If this was our last conversation, is there anything you would want to say to me?

00:01 Hey, my name is Taylor, I am 27 years old, and I'm recording from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This is my mother in law, for all intents and purposes, this is Leslie, and we're doing a interview for extra credit on an exam. Basically, it was in the. In the spirit of thanksgiving. They wanted us to get to know someone better than we knew. So I chose my mom because I love her. So, mom, say, hey, are you ready to jump in?

00:34 I'm ready. I'm ready for all the fun.

00:36 So, thanksgiving's over, but what are you most thankful for?

00:42 Oh, my gosh. I actually thought about that on Thanksgiving. I know that sounds really, like, creepy, doesn't it? Like, not creepy, but, like, sappy. I guess it was. But actually, what am I most thankful for? Like, I have a short little list, but what I'm most thankful for is that our extended family has good health and lots of love, because I think those are the two most important things. Money, whatever. You live wherever. But if you have love and good health, and everything else is going to be just fine.

01:24 I agree with that. So when did you first find out that you were going to be a parent, and how did you feel about that?

01:33 Oh, my gosh. So I remember that. So the kids, dad and I, like, we had this plan, okay? We got married when I think I was 24, and we said, okay, we want kids. We have three kids, but we don't want to have them right away because we need to, like, get our life set up. We have to, you know, buy a house, and then we'll have kids. Okay? So we worked for a few years, saved our money, and we bought our first house. And like, a month later, I found out I was pregnant. And I was just like, well, that was fast. And this is so great. I was so excited, I couldn't even stand it to have, like, a little cutie pie. I was just excited to have little sweethearts to love and to show all the beauty of the world and, you know, just get to play with and. And teach them, hopefully, how to be nice, sweet people in the world. And I was just asked the other day by someone, and they said, hey, what was the best time of your life? And for them, it was high school and maybe a little bit of college, right? And I was like, oh, I hate.

02:59 Could never be me.

03:00 Hated high school. But honestly, the best time of my life, even up to right now, was when all my kids were little and we could play and read stories together. Okay, I'm getting my call.

03:17 So is she. It's okay.

03:20 But, like, bedtime routines, like tucking them in at night and going outside and playing, like, wiffle ball and soccer and just doing all of the things. That was the best time.

03:37 Yeah, but now they're grown up. Are you ready to do that with your grandbabies?

03:42 Yeah. Oh, my gosh. I could get another chance, right?

03:46 Mm hmm.

03:47 Yeah. It was so much fun.

03:49 I wish I could edit a piece like a picture of Dakota as a baby in here, just like the first one.

03:54 Oh, my gosh. He was the cutest little stinker. Yeah, he's still cute, but, you know, now they're grown up, but it's still good. It's just different, you know? But, yeah, being a mom was, like, so exciting.

04:10 What has being a parent taught you about yourself?

04:14 Oh, Lordy, B. Why you pick all these hard questions?

04:18 There are things that I wanted to know about you that we've never talked about.

04:22 You're so.

04:22 This was a good. This was a good opportunity. That was the point of the interview.

04:26 Oh, you're so cute. Taught me about myself.

04:30 Mm hmm.

04:35 Gosh, about myself. Like, it's taught me a lot of things, but about myself. You know what? There's something about myself that's not easy to admit, but I'm, like, kind of a pushover sometimes. Janice is probably going to be like, no, you're nothing. You're strict. But I like. Okay, so I realized that I love my kids so much that sometimes I let things go that I shouldn't let go. But it's a fine balance between supporting them and who they are and what they believe in the moment to be their experience and not wanting to crush their little spirit that, you know, maybe sometimes I didn't always make the best decisions about guiding them. And here I'm mostly. I'm talking about the boys, guiding them in the ways that maybe, you know, would have maybe been a little bit easier or better for them in the long run. But, yeah, that I learned through the years and up until even right now. Like, it's hard. Confrontation for me in personal relationships is hard. In professional relationships, I'm a boss. No problem. I do not have a problem with that because guess what? I don't really care. Like, I care, but I don't care. So. But with my family or people I love, I care. And so it's hard to have those, like, real sort of hard conversations because I don't want to hurt their feelings. I don't want things to fall apart. And that's, like, something I continue to.

