September 2, 2025 • 56 mins
Tracey welcomes her sister, Michelle (aka Sister Number Two), to the podcast to share their extraordinary journey of finding each other through DNA testing and how they've built a meaningful family bond in just one year.
• Michelle explains how her son Aaron, received a message about potential relatives that led to their family discovery
• The sisters describe their first in-person meeting at an airport in Florida and the immediate connection they felt
• Both share how their children and extended families have embraced each other like they've known each other forever
• They discuss the emotional complexities of discovering siblings later in life, including grief over lost time
• Tracey and Michelle talk about the challenges of finding yet another sibling and how they're processing these ongoing revelations
• The sisters emphasize the importance of giving each other space and grace throughout their DNA journey
• They share how they've integrated each other into their lives through weekly sister calls, text threads, and family gatherings
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Intro (00:00):
Come take a seat on the couch.
Welcome as we talk abouteverything under the sun.
You only live once, so I liveright in power with life.
Welcome to the Charging Station, no matter what you're fixing.
Tracey (00:15):
You can join the conversation, just be at the
Charging Station.
What's good everybody?
Welcome to the Charging StationPodcast.
It's your girl, Tracey Massey,of Living My EmPOWERed Life.
Hey boo, hey boo.
Hey boo, hey boo.
Welcome to season nine.
Can you believe it?
(00:36):
Oh my gosh, I've missed y'all.
I've missed y'all so much, butI needed a break.
I need a break.
You know your girl has been outhere living and enjoying life.
I'm gonna give you a coupleupdates, right, quick.
But first of all, welcome toall of our new listeners.
You can be listening toanything anywhere, but thank you
for lending me your ear forthese few moments.
You're a returning listener,hey boo.
(00:57):
You know I love me some you.
I need everybody to go ahead andclick that follow button, that
subscribe button.
Wherever you're listening to,whatever platform this is on,
make sure you are subscribed tous.
Also, follow me on all of thesocials at Living my Empowered
Life.
But y'all guess what, guesswhat?
We got an Instagram page forthe podcast too, so you can
follow us on the ChargingStation podcast.
(01:18):
I haven't done any other socialmedia for that, because I just
can't, because I launched a newbusiness.
Y'all Mm media for that,because I just can't, because I
launched a new business, y'all.
Yeah, the girl got her hand ina whole lot of stuff.
So, graced and grounded journeysis my new venture.
It's my travel business.
And, um, before you get excited, no, I'm not booking individual
travel.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
But what I am doing are groupretreats, so it is incorporated
(01:44):
into my Living, my EmpoweredLife, business.
And our first retreat is comingup in October 2026, at least at
the time of the recording onthis podcast, because you could
be listening to this like fiveyears from now.
But our first group retreat ishappening to Phuket and Bangkok,
thailand, october 22nd throughthe 30th of 2026.
(02:07):
And I cannot wait for you to bea part of it.
I'm going to link the wait liston the show in the show notes,
so go ahead and sign up for that.
You will get all of the details.
I got some powerful emails thatare coming out just describing
it.
It's going to be so lovely, youdon't want to miss so lovely,
you don't want to miss it.
You don't want to miss it.
Y'all know I'm bougie, you knowhow I do.
(02:27):
It's going to be fabulousbecause when I say that the
itinerary is chef's kiss, I meanit, I mean it.
So, okay, okay, okay, okay,okay.
Enough of all that, because I'mso excited about this episode.
We are kicking off season ninewith a bang.
So y'all know, you know, if youfollowed the series Branches,
(02:51):
where I was talking about my DNAjourney, finding my siblings,
finding sister number one, yougot to hear her on a couple
episodes back.
If you don't know what I'mtalking about, go back and
listen.
Especially if you're new, goback and listen to the Branches
series.
This is a continuation of Branbranches, because today I have a
very special guest, a veryspecial guest my big sister,
(03:11):
sister number two.
She's here.
Hey, big sister, hey, I'm sogiddy, y'all, I'm so giddy, I'm
so giddy, y'all, I'm so giddy,I'm so giddy.
My sister Michelle.
You guys know her as sisternumber two.
Michelle (03:29):
Sister number two.
She is here.
Tracey (03:31):
We're having a sister weekend.
My sister Robin will be here onSunday, but we have had such an
adventure and you know it onlytook Michelle five score in 17
years to.
That's the running joke, y'allthe running joke.
(03:53):
I say that because Michelle ismore like me than I realize and
like we're very.
Who are you?
Who sent you?
Why do?
Michelle (04:04):
you want to know this.
Tracey (04:08):
So we're very much like that and we have our sister,
robin, who's on the other end islike open book, telling
everything, and me and Michelleare like the FBI and CIA over
here.
So we are the dynamic duo whenit comes to.
Yeah, you can't sit with usright now until we get to know
you, but I am so happy to haveyou here, sis.
Michelle (04:27):
I am happy to be here, sis.
Welcome to the Queen City.
Thank you, I love it.
I love it.
Tracey (04:35):
I love it.
Y'all don't understand.
It's so funny to be united withmy sisters.
I can't say reunited, becausewe didn't know each other
existed, but being united withmy sisters, like it's only been
a year.
But every person that hasencountered us they always ask
us y'all sure you didn't grow uptogether?
(04:57):
We're like no, we just.
We literally just met and it'sjust been such a great bond.
I said this before on a fewepisodes they really do big
sister me yes, we do and I havetaken the role of the annoying
little sister very seriouslyit's fun, it's so fun.
(05:21):
But yeah, it's been a lot of ofadjustments and getting used to
things because now I have tothink about them.
You know I'm so used to gettingup and going and just not
telling.
You know I'll let people knowwhat I'm doing, but it's just
like, yeah, they call one dayand I'm like I'm in Atlanta and
Michelle's the first one to saydid I know about this?
I'm like nope, I'm surprisedthey hadn't said I need to put
(05:43):
Life 360 on my phone that I'msurprised they hadn't said I
need to put Life360 on my phone.
Michelle (05:46):
That's an idea.
No, no, no, no, no no no, weshall see, we shall see.
Tracey (05:53):
But I could not have asked for better big sisters,
and I'm so thankful for I'm notgoing to cry, I'm not going to
cry.
Michelle (06:00):
Don't, please don't.
Tracey (06:01):
I am so thankful to God for bringing us together and,
even though it's been hard, theway that things have been
revealed.
You know and we'll talk aboutthis in the episode because I
want to get your take on it, butwe've had private conversations
about it though.
So, whatever you feelcomfortable sharing, just you
know to share it.
(06:21):
But people over here know youknow we talk Right, you know
this is family.
So everybody go ahead sharing.
Just you know, just share it.
But people over here know youknow we talk.
Right, you know this is familyso everybody.
Go ahead, grab your coffee, grabyour tea, grab your water, grab
your wine, whatever yourbeverage.
Your choice is.
Go ahead, grab that thing andhave a seat on the couch, couch,
(06:42):
couch, so sit.
Take us to the day I wish thiswas video, your guys.
Take us to the day when myfavorite Aaron, aaron is
Michelle's oldest son, my nephew.
I call him my favorite Aaron.
If it wasn't for Aaron, wewouldn't know that Michelle was
out here.
Michelle (07:09):
So take us to the day that Aaron said hey, mom got
something to tell you.
You tell us what he said andwhat you said.
Well, I may not be able to sayexactly what I said, but no, it
wasn't that bad.
Um, as Tracy said, I am thatperson that needs to know who,
what, when, where and why.
Well, when Aaron called me, hesaid Mom, was it a text?
(07:32):
I think it was.
I received a call I think wasit a call or a text A message
Okay, that you may have twosisters.
I was like what, what do youmean?
I have two sisters.
I was like what, what do youmean?
Tracey (07:48):
I have two sisters.
Michelle (07:51):
So he told me about the message that he received,
and it took a minute for me todigest what he was saying.
And he said well, mom, youdon't have to commit to anything
, right?
They just want to talk to you.
(08:11):
So I said, okay, well, let methink about this.
You know so much going on,right, people scamming, and you
know, so I'm like like I don'tknow about this, aaron.
My son has a way your nephew hasa way of persuading people he
(08:33):
should be a life coach actually.
So we kept, we continued totalk about it and I said, okay,
I'll have a conversation.
So, according to Robin, if youlet her tell it, Listen, y'all
think I'm extra.
Mm-mm.
(08:54):
So we had that conversation andRobin asked me about our father
and I told Robin I don't haveanything to tell you which I
don't um and um, I think I wason my way.
If I can remember correctly, Iwas on my way to graduation,
(09:15):
yeah yes, yes, yes so she askedme if she could give me a call
back if she found out any moreinformation.
I said, sure, you can give me acall.
So after that um, I'm trying toremember all this, forgive me.
So after that thing, she calledme.
No, I called her, right.
I returned her call, okay.
Tracey (09:34):
I returned her call.
That was after, um, I had goneto Florida to visit her.
So it's like the next day, theday after I got to got home, you
had called her, okay, and um,she called me after you guys had
talked.
Michelle (09:52):
So I was just sitting on like I had to sit on the
stairs of my townhouse because Iwas like, oh my god, this is
really happening and I reallydon't think she thought I would
call her, because I did take alittle minute, not, there was
just so much going on, right,right, it was just so much going
on.
And again I had to digest allof this.
Tracey (10:12):
And just even though we I joke about how long it took,
because I'm a jokester- yes, andit wasn't as long as she said,
it was only 17 years.
That's it.
But it was just, you know,understanding that, yes, it is a
lot to take in, it's a lot todigest, Because, even with the
information that Robin and I hadgathered, like it sent me into
(10:35):
a spiral, Like what is this?
And so I had to learn to givespace and grace, not only to
myself but to my siblings as wefind them, because it is a lot
Like none of us knew this man,Like none of us had a
relationship with him and he'sstill pretty much a mystery.
(10:56):
But to know that you have othersiblings out there and then all
of a sudden they're here likelive and in technicolor, Like
what do you do with this?
So it is a lot to digest andit's a lot to maneuver
emotionally, Like I've beencalling it an emotional tornado,
because that's exactly what itfeels like.
(11:17):
Like you have all of the highsand the lows and some days it
just feels like you're spinning,spinning, spinning.
Thank God it has slowed down atad bit now.
Yes you're spinning, spinning,spinning.
Thank god it has slowed down atad bit now, yes, but with every
email that I get, like becauseyou still, I still get um
matches from the dna.
So for the record y'all,michelle has not taken the dna
test.
We actually don't need her tobecause we, thanks to aaron, we
(11:39):
know that we're siblings.
But um, robin and I are, in, wetook the dna test, so we still
get matches every once in awhile.
So even when I get a match, anemail like I got an email the
other day that somebody reachedout and I'm scared to open it
because I'm like, who is this?
Like, is this a sibling?
I'm scared to open it.
(12:00):
But yeah, totally get why youtook your time with it and I'm
glad that you did.
Michelle (12:05):
Yes, yeah, I had to.
I had to, like I said, there'sjust so much going on and I
explained all this to Robin.
No, I explained all this toAaron and he understood.
But again, this young man has away of.
He does.
Yeah, so I'm glad I did makethe call.
I'm really glad I did make thecall and I'm not going to get
(12:30):
emotional, yeah no, no, no, wegot all weekend to do that.
Right, and it's been phenomenalever since, you know, ever
since.
And the way that we just gelledyes.
You know, it's like we've knowneach other all of our lives, and
(12:53):
it's a beautiful thing it is,it's a beautiful thing.
Tracey (12:56):
Like our very first call , like, I think, when we were on
the phone for maybe two hoursit was a long time when all
three of us were able to get onthe call and we were just
cackling, laughing and it wasjust like okay we silly y'all
you're so silly and then justfinding out even more
similarities.
First of all, all three of uslook alike like I can't wait for
my friends to meet you becausethey some of them have had the
(13:20):
opportunity to meet robin, right, and they were doing like we
always get that back and forth,like people look at you.
Even when we went to DC, robinand I went to DC for the fourth
to visit Michelle and to meether family and friends, and you
can see everybody looking at herand looking at me and looking
at Robin, and all of them werelike okay, y'all Checking
(13:40):
everything out.
It's the funniest thing.
They're like yeah, you all lookalike.
Yeah, we do so.
