She Bold Crew
Tales of Resilience from a Trooper's Journey- Catching up w/ Simply 1 Taj
When laughter bursts through the tension of a high-stakes job, it's not just a release—it's a revelation. That's what we uncover as Simply One Taj returns to our podcast, recounting the thrills and spills of her life in the state highway patrol. From the demanding drives of academy training to the unexpected comedy during traffic stops, Taj's tales are a testament to the resilience and humor that define the thin blue line. Strapping on her boots and badge, she doesn't shy away from sharing the peak moments of a profession where every day writes a new adventure.
Imagine chuckling in the face of danger or finding humor in the heat of the moment—it's this unscripted comedy that stitches together the stories from our police academy chapter. As Taj and I trade anecdotes, we unravel the human side of law enforcement, where laughter can be as much a shield as a bulletproof vest. Our exchange about the quirks of stress response and the involuntary chuckles in dire straits doesn't just entertain, it enlightens, revealing the complex tapestry of coping mechanisms that keep our first responders grounded.
But it's not all guffaws and high-fives; the shadow of stress on the mental health of those in emergency services looms large. This episode digs into the stark realities faced by dispatchers and responders, lending a voice to the unsung heroes who bear the brunt of trauma on a daily basis. We lay bare the pressing need for support systems that do more than just bandage over the psychological scars of the job. Join us for compelling conversations and personal insights that go beyond the badge, bringing to light the critical balance between mental well-being and the demanding dance of emergency response with our inspiring guest, Simply One Taj.
Hey SBC supporters! Want to connect with us ? You can send us a text message.
Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREE
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
When laughter bursts through the tension of a high-stakes job, it's not just a release—it's a revelation. That's what we uncover as Simply One Taj returns to our podcast, recounting the thrills and spills of her life in the state highway patrol. From the demanding drives of academy training to the unexpected comedy during traffic stops, Taj's tales are a testament to the resilience and humor that define the thin blue line. Strapping on her boots and badge, she doesn't shy away from sharing the peak moments of a profession where every day writes a new adventure.
Imagine chuckling in the face of danger or finding humor in the heat of the moment—it's this unscripted comedy that stitches together the stories from our police academy chapter. As Taj and I trade anecdotes, we unravel the human side of law enforcement, where laughter can be as much a shield as a bulletproof vest. Our exchange about the quirks of stress response and the involuntary chuckles in dire straits doesn't just entertain, it enlightens, revealing the complex tapestry of coping mechanisms that keep our first responders grounded.
But it's not all guffaws and high-fives; the shadow of stress on the mental health of those in emergency services looms large. This episode digs into the stark realities faced by dispatchers and responders, lending a voice to the unsung heroes who bear the brunt of trauma on a daily basis. We lay bare the pressing need for support systems that do more than just bandage over the psychological scars of the job. Join us for compelling conversations and personal insights that go beyond the badge, bringing to light the critical balance between mental well-being and the demanding dance of emergency response with our inspiring guest, Simply One Taj.
Hey SBC supporters! Want to connect with us ? You can send us a text message.
Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREE
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
She bold, she real and she's definitely ready. Hey guys, it's your girl. Smiley B and Eva G and Simply One Taj. Yes guys, y'all heard us right. It. And Simply One Taj. Yes guys, y'all heard us right, it's Simply One Taj. We told y'all that she was going to be back with an update for you guys. I know we've been saying it for a while, I know.
Speaker 1:But we finally was able to book her. Honey. Y'all know, life be life, fam. We was finally able to book her. Everybody's schedules are on. It was just God. God worked it out for us. The blood of Jesus. Y'all know she always going to make out. Yes.
Speaker 2:But you knew that song. But when I was just over here singing my song, y'all they just tried to play me. I was over here singing a song complicated by Nivea.
Speaker 1:She thought she was singing complicated by Nivea. I don't know what that was. What's the other? Who else sing the other song?
Speaker 3:She said who was it giving, it was giving. Oh, what you say.
Speaker 1:Oh, nah, nah, nah. I've been thinking about you, who sings?
Speaker 2:that, or do you not?
Speaker 1:Dang. What is this thing? See that ain't the stuff Sing so?
Speaker 2:far, y'all keep on acting, dang.
Speaker 1:I was about to say J Holiday.
Speaker 2:It's not J Holiday, no, that's.
Speaker 3:Forever Suffocate. Ain't that Suffocate?
Speaker 1:No, no, they here, they all over the place. Our age is showing Memory loss. Either way, she was Harmonizing with One song To another Song's beat and it was not Giving Nivea. So that's what I do know.
Speaker 2:But yes.
Speaker 1:So what's up, saj? What's life been like? Oh wait.
Speaker 2:So I know right when to start.
Speaker 1:Because how long has it been what? Two years, two years.
Speaker 3:Soon as I went to that academy.
Speaker 1:Well, yes, guys, as y'all know, and for those who are new to the SheBoku podcast, taj started the podcast with me. It was me and her initially, and you know, the Lord placed her in a different place in her life and she went to the academy last year. She was leaving for the academy to be a state highway patrol, which was a big step, and we had talked about it on the podcast. She had been expressing and sharing different things that she was going through with even getting into the academy and all the different tests and tasks.
Speaker 2:And training, yeah and training. I remember when you had to run a certain distance within a certain amount of time.
Speaker 1:That was wild, all of that that they require you to do, and you know you did it. You did it, yeah, accomplished it and been doing it so proud. So, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:So it's been very rewarding, I should say, and I like it yeah.
Speaker 2:Like is this your forever job? Like you think you will retire from this.
Speaker 3:I don't know Because we're not going to say that on air. We were just talking about that?
Speaker 2:I'm not sure.
Speaker 3:Maybe, but I want to look into some other options as well, sure, maybe, but there's some. I want to look into some other options as well. Um, there's many opportunities out there that I'm just now finding out about, so I'm just going to keep my options open and pray about it and see what the good lord says to do, you know what I have always wanted to ask you times and I don't think I have so.
Speaker 2:First of all, listeners. Taj is pretty pretty as hell, right. I've always wanted to ask you like will you pull people over, like especially men? Do they be trying you?
Speaker 3:not trying me like in a bad way as far as trying to fight or get aggressive, because I'm never trying to get your number, trying to miss. Oh yeah, maybe like so I had arrested a drunk before and I took him back and he kept saying oh. I don't see no ring on your finger um what's your name, and I was like uh, it's, it's, you know my last name and he's like officer, and then he just making up my he just officer g, officer g, officer g I was like so and we have to record everything.
Speaker 3:So I'm trying not to smile and laugh because I don't want when it goes to court or whatever. I don't want them to be like, oh she's fraternizing, because it's just funny. It's not, I'm fraternizing or none of that, but I don't know. People are hilarious.
Speaker 1:Yeah, my sister was just telling me about a video she had seen where some officers had got to a murder scene, a crime scene with a dead body, and one of the officers was laughing on the camera.
Speaker 2:You seen that Something with the little boy.
