Home and Heart: Vanessa's Transformative Path

Vanessa shares her remarkable journey from Grenada to New York and Texas, and back to Grenada, revealing how cultural shifts and personal passions drive the quest for simplicity and connection. Their conversation explores the complexities of family bonds, the significance of community, and the steps taken to secure Grenadian citizenship. 

• Explores the contrast between life in Grenada and the fast-paced lifestyle of New York 
• Discusses the impact of food and culture as a means of belonging 
• Highlights the journey towards Grenadian citizenship for family members 
• Emphasizes the importance of community in shaping personal narratives 
• Reflects on the power of prayer and meaningful connections during life transitions

Chapters

• 0:03 Family, Homemaking, and Texas Food
• 13:53 Small Town Charm and Family Connections
• 20:28 Dual Citizenship and Rekindled Romance
• 29:20 Personal Growth and Finding Love
• 37:30 Power of Prayer and Fast Results

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

hi, I'm carlene and this is not magnation. I am so excited I have a family member. Her name is vanessa hatcher and she's in grenada and we're cousins and she's actually moved to Grenada, and so it's important to discuss what the process is like for anyone who is interested in living a more simple life and living in the Caribbean. So tell me about yourself. You know, what do you do full-time? What's your passion.

Speaker 2: 0:46

Wow, my passion, god, I haven't been asked that in a while. I don't know. I think I'm passionate about being a homemaker. I am a housewife right now, at this time, and I'm enjoying just, you know, being a homemaker. I think I kind of realized that when we moved to Pennsylvania, out in the country, and everything was kind of simple and you know, I kind of like the idea of homesteading type thing. I guess, yeah, that's, I would say that.

Speaker 1: 1:16

Yeah, yeah. So like you have three kids, two of them are younger right?

Speaker 2: 1:24

are younger and one he just turned 28. Yeah, yeah, wow, I'm like where does the time go?

Speaker 1: 1:34

yeah, yeah, it was just the other day. I remember, like you know, just his whole fascination with planes, and you know, that's what I, that's what I remember because of his excitement, like you. You know, when kids are so excited, like they, they, when they're passionate about something, that's all they want to think about, that's all they talk about, that's it, you know, yeah.

Speaker 2: 1:57

I'll take him down to the airport to watch yeah land and take off, and so he was always excited about that. Oh, yeah, yeah, so pilot. So he was like, oh, I want to fly too.

Speaker 1: 2:11

I know it's the greatest thing you know. I think I will. I'll always be proud of christopher because, like he's the only is he the only pilot in our family?

Speaker 2: 2:20

I don't know um, let me think, think as far as I know, is that completely true? I do not know.

Speaker 1: 2:28

I mean there could be someone else with, like a private pilot license, but I don't know if there's someone, maybe distant family, yeah, our, immediate family, like you know, in terms of like different roles, because there's we have like nurses and we have our doctor yeah, a lot of a lot of our families in the medical field and like, yeah, so that's why I think it was, it was just like, oh, that's so cool that he flies a plane, you know, but yeah, so I always think it's important to know like you're a family, you're a homemaker and your focus is your family. Right now and before you got to where you are, did you grow up? Where were you born? Were you born in Grenada? Remind me.

Speaker 2: 3:14

Yeah, so I was born in Grenada and then we left right about maybe a month after I turned 10 and we moved to New York and I didn't like it very much, you know, it was like kind of a culture shock from Grenada to bam New York City, you know, and it was OK but it wasn't like my cup of tea.

Speaker 2: 3:39

And then we moved to Texas and we moved near the Houston area but outside of Houston more now back to the country, more of a little country part of in that area, like outside Houston, and so we really enjoyed it there because, although it wasn't like Renata, but you know we can go concrete jungle kind of thing like New York, so that's kind of I, I really enjoyed it there and so I spent, um, yeah, most of my wow a lot of years in Texas. From when did we move to Texas? We actually moved to Texas twice. So I went through fifth grade in New York, moved to Texas and went through sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade in Texas, part of eighth grade. Then we moved back to New York and I did eighth grade and part of ninth grade in New York Wasn't going that well.

