Leaving The Amish

She grew up Amish… and we had a LOT of questions.

This one goes from funny stories to some pretty real moments, like what happens when you leave everything you’ve ever known… and people stop listening.

We talk about faith, getting cut off, rebuilding life from scratch, and somehow ending up running a successful cleaning business.

Grab a coffee, pull up a chair, and get to know more about Miriam with us.

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:00

Hi, we're back, and this is a back-to-back episode day.

SPEAKER_06 0:02

So if you're wondering why I'm wearing the same clothes, it's because I because she only has a couple, and I only have a couple.

SPEAKER_00 0:09

You are feeling freely.

SPEAKER_04 0:34

So we are actually wearing the same stuff because it's the same day.

SPEAKER_06 0:38

I'm gonna make up a day because we went to Arizona.

SPEAKER_04 0:41

But I'm still Nicole Fisher, and this is Keith.

SPEAKER_06 0:43

Keith.

SPEAKER_04 0:44

Yep, and we have a really special guest today. And her name is Miriam Miller. And we're really excited about this because she has a really good success story. And um we're a sucker for people with a good story, and that actually comes from maybe not such a great situation, and then digs their way out and then is here. Like I just I'm a sucker for stuff like that. And I think a lot of people are, and Keith's excited for this episode.

SPEAKER_06 1:14

I love I well, I love Miriam. She's great, she's a great lady. Uh, but also uh like I feel like we share a little bit of like that entrepreneurship mindset, and um yeah, I'm excited to have you here. It's gonna be a good time. Hopefully, you're not too nervous.

SPEAKER_04 1:33

No, no, all right. So let's start. Um, Miriam, what is your business that you're doing now? Prestige cleaning services. Okay. And how many jobs do you think you have? I have 60 clients. Holy buckets.

unknown 1:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:48

How many employees do you have?

SPEAKER_03 1:50

So last summer I had 14 girls working for me. During the winter, a lot of them are teaching, and I have way less. Um, but right now it's actually just my son and me doing the most part. But then I have a few girls doing the Airbnbs.

SPEAKER_04 2:04

Okay. And and your son is the one that owns the ice cream shop. And no.

SPEAKER_03 2:09

Who's that? Jake, that's Jacob. So my youngest son is is helping me right now. And Jacob's your my oldest son.

SPEAKER_04 2:16

Okay. Yes. Man, look at you guys all. Okay.

SPEAKER_06 2:19

Um, let's we gotta talk about Jacob's things that he has. I feel like what he that guy has he is all over my marketplace feed.

SPEAKER_04 2:31

Oh, he's a creepy. For things per sale.

SPEAKER_06 2:33

And I love like everything he has. I'm like, oh, I wish I had that. I would, I really I couldn't hide that from my wife, but I really would like one of those, like a tire chain. Like, he's got like every tool imaginable.

SPEAKER_03 2:47

Unless this week somebody told me, I'm like, you need to find a job. Well, he he's crazy. And and so this other person told him, told me, he's just like you, and I'm like, what? I I've been meditating on that. Have you? Yeah, so I think he did get some of it from me. How many kids do you have?

SPEAKER_04 3:07

Five. Five, three boys and two girls. Okay, and they're all live around this area? Yes. Awesome.

SPEAKER_06 3:13

What are what are their ages? I'm gonna quiz you right now.

SPEAKER_04 3:15

28, 26, 24.

SPEAKER_06 3:17

Well, it's too easy.

SPEAKER_04 3:18

She's 18 and 16. She's way better at this than us.

SPEAKER_06 3:21

Yeah, I gotta like better think about it.

SPEAKER_04 3:23

Yeah, okay. And their father, what's this? Um, is that one of the stories that I don't want to get into?