Speaker 1:Correct, my sister said she seen that, so that just made me think of that.
Speaker 3:I didn't mean to get off topic and it's not that they're laughing at the situation or laughing you gotta think about it. We see that stuff all the time, and so the way some officers deal with it, they just to keep from crying, they kind of. Just that's what my sister said.
Speaker 1:They said it was like a nervous laugh, but my sister was like she said when she heard it she was like no, she was cracking up, but, like you say, everybody's nervous laugh is different you know. So I don't know, but, like you said, it's like everybody is different, and it is.
Speaker 2:It's always going to be different over the over audio or recording than it is in person, because you're not there and that's why I know I could never do like a job like that, because how I handle like uncomfortable situations is I definitely make jokes and laugh about shit.
Speaker 1:That I'm not supposed to like at all or she don't make jokes, but her reaction is funny and it doesn't be a funny situation. So it's like but it should be so serious and I'll just be like it's just not expected. But for me I um, I don't know what it is. I think that I had to grow it up like turn like darkness into laughter, so like I literally laugh at almost everything, literally like and it's not nothing personal, but I tell people that all the time, like, even when I used to get in trouble, like I remember getting a whooping and I was laughing during it and my dad just had to just stop because he was just like what is going on, but it was like, literally certain things just humor me and it's not even like I can control it, that's how it's not funny like I'm laughing at you, but it's just like I'm left.
Speaker 1:So I get that. I can get that I can really get us sitting together if we sit next to each other, yeah and then my reaction, and then you always laugh.
Speaker 2:First my rakita, always I do, I can't hold it in and then my reaction, and then you always laugh first my rikita, always I do, I can't hold it in and then, when she laughed, make me laugh.
Speaker 1:Yeah I can't hold it in.
Speaker 3:That's how it was. So in the academy we had to get tased. Do y'all know I laugh, do you get to?
Speaker 1:choose where they tase you, they, they, they have a are you like?
Speaker 3:do they say one?
Speaker 2:two, three go when you just start running, and then they tase you.
Speaker 3:No, it was a little different for us. So we kind of just like laid because they don't, they didn't really want us to get it, and then four or whatever I don't know. So we kind of already was laying down and they just kind of put it in there. So it was so you got well for me. For us it was three seconds or a five second wave. So I did the three second wave and I laughed and then somebody one instructor made a comment and was like oh, you think it's funny?
Speaker 3:oh yeah, you know so I'm like well, it didn't really hurt it's, you know, it was just, it was kind of like one.
Speaker 1:But I do feel like that because I remember when we were kids tajay didn't used to always her laugh is so soft and it's so like light, so it's like she'd be smiling with her, with her, her smile so big, she'd be smiling. Her mouth don't necessarily be open, but she'd be cracking up like you could see her body moving. And I feel like you were like that too, because I feel like there was a time we got like yelled at by your mom. I don't know what we did, like we snuck out, we came in at the dark, I don't know. But I feel like you were smiling and I was like I had never like seen your mama set. So I was like that was the one time I wasn't laughing because I was just like, wait, I don't want her to say I can't never come over again. But you were like. It was like you were silently laughing, she like me, we the same.
Speaker 2:That made the punishment worse.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, I just made, I made a comment, I'm like okay, well, shoot, I'll do the five second wave. Then. So I got, you know, got the five second wave and I cracked up laughing and they were like is everything okay? Mentally Like this don't hurt, like, and I'm like, oh'm like, oh well, you know, I did have a baby you know, I didn't I didn't have no pain medications when I did so.
Speaker 2:I was just like well, shoot that.
Speaker 3:This ain't nothing compared to the childbirth, correct? So I was just laughing better not been laughing through.
Speaker 2:No contractions or I know something I mean listen, that ain't nothing funny about that, right well, you know, when I had my first baby, I was induced, so I never felt no contractions. But when I had my second daughter, my water broke on its own and I was just so excited to get to that hospital. Push this baby out, let's go, let's go. As soon as I walked through the um hospital doors is when I felt the first contraction. Y'all thought I was dying. I'm, I'm like no, what is this? Something's wrong? What is this? She's like ma'am, didn't you have a baby before? That's a contraction. That's a what? Get it out Medicine, get it out now and now. I never really felt no contraction until my second baby, oh wow.
Speaker 1:Ain't had a kid since Mm-hmm. You really be knowing how strong you are when you give birth, honey. But yeah, so the academy was A struggle, would you say.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was good and bad days. Yeah, we had good and bad days. Mine were mostly bad.
Speaker 2:Are you still like close with the people that you went to academy with?
Speaker 3:We were never really that close. It's different because a lot of um. It's weird because I've talked to some of my colleagues now and they're like it was only 19 of us that graduated. We started off with like 40 people but people dropped. So some of my colleagues that I talked to were like, oh, I bet your class was really tight and close with each other because it was only 19, yeah and I'm like, surprisingly, the instructors told us that we were the most distance class, like there's things that we didn't know about each other that we should have known.
Speaker 3:I mean, I talked to some of my colleagues now and they're like I knew everyone in my class. They had maybe one guy. He said they graduated with like 80 people. He said he knew everybody's spouse's name.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow.
Speaker 3:They had a spouse. He knew the kid's name, he knew their birthday and I'm like see, our class wasn't like that. I don't even know half the people who had kids. I don't know their spouse or their child's name.
Speaker 2:It's just we weren't for some reason, we just weren't close. No, trying to survive.
Speaker 3:We had a couple people that yeah, it was a couple people that end up getting closer. But other than that, if I talk to some of my classmates now, if I see them at a training, I'm like hey, how you been? Or um, we got a lot. A lot of us are on the same Facebook with each other, so I keep contact with them or keep up with their life through social media, but other than that we don't talk, chit, chat in a group chat or like nothing. So which kind of sucks? But at the same time it's like I get it.
Speaker 3:Everybody, you know you got a life and life be life yeah.
Speaker 1:So what you did, you did your you know academy, you did that, finished that. Then you got a post and you had to be. You started working at a post and things like that. So like what are some of the like craziest things you've like experienced being on the road?
Speaker 3:Like that you've seen, like wow, like that you've seen like wow, um, I will say like the fatalities of crashes um teenagers and like the fatalities of pedestrians and just things like that and I mean, um, you don't realize how much, because when you're out there doing a job, you're just doing the job.
Speaker 3:You're like this is, this is work. You're not thinking about this person's laying here. You're not looking at that, because you're trying to get things done, trying to get your measurements for your crash scene, trying to make sure that the people driving by they're not rubbernecking, and recording, and you're just trying to focus on that.
Speaker 2:That's what that's called rubbernecking Mm-hmm. Because, baby, when I drive past, you know, they always say it's a long line of traffic. You know what the hell y'all? Y'all just want to be nosy. And then, when you get past it, I'll do the same thing break my neck to see what's going on.
Speaker 3:I've seen people crash from rubber necking because they're rubber necking and they're acda and the next person I'm like see, that's why that should be rubber necking. So now I gotta do two crash things because you sit over here on a rubberneck?