Speaker 1: 4:42

Why did you move back? Do you remember, like why? Why did you guys move back to New York? Wasn't going that well, why did you move back? Do you remember, like why? Why did you guys move back to New?

Speaker 2: 4:48

York. We moved back to New York because at the time like the salary from New York to Texas was like a shock for my mom and it didn't really get any better, and so she's like I can't, I just can't, and so we moved back to New York. And then she quickly realized like we didn't do as well there in New York. So she pretty much said, well, yeah, finished high school and college in Texas and part of my adulthood there.

Speaker 1: 5:31

Yeah, wow. So I think it's in the blood. It's traveling like the whole lifestyle, like. I mean it's like when you're trying to find your way, because I moved around a lot too can relate to you, like we moved a lot in Toronto, like, and I've moved a lot myself, so yeah, you just kind of have to find that place, that kind of jives with you, you know yeah yeah because, home is where the heart is, and if you're not finding that, that peace, it's like oh, it's time to go or it's just right working out.

Speaker 2: 6:04

Yeah the right neighbor or right neighborhood, or yeah.

Speaker 1: 6:08

If you don't feel comfortable coming home, it's like okay, time to go yeah, yeah, so now that you're I mean, we're both born in Grenada, you obviously stayed a lot longer. Do you find, like living in Grenada for the time that you did kind of grounded you in a way? Like now that you're back in Grenada, did you see yourself coming back and living in Grenada, you know?

Speaker 2: 6:35

Yeah, I actually wanted to move to Grenada even before I got married. And then, once Todd and I got together, I'm like, ah, that's going to be a bit of a culture shock for him and so I decided to pump the brakes on that and I'm like I'm going to kind of put that on the back burner until I think that he may be ready for that or if that would ever happen. But I knew like right away in the beginning of our marriage, like that would not, that would bode well. Like you know, it would take him a while, yeah.

Speaker 1: 7:09

Yeah, yeah, definitely. I mean I, you know him more than anyone else, right? So it's one of those things where you just have to gauge like it's like when you're married. It's a whole different thing. I know you don't identify as Texan per se, but the Texas accent will never go away.

Speaker 2: 7:26

I don't think it will.

Speaker 1: 7:27

You know what I mean. It's just part of who you are.

Speaker 2: 7:29

I kind of think of myself as Texan somewhat, because I'm like I love going back to Texas too. I do feel like a sense of home when I go there and my kids they like it too. I took them and they're like can we go back to Texas, mom, you know? Because I'm like this is my middle school and that's my high school and that's where I went to college, and so I mean, where did you go to college?

Speaker 1: 7:56

San Jacinto.

Speaker 2: 7:57

College. Well, they have a couple campuses, but it's a junior college and it was San Jacinto College and the central campus and then the north campus as well, so they have one in pasadena and one in houston. Itself like, but yeah, I mean, I even missed the. Well, I'm a foodie, so, like I missed the food.

Speaker 1: 8:20

Definitely, I definitely go back for the food okay, so so tell me what's your favorite food like, what's your favorite like restaurant or place? Because we always used to when we were visiting you. It was like we I love that we went to Sonic to try the fries. You know there's so many different places to eat in Texas, right?

Speaker 2: 8:38

so oh gosh so I'm gonna go with I mean there's I'm going to go with. I'm going to go with something that I don't find, a lot of places, and OK, so the Mexican food. I just love the Mexican food in Texas because, well, tex-mex and there's a lot of Mexico, so I'd say the taquerias over there, oh my God, I like that. But and then then they have like the bakeries God, they have that Polish, the kolaches. But it's not like kolaches that you'll find, like your typical Polish kolaches. No, it's kolaches how they do it, texas style. So it's different than what like maybe Polish would call. You know, your typical Polish kolaches.