06:33 Struggle with because there's not a fine line.

06:36 Yeah.

06:38 What are your hopes for your kids?

06:41 Oh, lordy. Bjdehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe honestly, I just want them to be happy. I just want them to enjoy life, to find joy, to. I mean, of course be healthy, but more mentally healthy. I just want them to have happiness. That's it. I don't care what they do for a living. It doesn't matter where they live. It. It doesn't matter who they're hanging out with, as long as they're happy and, you know, they have a good life, then I'm all for that.

07:21 Gotcha. Since you have a career in education, was there a teacher that had a strong influence on your life, and if so, would you talk about them?

07:32 Yeah. So I remember a couple of teachers, one in particular. So I have always struggled with math. I don't still do math. I don't like math. Math doesn't like me. Lots of tears all through my life of math. Right. So I had a teacher at Redlands High School. My freshman year is my freshman year. No, I'm sorry. My sophomore year, that was my first year at Redlands High, my only year at Redlands High. And his name was Mister Scribner. And he had, like, round glasses, and he was a white guy with red, like, kind of puffy hair, kind of like wild hair, like, look like a mad genius. Right? And Mister Scribner was so cool because he was the first person who helped me understand algebra at all. And I was like, I can do mathematic. Because he took the time to explain it in a way that was relatable. And I love that man. He was so great.

08:43 Somebody who can make sense of why there are letters and numbers together.

08:47 I never understood super genius for sure. Yeah.

08:52 When did you decide you wanted to be a teacher and why?

08:55 All right, so I know I'm supposed to have some really great, heartwarming story about how I just wanted to give back because of all the teachers that were so great to me. No. And there were a few, right? There were a few teachers that were great. But in all honesty, I wanted to be a physical therapist. I thought that would be super cool. And at the time, I had a boyfriend and his mom was a former teacher, but she quit teaching when she had children so that she could stay home with them. And she started talking to me about how great it was to be a teacher. And when I married her son, because that's what she wanted me to do, I could also quit and stay home with the grandbabies. And wouldn't that be great? And even if it didn't quit, you could be home in the summer and, you know, after school, and it's just, like, a really good schedule for kids to be a mom. And I was like, well, I super want to be a mom, so let me look at that. So I started volunteering at a. In elementary school, where I still live, just down the street. It's Loma Vista, and I loved it. It's an elementary school, and I loved it. The kids were so adorable, and it looked like a lot of fun. So I was just like, yep, I'm gonna be a teacher. This looks like great. I could hang out with kids all day, like, who doesn't love that?

10:27 We don't have that.

10:28 Okay. Some of us don't love that.

10:30 Yeah.

10:31 Yeah, yeah. Uh huh.

10:32 I think I know the answer to this one, but I wanted to know how you felt about it. Do you plan on retiring, and if so, when and how do you feel about it? Okay, so I know that you do plan on retiring.

10:45 I do. I plan to retire. I've got to talk to the retirement specialist, because, you know, my house is expensive. California. You gotta love it. But I think it's probably gonna be in about six years. How old am I? 50? 06:00 a.m. i. 50. Oh, I'm 56. So might be five years, because there's this formula for my retirement system. So I just want to make sure that I'm not being a burden to anyone. And I have enough money for everything, so I'm super excited about it. But I'm also like, what in the Samhill am I going to do when I retire? What do I got to garden all day? Which kind of sounds fun. So, I mean, I could do art. I can garden. I can volunteer and rock the babies at St. Joseph's. Like, there's things that I can do for sure. So I'm kind of looking forward to it, because, I mean, this place, it's kind of getting on my last nerf, you know?

11:51 What are you proudest of in your life?