Speaker 1:no, they break. Check me so no. But um, yeah, because I was gonna say like I know that y'all do a lot of physical preparation in an academy for the position, but what type of like resources for like mental health do they provide during the academy?
Speaker 1:because like it's almost like you can't be truly prepared for something like that yeah, I remember applying for to be a 9-1-1 operate, like call 9-1-1 center operator, and I remember it wasn't until like I had went for the testing, like I got to like step two, and I was, like you know, I passed the little preliminary part and I was doing the actual like on the computer training to you know see who you dispatch for this but I was like I might not really be fit for this job because I have anxiety. I freeze up like I probably wouldn't be. I can't imagine getting a call and somebody's like somebody just got shot and they're just like you know. So like what did they do to like mentally prepare y'all for that type of stuff, seeing fatalities and things like that?
Speaker 3:there is resources that they do offer. Um, if you want to like, don't? They always say don't be embarrassed to ask for help. If you need help, ask for it. So they're always giving us, you know, different resources and all that stuff. Um, if you had too many fatalities like in a row, like, for example, I had one one month and then I have one the next month and then, like two months later, I had another one, and it was like they were like I didn't even get to heal from the first one. So someone reached out to me and was like, because I didn't, I didn't think I, you know, I didn't need to speak with anybody. I didn't feel like I needed to speak with anybody.
Speaker 3:Um, but you don't really know that until you actually talk to somebody and be like, oh, maybe I should have reached out to somebody, so, but they will have somebody. Like someone reached out to me and was like I've seen you've handled this, that, this and the third, and I just really want to check in with you. I want to let you know I'm here. You know they just talk to you and ask you about certain stuff and they'll do like some type of questionnaire where they'll ask you how do you feel? And you know, and depending on how you answer, then they'll just kind of go from there.
Speaker 3:But my thing is with it. I feel for dispatchers because, for one, they're the first people getting those calls and, yeah, our job is hard on the road, but also their job is hard too, because they have to move quick, they have to get those, you know, they have to reach out to us and let us know. Meanwhile you got the other person on the other end freaking out, screaming, whatever. So I do feel for them too, because they're mentally struggling as well, just like you know yeah, I can't picture you doing that job because and then you ask a lot of questions no, but I think I would.
Speaker 1:No. Let me not even say that because I was about to say I think I would do better than some of these dispatchers, because have y'all seen them clips of like those dispatch calls that be coming across um instagram? And it's just like these.
Speaker 2:But I was like maybe I should be like, yeah, with the mom and the dad had got shot.
Speaker 1:and then there was one I just heard with one of the famous football players wives. I don't know if it was like a domestic dispute between them two, but she was scared, like you could tell she was scared. So she, like you know they're asking her all the questions that she got asked her. But she, like, can you? You know, usually you hear them say help is on the way, but but I'm going to stay on the line with you. Like the woman didn't say that, so she was waiting for you. You could tell she was waiting for that and she was like, so are they on their way? Like, are they coming? Are you sending the people? Like you asked me all these questions, but are they coming? Because, like, if somebody gets killed like that's what she said I was going to say I probably could do it better, but it's like I don't know, I don't know how long they've been doing it Because you have a lot of empathy, like that's what I think.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's the thing too.
Speaker 3:Some people start off in their career like say you've been doing this 10, 15 years.
Speaker 1:The empathy that you had in the beginning. You done heard so much. So the empathy you had in the beginning, you don't have it.
Speaker 3:And I've learned that too. On the road, like there's some crash scenes where I've been pulled up to Like when I first started. I'm like super like giving empathy, saying, hey, just calm down, just sit right here, warm up in my car, you know, versus when?
Speaker 1:you got. A couple years on, you get there and you're like oh, it's another one, or you?
Speaker 3:know, and it's kind of obvious, and I've um, I can't remember exactly what happened there was a crash scene and it really wasn't that bad, but the person was just freaking out. Granted, that was their first crash, young girl, but I kind of was like here, fill this out, do this, give me what's your idea? Like you know, because I'm trying to rush and and I didn't realize I was being rude and I had to go back to her and I'm like, um, I'm sorry, I didn't, you know, mean it that way. If you know, if you felt like I was being a little rude or a little rushed, I'm just trying to. It's raining, it's bad out. I don't want another car to slide off and hit us and so I'm trying to do it the safest way.
Speaker 3:But then I didn't realize I was being rude too. So I was like, and then it kind of it made me um happy because she was like, yeah, you know she. She was like, yeah, you know, thank you for that. Blah, blah, blah. And I'm like actually just come sit back in my car, just sit with me.
Speaker 3:And I found what was weird about that situation was there was a truck driver that had stopped and was um waiting, like he had stopped, and I thought maybe she's, he was involved. So I'm asking him like were you involved? Did you witness this? You know? No, I kind of came up on her after the fact and I'm like, okay, I'm like, well, you ain't gotta sit here, because I've at that point her car was disabled, so I had her throw it in neutral and I pushed her off there because she was in the literally in the middle lane and there's traffic and cars swerving trying to, you know. So I'm like hurt, we're gonna throw this bad boy in neutral and I'm gonna push.
Speaker 3:And I asked the truck driver. I said, thank god you're here, let's help me push. So we pushed her off the road and he just kept sitting there and I'm like, sir, you can leave, like you can go, and he's like well, I want to make sure she's okay. I'm like she's good, I'm here, she's with me, we're good. And he was like well, um, she said she needed a ride because she was from a different city, and so he was like, well, she said she needed her, all right. And I'm like I was like, no, she's okay, she's, I'll make sure she gets to where she needs to get to. So then he's like trying to talk to her and was like are you sure you're okay, do you want to ride? And I thought that was weird and I'm like what are you into?
Speaker 2:what are you into? Because are you into some type of sex trafficking.
Speaker 3:Because why do you keep asking this little girl? If she needs, she's a young girl. Why do you keep asking her she's with the safest person.
Speaker 1:She's with the police, with a sheriff, I mean with a state trooper, like yeah, and he, like was just pissing me off, so I'm like, so I I got more aggressive.
Speaker 3:I said, sir, you can go, like you gotta go, because you're at this point you're holding up traffic, so you can just go ahead and go.
Speaker 3:He's like all right, well, I'll leave. But I always think in my head and I didn't have no probable cause, I didn't have nothing, he wasn't involved. So it's not like I could be like I didn't have no probable cause, I didn't have nothing, he wasn't involved, so it's not like I could be like I didn't, there was nothing I could do to get more. Maybe I could have asked a little bit more questions, like um, but when you're a young officer, you just don't know what to ask and you don't know. But I always wonder and I'm like he gave me those weird vibes, to the point where yeah, and it's like I wonder if there's something going on.
Speaker 3:Was there other? Was there people in the truck? Was there other? You get what I'm saying so like is this what you do?