Speaker 2: 9:22

So Texas has like ham and cheese and then they have like sausage and cheese and of course, what would it? You know, wouldn't be Texas without like jalapenos in the mix of everything, and so that used to be like one of my favorite things that I miss so much was getting up on a Saturday morning and going down to the bakery and go get a kolache, like wow, yeah, and then they have like non-chain donut places and it's just a good Texas donut. I don't know what to say, that's about it. I couldn't even describe it, but that was like one of my favorite place. So I guess the Mexican food god, you can go get like what they call snow cone, but from the Mexican place, again you go. I don't want to get out of this bus or whatever, and it's just a snow cone and they just make it the best to me like I think everything's better in Texas, right, right it's all it's all about, like the Tex-Mex I don't know.

Speaker 1: 10:19

We didn't like, we didn't try a lot of Tex-Mex stuff. We went to KFC Jack in the Box, sonic, you know, and where else did you guys think us? We went to this other place, yeah, but I guess we didn't have a good Texas meal. We didn't have a good Texas meal. We didn't have like your typical. I know I like TGIF. You know what it's so overwhelming and there's a lot to do when you're in Texas. So I guess we did a bit, a little bit of this, a little bit of that At that time.

Speaker 2: 10:49

Yeah, there's a lot, oh, and Cajun food. Oh, my goodness, can't forget Cajun, because Louisiana's right there, like from Houston.

Speaker 1: 10:57

So Cajun food like boudin and crawfish etouffee and mostly boudin barbecue, god, you cannot even the like oh my gosh, where's the best place for those like I mean for for those like in Texas or want to go to Texas? It sounds like like if you're in Texas, you got to get some barbecue, some barbecue ribs or something quite a while.

Speaker 2: 11:21

So I cannot say where, okay, but it's usually, I will say, for when I was there it would usually be that hole in the wall. You might not be able to sit in there, but it would be that hole in the wall where where you would wonder, are they really serving food there? But it would smell really good and so those are the places you would go and get like the best barbecue. It's like your small mom and pop place that that that they would just they would have awesome barbecue and just can't beat it. They used to have these places that would make these loaded barbecue potatoes and they would have barbecue chicken. Then they would have a baked potato and they would put barbecue chicken on it and then they would chop up some brisket and put that on top and then chop up some pulled pork or something and put that on top with bacon and onions and chives and cheese. What that was awesome girl.

Speaker 1: 12:22

I am like I'm salivating right now, like I'm getting hungry, like just listening to you talk about food. Let's change the topic. Oh, my goodness, this is. This is like we'll definitely have to go down.

Speaker 1: 12:35

Yes, go circle back to the food because, oh my god, but you know you're talking about texas. You know that thing. I left my heart in texas. Do you feel that's true? Did you leave your heart in texas? Did I leave my heart in texas? Oh my god, did you leave your home in texas? Like there's a part of you that still you.

Speaker 2: 12:53

You know there's a part of me that still has a thing for Texas. But I was kind of I always kind of felt this well, grenada too, you know. So my big heart was here in Grenada too. But yeah, I do, I miss Texas when I go back to live. I don't know, we did that was one of the things we were gonna do.

Speaker 2: 13:11

We actually did try to move back after we got married. We, I, was to move back after we got married. I was going to move back to Texas because I'm like you know, florida's getting kind of, eh, I want to move back to Texas. And he was all for it. I got a job and he did not get the job he wanted. So we kind of went okay. So I turned down my position and we moved. That's when we moved to. We left Tallahassee and moved to Palm Coast, yeah. So we kind of did a ixnay on the Texas thing and stayed in Florida, but we moved more to Central Florida as opposed to North Florida, yeah, wow.