SPEAKER_05 3:32

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_03 3:37

Um, I grew up in Ohio. Okay. I left in 2018 in an abusive situation. Oh, I'm so sorry. So my oldest son, Jacob, lived here and he was working here. He had his own home at like, I think it was like 1920. Come on. He had his own home at like an 800 square foot house. So I packed up my children and moved up here. Uh I didn't have a vehicle. My 16-year-old bought a vehicle the night, like the day before. With her own money. With his it was my son, his own money. And we packed our clothes, our very basic belongings, and drove up here. We got stalled a few times beside the road because it wasn't a great car. Right.

SPEAKER_06 4:19

The car broke down.

SPEAKER_03 4:20

Yeah, yeah, the car broke down twice at least. Oh, wow. So you snuck out in the middle of the night? No, early in the morning after he went to work. Um crazy. So I drove up here and I was just gonna stay with my um oldest son for a few weeks or a few months, and then things got so they all obviously support you.

SPEAKER_06 4:39

Yes, they're amazing, absolutely amazing, and they're all around here. Yes, that's cool.

SPEAKER_04 4:45

Oh, wow. I'm so sorry about that, but I'm happy you're here and you got out. Do you like it here? Yes, I do. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_06 4:52

Are you gonna stick around? You think? Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_04 4:54

So our son Knox doesn't think Ohio is a real state because it's some YouTube thing. Like, Ohio is not real. And so I'm like, he's like, Ohio is not real. I'm like, Nox, yes, it is. He goes, No, it's not. I'm like, it is, it's a real place. I've been there. And so I had customers in the boutique. I don't know, like a few times they've came in. And every time Knox is here, I'm like, Nox, come here. There, tell them where, you know, tell him where you're from. And they're like, Ohio, he's like, like laughs like it's not real. I'm like, it's a real place, but awesome.

SPEAKER_03 5:25

It is. I do enjoy going back. I go back a couple times a year, uh, spent time with family, um, visiting all the different stores. I I do enjoy going back, but I don't see myself moving back.

SPEAKER_06 5:38

In that situation, was that an Amish community?

SPEAKER_03 5:41

Yes. And the one of the largest.

SPEAKER_06 5:43

So, like for people that don't know, um, because I think a lot of people have questions about that and like are just generally curious. There's a large Amish community in Ohio. There's a fairly large Amish community in Iowa, right? Um, where else?

SPEAKER_03 6:02

Indiana and Pennsylvania.

SPEAKER_06 6:04

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 6:04

And Bondo Well. That's small. Oh, it is very small. It feels large. Does it? Yes, it's very small.

SPEAKER_06 6:12

Oh in comparison. Um did you grow up Amish?

SPEAKER_03 6:17

Yes, I did.

SPEAKER_06 6:18

Okay. And how does how does that look like when you leave? Like if you were to leave the Amish community, are you are you? I mean, you still go back to visit. Do you visit family?

SPEAKER_03 6:29

Now, yes. But at that time, when we left, we were shunned. Uh, my family would barely speak to us. Uh, we could not eat with them, they wouldn't drive with us. Um it was always really tense if we did go visit them. Um, but now they will drive with us, they will eat with us.

SPEAKER_06 6:50

Why do you think that is? Like what changed? Or is that like a certain time period?

SPEAKER_03 6:55

For them, yes. And they've seen that okay, we're still loving God and we're not, you know, like atheist or okay. Um, but then there would be the lower class where they would still, no matter what you do. What's lower class mean? There's like five different uh classes of Amish. Okay. Like Schwarzen Trooper Amish, where they have no um, they have kerosene lamps on their buggy. Very, I mean, very down to earth. Um they would never um, you know, have anything to do with us. And then the middle class, actually, it was really interesting. In January or New Year's Eve, um, I was at my dad's place and he was invited to a neighborhood uh supper. And so I grew up, you know, in the neighborhood I grew up, is all people that I knew, but they were like the lower class. And he asked me to go with him, and I'm like, oh, like I would love to see them, but I'm scared they're gonna like like, and so they were so happy to see me, they're greeting me. Oh, and when they go to eat, they're like, come eat with us. And I'm just like, I'm blown away. Like, I could not believe it. Like, I ate with them and they were totally okay with it. And this was like the lower class, like that's awesome.