I can't wait for my friends tosee it, because that's that's
the funniest part for me butjust the, the bond that we have
absolutely it's for lack of abetter word is weird, and weird
in a good way, in a good way.
Michelle (14:02):
In a good way.
Tracey (14:03):
Because I feel like people who have grown up with
their siblings all their lives,their bonds may be a little
different, exactly.
Michelle (14:13):
And.
Tracey (14:13):
I know that it's a blessing.
I really feel like this is ablessing because I know that my
sisters have my back and I havemy sisters' backs, absolutely.
Michelle (14:22):
I will cut somebody to the white meat.
Tracey (14:23):
Okay, over y'all All right.
Hey, I have my sisters' backs.
Absolutely, I would cutsomebody to the white meat.
Michelle (14:25):
Okay, over y'all.
Tracey (14:25):
All right, hey, I grew up in the South, but I'm still
from Southeast DC.
Okay, Act up, you won't getsnatched up, okay, but yeah.
So once you got off the callwith Robin, what was that like?
I don't think I've asked youthat question.
What?
Michelle (14:40):
was that like?
Once I got off of the call withRobin, again there was silence
and then I had to talk to selffor a minute?
I just had to.
I don't know, I don't know what.
I just had to absorb it all andtake it in and to um, it still
(15:09):
took me a minute.
And but after talking to robinand that's when robin said well,
do you mind if I add tracy tothe call or add tracy to the
text?
I think we were texting I waslike, absolutely.
But after conversing with thetwo of you all and saw the way
that we gelled, it was just anatural feeling.
(15:32):
There was nothing fake about it.
And that's when I started toturn things around.
Tracey (15:38):
And we developed a beautiful sister call that we
have every week.
Michelle (15:41):
Every week.
Tracey (15:43):
We have a whole text thread.
We call each other I know onSaturdays, well, I'm going to
find my big sister, she's goingto be at the farmer's market
thread.
We call each other, like I knowon Saturdays where I'm gonna
find my big sister, she's gonnabe at the farmer's market.
So it's just like you knowfinding out those kind of things
.
We went to um Florida for umRobin's birthday to celebrate
her birthday oh my god, that wasthe highlight of it all.
(16:05):
Yes, that was the highlight ofit all, because it was just
amazing to have the nieces andthe nephews to meet and
everybody just gelled.
Michelle (16:17):
Even her friends.
I mean, they just made us feellike we were all family.
It wasn't like well, no, y'alljust finding you, all are just
finding out your sister.
No, everybody just cametogether and they I think they
were more elated to see us.
Tracey (16:34):
Yeah, because then it was like real.
Michelle (16:37):
Right, they were like everybody was saying we didn't
have names.
Tracey (16:39):
It was like are you the sisters Right?
Michelle (16:47):
Like, yes, we're there , yeah, we're real.
I mean that was the pinnacle ofit all.
I mean that really sealed anygaps.
For me anyway, and for you allto know, it was a challenge for
me to get to that party.
Tracey (17:01):
See, I wasn't going to say anything.
Yeah, you can say it, it's okay.
I wasn't going to say anything,but since we're there, it's
quite all right.
Since we're there, it's quiteall right Since we're there.
It was a challenge, but I madeit, you made it and I am so glad
that.
I did Because I had to pull alittle sister card.
Michelle (17:18):
Yes, she did, I did.
Tracey (17:19):
You don't want your little sister.
Michelle (17:20):
Throw a little guilt in there.
Tracey (17:23):
I did, I did.
It worked.
It worked, it did Because Isaid you don't want your little
sister to be there and then seeyou know all of this going on
and my big sister isn't there,like I would be so sad I would
cry.
I was like I was trying tosqueeze out tears at that moment
.
It didn't work, but I was like,but seriously, but then I said
you know what?
I really want you to be there,but if you can't, be there.
Michelle (17:56):
I understand, and I meant that I was still.
I was gonna be sad because Iwanted you there.
Tracey (18:00):
We have to tell the reason why.
Okay, so a few weeks, that wasright after that plane crash,
right after the plane crash thatcrashed at dca.
Yes, um, and you don't live farfrom no, it happened.
So it was totally understandablewhy you had some apprehension.
And I will be honest with you,when I came to DC because this
must be trauma brain, because Iforgot about the tragedy that
(18:25):
happened until we landed, whenwe came to DC to landed, when we
came to DC to visit, when welanded, I thought about like oh
crap, like oh, it happened here.
And I think sometimes I thinkGod just protects me in that
kind of way because I probablywould have, y'all would have had
to come pick me up from BWI.
Michelle (18:46):
We would have, I would have totally understood, I know
.
But would have, I would havetotally understood, I know.
Tracey (18:50):
But yeah, that's why I totally understand the
apprehension because it wasright after that, and so it took
some working, it took somepraying and you know.
Michelle (19:00):
And then there were other crashes.
Tracey (19:02):
Yeah, it was like every week.
And I would send them a picture, some kind of picture or story,
or a story or something.
Yes, Another one and I was likestop watching the news I was
like oh God, she's not coming.
She's not coming, lord, she'snot coming.
But totally understand it.
I mean, it was a wild ride Likethat time.
Michelle (19:23):
Yes.
Tracey (19:24):
You know it was wild, it was wild.
Michelle (19:28):
It was wild, but then you arrived in Florida Safely,
and it was a time.
Tracey (19:35):
A time was had.
What was so funny was my flightgot delayed twice and I had to
change planes, and so we weresupposed to land right around
the same time, and then myflight got pushed back, got
pushed back and I'm like, okay,here we go.
This is why I don't like doingafternoon flights, because this
is happening all the time.
But then I had to sit down andsay, okay, God, well, God,
(19:57):
you're protecting me fromsomething.
I'm still going to get there.
It's going to be fine, and whenI got there there's a video on
my socials I saw you guys youand Robin walking across the
terminal.
I'm like they don't even see me.
Michelle (20:15):
We were walking towards you.
Actually, we were on a missionExactly Because we sat at the
other gate, which I think Aaronwas coming in.
No, no, who came first, did youI?
Tracey (20:28):
came, I came first, you came first, you, I came, I came
first, you came first.
Then aaron came in, but we wereall supposed to land the same
time, so aaron came in and thenI came, but I think robin
thought I was on another airlineshe thought you were coming
through the same gate and thenum realized oh wait, right,
she's coming, all right, and youguys are on a mission.
so I'm like my little legstrying to run and catch y'all.
(20:48):
I'm like excuse me.
And then it was just like Istarted crying Because that was
the first time I had seen you inperson.
Michelle (20:58):
And I was like don't do it, don't do it.
Yeah, we were standing, it wasabout to be a whole mess.
Tracey (21:03):
It was about to be a whole mess, but it was just so
great to hug you in that moment.
For me it was like a relief tohug you in person, because we
had been on the phone, we hadbeen on FaceTime by this time,
we had started out, we had beensister calls and everything.
But it was just like this is mysister.
And what was that moment likefor?
Michelle (21:26):
you Same, the same for me With both of you all.
Like I said, we've talked onthe phone, but just seeing each
other in person, being able toembrace one another, it was
phenomenal, yeah.
Tracey (21:44):
It was phenomenal and the giggles started from that
moment on.
It was on and popping afterthat it was on and popping.
Now I had a moment when we gotback to Robin's house.
You did, I did, oh, okay.
I'm going to tell you what didit.
When Aaron came out of thatdining room, it took everything
in me not to just crumble.
Like I almost knocked him over,like I saw him, just like ran
(22:06):
to him, I just like hugged himand then when I saw y'all had
already told, like Robin hadalready told me, that okay,
aaron looks like you.
It didn't dawn on me that ifAaron looks like me, then Aaron
looks like my daughter gotcha,because my daughter looks like
me, right.
So when I saw him I went and itwas just like, oh my god.
And so the reality of she's nothere hit me and so I had to I
(22:33):
don't know if you noticed, Ikind of I scurried off, I didn't
.
It went outside because I waslike I was really about to like
crumble and I knew if I did thatit was gonna be everybody was
gonna crumble.
So I had to like release it andyou know know, kind of pull
myself together.
But hugging Aaron, the catalystfor all of this, it was like yo,
this is my nephew, and I'vesaid this before, but I'm going
(22:58):
to say it again, I'm going tosay it to the cows come home.
To actually be an aunt is likean amazing thing to me.
Now, if my babies hear this,I'm still your TT.
Okay, that's not going tochange.
That's not going to change.
That's never going to change.
I've always been TT.
I've always been Auntie Tracy.
But to hear it from my actualblood, that's different.
That's different.
(23:20):
And when I tell you I love mynieces and nephews, like I've
gotten the opportunity to smelltheir necks, because I love the
smell of a baby's neck, that'sthe best smell ever.
But it's just like wow.
And Aaron and I had a momentwhen we were in DC.
(23:40):
That boy, that man, I swear.
He's something, something else,he's something.
But we were having a moment inthe kitchen and I said he said
Auntie Tracy, and I was like anytime any of them say Auntie
Tracy, I just look like oh, youtalking to me Like oh, and I
have to gather because it's likeoh, that's my niece, that's my
(24:03):
nephew, like for real, for real,Right.
And so I said, erin, is thatweird for you to call me on
Tracy?
He's like no, see matter offact.
He said no, I said.
He said why would it be weird?
And I said, well, it's, youknow, it's new.
He said, but you're my aunt,like, just as a matter of fact,
is that he's like you're my aunt?
He's like I can't call you,miss Tracy, because no, he said
(24:25):
I can't call you Tracy becausethat's so informal.
He's was like you're my Aunt,tracy.
And when he said that, thatjust affirmed me in such a way
that I can't even explain.
I said hold on Erin, I got togather.
I got to gather because I wasabout to start crying.
Michelle (24:36):
The one good thing.
He knew he had to put a handleon whatever he called you Raised
well.
Okay.
Tracey (24:46):
Raised.
Well, okay, but even all ofthem, like even jazzy, said the
same things.
Because I asked all of themlike it's not weird that you
know, like no, you're mine andit's just.
Like, okay, I'm the weirdo herethen, because it's just and
that's okay, it's okay, it takesgetting used to.
Yes, you know, and I um not tomake this all about me, because
(25:07):
I want you to talk too, but whenwe were at Robin's party and
she had all of the cousinssitting together, and.
I looked over at you and I waslike even before the party
though yeah, yeah, yeah evenbefore the yes.
Michelle (25:25):
Aaron will talk to anyone, he'll balance with
anyone, but I mean all of them.
Tracey (25:35):
All of them.
Michelle (25:36):
All of them.
Tracey (25:38):
They were just like.
Michelle (25:39):
And I just sat back and I just watched.
Tracey (25:41):
Yes, and the fact that they have their own chats going
on checking in on each other.
It was like yo, this wasamazing and even when we came to
DC, like all of them didn't getto meet Jamari yet, but the way
Jazz they just bonded.
Michelle (26:01):
And see like they just bonded.
It was just so cool to see,that was just so awesome.
I mean, we were sitting in thedining room in the living room
and I just looked in the kitchenI was like wow, yeah, because
that was their first time, jaz,and them first time meeting
Jamari and my nephew, yeah.
So I was like wow, this isawesome.
Tracey (26:22):
And it's like they've known each other all their lives
.
All their lives.
They played in the sandboxtogether.
Michelle (26:28):
And I love it, I love it.
Tracey (26:30):
Yeah, I love that bond.
Michelle (26:32):
Yes, and I'm so glad and I think that's what I missed
, like I told you guys and likewe were talking earlier the way
that God just brought this thingtogether.
Yeah, because, again, myparents are deceased, your
parents are deceased, robin'sparents are deceased, and it's
(26:58):
all in his time.
Yeah, so it was something thathe knew we needed, right?
We?
Tracey (27:06):
needed.
Michelle (27:07):
You know, like Jamari said um to me, um, because I
have no one, my immediate familyis deceased.
So he said um, mom, you're notalone anymore, you have two
(27:28):
sisters.
I melted, yeah, I melted, youknow, and I was like you're
absolutely right.
So y'all are stuck with me now.
Tracey (27:37):
Oh, you're stuck with me too.
Michelle (27:38):
Absolutely, you all are stuck with me.
Absolutely, yeah, so it's justamazing.
It's amazing.