Speaker 2: 13:53

So I will say, the two places that have my heart, though, is Texas and North and Pennsylvania. Yeah, pennsylvania most people might think of Philly, not Philly, not at all. No, we were out in the sticks in the country, like in central Pennsylvania, amish country a little, maybe about 45 minutes from Amish country. So yeah, we were out in the sticks. So in the summer it reminded me a lot of Grenada, like, like you know, narrow the more narrow roads, you know you have to wait on the car to come across the bridge and then you go real mountainous, hilly, hills and curves, hairpin turns, that kind of stuff, that part of Pennsylvania that we lived in and farms everywhere. So yeah, it reminded me a lot. I feel like it prepared me to move to Grenada honestly, because when I drive there it kind of reminds me of here. So I feel like as far as driving prepared me for Grenada, like the roads and such- you think it did.

Speaker 1: 14:57

Like I'm the roads a little bit bigger than the ones in Grenada, like I can never get over the roads, like I mean Grenada, that's the one thing, like you notice it when you're driving to the country, especially how narrow the roads are, and then the British style driving too, but yeah so, okay, the opposite side, no, but we had freeways, of course, in Pennsylvania and the area we were.

Speaker 2: 15:20

But when you get to like in the back country, like the roads we drove and stuff there, like we were, we lived in a little town. When I told you a little town, hey, first Christmas we were there. Bring, not Christmas Eve. The day before Christmas Eve, hey, miss Hatcher, yes, hello, you have a package here and we're going to be closing this, probably Christmas gifts, so you might want to come get that and just come knock the door. We're at lunch anyway, but knock the door. Like most post office don't close for lunch, but like they do in Grenada, like they used to, I should say, things used to close for about an hour. And so there, the post office closed for about an hour and so you go knock the back door because they're at lunch and they told you to come and you get your package.

Speaker 2: 16:08

And, like everybody knows each other in this town that we lived in, and so there were very narrow roads and, like a couple of the bridges, you'd have to wait for the person to pass so you could go, because two cars can't fit at the same time, and then, like at the end of the year, christmas, everyone goes to like this place called the Children's Lake and the bank passes out cookies and the fire station passes out hot chocolate and everybody looks at the town Christmas tree being lit and Santa comes up in his little boat down the lake and you know. And then everyone has a good time and they go home. We all do fireworks together out there it was.

Speaker 1: 16:52

It was a small town, so it was like a lot like we need to what everyone kind of know each other, you know yeah, no, I I understand, because it's like when you watch those Christmas movies, like hearing you talk about it, it's like a lot of those Christmas movies where they are in a small town and then, like even last night I watched the movie and this man, he used to put the tree out in front of his house as a reminder because he lost contact with his son. Like the wife took the kid with her and then he told his son, like always, look out for the Christmas tree. So every year he left the tree out and then they did that. But yeah, it's like that small town thing where I guess he was so miserable and then one of the neighbors decided to light the tree up. You know what I mean. So hearing you say that it's like full circle yeah, everybody knows you movie.

Speaker 2: 17:47

Yeah, yeah, like you go to the bank. You go to the bank and you're like, hey, and you, you know, you call their name and they call your name and you're like, oh, oh, where are the girls today? Oh, they're not here.

Speaker 1: 17:58

They're often, you know, and it's just Did you like that? Did you like everyone knowing your name? Like you know, it's like an episode of Cheers where everybody knows your name.

Speaker 2: 18:13

Yeah, yeah, I won't say everybody, but like places, the post office, banks, certain restaurants, not all depends on how frequently you went, or yeah, you kind of, even if they didn't know your name, you knew their face and you know, yeah, you know, type thing. I mean so much so, where we went down to the neighbors to get eggs, or you know well, not the neighbors, but you know some people down the road they raise chickens. We'd get our eggs from them. If I grew extra herbs, I'd take some down to her. She was like, oh well, since you gave me some herbs, you can have some eggs, or things like that. Yeah, I really enjoyed it.

