it's not a matter of if people will die but whether it will be millions or billions!" It will be epic no doubt. Party pants are ironed and ready to be worn.

So that's it folks. Everything else is pretty much the same. I love my actual job, borderline loathe my workplace, fill my free-time with biology, literature and beer and pretty much make the best memories EVER.

Love to all.

Dazed and Confused

Hello all! I'm just back from a business trip to South Carolina and let me tell you somethin'....there's no place like home.

The last few weeks have been a blur. This has been my life....I go to work every single day, (not complaining, I love my job) I'm there until about 9 on Tuesdays holding weight loss clinics, I come home and look over the plans and my checklist for our "BIG BBQ BASH", I bathe (when there's time), watch a little TruTV, and go to bed. When I'm super lucky I get to bring work home with me. (I understand you can't tell tone in a blog but let me assure you that was sarcasm)

So last night I roll into town about 11pm. Unpack a few things only to decide I didn't give a crap and living out of a suitcase never hurt anyone, then headed to bed. Woke up this morning after an amazing nights sleep and ride with mom to Raleigh to pickup the drug bug. On the way back to Zebulon I decided I'd stick around the store for a bit so that I could catch up on the things I missed while I was out of town. No sooner than I hit the bypass does it start to POUR! And I'm not talking, "oh it's raining i can still see the road" I'm talking, "holy cow...where the hell did the lines on the road go?" After driving in this mess for what seemed like 3 hours I finally made it to work. It didn't take long for me to realize that work was the last thing I felt like doing. I managed to make it to closing, packed my crap and got the heck out of town.

To be completely honest with you, I got more done once I was home than I could've ever gotten done at work. I created a family Facebook page so that we could all communicate in a central location, cooked sausage biscuits, drank an entire bottle of pink lemonade (an accomplishment in my book any day), and watched 2 hours of lifetime. Ahhh....home sweet home!

Tomorrow I have several things to look forward to, Mom is cooking a family breakfast, we're having a Brantley family meeting to discuss fundraising ideas for April (post-transplant) and then I get to relax by the pool!

Wow, I just realized the last few paragraphs were a complete mess....please forgive me. My brain is telling me to hurry and finish this blog so that we can unpause the tv and continue our lifetime marathon.

Ta Ta for now!

Love and Peace.

Lungs for April

My previous blogs were all about me. But I'm dedicating this blog to my cousin, April.

My cousin April is more like a sister to me than any sister could have ever been. Mainly because we say things to eachother that sisters wouldn't even think of saying because they'd be afraid the other would stab herself in the face. I can tell her anything, and I do. We have had more fights and our relationship is more on again off again than Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer. But that's ok, because this chic owns a special little corner of my heart. A part of my heart that if ever left void could never be replaced. Which brings me to the entire reason for this blog.

This cousin of mine is 25 years old and has cystic fibrosis. A lung disease that causes a thick sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive tract. She has gotten to the point where IV's and long stays in the hospital just aren't doing the trick. Recently she began taking the steps to prepare to placed on the lung transplant list. Let me add this...April needs a double lung transplant. She couldn't settle for just one! :)

Oh, something I forgot to mention...something even more important than my bond with April. She has a beautiful 2 year old daughter.

So, long story short...this is the start of my blog to document April's journey for new lungs.

July 4th Adventures!

This is the last thing I'll do before July 4th weekend is officially over. I must say though, it's been an eventful and exhausting adventure!

Friday after work Wes and I left for Belmont to visit Russ and Betsy. We arrived around 9pm, freshened up and headed to downtown Belmont for a few drinks and to watch some fireworks. Of course we were late and missed the show but we decided that it'd still be a good idea to walk to a local bar. It was almost a chore to get a drink in this flippin' place and I doubt they could've gotten one more person in there. (a midget or very small person may have fit but definately not an average size human) After we burnt off the beer calories by walking to the car we headed back to Russ and Bets place, crawled into bed and tried not to let the excitement of our upcoming events keep us awake!

Saturday morning came quick and we threw all of our crap in the truck and made our way towards the U.S. National Whitewater Center for a day of rafting, kayaking, beer, friends and our favorite band.

To make a long story semi-short...we flat water kayaked, whitewater rafted, mega-jumped, stuffed our faces, drank our poison of choice, rocked out, and made a million memories and after sleeping in the truck 3 hours we eventually made it back to Belmont to hit the sack.

We woke up Sunday morning to realize that we would not live 2 more seconds without food...and not just any food would do. Bojangles was in order. We manage to get our breakfast down, pack our crap and head back to the 919 to BBQ with my family. I took at least 80 billion photos and I've just now finished cropping, uploading and tagging said photos. As much as I'm enjoying blogging my unbelievable life, I'm fairly certain my bed is calling my name.

It's been real folks. Not that you gave a damn anyway but there goes my second blog. Whoopty doo. Go Traci.

Peace and Love.