Tracey (27:47):
It's such a great thing to see and to spend time with
Jamari, and you had already toldus know like there's a big
difference between Aaron andJamari's more like his mom.
He has to sit back but you knowwhat, jamari, when Jamari and I
were sitting, we went to havebrunch after church and Jamari
and I were sitting beside eachother.
We kept looking at each other.
I was like you ready to go?
(28:07):
He was like, yeah, I was likeready to go too.
And I said Jamari, jamari actslike me too, because I could see
Jamari being the introvert andjust kind of like Very observant
, very observant.
Like you don't catch everything,Everything.
(28:28):
And Robin I said Jamari saidyou're more like me and Aaron's
more like Robin and I said I seethe qualities like that.
Absolutely me and Jamari couldbe sitting together and we won't
say a word, but we gonna knoweverything that's going on cause
we made something happenoutside and we just gotta look
at each other, cause we bothcaught it and was laughing.
And we came outside and you ateach other, because we both
(28:48):
caught it, it was laughing.
And then we came outside andyou know I was just robbing.
Oh, we got to tell this story.
We got to tell this story aboutthe grocery store.
Hold that thought, though,something when we came out of in
DC.
We came out for brunch, when wehad brunch, and some lady we
took our pictures and everything.
And some lady was like, oh, weneed to stand right there, like
it's a good light.
And I was like, want me to takeyour picture?
(29:09):
And me and Jamari looked ateach other.
I was like Jamari, go to thecar.
He's like, come on, come on,because we knew we started
moving.
Michelle (29:17):
Everybody else had to move too but I thought that was
so funny.
Yeah, yeah, so, at least like,even with that being said, just
like we said they allcollaborated in the kitchen.
Oh yeah, so, oh yeah, it wasjust.
I don't even know the rightword for it, but just to see
them a blessing for sure youknow, and then we're bonding.
Tracey (29:43):
Exactly that was it but then they call it over what they
call me the cool auntie.
They call me over like auntie,they call me up like auntie, you
want a shot?
You want a shot, auntie, yeah,yeah, yeah.
It's like them little childrenbe trying me.
It's like, please, this islightweight, lightweight, but I
(30:05):
love it, I love it.
They mean so much to me yeah,yeah, that's all, but I love it,
I love it.
They mean so much to me like,yeah, yeah, but it goes.
You know, and Michelle, I willsay you are the balance in the
group, in the crew, in thesister crew, because whenever I
have those moments where I'mlike the anger stirs up and I
(30:28):
think we all deal with the angerand the questions in a
different way Michelle alwaystakes me back to the cross,
absolutely always takes me backto the cross and she, she
reminds me.
You know you can't dwell there.
You know you can feel what youfeel.
You basically say the samething I say to my clients and to
other people you can feel whatyou feel, but you can't stay
(30:49):
there absolutely.
And that has been like thesaving grace for me, because
when I want to punch air, whenwhen I said let's go to that man
grave, dig him up, and so I canbeat him up you know, you're
like yes, sis, we can't do that,you know, but it's the reality
of it is.
we do have those ebbs and flowswhere it's just like you feel
(31:10):
robbed, you feel cheated becauseof all the time that has passed
.
Michelle (31:15):
Right.
Tracey (31:16):
Like I still deal with my sisters will never know my
daughter, right, my nieces andnephews will never know Kenya,
and I know for a fact she wouldhave loved y'all and I even said
to y'all I can see my childcalling up her auntie.
She's like come get your sisterbecause she's cutting up.
But it's just, you know, beingin the space now of gratefulness
(31:39):
and just thanking God for whathe has done, because, again, we
needed each other in this spaceand this time, and I think we're
in a place where we are able toreceive it, and so it's just
been so great.
And now we're making plans forspending holidays together.
You know, like the matching, ofcourse, little sister wants
(32:01):
matching pajamas yes, she doesand we're looking for them this
weekend, by the way.
Yeah, yeah baby sis and we'relooking for them this weekend,
by the way, are we?
Yeah, okay, yeah, baby sis, yes, yes, yes, but I'm like this
anyway.
So why would I not do this withmy sisters?
I mean, come on, we catching upon stuff, because I keep trying
(32:22):
to get them to do all thegraduations and birthdays and
stuff over again.
Michelle (32:26):
Oh.
Tracey (32:27):
Lord, don't take me back .
Michelle (32:28):
Oh, wait yeah oh.
Tracey (32:29):
Lord don't take me back.
Oh wait, that's it.
So, yeah, we can't do that.
Aaron still didn't put on hishomecoming king crown and sash
for me because I wanted to get apicture.
I think time just got away fromus.
But yeah, he's going to have todo that next time I see him.
And you know, at least I get tosee one of my nephews graduate
college, see, so I'm verythankful for that, see, so very
proud.
(32:49):
And y'all, let me tell yousomething my sisters have done
phenomenal jobs raising theirchildren.
I must say, oh, thank you,because they are amazing adults.
They're so polite, they're sosmart Fashionistas.
You know, I just look like, wow, y'all did a great job.
Thank you, thank you, you'restill doing a great job, thank
(33:13):
you.
Michelle (33:14):
Thank you Wasn't all I know.
We made it.
Tracey (33:18):
Parenting is never easy.
Michelle (33:19):
No.
Tracey (33:20):
But it's something about seeing the fruit of your labor,
mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
You know, Aaron is theGlobetrotter.
He's gone.
Now Jamari is making his mark.
He's making his mark In hisfield Jazz is doing her thing,
(33:41):
Jalen's doing great Bianca.
Vaughn All of them are justdoing amazing.
Michelle (33:48):
We are definitely blessed.
Tracey (33:54):
Definitely blessed.
Michelle (33:55):
Sister, sister, how did it feel for you to say that
for the first time, oh my, gosh,oh my gosh, it was, it was, it
was weird.
Tracey (34:08):
Very much so Okay, For lack of a better word, like I
don't have another word for it.
Michelle (34:15):
No, I understand, Like not weird.
Tracey (34:18):
Because I grew up as the only child, Like I'm the only
child, my mom had.
So I have like my best friendsand things like that.
I consider them my sisters.
But to actually say, okay, letme call my sister.
I'm going to tell you theturnaround, the thing that
really hit me and I think I toldyou guys this when we um
switched over to this newcompany and I had to put down my
emergency contacts and I waslike, wait, I gotta put my
(34:39):
sisters down because legallythey're my next of kin.
Oh, wow, yeah, yeah and that'swhen it hit me.
Like girl you got sisters andthat was a year.
You know, by that time we hadknown each other and been
talking for a year.
But that was when it hit me,when I had to add my emergency
contacts and I had to put mysisters down.
(35:02):
That was wild to me.
And when I got birthday cardsfrom my sisters, I opened those
cards and I cried, I put them inmy.
I have a prayer journal, so Iput them in my prayer journal
because that and I write outprayers like I pray for y'all
daily, but that particularprayer that day I sat there and
(35:22):
I cried for like an hour becauseit was just and I wasn't sad,
it was just like right, yeah, itwas a good cry, it was just not
, wasn't sad, right.
Yeah, it was a good cry.
It was like just overwhelminggratitude, like, wow, god, you
know, I got cards from mysisters.
So it's just been like I haveto keep reminding myself again
because, you know, I've donethis life by myself for 48 years
(35:43):
.
So now just having the mindsetof, ok, let me let my sisters
know this is where I am, whatI'm doing.
And it's been such a greatthing though, because now it's
like, yeah, my sisters arecoming.
Michelle (35:56):
I was telling everybody like yeah, my sisters
are going to get this again.
My sisters are coming.
My sisters are coming.
Tracey (36:01):
And so it's just been a wild ride.
Michelle (36:07):
Yeah, I think it was my girlfriend that asked me and
I said the same thing Weird.
Yeah, it's weird, Weird.
Tracey (36:13):
Took some getting used to, you know, because I was the
only girl, so but yeah, it wasweird to say that, and I'm
pretty sure Robin would say Idon't want to speak for her
because we'll ask her, becausewe're probably going to do
another episode with all threeof us.
I hope I because we'll ask herbecause we're probably going to
do another episode with allthree of us.
Michelle (36:32):
I hope.
Tracey (36:33):
I hope you think, yes, okay, let's do it, okay.
But I'm pretty sure she'll say,yeah, it was weird because
Robin, on the other spectrum,she was the baby in her family,
because she has older siblingsand she's got another sister.
We'll ask her, like we'll talkabout her birthday more in depth
(36:53):
whenever all three of us gettogether.
But she was the baby in herfamily, so now she's a big
sister.
So that's an adjustment for her.
And you know, here I am, I'malmost 50 years old and I'm like
oh yeah.
I'm a little sister, like it'sjust yeah.
(37:14):
And then on top of that we findanother sibling.
Well, the other sibling foundus and it's one of those
situations where we're givingspace and grace because her
story is similar to ours, wherewe didn't know this man, you
(37:38):
know, um, and she's the oldestout of us.
So out of the siblings that weknow about myself, robin
michelle we have an older sisterthat we just found.
How long has it been now?
Has it been a year?
Michelle (37:53):
it hasn't been a year yet I don't think it's been
quite a quite a year maybe aftermy birth, after our birthdays
after after our birth,definitely after, yes, so it
hasn't been a year yet, butagain same situation.
Tracey (38:11):
She took DNA tests and she matched.
She reached out to me, sent mea message and I immediately
called my sisters and I justsaid I FaceTimed y'all and I
FaceTimed.
It was after 9 o'clock it wasalmost 10 o'clock and they were
both like what's wrong, becausethey know I'm in the bed, I'm in
(38:39):
the bed, I get up at 4 am,y'all.
So 10 o'clock, me FaceTiming,and all I could say was y'all,
y'all.
And Rob was like what's wrongand Michelle's like what's going
on, and I said we got anothersibling.
(38:59):
Michelle said no, like we canstop it.
Michelle said no, and Robyn's Ican't do another sister.
And y'all, please don't getthis wrong.
It's not that we don't want toembrace her or anything like
that, it's just the shock ofanother one.
It's like DJ Khaled coming outof the shadows saying another
(39:21):
one, another one.
So it's just like I saidearlier.
I have a message sitting in myinbox right now and I don't know
who this is.
It's a guy.
So I'm like is this a brother?
Like what is this?
It's a guy, yeah.
So I don't know.
I hadn't looked at the match, Ihadn't looked at his name or
anything, I just saw the message.
(39:43):
I'm like oh dear God, I can'tdo it yet.
Michelle (39:48):
Oh man, so I don't know.
Tracey (39:51):
Okay, when you're ready.
Oh child, I don't know when I'mgoing to be ready.
And then I'm like why do theykeep reaching out to me, Like
Robin is on the same?
Michelle (40:01):
thing Like reach out to her.
Tracey (40:03):
She'll talk to you.
And then, who was it?
Was it somebody?
Somebody else reached out to meand wanted oh, I forgot, she
wanted me to call her.
Michelle (40:13):
Right.
Tracey (40:14):
And I was like I ain't calling her.
Michelle (40:16):
She's looking for information, information about
her grandmother.
Tracey (40:20):
And so her grandmother.
So I looked at that match andit's on our paternal side, so
it's a relative of our father.
So I'm so scared that thiscould be another sister, you
know.
But she said her grant, so I'mnot sure how that falls in the
DNA, like if her grandmother isour grandmother or so I don't
(40:45):
know.
I hadn't deep dived into it, Ihadn't called her, yet I'm like
I'm really hoping she reachesout to Robin, because Robin was
immediately like let's call heryes, no, so I'm really, I'm
really hoping that lady messageRobin, because I asked, I was
like please did she reach out toyou?
because if she, if she reachedout to you, you can call her.
(41:06):
I can't like I just I can't, Ican't take anymore right now
understood, it's just understoodand it's not that I don't want
to um get to know these peopleor have questions, because I
feel like the the closer we getto um, people who are related to
(41:27):
our father will know moreinformation about him, and I'm
at a point now where I don'tknow if I want to know anything
about him.
Michelle (41:34):
Well, you know why I say that, oh yeah, absolutely.
And we're going to leave it.
Tracey (41:38):
We're going to leave it right there, absolutely.
Papa was a rolling stone.
He was the stone before thestone started rolling.
Okay, and we don't know.