Speaker 1: 18:53

Hey, can I have more? Ms Hatcher, can I get a cup of sugar? Pretty much, yeah, oh my gosh, that is so amazing. Though I feel like you've had quite the adventure to getting to where you are now, because I always say this is my saying it's not where you're going, it's where you came from, and I feel like Grenada, even though it's it's a smaller Island, a small community of people, but it brings so many people together and I think that's why I mean I left so young, and even people now like I've had one or two people ask me why I created this show, and I feel like I want I want as many people to know about Grenada, because it's a beautiful place.

Speaker 1: 19:42

When you're there and the people are so humble. Based on, like, my experiences with talking to people and hearing their story, like hearing your story too, you know what I mean, and I'm sure you have like some great memories of Grenada. Like, were your parents? Like we didn't talk about that, but your mom and your dad? Did they meet in Grenada? Like, did you grow up with both of them in Grenada?

Speaker 2: 20:08

Yeah, so they met in Grenada, got married in Grenada, had my brother and I, and then you know, grenada is pretty small. So when they sort of were wanting to go their separate ways, you know my mom kind of was like, well, you know Grenada is kind of small and so she really went her separate way.

Speaker 1: 20:28

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 20:29

Into the United States. Yeah, so, yeah, and so my dad was here for a while and then he eventually made his way to New York, but I think he always wanted to make his way back because the I don't know if he came with the idea like that, it would be the same as Green Ada. But you know, from the way he spoke, it was kind of a rude awakening the difference in people, and you know what I mean. Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely not what you expected.

Speaker 1: 20:58

So do you feel like you and your brother, like we're really close growing up and like like brother and sister who are, you know, in that way always?

Speaker 2: 21:08

always, always, always. God talked a lot. You know we have our ups and downs, like all siblings do, but pretty much always yeah.

Speaker 1: 21:17

Yeah, me and Vanessa are cousins because my grandmother like my on my mom's side, so like my grandmother's sister. Yeah, yeah, it's my mom, mm.

Speaker 2: 21:30

Hmm, there we go and so we share. Oh, so yeah, your great grandmother will be my grandmother yeah, yeah, what a family tree.

Speaker 1: 21:43

When they started working on that, I was like, oh my goodness, our, my great-grandfather, was very busy. Yeah, he was. Oh my goodness. I'm just like when we, when I went to the reunion, I'm like all these people are related somehow, like, how, like, yeah, like Vanessa is like baby and she told me I said, how are we related?

Speaker 2: 22:08

and she goes you know what I would explain. But it's actually the family is a pumpkin vine and I'm just gonna leave it at that, that and I'm like you know what, I'll just take that. Yeah, I'll take that.

Speaker 1: 22:20

I mean I wish I hadn't met her when I had to do a family tree, you know, because, like, and they always ask you to do that and I'm like, well, I don't even know, because it's just like, even on my dad's side, like I'm trying to figure some of that out, and I'm like, oh, this is, this is getting too complicated. Yeah, right, it's a lot, it's a lot Caribbean family, but okay, so you've had this journey and so I guess what I, what I have to get back to, is just the process of getting to Grenada. Right, so you're an American citizen and you also have Grenadian citizenship, so do all. And when you started the process, tell me how it worked. Like, was it hard getting on?

Speaker 2: 23:04

Like it's more of a. For me, I think it was more of a mental, mental when are you going to take that next step? And that was the hardest thing to just say that's what we're going to do, because we would come down and we'll go oh God, you know, we got to do this, we got to do that, we got to do that. And it was always a never ending waiting for the perfect everything to line up. And this last time we were just like you know what, we're just going to do it, we're just going to stay. But the process to that.

Speaker 2: 23:38

Before that also, my husband, of course he's. He's not a Grenadian citizen, he, he's a US citizen. And then so my children. They also did not have a Grenada passport. So I ended up calling the. I wanted to make sure that they all had a Grenada passport, like their citizenship, to be able to move. Well, they couldn't move here without it, but I just preferred that they had it. And so for the girls, it was easier to get them a passport. Darren was a little harder because he's over 18. So he would have to take, like, do a bunch of blood tests and such, but still be able to get his citizenship through me as his mom. The girls, since they were pretty young, they before required the blood test. They did all the blood tests and such, and then the lady from the consulate called and said you know what? They don't have to do that anymore. So she had me get all the documents up, like if you the the.

