Living in Grenada a New Experience ✨️ Vanessa Speaks

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In this episode of Nutmeg Nation I speak to my cousin Vanessa Hatcher, and why she decided to move back to Grenada. She talks about her journey and her love story, growing up in New York City, Texas and married life and why she chose to finally move back home with her family.  

Life is full of surprises and you never know where you will live, my cousin talks about the simple life ❤️ 

I want to thank Vanessa for sharing her experience and her love for Grenada! 

This episode is a tribute to her - and her life and I want to thank her for being apart of this experience 

We are not always promised tomorrow so we have to be thankful for today- 

Rest in Peace Vanessa -  you will be forever missed! 

Transcript

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SPEAKER_02 0:03

Hi, I'm Carleen, 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. Hey, Vanessa! So tell me about yourself. You know, what do you do full-time? What's your passion?

SPEAKER_01 0:46

Wow, my passion. God, I haven't been asset 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_02 1:16

Yeah. And so, like, you have three kids, two of them are younger, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:23

Two are younger, and one he just turned 28. I can't believe it. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, wow. I'm like, where does the time go? Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:35

It was just the other day, I remember, like, you know, just his whole fascination with planes. And, you know, that's 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're 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?

SPEAKER_01 1:55

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

SPEAKER_02 2:10

I know, it's the greatest thing. You know what? I think I will I'll always be proud of Christopher because like he's the only I is he the only pilot in our family? I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 2:21

Um, let me think, think as far as I know, is that completely true? I do not know. 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.

SPEAKER_02 2:36

But 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, runs in the blood. 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 fa 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_01 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 no, I didn't like it very much, you know. There was like kind of a culture shock from Grenada to BAM, New York City, you know, and it was okay, but yeah, uh wasn't like my cup of tea. And then we moved to Texas and we moved near the Houston area, but outside of Houston more, once 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 Renada, but you know, we can go outside and play, or ride our bicycles, you know, it wasn't a 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 a lot, wow, a lot of years in Texas from uh 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 yeah, part of ninth grade in New York. Wasn't going that well.

SPEAKER_02 4:42

So why did you move back? Do you remember? Like, why did you guys move back to New York?

SPEAKER_01 4:47

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 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, I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and go back to Texas. So we ended up going back to Texas like my mid-ninth grade, and then I stayed in Texas through, yeah, finished high school and college in Texas and part of my adulthood there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

Wow. So I think it's it's in it's in the blood, it's traveling, like the whole lifestyle. Like, I mean, it's like when you're fine trying to find your way. Because I I moved around a lot too. So I 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.

SPEAKER_01 5:54

You know, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:56

Yeah, because home is where the heart is, and and if you're not finding that that peace, it's like, oh, it's time to go, or it's just working out, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:05

The right neighbor or right neighborhood, or you know, if you don't feel comfortable coming home, it's like, okay, time to go. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:16

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_01 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 gonna 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 gonna 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'll take him a while.

SPEAKER_02 7:08

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, definitely. I mean, I you know him but more than anyone else, right? Uh 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. I don't think it will. You know what I mean? It's just part of who you are.

SPEAKER_01 7:29

I kind of think of myself as Texan somewhat, because someone, right? Like, don't I I love going back to Texas too? I do feel like a sense of home when I go there. Like 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 um middle school, and that's my high school, and that's where I went to college. And so I mean Where did we go to college? San Jacino College. Um 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 uh 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 miss the food. Definitely, I definitely go back for the food.

SPEAKER_02 8:22

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_01 8:38

So oh gosh. So I'm gonna go with I mean there's I'm gonna go with something that I don't find a lot of places. And okay, so the Mexican food, I just love the Mexican food in Texas because, well, Tex Mex, and there's a lot of Mexican. So I'd say the takarias over there. Oh my god, but and then then they have like the bakeries. God, they have that Polish, the kolaches, but it's not like kolachis that you'll find like your typical Polish kolachis. No, it's kalachis, how they do it, Texas style. So it's different than what like maybe Polish would call you know, your typical Polish kolachis. 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 missed so much was getting up on a Saturday morning and going down to the bakery and go get a kalachi. Like and 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 I I couldn't even describe it, but that was like one of my favorite places. 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 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?

SPEAKER_02 10:14

Right? It's all about like the the the Tex Max. I don't know. We didn't, we didn't like we didn't try a lot of Tex Max stuff. We went to KFC, Jack, 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 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 of a little bit of this, a little bit of that at that time. Yeah, right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:50

There's a lot. Oh, and Cajun food. Oh my goodness, can't forget Cajun because Louisiana's right there, like from Houston. So Cajun food, like boudain and crawfish touffet, and mostly boudin. And your food sauces barbecue.

SPEAKER_02 11:06

God, you cannot even the like the 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 gotta get some barbecue, some barbecue ribs.

SPEAKER_01 11:24

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 people 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 barbecues, like your small mom and pop place that that that they would just they would have awesome barbecue and just can't beat it. Like like they used to have these places that would make these loaded barbecue potatoes, and they would like have barbecue chicken, then they would put they would have a baked potato and they would put like 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.