You talk about being fruitfuland multiplying and I think it's
interesting how it's mostlygirls.
He has mostly daughters.
Michelle (42:00):
Well, that we know of.
Tracey (42:02):
That we know of, and that's the thing.
These are questions that we maynever get answers to.
We don't know how many of usare out there and I don't know.
If you do this, I may be theweirdo, but I catch myself
looking at people's faces nowLike a little more in depth than
I used to, especially in DC,because you know he populated DC
.
But I'm looking at people andlike, are you?
Michelle (42:26):
my sibling.
Tracey (42:29):
Yeah, okay, I'm the weirdo, I don't go that far.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, because it'sthe part, it's the curiosity,
but then it's also like I don'twant to know.
Like I don't want to knowBecause I would be so mad if
there is somebody younger thanme that's one of his kids.
Like no, I am the baby and it'sgoing to stay that way.
Michelle (42:52):
Oh, that's the baby sister.
Tracey (42:53):
Mm-hmm.
Michelle (42:54):
That's baby sister, yep.
Tracey (42:59):
Everybody needs to be older than me.
Okay, sir, your potent term.
I was going to say we don'tknow, we do not know, and the
crazy part is how many peopletook this man to their graves.
That's the thing.
(43:21):
There's no clue.
Like I talked to one of mymom's best friends and she
doesn't even remember my motherbeing pregnant, she remembered
getting a phone call.
Did I tell you this?
I didn't tell you this becauseyou're looking like I didn't
tell you this.
Michelle (43:34):
I keep talking.
I think we did have thisdiscussion.
Tracey (43:39):
She said that she did not remember my mom dating
anybody or seeing you know noman coming around, Didn't even
know my mom was pregnant,pregnant.
She got a phone call from thehospital that my mother had a
baby and it was me and I.
I used to make robin laugh.
I'm like you know what I think.
My mama found me on the side ofthe potomac river and just oh
(44:00):
my god, just picked me up andjust like, took me to the
hospital and was like, yeah,this is my baby.
But my mom was 40 when she hadme and was going through
menopause.
So she thought that she wasgoing through menopause and like
, nope, it's me.
And so I can see why, becausemy mom was very, very thin and
(44:24):
she probably wasn't showing alot because I was premature and
so I could see how she couldhave hidden the pregnancy.
And then all of a sudden, boop,boop, hey, baby girl.
So I just found that that'sinteresting.
But being in that time, like Ikeep thinking about that time
(44:45):
that all of us were brought intothis world.
It was a different time.
It was a different time.
It was a different time andwomen were treated very
differently back then.
You know my mom was a singlemother.
You know women were looked atcompletely different than they
(45:09):
are now, and I actually had to.
You know and I'm'm gonna getyour input on this if you've
experienced this in thebeginning of this DNA journey
for me, having people that Igrew up with and love, dearly,
thought of as family, sayingthey're jealous of me finding my
sisters yeah, broke my heartbroke my heart.
Every time I think about.
I'm like, wow, why would you bejealous of that?
(45:34):
Like, do you think they'regonna take, take me away from
you or something like?
You had whole families yourselfand why are you jealous?
And my whole thought process.
Anybody that knows me for realknows I don't have any room for
any type of jealousy at all.
Right at all.
Because why?
Why would you be jealous ofsomebody that you love?
Michelle (45:53):
and there's really no need there's no need.
Tracey (45:56):
There's no need, especially when you grew up with
this person and you saw mecoming through the trenches
fighting for my life, literallyto see me on the other side.
So you're getting.
If you're jealous of that, whatelse are you jealous of?
That's how I look at it, and sothey have been.
You know, my therapist callsthem tier one, tier two and tier
(46:17):
three friends.
They've been tiered three and Idon't even think they know it.
Um, and one of my best friendsis like you gotta fix it, you
gotta say, you gotta saysomething like no, I will, I
will not, I'm not Because why?
Michelle (46:30):
Well, you know how I am.
I know and I agree with yourgirlfriend.
I think it deserves aconversation, uh-uh.
Tracey (46:42):
Because I'm still angry, and when I get angry it's not
going to be pretty.
I need God to season my wordswith grace, because that anger
is coming from hurt.
Anger is already always asecondary emotion.
The anger is coming from thehurt of here's somebody that I
thought of as a friend, but hereyou are saying that you're
jealous and I had one that waslike well, um, it takes two to
tango.
(47:02):
I'm like, first of all.
First of all, don't be talkingabout my mama, like to this day.
Don't be talking about my mama,right?
I don't care if the two tango,like, if I don't know the story
and I haven't made an assumption, don't you dare?
And then having people say, um,asking, well, why are you doing
this?
(47:22):
And all of this stuff, and it'sjust been a lot of backlash
that I was surprised by and hurtby.
Michelle (47:32):
Well then you have to ask why are they jealous?
Do they think that they maylose?
You See, it may be somethingelse on that other side.
Tracey (47:42):
But they need to figure it out.
Michelle (47:43):
Well, that's where the conversation comes in.
I was like this that's wherethe conversation comes in.
I was like this that's wherethe conversation comes in,
because they may feel like, okay, I am about to lose her now
that she has sisters, and thatmay not even well.
That's not the case.
I don't see you going there, sothat's not the case.
So communication is key.
Communication is key and Ithink that you know these people
(48:07):
better than we do.
I'm just talking now and theymay feel like they're losing you
.
Tracey (48:16):
And they lost me in their jealousy, and that's the
thing.
Michelle (48:18):
Well see, why are they jealous?
But why?
Tracey (48:21):
You've known me all my life, pretty much all my life.
Michelle (48:23):
Why are they jealous?
I?
Tracey (48:26):
need them to find a therapist and figure that out.
Michelle (48:28):
You may be able to answer that question, or they
may be able to, after having aconversation, figure it out.
And if the conversation doesnot flow, and it's not but you
want it to be, then that's onething.
But you can say.
Then you can say that I tried,but right now it's just left
(48:49):
wide open.
Tracey (48:51):
And it's too much.
There's no closure.
Yeah, it's too much.
Oh, it's closure for me.
Where is closure?
Michelle (48:57):
It's closure for me, but it just may be something
that they're also going throughNow.
I've been in your life all thistime and now you have sisters
and I know they just felt thevibe and they could just feel
the energy coming from that.
So there may be fear of themthinking that they're going to
lose you.
This is a maybe.
(49:18):
I'm not exactly sure and youwon't know unless you have that
conversation.
Tracey (49:22):
Well, pray for me, sister, because I'm not there
yet.
Okay, please, and everybodylistening, pray for me because
I'm not there yet, because I'mI'm.
I think people underestimate myability to close a door and
especially when I don't have thecapacity to take that on, and
right now I just I don't havethe capacity, and it does.
(49:43):
It doesn't mean that I hatethem.
I love them dearly, love them.
If something, if somethinghappens, I'm going to be there.
But as far as that, closeaccess no.
Not right now.
Michelle (49:55):
Like I said, I don't know the inside story.
You know the inside story, soyou know these people better
than I do.
I'm just looking at it from theoutside, looking in this DNA
journey exposed a lot of things.
Tracey (50:13):
It exposed a lot.
A lot of it good, but some ofit bad, it hurt it hurt a lot.
I just want to know from yourperspective did you have to deal
with any?
Michelle (50:24):
of Not at all.
I see Not at all.
Tracey (50:27):
I love it for you.
Michelle (50:34):
Not at all.
See, not at all.
I love it for you, not at all.
Everybody was just so elatedand, first of all, could not
believe it, even, uh, those thatjust find out.
Um, one of my former co-workers.
I just told her she was like,really, yeah.
And I was like, yes, I justfound out.
And so I was telling a littlebit of the story, because we
were at a meeting and I said,girl, we have to get together so
I can tell you the entire story, and she was like, I am just so
(50:57):
happy for you, that is awesome.
So, no, I have not had that.
Tracey (51:05):
I'm glad you didn't.
Why am I the special?
Michelle (51:08):
I don't know, I don't know Everybody.
Well, you saw, you saw how myfamily gravitated and they just
welcomed.
So no and I don't know if it'sbecause of some of the things
that I've gone through losing mytime no, I'm not even going to
say that my people are just likethat, they're just like that.
(51:29):
No, I'm not even going to saythat my people are just like
that, they're just like that.
And no, I haven't had anypushback at all.
Tracey (51:34):
At all.
Michelle (51:35):
I love that Ask for me and that's another question we
need to ask Robin.
Tracey (51:42):
Yeah, yeah, I don't think she has.
I don't think she has either Idon't remember her mentioning it
, but me remembering something.
Michelle (51:52):
If I didn't write it down.
Tracey (51:54):
I know, yeah, but it's funny how, like people would try
to give advice, like,especially people who've never
been on this journey in any typeof way, like they would try to
give advice or try to tell mewhat to do or tell me how to
feel.
Like the people that try totell me how to feel about that
(52:15):
man, I'm like no, because if mysisters, who are right here in
the trenches with me and dealingwith the same thing, aren't
telling me how to feel, youcan't tell me how to feel
because it's, it's confusion,like it's.
It's confusion, it's anger,it's hurt, it's all of the
things.
So you can't tell me how tofeel about that man.
Michelle (52:35):
Well, I don't think anyone can tell you how to feel
right, and that's what I'msaying.
Tracey (52:38):
If if anybody could, if anybody could say anything, it
would be y'all.
And you have not right.
Neither one of you had told mehow to feel about him.
Neither one of you told me howto feel about him.
Neither one of you had told mehow to feel about the situation.
So I'm like y'all, please justbe respectful.
And then, from my perspective,being out in the public a little
bit and sharing my story.
I'm sharing my story becausepeople have asked about it and
(53:00):
so now they're intrigued andeverything I've really had to
put people like set this clearboundary and that's one thing
about me.
I have clear boundaries and Iam not afraid to say no, we're
not doing that.
But to have people tell me well, you should do this or you
should feel it, no, all I needto do is stay black and die yeah
(53:23):
, and they don't know yourjourney, they don't know the
journey and keep in mind toowe're only sharing parts.
Absolutely we're not sharingeverything, because that part is
sacred.
We're sharing what we want toshare.
So just be mindful, people,just because you see somebody on
the internet and they'refriendly towards you, y'all, you
(53:44):
don't know them.
And I'm gonna tell you rightnow don't know them.
And I'm going to tell you rightnow don't try that over here,
don't do it.
Okay, don't do it, because myblock game is strong.
I will introduce you to theblock ministry and keep it
moving, because I have to, youknow, because it's a lot, it's a
lot, it's a lot.
Michelle (54:04):
Yes, it's a lot, and you get to a point in your life
where the shenanigans andnonsense you just don't have
time for it.
You know there's so much goingon, now that you know you just
want some peace.
Tracey (54:23):
Yes, and that's one thing we're going to do protect
our peace Absolutely.
My favorite word lately hasbeen nope, just like that with
the P, nope.
I don't have time and I've saidthis, I don't have the time,
the energy nor the desire todeal with that Absolutely,
(54:43):
because y'all heard at thebeginning of the episode what I
got going on when I got time forfoolery, when I got time for
shenanigans.
Now, good, shenanigans when I'mcutting up with my sisters and
my friends.
Yes, but, all this other stuff,mm-mm.
Michelle (54:57):
I'm grown, grown, I got bills to pay.
Tracey (54:59):
Absolutely, it's just too much.
Michelle (55:02):
And there's always a bill to pay.
Tracey (55:06):
There's always A bill to pay, Since we need to get
lottery tickets.
Michelle (55:09):
I'm just saying yes, I meant to mention that to you.
I'm just saying we do.
Tracey (55:14):
We're going to build our little compound and just
disappear.
Yes, like Charger Station,claim it, claim it, amen.
Build a whole little familycompound out there somewhere in
the woods.
I just need a body of water.
Give me a body of water, I'mgood.
Well, sister, thank you so verymuch for being on the episode.
Michelle (55:35):
Thank you for having me Always.
Tracey (55:39):
So we're going to let y'all go, because we got sister
things to do and there's onespot that I gotta go take my
sister.
So she doesn't, so she doesn't,you know't, you know, and I'm
really hoping that it is good,because if we get over here and
the food is not good, I'm gonnabe upset.
Michelle (55:57):
Me too.
Tracey (55:58):
She would not let me go taste it beforehand.