Speaker 1: 24:39

So just just the the facts. So for those like looking at the paperwork side, if you're not a Grenadian citizen, you have to get a Grenadian passport. Is that what you're saying? Like all that paper? No, oh no.

Speaker 2: 24:55

I think I misunderstood. If you want to move to Grenada, you can move to Grenada, but you would just have to keep renewing a visa or whatever, depending on where you're from.

Speaker 1: 25:06

Like a work visa. Yeah, because most people just do that. Yeah, but you have to have a job, right.

Speaker 2: 25:12

And then your work visa, the entire logistics of it, and then they also have the Citizen by Investment program, and I, you know we didn't go that route, but I don't know too.

Speaker 1: 25:24

I know it's like just to simplify things, though you were doing it in a way so that it would make it easier for you to move and not have to keep renewing, like your visa, every six months, right, right?

Speaker 2: 25:39

for the, for the kids and my husband. So that's why I did that, you know, ok, ok, and so school, everything. It would just be simpler if everyone was a citizen as well. It's kind of like me getting my citizenship in the US. It would just made everything so much more simple, and so that's why we did that. And so with the girls, it's not, you just simply call the embassy, not the consulate, I call the embassy in washington I know that's what it is in washington, yeah in the us yeah, yeah, yeah in miami.

Speaker 2: 26:12

And then they have a embassy or a consulate in new york, but they have an embassy in dc and they're very helpful there. They you. If you can't find the forms online which they are online they'll still email it to you and say this is what you need, that's what you need to do. These are the steps. It's pretty idiot proof and they walk me through everything. And so they're like just walk into the office when you get to Grenada with everything filled out in hand, whatever you need, notarized, notarized before you get there, and just here's my package. And that's what we did. And within a few days we had the girl's passport. And because I had everything done, and then as far as Todd, for him the process is a little longer he had to get like a reference letter as far as his character and such from someone in the US, and so he did that and we filed his paperwork for his citizenship in December and by the next April he had it his citizenship.

Speaker 1: 27:26

The next April. So like a full year, like a year. No, no, no, no.

Speaker 2: 27:30

What December? So like the end, yeah the year, and then so then you had it was right before Christmas, and then January, february, march, april, so like four months Wow.

Speaker 1: 27:43

Wow, like I think they did say, it's not a long. It's not too long of a process, as long as you, you're not living a life of crying right.

Speaker 2: 27:52

Right right, right right.

Speaker 1: 27:54

Clean record. Like do they do like a record check, like is it that serious?

Speaker 2: 27:57

Yeah, they do a check. I believe they do a check, check. That's what takes so long. It's like they make sure everything is, you know, on the up and up yeah.

Speaker 1: 28:08

When did you meet, todd? Did you meet like I, or is it early 2000, so is it like yeah?

Speaker 2: 28:14

have you guys been married this year?

Speaker 1: 28:16

we've been married 18 years I know, I was wondering if it was like up to 20. Yeah, yeah, because I was like. I remember my, me and my sister first came to visit you and your mom in Texas. Like we spent the summer there, like it was all. It was like six weeks. And then the next time I came to visit you you were like engaged to get married, like you and Todd were already like an item.

Speaker 2: 28:39

No, you came one time. You guys came when we were, when I was in that apartment in Florida. Remember what do you mean? You came before that you came a little bit before that at the apartment in Florida, that's around the time Todd and I met oh okay, years we kind of like talked a little bit and then kind of went on our own separate ways, lost each other's number, and then it's just weird how we got back together it was meant to be.

Speaker 1: 29:10

It was meant to be.

Speaker 2: 29:11

Yeah, how did you guys get a hold of each other again.