Speaker 2:you drive around and wait to see young women that need help.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I'm like and to this day I'll be thinking like I really hope that I didn't let, uh, as you know something a sex trafficker go or whatever. But there was, like I said, I don't know if he could have just been really concerned for her too, because that's what it was given, very concerned, but then it was kind of given like creepy sir, you gotta go.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I think that that is the tough part. That is the tough part too, and I think that's why it's important to have those resources and things like that, because even, like we talked about, with the dispatch calls and stuff like that, it could be easily a situation where it's been years and years and years of doing the job and your attitude changes. It gets frustrating because you know, like you said, you can't really control what the other person is doing. Like you said, if you pull up to a scene and somebody's freaking out and to you, you've seen a million and one accidents.
Speaker 1:And they've taken a million and one phone calls, but you got to think that might have been that person's first time. That was that little girl's first time ever witnessing her mom on the ground fighting for her life. That was that for little girl's first time that were hit in the guardrail and needed, you know, some type of assistance. So it's like there should be some type of like continuing education, continuing like resources that is provided when you're in those fields because, or like a mandatory counseling session or something, because that's what I was.
Speaker 2:Okay, you know, people always swear. They know about the law when they watch the law and order but for real, you know when you watch law and order, whenever Stabler and Olivia would deal with certain situations, it's like the captain would force them to like go and yeah, and that's the thing.
Speaker 3:They don't force that upon us they don't force us to go to anything. I mean, if you need it, the resources, are there. But a lot of the time some people don't. They just don't use the resources. It's just you're so busy on the road and you're so busy day by day that, like I said, it's hard to even know that you need the help, because it's just you just keep going, you just it's. It's never no time for you to sit down and be like dang.
Speaker 3:That just happened yeah you don't really get to think about it unless you go to sleep and you're like you have. You know, you're having some issues when you where you can't sleep, or then you'll know like, okay, um, but most people they just, they just take it a day, one day at a time. They just keep going. They don't never, you don't ever know that you need the help until it's too late. And now, now, at this point, you're like yeah, because you get officers.
Speaker 2:Like those are high stress Level jobs. Like I was. I was about to sign up To go To EMT school To like Help the paramedics, yeah, and my best friend had to tell me Girl, you are the most, most panicking ass person I know why would you go. And I had to really think about it too. Like you got to know yourself, because that would have been a waste of time and money and education, because my first scene let me even see a broken pinky Faint Passing out Can't handle it, broken bone, yeah.
Speaker 1:Same. And that brings me to another important point is that you know of. And that brings me to another important point is that you know, of course, when we started the podcast, you know we always shared, like you know you have a daughter, you know you're a single mom and you know how has this transition affected your personal life, like as far as being a mom, and like you know that capacity of your life.
Speaker 3:Well, because you work long hours, of course, you work weekends, work weekends, holidays, all that stuff. So that's the only thing that has really affected is like you can't make certain events or um, you can't, you know, you just you feel like you can't be there as much as you should. Um, I would say that and then like missing certain holidays because, there's times where you know I miss Thanksgiving or we started Christmas late because I had to work and just stuff like that so does she ever like accidentally make you feel bad about?
Speaker 3:that like no, no, she understands. Like last Christmas, this christmas I was working day shift, thankfully, and but I didn't get off until two, and normally, you know christmas, we do christmas in the morning. So I'm like I was geek to be on day shift because I get off earlier, but then I didn't think like oh, christmas morning, morning, yeah, I didn't think about that. So I was like, oh, you know what? Um, santa already came, you know, but you have to wait until I get off to open the presents.
Speaker 2:So that was, you know, she was like okay, we can do that, like yeah so that was a good thing.
Speaker 3:Um, so yeah, you just, you just compromise, you just make it work, you know, even if you're all night like night. When I first started out the very, very first Christmas, I was on nights, and so we did it in the morning. I got off in the morning, you know she was there and stayed up we did that and I went to sleep for a little bit, and that was it.
Speaker 3:We got breakfast and I was, you know. So in the first christmas it was just me and her. Yeah, so this christmas was a little different, yeah.
Speaker 1:So how old is Paris? Now Seven, okay. So does she like ask you questions about, like your job? You know, like kids just be inquiring because like she's seen you in your uniform, you wear, you know, your uniform, you have like the whole belt strap, the gun, the mask, all that. So does she like be asking you, because my boys they so nosy so they'd be.
Speaker 3:You know, she actually, like mom, you had to arrest anybody today or like she was, so I first, when I first started, she would ask um what? What did she used to say okay, so not. Instead of saying arrest, she was calling under arrest so she did.
Speaker 3:You have to under arrest somebody and I'm like you know, and I would tell her certain things. I wouldn't get in a needy greedy, but I would just tell her certain things like yeah, you know I had someone, um, I stopped today and you know they didn't have a license, or you know, just whatever, or? They had some other stuff going on and I'm like, yeah, and I arrested that person or you know somebody, was she? Well, because she knows, like kids they know. So she's like what if they're drinking and driving?
Speaker 2:I said what do you know about drinking? And driving.
Speaker 3:So one time my mom was um drinking uh, like some ever fresh or something. She gonna say mom, you know you shouldn't be drinking and driving, because mommy can arrest you and she said not that kind of drink. Girl like this type of drink ain't gonna do nothing, right, so she so that type of sit like you know and then um one time I you know we have to put deers down. So say, if somebody hit a deer, um and the deer is still alive, we have to put them down.
Speaker 3:So why, because they can't get back. You want them to lay there struggling, yeah you want them to lay there struggling, or so they won't work. Get up and get back, yeah okay, so they won't recover.
Speaker 2:I'm thinking maybe move to the side of the road. No, I mean, I don't know I don't.
Speaker 1:I never hit a deer. I never had a deer before. But now I have a different perspective because in my mind, when I ride past and I see a deer dead on the side of the road, I think they just died from the impact.
Speaker 3:But now I know y'all here putting them down.
Speaker 1:I said some people, we got the state highway patrol officers and the police officers over here.
Speaker 3:I said, some people do, some animals do die from impact cause they might be able to recover.
Speaker 1:I mean I don't know, how do y'all know who give y'all the right to make that?
Speaker 2:decision, cause they would still be there by the time the police get there.
Speaker 1:I would think if they could get up and run away. I mean, if you get hit by a car, would you want to get put down? Your bones go, they go heal, you go get a cast or whatever you might get up it don't matter if you, but if a deer gets hit and their hind legs break, they're gonna, they're gonna die, okay, or or the coyotes is gonna come eat them or they're gonna get back up and try to move.
Speaker 3:And then now you got another crash you gotta handle because another person hit this deer and that's dangerous.
Speaker 2:Don't let him be a fighter. When I say it for the third time, yeah and well, y'all when I say these because I didn't know that I don't know how I feel you gotta think about it.
Speaker 3:You're not doing nothing wrong. People deer hunt all the time, so you're not. It's not like you're out here shooting dogs and no, you're just. Yeah, it's a deer and people so if a dog get, hit. I ain't never had a dog get hit. I don't know.
Speaker 1:The dog is late she don't want to talk about that.