Michelle (56:01):
We're gonna experience this together.
Tracey (56:04):
Except you want us to cover whatever you like.
This is an interactive podcast.
I don't just sit up here andjust talk to myself for an hour
or two.
I need y'all to interact.
All right, so until next timemy boos remember God loves you,
I love you.
It ain't nothing you can doabout it.
Boop, boop, boop, boop, boop.
Bye y'all, thank you.
Come take a seat on the couch.
Welcome as we talk abouteverything under the sun.
You only live once, so I liveright in power with life.
Welcome to the Charging Station, no matter what you're fixing.
Tracey (00:15):
You can join the conversation, just be at the
Charging Station.
What's good everybody?
Welcome to the Charging StationPodcast.
It's your girl, Tracey Massey,of Living My EmPOWERed Life.
Hey boo, hey boo.
Hey boo, hey boo.
Welcome to season nine.
Can you believe it?
(00:36):
Oh my gosh, I've missed y'all.
I've missed y'all so much, butI needed a break.
I need a break.
You know your girl has been outhere living and enjoying life.
I'm gonna give you a coupleupdates, right, quick.
But first of all, welcome toall of our new listeners.
You can be listening toanything anywhere, but thank you
for lending me your ear forthese few moments.
You're a returning listener,hey boo.
(00:57):
You know I love me some you.
I need everybody to go ahead andclick that follow button, that
subscribe button.
Wherever you're listening to,whatever platform this is on,
make sure you are subscribed tous.
Also, follow me on all of thesocials at Living my Empowered
Life.
But y'all guess what, guesswhat?
We got an Instagram page forthe podcast too, so you can
follow us on the ChargingStation podcast.
(01:18):
I haven't done any other socialmedia for that, because I just
can't, because I launched a newbusiness.
Y'all Mm media for that,because I just can't, because I
launched a new business, y'all.
Yeah, the girl got her hand ina whole lot of stuff.
So, graced and grounded journeysis my new venture.
It's my travel business.
And, um, before you get excited, no, I'm not booking individual
travel.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
But what I am doing are groupretreats, so it is incorporated
(01:44):
into my Living, my EmpoweredLife, business.
And our first retreat is comingup in October 2026, at least at
the time of the recording onthis podcast, because you could
be listening to this like fiveyears from now.
But our first group retreat ishappening to Phuket and Bangkok,
thailand, october 22nd throughthe 30th of 2026.
(02:07):
And I cannot wait for you to bea part of it.
I'm going to link the wait liston the show in the show notes,
so go ahead and sign up for that.
You will get all of the details.
I got some powerful emails thatare coming out just describing
it.
It's going to be so lovely, youdon't want to miss so lovely,
you don't want to miss it.
You don't want to miss it.
Y'all know I'm bougie, you knowhow I do.
(02:27):
It's going to be fabulousbecause when I say that the
itinerary is chef's kiss, I meanit, I mean it.
So, okay, okay, okay, okay,okay.
Enough of all that, because I'mso excited about this episode.
We are kicking off season ninewith a bang.
So y'all know, you know, if youfollowed the series Branches,
(02:51):
where I was talking about my DNAjourney, finding my siblings,
finding sister number one, yougot to hear her on a couple
episodes back.
If you don't know what I'mtalking about, go back and
listen.
Especially if you're new, goback and listen to the Branches
series.
This is a continuation of Branbranches, because today I have a
very special guest, a veryspecial guest my big sister,
(03:11):
sister number two.
She's here.
Hey, big sister, hey, I'm sogiddy, y'all, I'm so giddy, I'm
so giddy, y'all, I'm so giddy,I'm so giddy.
My sister Michelle.
You guys know her as sisternumber two.
Michelle (03:29):
Sister number two.
She is here.
Tracey (03:31):
We're having a sister weekend.
My sister Robin will be here onSunday, but we have had such an
adventure and you know it onlytook Michelle five score in 17
years to.
That's the running joke, y'allthe running joke.
(03:53):
I say that because Michelle ismore like me than I realize and
like we're very.
Who are you?
Who sent you?
Why do?
Michelle (04:04):
you want to know this.
Tracey (04:08):
So we're very much like that and we have our sister,
robin, who's on the other end islike open book, telling
everything, and me and Michelleare like the FBI and CIA over
here.
So we are the dynamic duo whenit comes to.
Yeah, you can't sit with usright now until we get to know
you, but I am so happy to haveyou here, sis.
Michelle (04:27):
I am happy to be here, sis.
Welcome to the Queen City.
Thank you, I love it.
I love it.
Tracey (04:35):
I love it.
Y'all don't understand.
It's so funny to be united withmy sisters.
I can't say reunited, becausewe didn't know each other
existed, but being united withmy sisters, like it's only been
a year.
But every person that hasencountered us they always ask
us y'all sure you didn't grow uptogether?
(04:57):
We're like no, we just.
We literally just met and it'sjust been such a great bond.
I said this before on a fewepisodes they really do big
sister me yes, we do and I havetaken the role of the annoying
little sister very seriouslyit's fun, it's so fun.
(05:21):
But yeah, it's been a lot of ofadjustments and getting used to
things because now I have tothink about them.
You know I'm so used to gettingup and going and just not
telling.
You know I'll let people knowwhat I'm doing, but it's just
like, yeah, they call one dayand I'm like I'm in Atlanta and
Michelle's the first one to saydid I know about this?
I'm like nope, I'm surprisedthey hadn't said I need to put
(05:43):
Life 360 on my phone that I'msurprised they hadn't said I
need to put Life360 on my phone.
Michelle (05:46):
That's an idea.
No, no, no, no, no no no, weshall see, we shall see.
Tracey (05:53):
But I could not have asked for better big sisters,
and I'm so thankful for I'm notgoing to cry, I'm not going to
cry.
Michelle (06:00):
Don't, please don't.
Tracey (06:01):
I am so thankful to God for bringing us together and,
even though it's been hard, theway that things have been
revealed.
You know and we'll talk aboutthis in the episode because I
want to get your take on it, butwe've had private conversations
about it though.
So, whatever you feelcomfortable sharing, just you
know to share it.
(06:21):
But people over here know youknow we talk Right, you know
this is family.
So everybody go ahead sharing.
Just you know, just share it.
But people over here know youknow we talk.
Right, you know this is familyso everybody.
Go ahead, grab your coffee, grabyour tea, grab your water, grab
your wine, whatever yourbeverage.
Your choice is.
Go ahead, grab that thing andhave a seat on the couch, couch,
(06:42):
couch, so sit.
Take us to the day I wish thiswas video, your guys.
Take us to the day when myfavorite Aaron, aaron is
Michelle's oldest son, my nephew.
I call him my favorite Aaron.
If it wasn't for Aaron, wewouldn't know that Michelle was
out here.
Michelle (07:09):
So take us to the day that Aaron said hey, mom got
something to tell you.
You tell us what he said andwhat you said.
Well, I may not be able to sayexactly what I said, but no, it
wasn't that bad.
Um, as Tracy said, I am thatperson that needs to know who,
what, when, where and why.
Well, when Aaron called me, hesaid Mom, was it a text?
(07:32):
I think it was.
I received a call I think wasit a call or a text A message
Okay, that you may have twosisters.
I was like what, what do youmean?
I have two sisters.
I was like what, what do youmean?
Tracey (07:48):
I have two sisters.
Michelle (07:51):
So he told me about the message that he received,
and it took a minute for me todigest what he was saying.
And he said well, mom, youdon't have to commit to anything
, right?
They just want to talk to you.
(08:11):
So I said, okay, well, let methink about this.
You know so much going on,right, people scamming, and you
know, so I'm like like I don'tknow about this, aaron.
My son has a way your nephew hasa way of persuading people he
(08:33):
should be a life coach actually.
So we kept, we continued totalk about it and I said, okay,
I'll have a conversation.
So, according to Robin, if youlet her tell it, Listen, y'all
think I'm extra.
Mm-mm.
(08:54):
So we had that conversation andRobin asked me about our father
and I told Robin I don't haveanything to tell you which I
don't um and um, I think I wason my way.
If I can remember correctly, Iwas on my way to graduation,
(09:15):
yeah yes, yes, yes so she askedme if she could give me a call
back if she found out any moreinformation.
I said, sure, you can give me acall.
So after that um, I'm trying toremember all this, forgive me.
So after that thing, she calledme.
No, I called her, right.
I returned her call, okay.
Tracey (09:34):
I returned her call.
That was after, um, I had goneto Florida to visit her.
So it's like the next day, theday after I got to got home, you
had called her, okay, and um,she called me after you guys had
talked.
Michelle (09:52):
So I was just sitting on like I had to sit on the
stairs of my townhouse because Iwas like, oh my god, this is
really happening and I reallydon't think she thought I would
call her, because I did take alittle minute, not, there was
just so much going on, right,right, it was just so much going
on.
And again I had to digest allof this.
Tracey (10:12):
And just even though we I joke about how long it took,
because I'm a jokester- yes, andit wasn't as long as she said,
it was only 17 years.
That's it.
But it was just, you know,understanding that, yes, it is a
lot to take in, it's a lot todigest, Because, even with the
information that Robin and I hadgathered, like it sent me into
(10:35):
a spiral, Like what is this?
And so I had to learn to givespace and grace, not only to
myself but to my siblings as wefind them, because it is a lot
Like none of us knew this man,Like none of us had a
relationship with him and he'sstill pretty much a mystery.
(10:56):
But to know that you have othersiblings out there and then all
of a sudden they're here likelive and in technicolor, Like
what do you do with this?
So it is a lot to digest andit's a lot to maneuver
emotionally, Like I've beencalling it an emotional tornado,
because that's exactly what itfeels like.
(11:17):
Like you have all of the highsand the lows and some days it
just feels like you're spinning,spinning, spinning.
Thank God it has slowed down atad bit now.
Yes you're spinning, spinning,spinning.
Thank god it has slowed down atad bit now, yes, but with every
email that I get, like becauseyou still, I still get um
matches from the dna.
So for the record y'all,michelle has not taken the dna
test.
We actually don't need her tobecause we, thanks to aaron, we
(11:39):
know that we're siblings.
But um, robin and I are, in, wetook the dna test, so we still
get matches every once in awhile.
So even when I get a match, anemail like I got an email the
other day that somebody reachedout and I'm scared to open it
because I'm like, who is this?
Like, is this a sibling?
I'm scared to open it.
(12:00):
But yeah, totally get why youtook your time with it and I'm
glad that you did.
Michelle (12:05):
Yes, yeah, I had to.
I had to, like I said, there'sjust so much going on and I
explained all this to Robin.
No, I explained all this toAaron and he understood.
But again, this young man has away of.
He does.
Yeah, so I'm glad I did makethe call.
I'm really glad I did make thecall and I'm not going to get
(12:30):
emotional, yeah no, no, no, wegot all weekend to do that.
Right, and it's been phenomenalever since, you know, ever
since.
And the way that we just gelledyes.
You know, it's like we've knowneach other all of our lives, and
(12:53):
it's a beautiful thing it is,it's a beautiful thing.
Tracey (12:56):
Like our very first call , like, I think, when we were on
the phone for maybe two hoursit was a long time when all
three of us were able to get onthe call and we were just
cackling, laughing and it wasjust like okay we silly y'all
you're so silly and then justfinding out even more
similarities.
First of all, all three of uslook alike like I can't wait for
my friends to meet you becausethey some of them have had the
(13:20):
opportunity to meet robin, right, and they were doing like we
always get that back and forth,like people look at you.
Even when we went to DC, robinand I went to DC for the fourth
to visit Michelle and to meether family and friends, and you
can see everybody looking at herand looking at me and looking
at Robin, and all of them werelike okay, y'all Checking
(13:40):
everything out.
It's the funniest thing.
They're like yeah, you all lookalike.
Yeah, we do so.
I can't wait for my friends tosee it, because that's that's
the funniest part for me butjust the, the bond that we have
absolutely it's for lack of abetter word is weird, and weird
in a good way, in a good way.
Michelle (14:02):
In a good way.
Tracey (14:03):
Because I feel like people who have grown up with
their siblings all their lives,their bonds may be a little
different, exactly.
Michelle (14:13):
And.
Tracey (14:13):
I know that it's a blessing.
