Kaci is a variant of Kacie (from K.C. and Casey), which is of Irish and Gaelic decent meaning “alert” and “vigorous.”

Johanna is of Hebrew origin and means “God’s grace.”

Clearly, these definitions are a crock of shit.

If I had it my way, I’d sleep twice as much as I do and zone out in front of the TV more than that. (I’m only half kidding here, people. No really. NEWSFLASH: I’m lazy.) And as far as this “God’s grace” business goes… well, let’s just not even go there.

Regardless… I love my name. You want to know who I am? I am Kaci Johanna.

I’m a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, an aunt; I’m a lover and a fighter, a dreamer and a go-getter.

I think life is meant to be lived and experienced as opposed to tolerated. I believe love is the end-all, and I believe people use the word “love” too loosely. I think people should listen to their hearts more, and society less.

I will correct you if you use the wrong your/you’re, there/they’re/their, etc.

I feel like there’s a lot to be learned about me from the things I enjoy most in life: small-town/country life, county fairs and rodeos; Mountain Dew and iced tea; shopping in all shapes and forms; shoes; journalism – especially newspaper design and copy editing – and proper grammar/spelling; movies like Footloose, Grease, Moulin Rouge and Aladdin.

So there’s that.

I graduated from high school in 2004 as class president and salutatorian. I went to Washington State University, during which time I worked at the Daily Evergreen, and am a Coug, through and through. I left Pullman with a bachelor’s in communication in 2008. After that, I ran a weekly summer newspaper, then worked as the paginator for a daily until I started at my current job in January 2010. No, I don’t talk about my current job here… except to say how much I love it and how lucky I am to have found it. And no, it’s not related to journalism at all.

On July 16, 2011, I married the love of my life. Our son, E (full name not used here), was born at 11:41 pm on Saturday, November 26, 2011, and, really, life just couldn’t get much better. I stopped drinking alcohol the day we found out I was pregnant (in April 2011), and haven’t missed it for a second.

I like to dance. I cuss too much. I hate creepy/crawly critters but love the cuddly/fluffy ones (hence the zoo in which I live). I can’t keep up with the house work so if you ever come over, just remember the animals far out-number me and it’s a losing battle. I dream of traveling the world and of one day owning a matching bedroom set (UPDATE: We totes own a bedroom set. Next up: a reliable vehicle.). I’m not afraid to cry or to tell you how it is. Okay, I’m a little afraid to tell you how it is – but if it’s important, I’ll do it anyway.

I’m into words. I’m into music. I’m into laughter and smiles. I’m into love.