SPEAKER_02 12:21

Girl, I am like, I'm salvating 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 we'll definitely have to go down. Yeah, it's 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? Oh my god, did you leave your home in Texas? Like there's a part of you that still, you know, has a part of me that still has a thing for um Texas.

SPEAKER_01 12:57

But I was kind of felt I've 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. Would I go back to live? I don't know. We did that, was one of the things we were gonna do. We actually did try to move back after we got married. We I was gonna 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, ah, okay. So I turned down my position and we moved. That's when we moved to we left Tallahassee and moved to Comic Coast. Yeah. So we kind of did a Ixney on the Texas thing and stayed in Florida, but we moved more to Central Florida as opposed to North Florida. Yeah. Wow. So I would say the two places that have my heart though is Texas and North and Pennsylvania. Yeah. Pennsylvania, most people might think of Philly. Right. Not Philly. Not at all. No, we were out in the sticks in the country, like in central Pennsylvania, Amish country, uh, a little uh 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 hillies, 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 I I feel like it prepared me to move to Grenada, honestly, because when I drived there, it kind of reminds me of here. So I feel like as far as driving, it prepared me for Grenada, like the roads and such.

SPEAKER_02 14:56

You think it did? Like I'm the roads a little bit bigger than the ones in Grenada. Like, I I can never get over the roads in, 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.

SPEAKER_01 15:12

So, okay, the opposite side, no. But we had three ways, of course, in Pennsylvania and the area we were. 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 one. I told you a little town, okay. First Christmas we were there. Bring not Christmas Eve, the day before Christmas Eve. Hey, Miss Hatcher. Yes, hello. Um, you have a package here, and we're gonna be closing. It's probably kiss Christmas gifts. So you might want you want you might want to come get that and um 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 like they do in Grenada, like they well used to, I should say. Things used to close for about an hour. Uh 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. And like everybody knows each other in this town that we lived in. And so there were very narrow roads and like 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 the oh, this place called the Children's Lake, and um the bank passes out um 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 yeah, and then everyone has a good time and they go home. We all do fireworks together out there. It was it was a small town, so it was like a lot like Renata where everyone kind of knows each other, you know?

SPEAKER_02 16:58

Yeah, no, I 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 a movie, and this man, um, 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's told his son, like, always look out for the Christmas tree. So every year he left a tree out, and then they did that. But yeah, it's like 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.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

Yeah, where everybody knows the Walmart movie. Oh, yeah. Like you go to the bank, you go to the bank and you're like, yay, and you, you know, they you call their name and they call your name, and you're like, oh, where are the girls today? Oh, they're not here, they're off and you know, and yeah, it's just did you like that?

SPEAKER_02 18:03

Did you like everyone knowing your name? Like, you know, it's like an episode of cheers where everybody knows your name.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

Yeah, it's funny your name. Yeah. Um, I won't say everybody, but like in places the post office, banks, uh 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 knew, yay, 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 downtown. She was like, Oh, well, since you gave me some herbs, you can have some eggs, or things like that. Yeah, it's I really enjoyed it.

SPEAKER_02 18:53

Hey, can I have horse, Miss Hatcher? Can I have more? Can I get a cup of sugar? Pretty much. Yeah, yeah. Oh my gosh. That is 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 a 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 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_01 20:08

Like, yeah. So they um 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's kind of small, and so she really went her separate way. Yeah. 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 Greenada, 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?

SPEAKER_02 20:54

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

Yeah, definitely not what he expected.

SPEAKER_02 20:58

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

SPEAKER_01 21:07

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

SPEAKER_02 21:18

Me and Vanessa are cousins because my grandmother, like my on my mom's side. So, like my grandmother's sister, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:28

Yeah, is my mom. There we go. And so we share. Oh, so yeah, your great grandmother will be my grandmother. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:38

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. What a family tree. When they started working on that, I was like, oh my goodness, our my great grandfather was very busy. You know? 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?

SPEAKER_01 22:02

Like, yeah, like Vanessa is like a lady right told me. I said, How are we related? 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. And I'm like, you know what? I'll just take that. Yeah, I'll take that.

SPEAKER_02 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, ooh, this is this is getting too complicated. Yeah, right. It's a lot, it's a long 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 dual. And when you started the process, tell me how it worked. Like, was it hard getting on the paperwork?

SPEAKER_01 23:04

Like, it's more of a for me, I think it was more of a mental, mental, when are you gonna take that next step? And that was the hardest thing to just say, that's what we're gonna do. Because we would come down and we'll go, oh God, you know, we gotta do this, we gotta do that, we gotta 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 gonna do it, we're just gonna stay. But the process to that 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 there. Well, they could 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, uh, 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 you the consulate.

SPEAKER_02 24:40

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 paperwork. No? Oh no.