I really feel like this is ablessing because I know that my
sisters have my back and I havemy sisters' backs, absolutely.
Michelle (14:22):
I will cut somebody to the white meat.
Tracey (14:23):
Okay, over y'all All right.
Hey, I have my sisters' backs.
Absolutely, I would cutsomebody to the white meat.
Michelle (14:25):
Okay, over y'all.
Tracey (14:25):
All right, hey, I grew up in the South, but I'm still
from Southeast DC.
Okay, Act up, you won't getsnatched up, okay, but yeah.
So once you got off the callwith Robin, what was that like?
I don't think I've asked youthat question.
What?
Michelle (14:40):
was that like?
Once I got off of the call withRobin, again there was silence
and then I had to talk to selffor a minute?
I just had to.
I don't know, I don't know what.
I just had to absorb it all andtake it in and to um, it still
(15:09):
took me a minute.
And but after talking to robinand that's when robin said well,
do you mind if I add tracy tothe call or add tracy to the
text?
I think we were texting I waslike, absolutely.
But after conversing with thetwo of you all and saw the way
that we gelled, it was just anatural feeling.
(15:32):
There was nothing fake about it.
And that's when I started toturn things around.
Tracey (15:38):
And we developed a beautiful sister call that we
have every week.
Michelle (15:41):
Every week.
Tracey (15:43):
We have a whole text thread.
We call each other I know onSaturdays, well, I'm going to
find my big sister, she's goingto be at the farmer's market
thread.
We call each other, like I knowon Saturdays where I'm gonna
find my big sister, she's gonnabe at the farmer's market.
So it's just like you knowfinding out those kind of things
.
We went to um Florida for umRobin's birthday to celebrate
her birthday oh my god, that wasthe highlight of it all.
(16:05):
Yes, that was the highlight ofit all, because it was just
amazing to have the nieces andthe nephews to meet and
everybody just gelled.
Michelle (16:17):
Even her friends.
I mean, they just made us feellike we were all family.
It wasn't like well, no, y'alljust finding you, all are just
finding out your sister.
No, everybody just cametogether and they I think they
were more elated to see us.
Tracey (16:34):
Yeah, because then it was like real.
Michelle (16:37):
Right, they were like everybody was saying we didn't
have names.
Tracey (16:39):
It was like are you the sisters Right?
Michelle (16:47):
Like, yes, we're there , yeah, we're real.
I mean that was the pinnacle ofit all.
I mean that really sealed anygaps.
For me anyway, and for you allto know, it was a challenge for
me to get to that party.
Tracey (17:01):
See, I wasn't going to say anything.
Yeah, you can say it, it's okay.
I wasn't going to say anything,but since we're there, it's
quite all right.
Since we're there, it's quiteall right Since we're there.
It was a challenge, but I madeit, you made it and I am so glad
that.
I did Because I had to pull alittle sister card.
Michelle (17:18):
Yes, she did, I did.
Tracey (17:19):
You don't want your little sister.
Michelle (17:20):
Throw a little guilt in there.
Tracey (17:23):
I did, I did.
It worked.
It worked, it did Because Isaid you don't want your little
sister to be there and then seeyou know all of this going on
and my big sister isn't there,like I would be so sad I would
cry.
I was like I was trying tosqueeze out tears at that moment
.
It didn't work, but I was like,but seriously, but then I said
you know what?
I really want you to be there,but if you can't, be there.
Michelle (17:56):
I understand, and I meant that I was still.
I was gonna be sad because Iwanted you there.
Tracey (18:00):
We have to tell the reason why.
Okay, so a few weeks, that wasright after that plane crash,
right after the plane crash thatcrashed at dca.
Yes, um, and you don't live farfrom no, it happened.
So it was totally understandablewhy you had some apprehension.
And I will be honest with you,when I came to DC because this
must be trauma brain, because Iforgot about the tragedy that
(18:25):
happened until we landed, whenwe came to DC to landed, when we
came to DC to visit, when welanded, I thought about like oh
crap, like oh, it happened here.
And I think sometimes I thinkGod just protects me in that
kind of way because I probablywould have, y'all would have had
to come pick me up from BWI.
Michelle (18:46):
We would have, I would have totally understood, I know
.
But would have, I would havetotally understood, I know.
Tracey (18:50):
But yeah, that's why I totally understand the
apprehension because it wasright after that, and so it took
some working, it took somepraying and you know.
Michelle (19:00):
And then there were other crashes.
Tracey (19:02):
Yeah, it was like every week.
And I would send them a picture, some kind of picture or story,
or a story or something.
Yes, Another one and I was likestop watching the news I was
like oh God, she's not coming.
She's not coming, lord, she'snot coming.
But totally understand it.
I mean, it was a wild ride Likethat time.
Michelle (19:23):
Yes.
Tracey (19:24):
You know it was wild, it was wild.
Michelle (19:28):
It was wild, but then you arrived in Florida Safely,
and it was a time.
Tracey (19:35):
A time was had.
What was so funny was my flightgot delayed twice and I had to
change planes, and so we weresupposed to land right around
the same time, and then myflight got pushed back, got
pushed back and I'm like, okay,here we go.
This is why I don't like doingafternoon flights, because this
is happening all the time.
But then I had to sit down andsay, okay, God, well, God,
(19:57):
you're protecting me fromsomething.
I'm still going to get there.
It's going to be fine, and whenI got there there's a video on
my socials I saw you guys youand Robin walking across the
terminal.
I'm like they don't even see me.
Michelle (20:15):
We were walking towards you.
Actually, we were on a missionExactly Because we sat at the
other gate, which I think Aaronwas coming in.
No, no, who came first, did youI?
Tracey (20:28):
came, I came first, you came first, you, I came, I came
first, you came first.
Then aaron came in, but we wereall supposed to land the same
time, so aaron came in and thenI came, but I think robin
thought I was on another airlineshe thought you were coming
through the same gate and thenum realized oh wait, right,
she's coming, all right, and youguys are on a mission.
so I'm like my little legstrying to run and catch y'all.
(20:48):
I'm like excuse me.
And then it was just like Istarted crying Because that was
the first time I had seen you inperson.
Michelle (20:58):
And I was like don't do it, don't do it.
Yeah, we were standing, it wasabout to be a whole mess.
Tracey (21:03):
It was about to be a whole mess, but it was just so
great to hug you in that moment.
For me it was like a relief tohug you in person, because we
had been on the phone, we hadbeen on FaceTime by this time,
we had started out, we had beensister calls and everything.
But it was just like this is mysister.
And what was that moment likefor?
Michelle (21:26):
you Same, the same for me With both of you all.
Like I said, we've talked onthe phone, but just seeing each
other in person, being able toembrace one another, it was
phenomenal, yeah.
Tracey (21:44):
It was phenomenal and the giggles started from that
moment on.
It was on and popping afterthat it was on and popping.
Now I had a moment when we gotback to Robin's house.
You did, I did, oh, okay.
I'm going to tell you what didit.
When Aaron came out of thatdining room, it took everything
in me not to just crumble.
Like I almost knocked him over,like I saw him, just like ran
(22:06):
to him, I just like hugged himand then when I saw y'all had
already told, like Robin hadalready told me, that okay,
aaron looks like you.
It didn't dawn on me that ifAaron looks like me, then Aaron
looks like my daughter gotcha,because my daughter looks like
me, right.
So when I saw him I went and itwas just like, oh my god.
And so the reality of she's nothere hit me and so I had to I
(22:33):
don't know if you noticed, Ikind of I scurried off, I didn't
.
It went outside because I waslike I was really about to like
crumble and I knew if I did thatit was gonna be everybody was
gonna crumble.
So I had to like release it andyou know know, kind of pull
myself together.
But hugging Aaron, the catalystfor all of this, it was like yo,
this is my nephew, and I'vesaid this before, but I'm going
(22:58):
to say it again, I'm going tosay it to the cows come home.
To actually be an aunt is likean amazing thing to me.
Now, if my babies hear this,I'm still your TT.
Okay, that's not going tochange.
That's not going to change.
That's never going to change.
I've always been TT.
I've always been Auntie Tracy.
But to hear it from my actualblood, that's different.
That's different.
(23:20):
And when I tell you I love mynieces and nephews, like I've
gotten the opportunity to smelltheir necks, because I love the
smell of a baby's neck, that'sthe best smell ever.
But it's just like wow.
And Aaron and I had a momentwhen we were in DC.
(23:40):
That boy, that man, I swear.
He's something, something else,he's something.
But we were having a moment inthe kitchen and I said he said
Auntie Tracy, and I was like anytime any of them say Auntie
Tracy, I just look like oh, youtalking to me Like oh, and I
have to gather because it's likeoh, that's my niece, that's my
(24:03):
nephew, like for real, for real,Right.
And so I said, erin, is thatweird for you to call me on
Tracy?
He's like no, see matter offact.
He said no, I said.
He said why would it be weird?
And I said, well, it's, youknow, it's new.
He said, but you're my aunt,like, just as a matter of fact,
is that he's like you're my aunt?
He's like I can't call you,miss Tracy, because no, he said
(24:25):
I can't call you Tracy becausethat's so informal.
He's was like you're my Aunt,tracy.
And when he said that, thatjust affirmed me in such a way
that I can't even explain.
I said hold on Erin, I got togather.
I got to gather because I wasabout to start crying.
Michelle (24:36):
The one good thing.
He knew he had to put a handleon whatever he called you Raised
well.
Okay.
Tracey (24:46):
Raised.
Well, okay, but even all ofthem, like even jazzy, said the
same things.
Because I asked all of themlike it's not weird that you
know, like no, you're mine andit's just.
Like, okay, I'm the weirdo herethen, because it's just and
that's okay, it's okay, it takesgetting used to.
Yes, you know, and I um not tomake this all about me, because
(25:07):
I want you to talk too, but whenwe were at Robin's party and
she had all of the cousinssitting together, and.
I looked over at you and I waslike even before the party
though yeah, yeah, yeah evenbefore the yes.
Michelle (25:25):
Aaron will talk to anyone, he'll balance with
anyone, but I mean all of them.
Tracey (25:35):
All of them.
Michelle (25:36):
All of them.
Tracey (25:38):
They were just like.
Michelle (25:39):
And I just sat back and I just watched.
Tracey (25:41):
Yes, and the fact that they have their own chats going
on checking in on each other.
It was like yo, this wasamazing and even when we came to
DC, like all of them didn't getto meet Jamari yet, but the way
Jazz they just bonded.
Michelle (26:01):
And see like they just bonded.
It was just so cool to see,that was just so awesome.
I mean, we were sitting in thedining room in the living room
and I just looked in the kitchenI was like wow, yeah, because
that was their first time, jaz,and them first time meeting
Jamari and my nephew, yeah.
So I was like wow, this isawesome.
Tracey (26:22):
And it's like they've known each other all their lives
.
All their lives.
They played in the sandboxtogether.
Michelle (26:28):
And I love it, I love it.
Tracey (26:30):
Yeah, I love that bond.
Michelle (26:32):
Yes, and I'm so glad and I think that's what I missed
, like I told you guys and likewe were talking earlier the way
that God just brought this thingtogether.
Yeah, because, again, myparents are deceased, your
parents are deceased, robin'sparents are deceased, and it's
(26:58):
all in his time.
Yeah, so it was something thathe knew we needed, right?
We?
Tracey (27:06):
needed.
Michelle (27:07):
You know, like Jamari said um to me, um, because I
have no one, my immediate familyis deceased.
So he said um, mom, you're notalone anymore, you have two
(27:28):
sisters.
I melted, yeah, I melted, youknow, and I was like you're
absolutely right.
So y'all are stuck with me now.
Tracey (27:37):
Oh, you're stuck with me too.
Michelle (27:38):
Absolutely, you all are stuck with me.
Absolutely, yeah, so it's justamazing.
It's amazing.
Tracey (27:47):
It's such a great thing to see and to spend time with
Jamari, and you had already toldus know like there's a big
difference between Aaron andJamari's more like his mom.
He has to sit back but you knowwhat, jamari, when Jamari and I
were sitting, we went to havebrunch after church and Jamari
and I were sitting beside eachother.
We kept looking at each other.
I was like you ready to go?
(28:07):
He was like, yeah, I was likeready to go too.