Speaker 2: 29:14

So prayers, literal prayers, yeah, oh yeah, I was. You know. I got to the point where I was like you know what? I think I'm ready to settle down. I kind of I had to look at myself in the mirror and say you know what's going on with you? Why do you always like you know you don't stay in a relationship? And I realized I kind of like the runaway bride. I feel like I was always running away, like if I even thought someone would do something wrong, like it was like after my whole deal with Darian's dad, you know, I was like gone, goodbye, nope. And so I realized like I had to stop doing that because I would never settle down if I didn't stop running. And so I kind of had that talk with myself and I'm like okay, I think I'm ready to settle down.

Speaker 2: 30:04

So went to bed that night and I had a nice long prayer and a nice chat and I'm like you know, god and ancestors, whoever's listening, I am ready. And I'm like I remember saying to myself too I'm like I don't do well with hints and parables I literally said that and I'm like throw, throw this man in my lap, whoever this man is supposed to be, that I'm meant to be with, throw him in my lap because I can't. I don't do well with hints and parables, no lie. The very next day, my phone rang and it's taught. Wow.

Speaker 1: 30:41

Yeah, my heart, my heart was like right in that story that, vanessa, I'm telling you, you guys, when I get you in the hot seat, you guys tell me these amazing stories. I can't believe that. Like there is still hope for me. Like you know what I mean Hearing you say that Cause I'm just like I feel like in in every stage of our lives, like when we have that moment of clarity, we're like, yeah, what do I need to do now? Like I need to focus, I need to.

Speaker 1: 31:08

You know, just hearing you say that, oh, my gosh, you have to read this book. My friend referred it to me. I'm going to like, if I can afford to, I'm going to like share this book with like a lot of people it's called Conversations with God and book with like a lot of people it's called conversations with God, and it's an amazing book. Like I, I started reading. I'm not done, but it's. It's so like I, I'm always talking to people and and I feel like I was supposed to talk to my mentor and he's the one that told me to read this book. He's like Carleen, this is like my favorite book. You have to read it and I got it. It's in five book series. But I started the first one and just hearing you say that like well the kicker, yeah that conversation. You had.

Speaker 2: 31:57

Yeah, yeah, the kicker part was that day Todd was telling me he he was working in corrections at the time and he went into the chapel with a couple of the inmates and so he sat at the back and he was kind of like, yeah, I'm just, I'm ready to settle down, you know, type thing. And he just didn't know, like you know, what the next step was. And he said he went home that day and he was looking for something in the closet and he said out of this box, tipped over, and he said his old um next cell phone just tumbled out on the floor in front of him and he says, huh, I wonder if that girl's vanessa's phone number is still in this phone. That's what he thought about when the next cell phone fumbled out. And so that is why he called me. A box accidentally fell, the phone flew out and he called me. He had your number still. It was still stored in the phone.

Speaker 2: 32:58

But what are the odds? You know I say fling him in my lap. I can't deal with hints. He's in the chapel. You know I say fling him in my lap, I can't deal with hints. He's in the chapel going. Yeah, I'm ready to settle down and then he's looking for something it boxed over and bam, this old phone flies out. He boots it up and my number is still in it, and so he thought the person he thought about was me, and he called me and the rest is history.

Speaker 1: 33:22

Oh my gosh, that is amazing. I love that story. That's a beautiful story. Oh that was beautiful. I was right there with you. I just saw you. I just like you were. I was feeling the emotion with that. Oh my that was powerful.

Speaker 2: 33:39

I love that, oh, my God so yeah, yes, they do.

Speaker 1: 33:45

Yes, I think I think a lot of people like, sometimes we there's all these things I feel like your story just made me think of. Ok, I got to share this one story and then I know it's getting late so we're going to wrap it up, but to be continued, so I went to work hearing your story about, like just conversations with God. This is a story about paying it forward and I'm always like trying. I always try and help people if I can. And I went to the hair store, vanessa, and I had no money to buy any product for my hair. I only went there to buy like hair, like this hairspray or whatever.