Speaker 3:I don't't know about no dogs, but I know them deer and them deer are huge. They mess your car up. I mean, I done seen deers put people's airbags out and put people in the hospital. So, that's why I'm like it is what it is.
Speaker 2:You just got to put it down Girl, that's a million to down. I hate deer. That's like one of my greatest fears is hitting a deer when I'm driving they will tear your car.
Speaker 3:We out of deer, we out of deer season.
Speaker 2:Now I think we're out of deer season yeah, I mean, I mean I don't know.
Speaker 1:I used to be scared of deer too, because I just never really understood, like what they would do if they like just came up close to you. But like where I live at, there's always deer and they just like live their best life and like they just be over there in the little woods area they don't really bother anybody. But I don't know, I I don't, I would definitely not want to hit a deer.
Speaker 2:You don't want to know, but you know, and then I guess it just depends, like when I'm on the freeway when I'm on the freeway. I'm definitely paranoid about a deer just sprinting or running across and this happened to me before, like on frank row 104, like thank god it was far enough to where I could slow down, but he didn't even look, both ways or nothing just right, because they said they really can't see that they're very look how small it is.
Speaker 2:They're gonna brain. I think they're very stupid. But then, like where I live now, like there is a lot of deer in my neighborhood, but it's like those are the smart deer, because they're over there by your house.
Speaker 1:They just be, that's what I'm saying. They just be with their family looking for something to eat you know, maybe the ones on the freeway are panicking, because I think they just, yeah, trying to get back to where home, you know, and they can't see.
Speaker 3:I'm going to show y'all this picture from when I was in FTO training, which was the field training. A deer ran into the side of the patrol car and I'm going to show y'all the damage that it did.
Speaker 2:It was horrible and then don't let me see a deer with the goddamn antlers, them big ones don't really scare me.
Speaker 1:There's some reindeer.
Speaker 2:Those are bucks, bucks and I'm up here yeah, that makes me nervous yeah, those deer dancing.
Speaker 3:I was gonna say I had laughing.
Speaker 2:What shit you say you're supposed to be laughing about? You was just there. That was the first deer I knew about saying the same, you know, but hey, no, that's like one of my greatest oh my gosh greatest fears.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because they say like don't swerve them, they tell you to hit them. They're like yeah, because they say like don't swerve them, they tell you to hit them, they're like if you hit a deer. They say that they say, like the road rules. If you see any type of like animal of any nature, like running in front of your car, you know your instinct is to swerve it Right. But they said that could result in a worse accident.
Speaker 2:Right. What if you?
Speaker 1:swerve it and you hit another car. But if you're swerving your car, tips over right so they say, like don't try to swerve, especially not on the freeway. You're on a multi-lane road where cars are going 60 miles per hour at the least, and just imagine trying to swerve a deer and you get into the next lane.
Speaker 3:It's a semi truck yeah, you're not supposed to swerve the deer because, um, like, for that reason, especially for insurance. So if you swerve a deer and you hit a guardrail, I'm giving you a citation. Even though you're saying you swerved a deer, there's no proof. Where's the deer? Damn. So you're going to get cited for failure to control because you failed to control your vehicle. So that's, that's crazy. Yeah, because I don't have no proof. Where's the proof that you were swerving to avoid something? Because, because a lot of people say, oh, I swerve.
Speaker 1:But what is the citation for? Yeah?
Speaker 2:You get a ticket Can't control your vehicle yeah, and now your insurance.
Speaker 1:No, the vehicle can't control me, if you have insurance ain't going to.
Speaker 2:probably if you get cited for something, they're not going to pay it, right. Yeah, they're not going to pay it, right? Yeah, they're not going to pay your damages, so you might as well just you better hit the deer, you better hit the deer. So she said where's the proof? So people be saying that to you, you'd be like oh okay, I'm sorry to hear that. Here's your citation.
Speaker 1:Or people will say what if I try to swerve a car that's going fast like and driving crazy, because you know, have witnesses but they're not gonna stop on the freeway to tell the the officer that you hit the guardrail because a car.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, um, they're not gonna do that. You better off hitting the car and then they be in that fault so you can get your stuff paid for, because, like you gotta, we I get it. What, like you could genuinely be telling me the truth, but there's no proof. So now it's like Everybody would say that and then on my part, if I don't cite you or and now I have to turn this paperwork in I may have to call you, depending on how my sergeant may feel, if my sergeant reviews this and be like okay, well, where's the proof that they were swerving? Was there? What evidence did you find that they were swerving? What evidence did you find that they were swerving, like you know they're going to, and then they're going to be like okay, well, because I've done that before, I believe the person and they could have just been lying to me. And now here I am trying to explain that. Is there?
Speaker 1:a fee, a ticket, like is there a fee that I got to pay if I I'm cited, so you want me to pay the ticket and get my car fixed?
Speaker 3:this is absurd I need to talk to the mayor about this basically I mean because then if I turn in my paperwork and say I'll take your word and I turn in my paperwork, but my sergeant don't agree, I'm gonna just have to give you a phone call and cite you anyway oh no, like you're so like you're going to regardless you know.
Speaker 1:So that's why people be hitting and running. They hit them and they run because it's damned if I do, damned if I don't.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, oh my God. So I wonder, do parents be like bragging to her friends and everybody telling them what kind of job you have, what you do?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think. So I know she was a lot in the beginning, this girl. She went to summer camp and I guess she had got in a little tussle or something in summer camp. I don't know, it was something she got into.
Speaker 1:You know my mom's a cop gonna tell one of the.
Speaker 3:yeah, well, she told one of the instructors it was one of the instructors had um, I don't know if the instructor, because I had a bunch of, like young instructors that were like college students, like fresh, like I mean 19, 20 year olds, and that you, they don't know how.
Speaker 3:They don't probably have kids and stuff, so they don't know how to really deal with kids. This is just their summer job. She gonna tell one of the instructors I don't know what happened, I, I don't know. I'm pretty sure my child wasn't one getting smart. But she gonna tell one of the instructors um, well, when my mom picks me up, I'm just gonna have her arrest you and so it was dead ass serious.
Speaker 3:So the instructor was like what, what does your mom do? And she told her. And so when I came, the instructor was like can I talk to you?
Speaker 2:She was trying to be all nice and stuff.
Speaker 3:And I'm like, oh, I'm going to talk to her, but this was the car. Oh wow, and the deer, the airbags and stuff was out.
Speaker 2:And the deer ran into the. That is wild.
Speaker 3:And that's poop that's the deer's like guts and stuff. It's wild and that's poop that's the deer's like guts and stuff.
Speaker 2:Oh lord, I should have took a picture of the deer too like did you have to shoot it?
Speaker 3:no, that one, no, that died. The whole inside of the like splitting half.
Speaker 2:Oh, because it hit it on the side it hit this on its side of his body. That's crazy that's crazy, wow so um, you wow.
Speaker 1:So you know, last we heard, you know you was a single mom, you know pursuing your career as a state highway patrol officer. And I mean I know that people want to know, like, are you still available?