SPEAKER_01 24:54

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

SPEAKER_02 25:07

Yeah, because most people just do that. Like, but yeah, but you have to have a job, right? And right, but I don't know your work visa, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

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 much.

SPEAKER_02 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 year, right?

SPEAKER_01 25:38

Right for the for the kids and my husband. So that's why I did that, you know. Okay, okay. And so at 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 make everything so much more simple. And so that's why we did that. And so with the girls, it's not hard. You just simply call the embassy, not the consulate, I call the embassy in Washington.

SPEAKER_02 26:06

I know that's what it is in Washington. Yeah, in the US. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:10

Or the embassy in Miami, and then they have uh embassy or a consulate in New York, but they have an embassy in DC and they're very helpful there. They send 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, notarize, notarize 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 uh, we filed his paperwork for his citizenship in December, and by the next April, he had it. His citizenship. The next April, so like a full year, like a no no no no what December, but so like the end, yeah, yeah, the year, and then so then you had um, it was right before Christmas, and then January, February, March, April. So like four months.

SPEAKER_02 27:43

Wow, it is like I 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 crime, right? Right, right, right, right, right. Clean record. Like, do they do like a record check? Like, is it that serious?

SPEAKER_01 27:58

We do a check. Um they do a check. That's what takes so long. It's like they uh make sure everything is you know on the up and up.

SPEAKER_02 28:08

Yeah. When did you meet Todd? Did you meet like I or is it early 2000s? So is it like we guys been married? This year we've been married 18 years. I know. I I was wondering if it was like up to 20, yeah, because I was like, I remember my me and my sister Chrissanne 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_01 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 that time. Oh, okay, okay. So we've known each other for like four years. We kind of like talked for a little bit and then kind of went on our own separate ways, lost our each other's number, and then it's just weird how we got back together.

SPEAKER_02 29:08

It was meant to be. It was meant to be. Um How did you guys get a hold of each other again?

SPEAKER_01 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 are you always like, you know, you don't stay in a relationship? And I realized I kind of like a 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 Darion's dad, you know, I was like, gone. Goodbye. Nope. And so I was 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. So went to bed that night, and I had a nice long prayer and a nice chat, and I'm like, you know, um, 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 rings and it's talk. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 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, because 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, you know, just hearing you say that. Oh my gosh, you have to read this book. My friend referred it to me. I'm gonna, like, if I can afford to, I'm gonna like share this 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, Carlene, this is like my favorite book. You have to read it.

SPEAKER_01 31:42

And I got Conversations is called Conversations in Bud. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:47

Okay. It's in five book series, but I started the first one, and just hearing you say that, like kicker.

SPEAKER_01 31:54

Yeah, that conversation you had. 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 yeah, 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 Nextel phone just tumbled out on the floor in front of him. And he says, I wonder if that girl's Vanessa's phone number is still in this phone. That's what he thought about when the Nextel phone tumbled 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. 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 going, yeah, I'm ready to settle down. And then he's looking for something, a box tip over, and pam, 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_02 33:22

Oh my gosh, that is amazing. I love that story. That's a beautiful story. That was beautiful. Oh my gosh. I was I was right there with you. I just saw you. I it's just like you were, I was feeling the emotion with that. Oh my, that was powerful. I love that. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Yes, they do. 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, okay, I gotta share this one story. And then um, I know it's getting late, so we're gonna 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 um, 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. And I was in the the hair room and there was this girl there. And I was just talking to her because like, I don't know, I always have a hard time choosing what what style I'm gonna do next or what like extension I'm gonna put in my hair, whatever. And she's like, oh, I just it just speaks to me. She's like, whatever I feel, that's what I get. I'm like, really? Is that easy? Like I'm like, it's not like that for me. Like, you should have seen 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. I'm like, oh wow, did I use it? First time ever. Wow, you literally bought me my stamp, 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 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, you'll be surprised.

SPEAKER_01 35:57

And a lot of times you think the hope is gone, but then someone somewhere somehow surprise you, you know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:07

And like, and and 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. 30 32, I almost think. 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 to yeah.

SPEAKER_01 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 try to leave you. I'm probably gonna 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 gonna try to go away. And just don't let me do that. And so he was very patient and he did not. I tried. And he was like, you know, you remember we had this conversation, you're doing it. You you're doing it. And I'm like, Oh yeah, yeah, I am, aren't I? Yeah, I am. Okay, all right. You know, wow, I love that.

SPEAKER_02 37:23

I love that. That's a beautiful story, it's a beautiful thing, you know. Conversation, like it's just like he heard your prayer, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:31

Yeah, yeah. I remember Darien and um Jamal's sister, Darien'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. Like, not even a whole 24 hours. Wow, it wasn't even a full day. I mean, it was like that night I prayed, and the very next day, during the day, but ring a ding a day. I'm like, wow, you work fast. I literally said that.

SPEAKER_02 38:12

You like it? 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, prayer is every every time. Yeah. Prayers and meditations.

SPEAKER_00 38:29

Thank you for listening to Nutmeg Nation with Carlene Humphrey.