And I said Jamari, jamari actslike me too, because I could see
Jamari being the introvert andjust kind of like Very observant
, very observant.
Like you don't catch everything,Everything.
(28:28):
And Robin I said Jamari saidyou're more like me and Aaron's
more like Robin and I said I seethe qualities like that.
Absolutely me and Jamari couldbe sitting together and we won't
say a word, but we gonna knoweverything that's going on cause
we made something happenoutside and we just gotta look
at each other, cause we bothcaught it and was laughing.
And we came outside and you ateach other, because we both
(28:48):
caught it, it was laughing.
And then we came outside andyou know I was just robbing.
Oh, we got to tell this story.
We got to tell this story aboutthe grocery store.
Hold that thought, though,something when we came out of in
DC.
We came out for brunch, when wehad brunch, and some lady we
took our pictures and everything.
And some lady was like, oh, weneed to stand right there, like
it's a good light.
And I was like, want me to takeyour picture?
(29:09):
And me and Jamari looked ateach other.
I was like Jamari, go to thecar.
He's like, come on, come on,because we knew we started
moving.
Michelle (29:17):
Everybody else had to move too but I thought that was
so funny.
Yeah, yeah, so, at least like,even with that being said, just
like we said they allcollaborated in the kitchen.
Oh yeah, so, oh yeah, it wasjust.
I don't even know the rightword for it, but just to see
them a blessing for sure youknow, and then we're bonding.
Tracey (29:43):
Exactly that was it but then they call it over what they
call me the cool auntie.
They call me over like auntie,they call me up like auntie, you
want a shot?
You want a shot, auntie, yeah,yeah, yeah.
It's like them little childrenbe trying me.
It's like, please, this islightweight, lightweight, but I
(30:05):
love it, I love it.
They mean so much to me yeah,yeah, that's all, but I love it,
I love it.
They mean so much to me like,yeah, yeah, but it goes.
You know, and Michelle, I willsay you are the balance in the
group, in the crew, in thesister crew, because whenever I
have those moments where I'mlike the anger stirs up and I
(30:28):
think we all deal with the angerand the questions in a
different way Michelle alwaystakes me back to the cross,
absolutely always takes me backto the cross and she, she
reminds me.
You know you can't dwell there.
You know you can feel what youfeel.
You basically say the samething I say to my clients and to
other people you can feel whatyou feel, but you can't stay
(30:49):
there absolutely.
And that has been like thesaving grace for me, because
when I want to punch air, whenwhen I said let's go to that man
grave, dig him up, and so I canbeat him up you know, you're
like yes, sis, we can't do that,you know, but it's the reality
of it is.
we do have those ebbs and flowswhere it's just like you feel
(31:10):
robbed, you feel cheated becauseof all the time that has passed
.
Michelle (31:15):
Right.
Tracey (31:16):
Like I still deal with my sisters will never know my
daughter, right, my nieces andnephews will never know Kenya,
and I know for a fact she wouldhave loved y'all and I even said
to y'all I can see my childcalling up her auntie.
She's like come get your sisterbecause she's cutting up.
But it's just, you know, beingin the space now of gratefulness
(31:39):
and just thanking God for whathe has done, because, again, we
needed each other in this spaceand this time, and I think we're
in a place where we are able toreceive it, and so it's just
been so great.
And now we're making plans forspending holidays together.
You know, like the matching, ofcourse, little sister wants
(32:01):
matching pajamas yes, she doesand we're looking for them this
weekend, by the way.
Yeah, yeah baby sis and we'relooking for them this weekend,
by the way, are we?
Yeah, okay, yeah, baby sis, yes, yes, yes, but I'm like this
anyway.
So why would I not do this withmy sisters?
I mean, come on, we catching upon stuff, because I keep trying
(32:22):
to get them to do all thegraduations and birthdays and
stuff over again.
Michelle (32:26):
Oh.
Tracey (32:27):
Lord, don't take me back .
Michelle (32:28):
Oh, wait yeah oh.
Tracey (32:29):
Lord don't take me back.
Oh wait, that's it.
So, yeah, we can't do that.
Aaron still didn't put on hishomecoming king crown and sash
for me because I wanted to get apicture.
I think time just got away fromus.
But yeah, he's going to have todo that next time I see him.
And you know, at least I get tosee one of my nephews graduate
college, see, so I'm verythankful for that, see, so very
proud.
(32:49):
And y'all, let me tell yousomething my sisters have done
phenomenal jobs raising theirchildren.
I must say, oh, thank you,because they are amazing adults.
They're so polite, they're sosmart Fashionistas.
You know, I just look like, wow, y'all did a great job.
Thank you, thank you, you'restill doing a great job, thank
(33:13):
you.
Michelle (33:14):
Thank you Wasn't all I know.
We made it.
Tracey (33:18):
Parenting is never easy.
Michelle (33:19):
No.
Tracey (33:20):
But it's something about seeing the fruit of your labor,
mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
You know, Aaron is theGlobetrotter.
He's gone.
Now Jamari is making his mark.
He's making his mark In hisfield Jazz is doing her thing,
(33:41):
Jalen's doing great Bianca.
Vaughn All of them are justdoing amazing.
Michelle (33:48):
We are definitely blessed.
Tracey (33:54):
Definitely blessed.
Michelle (33:55):
Sister, sister, how did it feel for you to say that
for the first time, oh my, gosh,oh my gosh, it was, it was, it
was weird.
Tracey (34:08):
Very much so Okay, For lack of a better word, like I
don't have another word for it.
Michelle (34:15):
No, I understand, Like not weird.
Tracey (34:18):
Because I grew up as the only child, Like I'm the only
child, my mom had.
So I have like my best friendsand things like that.
I consider them my sisters.
But to actually say, okay, letme call my sister.
I'm going to tell you theturnaround, the thing that
really hit me and I think I toldyou guys this when we um
switched over to this newcompany and I had to put down my
emergency contacts and I waslike, wait, I gotta put my
(34:39):
sisters down because legallythey're my next of kin.
Oh, wow, yeah, yeah and that'swhen it hit me.
Like girl you got sisters andthat was a year.
You know, by that time we hadknown each other and been
talking for a year.
But that was when it hit me,when I had to add my emergency
contacts and I had to put mysisters down.
(35:02):
That was wild to me.
And when I got birthday cardsfrom my sisters, I opened those
cards and I cried, I put them inmy.
I have a prayer journal, so Iput them in my prayer journal
because that and I write outprayers like I pray for y'all
daily, but that particularprayer that day I sat there and
(35:22):
I cried for like an hour becauseit was just and I wasn't sad,
it was just like right, yeah, itwas a good cry, it was just not
, wasn't sad, right.
Yeah, it was a good cry.
It was like just overwhelminggratitude, like, wow, god, you
know, I got cards from mysisters.
So it's just been like I haveto keep reminding myself again
because, you know, I've donethis life by myself for 48 years
(35:43):
.
So now just having the mindsetof, ok, let me let my sisters
know this is where I am, whatI'm doing.
And it's been such a greatthing though, because now it's
like, yeah, my sisters arecoming.
Michelle (35:56):
I was telling everybody like yeah, my sisters
are going to get this again.
My sisters are coming.
My sisters are coming.
Tracey (36:01):
And so it's just been a wild ride.
Michelle (36:07):
Yeah, I think it was my girlfriend that asked me and
I said the same thing Weird.
Yeah, it's weird, Weird.
Tracey (36:13):
Took some getting used to, you know, because I was the
only girl, so but yeah, it wasweird to say that, and I'm
pretty sure Robin would say Idon't want to speak for her
because we'll ask her, becausewe're probably going to do
another episode with all threeof us.
I hope I because we'll ask herbecause we're probably going to
do another episode with allthree of us.
Michelle (36:32):
I hope.
Tracey (36:33):
I hope you think, yes, okay, let's do it, okay.
But I'm pretty sure she'll say,yeah, it was weird because
Robin, on the other spectrum,she was the baby in her family,
because she has older siblingsand she's got another sister.
We'll ask her, like we'll talkabout her birthday more in depth
(36:53):
whenever all three of us gettogether.
But she was the baby in herfamily, so now she's a big
sister.
So that's an adjustment for her.
And you know, here I am, I'malmost 50 years old and I'm like
oh yeah.
I'm a little sister, like it'sjust yeah.
(37:14):
And then on top of that we findanother sibling.
Well, the other sibling foundus and it's one of those
situations where we're givingspace and grace because her
story is similar to ours, wherewe didn't know this man, you
(37:38):
know, um, and she's the oldestout of us.
So out of the siblings that weknow about myself, robin
michelle we have an older sisterthat we just found.
How long has it been now?
Has it been a year?
Michelle (37:53):
it hasn't been a year yet I don't think it's been
quite a quite a year maybe aftermy birth, after our birthdays
after after our birth,definitely after, yes, so it
hasn't been a year yet, butagain same situation.
Tracey (38:11):
She took DNA tests and she matched.
She reached out to me, sent mea message and I immediately
called my sisters and I justsaid I FaceTimed y'all and I
FaceTimed.
It was after 9 o'clock it wasalmost 10 o'clock and they were
both like what's wrong, becausethey know I'm in the bed, I'm in
(38:39):
the bed, I get up at 4 am,y'all.
So 10 o'clock, me FaceTiming,and all I could say was y'all,
y'all.
And Rob was like what's wrongand Michelle's like what's going
on, and I said we got anothersibling.
(38:59):
Michelle said no, like we canstop it.
Michelle said no, and Robyn's Ican't do another sister.
And y'all, please don't getthis wrong.
It's not that we don't want toembrace her or anything like
that, it's just the shock ofanother one.
It's like DJ Khaled coming outof the shadows saying another
(39:21):
one, another one.
So it's just like I saidearlier.
I have a message sitting in myinbox right now and I don't know
who this is.
It's a guy.
So I'm like is this a brother?
Like what is this?
It's a guy, yeah.
So I don't know.
I hadn't looked at the match, Ihadn't looked at his name or
anything, I just saw the message.
(39:43):
I'm like oh dear God, I can'tdo it yet.
Michelle (39:48):
Oh man, so I don't know.
Tracey (39:51):
Okay, when you're ready.
Oh child, I don't know when I'mgoing to be ready.
And then I'm like why do theykeep reaching out to me, Like
Robin is on the same?
Michelle (40:01):
thing Like reach out to her.
Tracey (40:03):
She'll talk to you.
And then, who was it?
Was it somebody?
Somebody else reached out to meand wanted oh, I forgot, she
wanted me to call her.
Michelle (40:13):
Right.
Tracey (40:14):
And I was like I ain't calling her.
Michelle (40:16):
She's looking for information, information about
her grandmother.
Tracey (40:20):
And so her grandmother.
So I looked at that match andit's on our paternal side, so
it's a relative of our father.
So I'm so scared that thiscould be another sister, you
know.
But she said her grant, so I'mnot sure how that falls in the
DNA, like if her grandmother isour grandmother or so I don't
(40:45):
know.
I hadn't deep dived into it, Ihadn't called her, yet I'm like
I'm really hoping she reachesout to Robin, because Robin was
immediately like let's call heryes, no, so I'm really, I'm
really hoping that lady messageRobin, because I asked, I was
like please did she reach out toyou?
because if she, if she reachedout to you, you can call her.
(41:06):
I can't like I just I can't, Ican't take anymore right now
understood, it's just understoodand it's not that I don't want
to um get to know these peopleor have questions, because I
feel like the the closer we getto um, people who are related to
(41:27):
our father will know moreinformation about him, and I'm
at a point now where I don'tknow if I want to know anything
about him.
Michelle (41:34):
Well, you know why I say that, oh yeah, absolutely.
And we're going to leave it.
Tracey (41:38):
We're going to leave it right there, absolutely.
Papa was a rolling stone.
He was the stone before thestone started rolling.
Okay, and we don't know.
You talk about being fruitfuland multiplying and I think it's
interesting how it's mostlygirls.
He has mostly daughters.
Michelle (42:00):
Well, that we know of.
Tracey (42:02):
That we know of, and that's the thing.
These are questions that we maynever get answers to.
We don't know how many of usare out there and I don't know.
If you do this, I may be theweirdo, but I catch myself
looking at people's faces nowLike a little more in depth than
I used to, especially in DC,because you know he populated DC
.