Speaker 3:What's the relationship status? Given it's given, fiance, it's given fiance.
Speaker 1:Hey, if you like it, then you should have put a ring on it. Let me see that ring. Honey, congratulations, thank you, thank y'all. So how is it so, like you know, from being single to like in a relationship to now planning a wedding honey?
Speaker 3:It's fun. I mean it's been good Is it? Not stressful, but I've been a little stressed because I've been trying to look at venues and everything.
Speaker 2:People always say that. I always hear people complain about or not available for the dates that you want or something.
Speaker 3:Well, so far, the date I want is available for most places, but it's just finding the perfect place. Like I found a place that I like, but then they didn't have one of the amenities, so I'm like, well, that's a no.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then you know. So it's just a little bit.
Speaker 3:Because I just I don't know, I just want it. I don't want to have to pay for extra certain stuff, like if I just need something that is all in one, all inclusive.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so you found your person, honey. Tell us how to do it, honey, because we still trying to figure it out, me and Eva.
Speaker 2:So were you intentionally dating or did he just come out of nowhere Like, did it just?
Speaker 3:It was like out of nowhere. Okay, yeah, because I had just graduated the academy, basically. And then, yeah, like we start after I graduated, we, kind of you know, start talking and it just grew.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it just just grew after that see y'all, stop searching and looking, let them come find you yeah, so now y'all got the blended family thing going on because he has a child as well right and then you got pairs.
Speaker 1:So how is that transition going? Because everybody pretty much this is your first relationship with like you know, blended family, right, right, yeah.
Speaker 1:So how is that? Because, uh, we talk about that all the time. It's like, you know, we're a blended family, right, yeah. So how is that? Cause the we talk about that all the time, it's like, you know, me and Eva we kind of figure like we're done, you know, having kids. So we hope that whoever we do, you know, end up with has either already had kids or kind of just is okay with, you know, our you know, they call each other sisters.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they do now you know, yeah, so it's been going pretty good. Like you know they're pretty, they get along with each other, they like each other, they have fun together.
Speaker 1:Are they close in?
Speaker 3:age? Yeah, six and seven.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's good yeah.
Speaker 3:So for the most part everything's been good. Um good, I would say. You know, with the whole co-parenting situation. You know that's has, it's good, but then sometimes it has its ups and downs, so that can be like the only downfall.
Speaker 3:And plus, you know certain, if we run things a certain way in our household and that parent don't run, you know run the same thing in their household, then that can kind of throw things off, because you know, like, for example, I could say like maybe my child's father, he may not have as much structure, or and then versus, and then vice versa.
Speaker 1:That is important. Yeah, we talk about that because it is. It's hard, especially with kids at that adolescence age, where they're still trying to learn, you know, know right from wrong. And when you have a structured household or you have a set schedule and things like this, and they're here majority of the time, then they're adapting to that and then when they go over there it's like okay, now they're. They're kind of confused and it's almost like you can't really even be mad at them and then, they come back home acting different yeah remember how I was just about to say that their daughter is a perfect example.
Speaker 2:My youngest daughter Every time she went to her dad's house and she came back. It's like I had to retrain her teacher.
Speaker 1:She would like literally.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know but when she's at my house, she's the youngest. When she's with her dad, she's the oldest. You know this. You know what I mean, so yeah I definitely understand that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yep so that's good, I'm excited, a little challenging. Yeah, that is so exciting. That is exciting, I mean literally it's just been like a complete 180 since you last was with us.
Speaker 1:You know, like, career wise, personal wise, all of that, so that's why it was super important for us to, like you know, catch up with you. I know, like we've been like I said, we've been telling the listeners we was going to do this and it's, you know, perfect timing. You know, like, literally, we just got so much stuff going on. So we, you know it's safe to say you happy honey, yeah, you happy with where life is at for you right now heck, yeah, yes, everything falling into place.
Speaker 2:I love it. Oh, I can't wait to your wedding.
Speaker 1:I've been told the people you don't even know if you invited girl. That's what I'll put the hat on. Can I find a plus one? I'm definitely oh my god, that's another thing too.
Speaker 2:We gotta um, figure out. I want to help, let me know what you need, because I want to do a bachelor, a bachelorette party.
Speaker 3:But I want to help, let me know what you need because I want to do a bachelorette party, but I want to do it in Vegas oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's going to be a time. And it stays in Vegas. That's going to be a time. No, I've been talking about that for the longest. I am so ready to go to a wedding. Why isn't anybody getting married? I'm so ready to go to a wedding. Why isn't anybody getting married Like I'm so ready to be in a wedding?
Speaker 1:Girl. So I just got asked to host my uncle's wedding, um, whatever that means, and yes, in June. So yeah, so host yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, what is that? Yeah, well, no, well, no, I think like you host like.
Speaker 1:I think I host like the beginning of the wedding and then like the beginning of the reception. I don't really know. I have to sit with them and see what this is all about. Yeah, because I don't know what.
Speaker 2:I'm signing up for Is anybody else in the family offended. I don't know they didn't tell me that it was.
Speaker 1:No, my sister did tell me because you know she thinks she his favorite. But yeah, it caught me by surprise Cause, like you said, I done been to a few weddings and I just okay with just coming and sitting in and being, you know. But I mean I guess it's okay to be like the first face people see. I don't know, maybe I'll meet my Mr Right.
Speaker 3:Oh, my friend, everybody keep saying that Maybe I'll meet my Mr Right, all my friends, everybody keeps saying that they're like maybe. I'm going to meet somebody at your wedding.
Speaker 1:I'm like. That's what I be thinking about in my head. I love to see a good union and all of that. But, honey, I be looking like wondering Because in your mind you just think these were the like upstanding nice guys gonna be oh yeah, especially because I plan on having some people from work come.
Speaker 3:Maybe you know who can protect me, or not even necessarily from work, I would say I got. I have other friends that are in law enforcement with other agencies that I may extend the invite to. So yeah, yeah, so we'll see oh no I gotta figure it out.
Speaker 1:That's what's up because we have talked about I feel like we talked a while ago one of our episodes about like, like, what is the time frame? Like you think Because, like, did you think? Like you would know each other in person? Like, how long are you willing to wait before it's like you want that proposal or whatnot? Because, like, how long have y'all been together?
Speaker 3:Two years.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's like Damn really, that flew by. I think that's like really I think, I think that's a good time I think that a year to two years is a good time, if you know, to know if you want to marry somebody or not.
Speaker 2:Like I don't want to say that, men know, within like six months or something.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, for sure that's how he basically was.
Speaker 2:He was like I knew since day one, he already, so he told you that y'all was gonna get married already yeah I love that, for y'all had talked about it before.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you just didn't know.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I didn't know when he was going to do it, or ask.