SPEAKER_06 8:10

It was so was it like a feeling of I'm sorry, go ahead.

SPEAKER_04 8:14

I you know, you welcome it.

SPEAKER_06 8:15

Was it a feeling of like acceptance? Yes, that made made you feel so good. That was so surprising. Okay. Um, so do you feel like you have a general like want to be accepted by them? Yes, still, yeah. I guess what's different? I'm gonna steal her line. She would always say that to me when she'd come come here while we're renovating. She'd show up and she'd be like, What's different? Yeah, instead of you just drinking beer. So what's different? Well, like, what so what changed from um like leaving the Amish community to now? Like, what's is there really any point?

SPEAKER_04 8:56

Well, my question is time out, because it might lead to that. When you left that Amish community, were you leaving a situation or were you leaving the religion and the situation? Is that both?

SPEAKER_03 9:10

I had actually gotten saved just a little bit before we left. And then I had what does that mean? Saved. I had accepted Jesus into my heart. Okay. We were taught you just hope you make it to heaven. Like you try to get live a life as good as you can, and if God accepts you, then you make it to heaven. It's like a buggy wheel going down the hill. You don't know if it'll uh roll into this ditch or this ditch, like if you'll make it to heaven or hell, but you just try to live the good life so you know you'll make it in. And I started reading my Bible, and I realized I can know that I can be saved. And I remember one time just kneeling down um at home and I saw the footprints of Jesus in his in his hand, and I just I broke down on the floor and I see his feet. And when I got up, I totally everything felt different, and I knew that he had cleansed me from my sins. And here I had gotten uh baptized, you know, when I was like two, three years before, but I never felt anything, and I knew, you know, I was still the same sinner, dirty person. And but when I got up from my knees, I knew that Jesus had saved me. So I went around telling everybody. I mean, we were kind of in the balance of being kicked out um because of the situation, but I went around telling everybody that Jesus saved me. We don't have to carry this baggage along anymore. And they just looked at me like she has a strange belief, like, and so they shunned me because of that, because of the strange belief.

SPEAKER_04 10:47

Okay, so that's different for like I would say, like as a as a Lutheran, so like we already bel like we believe that. So for the listeners, the Amish community feel their beliefs, like at least what you were in, that you don't know if you're gonna be saved, right? And so, like Christian, like a like how do you explain it? Lutherans, we think we're saved because he died for our sins already, right? Right. So it's just different beliefs that you were raised with.

SPEAKER_03 11:18

Okay, so that's that's awesome. So that has changed. This was 24 years ago when we were, you know, excommunicated. So that has changed over the years. There are a number, I mean, there's like a real revival happening among the Amish. And and then, of course, splits and all that, because of you know, people are uh experiencing uh salvation feeling.

SPEAKER_04 11:40

And so they they looked at that feeling as something not pure when you felt that, like they didn't look at that as like, oh, that's amazing. It to them, it was a threat.

SPEAKER_03 11:48

It was a false doctrine. It was like we just we can't know, like oh, we can't know, not until we get to heaven. Oh, that's so interesting.

SPEAKER_04 11:58

But like that, what a cool experience for you, right? I had Goosewamps telling when she was telling that story.

SPEAKER_03 12:04

But then we would we would also read our Bible, we're supposed to read it in German. So I could barely pronounce the words. So to actually understand what you know German, yes, it's amazing. So to know what it means, I didn't get it. But once I started reading the English Bible, the English version, I was like, oh, like it was food for my soul.

SPEAKER_04 12:25

You're like, this is what this means. Yes, interesting. And what version Bible did you guys have? Is it a different like yes, like how there's King James or whatever?