But I'm looking at people andlike, are you?
Michelle (42:26):
my sibling.
Tracey (42:29):
Yeah, okay, I'm the weirdo, I don't go that far.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, because it'sthe part, it's the curiosity,
but then it's also like I don'twant to know.
Like I don't want to knowBecause I would be so mad if
there is somebody younger thanme that's one of his kids.
Like no, I am the baby and it'sgoing to stay that way.
Michelle (42:52):
Oh, that's the baby sister.
Tracey (42:53):
Mm-hmm.
Michelle (42:54):
That's baby sister, yep.
Tracey (42:59):
Everybody needs to be older than me.
Okay, sir, your potent term.
I was going to say we don'tknow, we do not know, and the
crazy part is how many peopletook this man to their graves.
That's the thing.
(43:21):
There's no clue.
Like I talked to one of mymom's best friends and she
doesn't even remember my motherbeing pregnant, she remembered
getting a phone call.
Did I tell you this?
I didn't tell you this becauseyou're looking like I didn't
tell you this.
Michelle (43:34):
I keep talking.
I think we did have thisdiscussion.
Tracey (43:39):
She said that she did not remember my mom dating
anybody or seeing you know noman coming around, Didn't even
know my mom was pregnant,pregnant.
She got a phone call from thehospital that my mother had a
baby and it was me and I.
I used to make robin laugh.
I'm like you know what I think.
My mama found me on the side ofthe potomac river and just oh
(44:00):
my god, just picked me up andjust like, took me to the
hospital and was like, yeah,this is my baby.
But my mom was 40 when she hadme and was going through
menopause.
So she thought that she wasgoing through menopause and like
, nope, it's me.
And so I can see why, becausemy mom was very, very thin and
(44:24):
she probably wasn't showing alot because I was premature and
so I could see how she couldhave hidden the pregnancy.
And then all of a sudden, boop,boop, hey, baby girl.
So I just found that that'sinteresting.
But being in that time, like Ikeep thinking about that time
(44:45):
that all of us were brought intothis world.
It was a different time.
It was a different time.
It was a different time andwomen were treated very
differently back then.
You know my mom was a singlemother.
You know women were looked atcompletely different than they
(45:09):
are now, and I actually had to.
You know and I'm'm gonna getyour input on this if you've
experienced this in thebeginning of this DNA journey
for me, having people that Igrew up with and love, dearly,
thought of as family, sayingthey're jealous of me finding my
sisters yeah, broke my heartbroke my heart.
Every time I think about.
I'm like, wow, why would you bejealous of that?
(45:34):
Like, do you think they'regonna take, take me away from
you or something like?
You had whole families yourselfand why are you jealous?
And my whole thought process.
Anybody that knows me for realknows I don't have any room for
any type of jealousy at all.
Right at all.
Because why?
Why would you be jealous ofsomebody that you love?
Michelle (45:53):
and there's really no need there's no need.
Tracey (45:56):
There's no need, especially when you grew up with
this person and you saw mecoming through the trenches
fighting for my life, literallyto see me on the other side.
So you're getting.
If you're jealous of that, whatelse are you jealous of?
That's how I look at it, and sothey have been.
You know, my therapist callsthem tier one, tier two and tier
(46:17):
three friends.
They've been tiered three and Idon't even think they know it.
Um, and one of my best friendsis like you gotta fix it, you
gotta say, you gotta saysomething like no, I will, I
will not, I'm not Because why?
Michelle (46:30):
Well, you know how I am.
I know and I agree with yourgirlfriend.
I think it deserves aconversation, uh-uh.
Tracey (46:42):
Because I'm still angry, and when I get angry it's not
going to be pretty.
I need God to season my wordswith grace, because that anger
is coming from hurt.
Anger is already always asecondary emotion.
The anger is coming from thehurt of here's somebody that I
thought of as a friend, but hereyou are saying that you're
jealous and I had one that waslike well, um, it takes two to
tango.
(47:02):
I'm like, first of all.
First of all, don't be talkingabout my mama, like to this day.
Don't be talking about my mama,right?
I don't care if the two tango,like, if I don't know the story
and I haven't made an assumption, don't you dare?
And then having people say, um,asking, well, why are you doing
this?
(47:22):
And all of this stuff, and it'sjust been a lot of backlash
that I was surprised by and hurtby.
Michelle (47:32):
Well then you have to ask why are they jealous?
Do they think that they maylose?
You See, it may be somethingelse on that other side.
Tracey (47:42):
But they need to figure it out.
Michelle (47:43):
Well, that's where the conversation comes in.
I was like this that's wherethe conversation comes in.
I was like this that's wherethe conversation comes in,
because they may feel like, okay, I am about to lose her now
that she has sisters, and thatmay not even well.
That's not the case.
I don't see you going there, sothat's not the case.
So communication is key.
Communication is key and Ithink that you know these people
(48:07):
better than we do.
I'm just talking now and theymay feel like they're losing you
.
Tracey (48:16):
And they lost me in their jealousy, and that's the
thing.
Michelle (48:18):
Well see, why are they jealous?
But why?
Tracey (48:21):
You've known me all my life, pretty much all my life.
Michelle (48:23):
Why are they jealous?
I?
Tracey (48:26):
need them to find a therapist and figure that out.
Michelle (48:28):
You may be able to answer that question, or they
may be able to, after having aconversation, figure it out.
And if the conversation doesnot flow, and it's not but you
want it to be, then that's onething.
But you can say.
Then you can say that I tried,but right now it's just left
(48:49):
wide open.
Tracey (48:51):
And it's too much.
There's no closure.
Yeah, it's too much.
Oh, it's closure for me.
Where is closure?
Michelle (48:57):
It's closure for me, but it just may be something
that they're also going throughNow.
I've been in your life all thistime and now you have sisters
and I know they just felt thevibe and they could just feel
the energy coming from that.
So there may be fear of themthinking that they're going to
lose you.
This is a maybe.
(49:18):
I'm not exactly sure and youwon't know unless you have that
conversation.
Tracey (49:22):
Well, pray for me, sister, because I'm not there
yet.
Okay, please, and everybodylistening, pray for me because
I'm not there yet, because I'mI'm.
I think people underestimate myability to close a door and
especially when I don't have thecapacity to take that on, and
right now I just I don't havethe capacity, and it does.
(49:43):
It doesn't mean that I hatethem.
I love them dearly, love them.
If something, if somethinghappens, I'm going to be there.
But as far as that, closeaccess no.
Not right now.
Michelle (49:55):
Like I said, I don't know the inside story.
You know the inside story, soyou know these people better
than I do.
I'm just looking at it from theoutside, looking in this DNA
journey exposed a lot of things.
Tracey (50:13):
It exposed a lot.
A lot of it good, but some ofit bad, it hurt it hurt a lot.
I just want to know from yourperspective did you have to deal
with any?
Michelle (50:24):
of Not at all.
I see Not at all.
Tracey (50:27):
I love it for you.
Michelle (50:34):
Not at all.
See, not at all.
I love it for you, not at all.
Everybody was just so elatedand, first of all, could not
believe it, even, uh, those thatjust find out.
Um, one of my former co-workers.
I just told her she was like,really, yeah.
And I was like, yes, I justfound out.
And so I was telling a littlebit of the story, because we
were at a meeting and I said,girl, we have to get together so
I can tell you the entire story, and she was like, I am just so
(50:57):
happy for you, that is awesome.
So, no, I have not had that.
Tracey (51:05):
I'm glad you didn't.
Why am I the special?
Michelle (51:08):
I don't know, I don't know Everybody.
Well, you saw, you saw how myfamily gravitated and they just
welcomed.
So no and I don't know if it'sbecause of some of the things
that I've gone through losing mytime no, I'm not even going to
say that my people are just likethat, they're just like that.
(51:29):
No, I'm not even going to saythat my people are just like
that, they're just like that.
And no, I haven't had anypushback at all.
Tracey (51:34):
At all.
Michelle (51:35):
I love that Ask for me and that's another question we
need to ask Robin.
Tracey (51:42):
Yeah, yeah, I don't think she has.
I don't think she has either Idon't remember her mentioning it
, but me remembering something.
Michelle (51:52):
If I didn't write it down.
Tracey (51:54):
I know, yeah, but it's funny how, like people would try
to give advice, like,especially people who've never
been on this journey in any typeof way, like they would try to
give advice or try to tell mewhat to do or tell me how to
feel.
Like the people that try totell me how to feel about that
(52:15):
man, I'm like no, because if mysisters, who are right here in
the trenches with me and dealingwith the same thing, aren't
telling me how to feel, youcan't tell me how to feel
because it's, it's confusion,like it's.
It's confusion, it's anger,it's hurt, it's all of the
things.
So you can't tell me how tofeel about that man.
Michelle (52:35):
Well, I don't think anyone can tell you how to feel
right, and that's what I'msaying.
Tracey (52:38):
If if anybody could, if anybody could say anything, it
would be y'all.
And you have not right.
Neither one of you had told mehow to feel about him.
Neither one of you told me howto feel about him.
Neither one of you had told mehow to feel about the situation.
So I'm like y'all, please justbe respectful.
And then, from my perspective,being out in the public a little
bit and sharing my story.
I'm sharing my story becausepeople have asked about it and
(53:00):
so now they're intrigued andeverything I've really had to
put people like set this clearboundary and that's one thing
about me.
I have clear boundaries and Iam not afraid to say no, we're
not doing that.
But to have people tell me well, you should do this or you
should feel it, no, all I needto do is stay black and die yeah
(53:23):
, and they don't know yourjourney, they don't know the
journey and keep in mind toowe're only sharing parts.
Absolutely we're not sharingeverything, because that part is
sacred.
We're sharing what we want toshare.
So just be mindful, people,just because you see somebody on
the internet and they'refriendly towards you, y'all, you
(53:44):
don't know them.
And I'm gonna tell you rightnow don't know them.
And I'm going to tell you rightnow don't try that over here,
don't do it.
Okay, don't do it, because myblock game is strong.
I will introduce you to theblock ministry and keep it
moving, because I have to, youknow, because it's a lot, it's a
lot, it's a lot.
Michelle (54:04):
Yes, it's a lot, and you get to a point in your life
where the shenanigans andnonsense you just don't have
time for it.
You know there's so much goingon, now that you know you just
want some peace.
Tracey (54:23):
Yes, and that's one thing we're going to do protect
our peace Absolutely.
My favorite word lately hasbeen nope, just like that with
the P, nope.
I don't have time and I've saidthis, I don't have the time,
the energy nor the desire todeal with that Absolutely,
(54:43):
because y'all heard at thebeginning of the episode what I
got going on when I got time forfoolery, when I got time for
shenanigans.
Now, good, shenanigans when I'mcutting up with my sisters and
my friends.
Yes, but, all this other stuff,mm-mm.
Michelle (54:57):
I'm grown, grown, I got bills to pay.
Tracey (54:59):
Absolutely, it's just too much.
Michelle (55:02):
And there's always a bill to pay.
Tracey (55:06):
There's always A bill to pay, Since we need to get
lottery tickets.
Michelle (55:09):
I'm just saying yes, I meant to mention that to you.
I'm just saying we do.
Tracey (55:14):
We're going to build our little compound and just
disappear.
Yes, like Charger Station,claim it, claim it, amen.
Build a whole little familycompound out there somewhere in
the woods.
I just need a body of water.
Give me a body of water, I'mgood.
Well, sister, thank you so verymuch for being on the episode.
Michelle (55:35):
Thank you for having me Always.
Tracey (55:39):
So we're going to let y'all go, because we got sister
things to do and there's onespot that I gotta go take my
sister.
So she doesn't, so she doesn't,you know't, you know, and I'm
really hoping that it is good,because if we get over here and
the food is not good, I'm gonnabe upset.
Michelle (55:57):
Me too.
Tracey (55:58):
She would not let me go taste it beforehand.
Michelle (56:01):
We're gonna experience this together.
Tracey (56:04):
Except you want us to cover whatever you like.
This is an interactive podcast.
I don't just sit up here andjust talk to myself for an hour
or two.
I need y'all to interact.
All right, so until next timemy boos remember God loves you,
I love you.
It ain't nothing you can doabout it.
Boop, boop, boop, boop, boop.
Bye y'all, thank you.
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