Speaker 1:But he said he knew he ain't want to, like you know, say it off the back but now he's like yeah, I've been there and ain't that crazy, because he probably didn't want back, because people look at it like, oh, that's weird or that's corny, yeah, because you can't really express yourself, because then it's like, oh, you know what is she gonna think I'm weird? Or she gonna think I'm like you know what is it giving. But it's like you should be able to express yourself as a female or a male and be okay, like in that moment.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying, because do you think he was already at a time in his life where he was looking for a wife, or do you think it kind of caught him by surprise too, like was he just like? You know, I'm just living my single life.
Speaker 3:If it happens, it happens yeah, that's how it was okay. Got you, yeah. Yeah, that's how it was okay and that's just how I felt, too like it is what it is at this point. Yeah, like I'm already in this new career, I'm already stressed enough. I don't need no extra.
Speaker 2:No, for real, yeah yeah, like super supportive of your job and everything. Or does he worry about you?
Speaker 3:He say worries, but especially when I was on nights. But he's supportive, he gets it. That's good.
Speaker 1:And I remember us even talking about that too, about starting a career and being able to flourish professionally and still have a romantic thing. But that just shows the level of maturity, because we had talked about that before with you on an episode about maybe one of your exes and how. I think that's what drove that topic. It was like is it harder because you don't have the time to dedicate to this person or whatever? And it's kind of like you have to choose. And I think the discussion was like can you be successful and still, you know, strive for your career? And that's just like you know, proof in the pudding that you can. You can go for both if you have the right person backing you. You know, if you have that person who has the same type of you know, belief in you and that same type of drive behind you, it's like, you know, we doing our own things professionally, but we still are investing in each other and rooting each other on speaking life into each other.
Speaker 1:So that's dope yeah.
Speaker 2:Is he a God-fearing?
Speaker 1:man yeah.
Speaker 2:That's good. Yeah, you sound like my neighbor, mr Goddamn Joe.
Speaker 3:We definitely be praying together that's good I mean you know we may. I mean I'm because I I go to church and and I try well, at least I try to as much as I can, because now my schedule is a little bit more open so I can. But, um, before I wasn't, I was missing a bunch because I was working sundays yeah, yeah so, but now it's a little bit more open. So, um, we're gonna, you know, try to get into the role of going together and yeah all that stuff plus.
Speaker 2:I want my bishop to counsel us before we get married so now, how is it between um your fiance, because we gotta put the respect on it, but like the relationship between your fiance and your daughter, like do do they mesh? Well, does, yeah does he? Everybody gets along does she take his? You know he has to get on her and tell her his authority yeah and he has a good way of doing that with.
Speaker 3:Like me, I'm the yeller. I'm like get out of here. What's all that noise? You know he don't do all that like he does. He talks and he's like, and he has a way to them. Got me. I'm yelling, I'm screaming, I'm like. It's time to you know whatever?
Speaker 2:yeah, y'all need to clean this room up, you know and I'm always, it's like Same.
Speaker 3:Just, you know the more just yelling and all that. But him he's like oh, y'all know, y'all shouldn't be doing.
Speaker 2:You know he's all calm about it and then they listen. But they listen better to men anyways. They listen better to their dads, like I promise my daughters. They give me the hardest time, but maybe it is because of our approach. I don't know.
Speaker 1:Because it's like they almost make them act the opposite, like my son told me, like he had. I went to his parent teacher conference Last week and I love how his teacher does like their end of the quarter. She does an end of the quarter interview when she asks them like Things about them, does like their um, end of the quarter. She does the end of the quarter interview where she asks them like things about them and like their behavior and like is anybody picking on you? Like you know? Or um, what do you think you can work on? Or what is your strengths and weaknesses, and she presents those to the parents at the parent teacher conference. I love it and um, I have seen how he is his answers and stuff has evolved and even like this quarter was probably the best one, like I feel like was like okay, I'm understanding my son more Because he gave like straightforward, like his honest answers, like he felt like you know, sometimes he is the more problematic child in the room.
Speaker 1:He admitted to that Just because of his attitude and he said what is something that he feel like he can work on? He said his attitude because when people yell at him like or come at him like that it makes him frustrated and so then he shuts down. And then it's like now it's a combative thing. And so now it's like, oh, you know, now his teacher can understand how to? You know, come at him.
Speaker 1:And the same with me. It's like it kind of cause I am initially like you know what I'm saying and I'm just like going off trying to get my point across, because that's how I was raised and you know, you just think that's how the point gets across. But it's like well, maybe if I come at you in a calmer manner, you won't get so defensive, your guard won't go up and you won't shut down. Now I can understand that, you know, and I feel like with men, it takes them a lot to start yelling like and putting their authority down. It's like they gotta say one thing and it's cool. But it's like we, we don't, we just go zero to a hundred I don't know, because I've done it both ways, you know if I'm already having a long day or whatever, and y'all already know this supposed to be done or we got to do this or that.
Speaker 2:You know I have had those days, but I feel like it's 50, 50 because there are times when I will calmly tell my child, my children hey, you need to do this, hey, I already said it, nice, okay, this is my third time saying it and you get mad when I holler yeah, I just had a conversation with my oldest.
Speaker 2:She's 11 now and I mean I was just now. She's older, so our conversations are conversations, because now I'm teaching you about life. It's just not about you're in trouble or anything like that. Like honey, every lesson that I'm teaching you, I'm explaining how you're going to need to understand this for when you're an adult like I'm already talking to her about that.
Speaker 2:You're in middle school, like we got to get serious about this stuff and so I was just chewing her out I wasn't yelling, cussing or anything like that and just explaining how I'm disappointed about this and this mom you could have just yelled at me like that hurt her even more. You know that. I'm just telling you calmly I'm very disappointed. I've taught you better. I expect better. I I don't. I can't even really look at you right now like that's how sad you just made me and she was like you could have just yelled at me or something so I don't know.
Speaker 1:So it is. I think it's 50, like you say. Yeah, I think in some cases it's like you know the yelling, like you said, after one, two, three times saying the same thing, yeah all right, like you said, I think we all can agree.
Speaker 1:It's more productive and there's more of a understanding of what, what it is that you're saying to them when you're calmly breaking it down like that. And then also it's more impactful because they're like oh, you're disappointing me. That made you feel sad, like okay, you know what I'm saying. Because I feel like when we're yelling at them, sometimes they're not listening. They hear us because we're yelling. You know we're yelling, but it's like to listen and really listen to understand. And that's what I was saying with my son. It's like I want you to listen and understand, because then the next time, if we do have to have this conversation, it is going to be different, because I know that now you understand, because we made sure that was clear, so that's good.
Speaker 2:That's so good. That is such a balance, though she said I'm the yeller.
Speaker 3:And then, like you don't know how, like her, yeah, and then like you don't know how.
Speaker 2:Like see, I don't know how um she's disciplined elsewhere, either you know.
Speaker 3:So you just don't know. Like that's true, you don't know if the other person's a yeller or not.
Speaker 2:So you just, you just don't know, so it's like, well, shoot.
Speaker 3:So you try to do the best you know and be the calmest as you can like. Hey, you know, you know, just make sure y'all do this, do that.