SPEAKER_03 12:35

It's I'm blank right now. I mean it's it's written in German, but it's like Pennsylvania something, pop Deutsch. But then um, yeah, until you actually read it, I didn't know what it would mean. And so I felt like it was their way of okay, just it was really discouraged to read an English Bible, but it was okay if they don't read it and they don't understand it, then they can tell us whatever.

SPEAKER_06 13:00

Growing up, growing, growing up, Amish, what like what were you told that was so bad about how you live your life now?

SPEAKER_04 13:13

Or about us, yeah being worldly, worldly, yeah. That was a word that was used in my religion too, worldly people, right?

SPEAKER_03 13:20

No, we just have zero interaction, you know, with people from the world.

SPEAKER_04 13:25

So we're like sheltered. Okay, so like when you said they let me eat, is that like an honor when you let someone eat with you?

SPEAKER_03 13:31

Like in the Amish community, like that's a sacred thing, or I would say it has changed now, but back then, right, you were very sheltered. It was just, you know, your community. That's it.

SPEAKER_04 13:42

So you would never let a worldly not you, but they would never let a worldly person come over and eat dinner back at that time?

SPEAKER_03 13:49

No, like definitely has changed now.

SPEAKER_06 13:53

Why do you think it's evolved so quickly? It's just like the digital world of like more knowledge, like that's not so sheltered, yes, possibly.

SPEAKER_03 14:04

I mean, they do have the cell phones, like it's amazing what as all you know they've changed. Like they would have everything, uh, they have solar, totally, you know, electric switches in the house. Like it's it's really amazing.

SPEAKER_06 14:17

Why why can't they drive? What's the reasoning?

SPEAKER_03 14:22

It used to be said that the devil is behind the steering wheel. So a number of business owners, they'll own the vehicle, but they have an English person driving it. So the English person's the devil. But question.

SPEAKER_06 14:36

But also, farm machinery is allowed, yes, but not a car. No, because I see farm machinery being operated as if it's a car on a daily basis, and I'm like, what's the difference?

SPEAKER_04 14:49

What is the difference though? Like, what is the reasoning?

SPEAKER_03 14:52

I don't know. So they'll like in Ohio, they'll do the side-by-sides or the art.

SPEAKER_06 14:57

Uh-huh. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:59

They'll use those even for church. Even for church.

SPEAKER_04 15:02

Does it have to have approval by like the elders, or is it just are no one? Different different levels um okay of Amish. And so when you say you say low class, is that one of them? Yes.

SPEAKER_06 15:14

So the low class is like, are they like thought of as godly or less less godly? The most pure?

SPEAKER_03 15:21

In one way, but then in another way, like it's behind the bushes, like you know it's so not so not godly, but outwardly they they would look more godly.

SPEAKER_06 15:33

Interesting.

SPEAKER_04 15:35

What is a role as um, what is a role of a woman in the Amish community? I feel like that's a really good question that I just asked.

SPEAKER_03 15:45

And a lot of a lot of people wonder. Yeah. Have many children really and be a homemaker. Um homesteading, I think they're amazing. I I really seem like such hard workers. They are. I appreciate what I've learned, you know.

SPEAKER_04 16:04

Oh, yeah, look at you. You've I mean, you're a great person and you have great worth, work ethic. So it's not like whatever you've been through, I mean, you've grown from and you're a great person. An amazing success. Yeah. Okay, so they're um I mean, in and like any religion, like if you really look at the Bible, the man is ahead of the household. But like, what extent is that in the Amish community? Like, do you know what I mean? Like, as a Lutheran, I'm like, okay, sit down, you know what I mean? But like, if I was Amish, I don't know if I could tell him to sit down.

SPEAKER_03 16:38

I mean, I used to be always this, you know, this humble little submissive wife, right? But I felt it was always this authoritarian, you know, figure and like swatting the Bible over your head, like you do this, or um and not everybody is like that, but a lot of a lot of you know people are in at one point, I rose up and you moved. I did.

SPEAKER_06 17:04

Um, I I don't want to like change gears so fast and like that's okay. So what um what brought you to cleaning? So how did that come about?

