Welcome

Hi, I’m Traci!

One of my favorite childhood memories was going to my Aunt Tassie and Uncle Tommy’s farm and spending hot summer days with my cousins playing in the rafters of their barn and getting eggs out of the coop.  I remember picking juicy red strawberries out of their u-pick strawberry patch and sipping ice cold lemonade out on the back porch in my bare feet.

Those were the days….Those memories have never left my heart, and I believe they are the reason that I desire to create those same memories with my own children. 

In 2022, we bought 10 acres outside of Nashville, Tennessee, and love living the “country life!” We named our land, Still Waters, from Psalms 23, because the Lord has truly “restored our soul” since moving here.

We value hard work, doing things ourselves (and our way,) working together, and knowing that every good and perfect gifts comes from above.

I hope you stick around and join me as I share the treasures I hold deep beneath my heart…my faith, my family, and my home.

Fun Facts About Me

I’d rather be

DIY’ing with Cy

Listening to

Jonathan & Eli’s music

grateful for

Jesus & family

Favorite place

HOME

my weekends

Church and Mexican!

best snuggle buddies

Bentley & Journey

Where this all began…

In 2009, I was a stay-at-home mom raising 4 boys under the age of 10. I had been an elementary teacher, but decided to stay home when my first child, Jonathan was born.

My precious mama had discovered something called “blogs”, and told me I should start one. “What’s a blog?!” was my response. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew I didn’t have time to do it. My hands were full chasing after four young boys!

But my mom kept sharing names of blogs with me and begging me to check them out. She said she knew I would love them…they talk about painting and decorating and creating a beautiful home on a budget…all the things I loved.

So one late night, after all the boys were asleep, I looked up those blog names that my mom gave me and spent HOURS reading post after post. I was so inspired, and loved finding a community of like-minded women online! Then next day, I started, Beneath My Heart.

A few months after I started my blog, my mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 Gastric cancer. She was only 64 years old. Our family was devastated. Seven short weeks later, she passed away.

I knew my boys were so young, they probably would not remember the amazing, wonderful grandmother they had, so for a year, I wrote a post every Wednesday about my mom, called “Wednesdays with Wanda.” I wanted to have a place they could look back to one day and read about how precious their “Nana” was and how much she loved them. (I also shared some of her journey with cancer.)

Those blog posts are the most special posts I’ve ever written, and you can read all of them HERE.

Little did my mom know that my blog would become my full time career. Little did she know that the money I made through this blog would help provide and care for her precious grandsons. I am forever grateful to her, and I can’t wait to see her again in heaven.