Speaker 1: 34:24

And I was in the the the hair room and there was this girl there and I was just talking to her, cause, like I don't know, I always have a hard time choosing what, what style I'm going to do next, or what like extension I'm going to put in my hair or whatever. And she's like, oh, I just, it just speaks to me. She's like like whatever, I feel that's what I get. I'm like, really, it's that easy. Like I'm like it's not like that for me, like you should see me, I'm like trying on different ones and she's just like oh, what do you? I'm like so she ended up choosing this really nice one. I'm like oh, that's so nice, you know what I mean. And lo and behold, she's like just choose the style you want, I'm gonna get it for you.

Speaker 1: 34:58

I'm like oh wow, first time ever. Wow, she literally bought me my stare, the style I'm wearing right now. Vanessa, I was like, bless your heart. I was like, literally, she's like hurry up, just choose it now and then we're getting the line. I was like because I was like did I hear that? No way, wow, her name is Shay and I, I swear she's just. She just came from like she was a blessing after work. She just made my day. I couldn't believe it.

Speaker 1: 35:24

I was like and I gave swear, she just, she just came from like she was a blessing after work, she just made my day. I couldn't believe it. I was like and I gave her like a drink, because I just, um, had finished work and I bought one drink, two drinks, right, and I was just like, wow, I couldn't believe it. Vanessa, like, I was just like every time you think there's like you lose hope inside of people, something like that happens and I'm just like I have to like I mean, I'll pay it forward. I did it one way this week, but not to that extent, but I will do it because that was just like unbelievable. And so, yeah, people are amazing, yeah.

Speaker 2: 35:55

I'm a hard believer in it forward, and a lot of times you think the hope is gone, but then someone, somewhere, somehow surprise you.

Speaker 1: 36:06

Yeah, and like, and your prayer, just like it, just it just rang his phone, like it was, just like happened, like you were ready. How old were you when you said that? Like you were at that point in your life.

Speaker 2: 36:19

Thirty two, I would say yeah, one thirty two, yeah, 32.

Speaker 1: 36:22

I want to say yeah, 132, yeah, I guess it's when you're ready, like that clarity. I think it's. It wasn't that like we all have different stages in our life where we're okay, I'm ready. Now I'm ready, yeah.

Speaker 2: 36:33

I was pretty much like okay, I'm ready. I and I understood, like, my issues. And so I I did. I told him I'm like listen, I'm probably gonna like listen, I'm probably going to try to leave you, I'm probably going to conjure up something to say that this is not working out. I'm like don't, don't listen to me, don't listen to me, like, really talk some sense into my head. And so he's like okay, I'm like I'm for real, this is my issue and I figured it out and I'm just letting you know I'm probably going to try to go away. Don't let me do that. And so he was very patient and he did not. I tried and he was like you know, remember we had this conversation, you're doing it, you're doing it. And I'm like yeah, yeah, I am.

Speaker 1: 37:25

Aren't I am, aren't I? Yeah, I am okay, all right, you know, wow, I love it. I love it. That's a beautiful story, it's a beautiful thing. You know, conversation like it's just like he heard your prayer.

Speaker 2: 37:32

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember darian and um jamal's sister, darian's um cousin. They were in the car when he rang and I'm like, after I hung up from him, I'm like what God, you work so fast. This is like not even a whole 24 hour. I was like what are you talking?

Speaker 1: 37:55

about. Wow, it wasn't even a full day. I was like what?

Speaker 2: 38:00

That night I prayed and the very next day during the day. I'm like that night I prayed and the very next day during the day, but a ring, a ding, a day. I'm like wow, you work fast. I literally said that.

Speaker 1: 38:12

Yeah, so I guess you're a firm believer. Yeah, for sure. Oh my gosh, I'm in shocker. I'm speechless, I don't even know what to say. I'm like, wow, the power of prayer, yeah, prayers. Yeah yeah, every time. Yeah, prayers and meditation. Thank you for listening to Nutmeg Nation with Carlene Humphrey.