11:53 Well, that's. That's not a good question. I mean, it is a good question, but the most proud thing in my life would be that I have helped to bring three super sensitive people into the world who are smart, and I feel, like, have influenced a lot of people in their lives. And, like, those ripples just keep going. So, I mean, it's got to be my kids. They're. They're, like, pretty cool people.

12:32 Yeah. We're not biased or anything, but I think they're pretty great.

12:35 I mean, you know. Yeah. Super. Super.

12:39 How would you like to be remembered?

12:43 Um, I don't know. Like, uh, I guess just someone who did her best to be kind and make other people's lives a little more sparkly. Yeah. Just a loving, kind person who was positive and, you know, kind of just went along trying to make people, you know, a little more happy and what is sometimes, you know, a difficult world.

13:28 I feel like you succeed at that. You're really good at that. That's how I would remember you if I never saw you again.

13:35 Okay, but let's not. Let's not do that.

13:36 Let's not talk about it.

13:38 No, that's not happening.

13:39 So, this is the last question, and Dee was worried about this one.

13:43 Oh, God bless. It was already hard.

13:47 We can do hard things. So, if this was to be our last conversation, is there anything you would want to say to me?

13:55 That's not fair.

13:59 I didn't do it to make you cry. It was just one of the ones that I was curious about.

14:05 Okay, so it won't be. But if it was, I would say to you that I am. I'll try to say it without too much blubbering, but that's the way I am. I would say that I am so profoundly grateful for the loving, kind relationship that you've developed and nurtured with g. It makes my heart so happy. Whenever I see you together, whenever I see. Speak with you both together or even separately, because in everything that you say and you do, I can tell you truly love my girl and are such a great support in every way. And your relationship is just so balanced with care and genuine love. Like, I couldn't ask for anything better for both of you because I know it's reciprocal. But I'm so grateful that she met you and that you're just so good to her. I just thank you for that, like, every minute of every day. It's a huge gift that. That you are that kind and loving and giving to my sweet, precious girl. And I really, really thank you and appreciate that.

16:05 It's.

16:06 I just. I can't even like saying I appreciate and saying thank you is, like, could never be enough, because that's the most. I think it's the most important thing in life, is to have a partner who is so giving and loving and patient and kind. That's what gets you through all of the times that you need help getting through. Right? So if this were our last conversation, I would just say thank you for being that light in Gianna's life and that support and that just, like, loving partner in all things. I really. I love you because you're such a good person.

16:49 I love you, moms.

16:50 I know.

16:51 I'm so glad this is not our last come. I'm about to cry like a bitch. My hands are. My palms are sweaty.

16:56 Girl. I'm at work, and I've got, like, stuff. It's a good thing I don't wear a lot of makeup because there'd be, like, white streaks, right?

17:03 When you go to your meeting, just be like, I really just didn't want to come.

17:07 I hate these meetings, and they're every month, and I just didn't want to.

17:16 I'm going to message my teacher and be like, I made my mother in law cry for this. Are you happy? Give me my.

17:22 Give me full points. The lady was a mess. Okay.

17:27 I love you so much, moms.

17:28 I love you.

17:29 I'm glad we did this. I'll ask more of these questions. Not on camera. One day, I was going to tell you, we have January.

17:36 We can just, like, go through all the questions.

17:39 Let's just circle up, and we can all bring questions, and we'll just. Whoever cries first has to buy dinner.

17:44 Okay. So it's good I have a credit card.

17:51 It might be me.

17:53 Oh, my gosh. Oh, thank you for choosing me for this. That's very sweet.

17:58 I love you so much.

17:59 I love you, too.

18:01 I'm gonna let you go be a slave to capitalism. And we will. You can call us when you finish, and we'll talk to you off the script.

18:09 Okay, that sounds good. Okay.

18:12 I love you, mom. Thank you for doing this for me.

18:14 My pleasure. Talk to you soon.

18:17 Okay, bye.

18:18 Okay, bye.

18:23 Poor thing. I was crying.