Speaker 1:I think it comes with building a bond too, Because I feel like once that other person learns and builds a relationship with your child, then it becomes easier to learn the approach. You know then, to just coming in and like not really knowing and having that connection is almost going to be like he's talking to, or who she's talking to like not me, you know.
Speaker 1:But when you have a level of respect and you have that connection, you understand. Okay, this is not my biological mother, this is not my biological father, but this person cares about me. So obviously you know what they're saying means something you know, yeah, means well, yeah. So I never.
Speaker 3:You know, I never. Everything I say is for a good reason. It's not. No, I'm never being mean. You know, I'm not a mean person, so I'm never going to be mean or nasty about anything. But if something needs to be done, it needs to be done. If you're eating too much candy, you're eating too much candy.
Speaker 2:Chill out like you need a brush brush your teeth, and so you said they're seven and eight.
Speaker 3:Okay six and seven.
Speaker 2:Six and seven, okay, well, you know so y'all got two girls at the house and you know I have two girls at the house and so my oldest is now 11. So, yeah, they think you wasn't being a bad guy. But now, like, it's head like but in heads like and my daughter shanai was the most laid back, most chill and she is still. She's an amazing kid, great, uh, great grades, athletic, you know, very helpful around the house with her sister and stuff. But when they just hit that age, it's like the inevitable, like attitudes, like both of us. So who, give it a few more years? Give?
Speaker 1:it a few more years. Give it a few more years.
Speaker 2:So something that I think like what do you think the next steps are now Right? So when we first, when the podcast was going, you know, we all were like working on like these big things in our lives, these big changes. You were getting ready, getting prepared for the academy, you were going to school, getting prepared for your real estate. And then I was in the interviewing process trying to get a promotion and all that good stuff and everything that we spoke about. Like it came, it happened. It happened for all of us.
Speaker 1:Yes, it came to fruition for sure, so can we run it?
Speaker 2:back Because I'm in need for it. Come on, lord, I'm in need.
Speaker 1:I'm ready for something else.
Speaker 2:So what do we see happening for us, like, what are our next steps, what are our next goals? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So for me, I feel that, of course, growing the podcast, I definitely want to continue to grow podcasts. I see live, you know live shows. I see live shows. I see us traveling interviewing different guests. I see you know of course I'm still doing the real estate thing, so I still see you know me. I want to start being more on the investment side of things. With that, hopefully, you know, the Lord is working on my husband. I've been praying for him every day.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, you know, hopefully I find my person soon, or my person find me soon. And yeah, like my oldest, he's about to be going to high school soon. I got two more years with my baby In middle school and things is moving fast for him. He's in sports and traveling. He's done so much traveling this year. So really just continuing on this path and just growing closer to God and working on them things that, yeah, I spoke about. Okay, we're going to speak it into existence, yes, amen.
Speaker 3:So for me, I would say, of course, like you know, building my relationship and my faith more Because, like you know, sometimes I feel like I fell off ever since I went to the academy and I do want to purchase a home, and you're a new girl. Yeah, I'm a new girl, I want to purchase a home and then career-wise, that's still kind of up in the air. I do want to eventually. Um, the thing is, I keep saying I want to get into investigations or into polygraph or something like that.
Speaker 3:So, um oh I could rather it's detective rather it's in the patrol or with another agency, I don't know that. Um so, that's just something I gotta keep praying about, and just seeing what vision?
Speaker 2:god gives me.
Speaker 3:If he shows me another vision and another way, then that's what it is. So me just trying to figure out my next moves because, yeah, I don't want to be a state trooper for the rest of my life, like I just don't want to be a road trooper.
Speaker 1:I want to elevate and yeah, for sure, and planning that wedding honey I ain't even yeah that, but I didn't include. I include that because that's like oh, I meant to ask you to do you, do, you do? You guys want more kids yeah, one more kid okay, one more.
Speaker 2:I got one more in me. You want a boy, or does it matter? I want a boy period.
Speaker 3:I got one more in me, but who? Knows, I don't know when that's going to come.
Speaker 2:I got too much it's never like a right time at all correct. I think, since we're speaking things into existence and we know something about it's power in our words because, like we said it all and we have all our listeners. They all went through the journey and know all of the work that we put, and that's something we need to emphasize too. We didn't just pray and hope for things. We prayed, we hoped and we all put in a significant amount of work.
Speaker 1:For sure, worked our tails off for it.
Speaker 2:You know. So I would say, for me I don't think my stuff is like, as I don't know, like as big as what both of you were saying, but for me I think I'm in the season of just I'm just really focused and thinking about every day I'm just thinking about, like, my mental health and my physical health, like I just want to work on my healthiness.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean? Yes, I love that.
Speaker 2:So that's what I'm working on and praying for, and that's what it is for me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I'll pray that for you too, guys. Yeah, she take care of a lot of people, honey, and I just want you to give that same energy to yourself, because you deserve it. Oh, and I just want you to, you know, give that same energy to yourself Because you deserve it. Oh, I love that.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, because I ain't going to be no good to nobody else if I'm, you know, not good for myself. Yes, yeah.
Speaker 3:Your hair looks good.
Speaker 2:I know, you see it girl.
Speaker 1:I'm glad you went because she said she wasn't going to go.
Speaker 2:So I was like I'm glad you still went.
Speaker 1:I was like, why are you canceling? That's why I was asking. I'm like, why are you canceling? Like you could still y'all could still go get your hair done before we record.
Speaker 2:I just felt like it was just gonna be doing too much. Yeah, I had a lot of stuff planned it's Easter weekend and all that stuff but and that's another small step that I have to take and I mean and I don't know if anybody else out there deals with this but it is really hard for me to intentionally like take care of myself like before, like I'm. It's not easy for me to just go get my nails done.
Speaker 2:Go get my hair done and I'm not talking about like finance wise or time wise. It's just something always makes me feel like, well, that's in time and energy or funds I'll be, I can put into something else you know so I'm so proud of myself exactly, you know. So I went, got, you got my little. Well, he didn't have to trim my ends this time, because last time I went um and I went my second month in a row, you know.
Speaker 2:So I'm like, okay, let me in, and I think that's what's going to help with, like you know, the mental health part for sure, taking care of me and taking time out for myself, because I go and look back and I'm like I used to be the girl like you want to caught me while the bus down middle part, so in like you would have caught me without my nails and you know all of that stuff done and I'm like I want to get back to just worrying about me and taking my time out for myself and not feeling guilty about that like that's okay, yeah, for sure I love that, so I can't wait for us to for a year to pass and that's the recap.
Speaker 1:And yeah, everybody's stuff. Yeah, where's Where's that? Yeah, well, we thank you again for coming on making time to give us an update. Yes, you know day one, so we appreciate that. And of course, you know this ain't the last y'all heard of Taj, correct?
Speaker 1:I know you know, life has, you know, directed us into so many different paths and things like that. But we're going so many different paths and things like that, but we gonna continue to get updates, we gonna continue to have her on, you know. So, yeah, guys, until next time stay bold.