SPEAKER_03 17:14

That's a great question. So actually at age 14, I started cleaning, uh, just got out of school at 14. I had three clients that I cleaned regularly every week in Ohio. In Ohio, and then I had um a 50,000 square foot office building that was right beside our house, um, called Wayne Dalton. And I cleaned that office building three times a week in the evening. Uh I had help, there were others too, but it was huge. Like, so I did that from 14 to 19, and then I got married, I was a homemaker, and then in 2015, my husband wasn't able to work anymore. So I started cleaning. So I cleaned in Ohio for three years, four years, got paid like ten dollars an hour, and somehow we survived.

SPEAKER_06 18:04

So, was that for a company outside of the community, or was it a part of the like an Amish um no?

SPEAKER_03 18:11

That that was just myself, uh working Georgia, right?

SPEAKER_04 18:14

Okay, did you have to pay a portion of it to the church? No, no, not at that, not at that. So you were the homemaker too at the time?

SPEAKER_03 18:23

Yes. Oh my we lived on very little, we were very poor.

SPEAKER_04 18:30

Yeah, I even took one blended drink off the menu.

SPEAKER_06 18:33

Um, how does that how does that look like okay? I'm gonna back up a little bit. How many people, how many Amish members were in that community approximately? Like how many?

SPEAKER_03 18:46

That's a great question.

SPEAKER_06 18:47

I should have looked it up, but if you had a guess.

SPEAKER_03 18:50

If I would guess, I can maybe come back and tell you for sure, but I would say 15,000. I mean, there's it's a really large community.

SPEAKER_05 18:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 19:00

So that's why when I'm like Barnaball, you're like, oh, it's tiny. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 19:06

How how many Amish uh members are in this area?

SPEAKER_03 19:09

Do you know about uh there's two church districts? So I mean, I would guess maybe three, four hundred. Just yeah. Are they nice to you here? Yes. Uh to start with, no, absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 19:25

Did they know your story? No, no, no.

SPEAKER_03 19:28

Um, but even now, like I can go to the stores here where the other my other friends that have grown up from the Amish here, they're not allowed to purchase anything. They won't sell it to them, right? But I'm allowed to go because they don't know my story, right? But if they knew it, they would say they're not gonna know.

SPEAKER_04 19:47

I'll do your purchasing. Is this for mirror? Shh.

SPEAKER_03 19:53

But they're super friendly. Like a lot of to start with, I felt they were kind of like just you know, looking at me, but um, I have an excellent relationship with a number of them here.

SPEAKER_04 20:02

Yeah, they all seem like such hard workers, and I just and I know, like, okay, what is the reason behind no photography? What is the religion? Uh like what's don't make yourself a graven image. Oh, that's what they use, the scripture they use. Because I always want to take pictures of the kids like mowing along, like little cute, they're so cute, but it has changed, like you can now.

SPEAKER_03 20:26

I mean, 20 years ago, just no, never, no, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 20:29

Yeah, I I don't out of respect. There was um, I was doing a photo shoot in the woods over by St. Paul, and they must have hired the Amish to do some logging, and he had these huge horses, and he's like, You can take a picture of my horses, but just please not me, you know. I'm like, okay. But you just have so many questions, didn't you, don't you? What are some stories you would like to tell? Yeah, that you think are important for people to know.

SPEAKER_03 20:56

So you haven't asked me the great question, uh the question you always ask everybody. Oh, you're waiting. You're waiting. Your oldest memory? Yes.

SPEAKER_06 21:03

Oh no, I changed it. So he changed it with a lot of it. I'll give you that one. Yeah, let her have that one. Yeah. Uh, what's your oldest memory? Not, I mean, probably you didn't have a picture, but I'm not going to reinforce it with, but yeah, what's your oldest memory?

SPEAKER_03 21:16

So I'm glad I thought about it before because I I do remember going back. So my dad would take me to town, which was about five miles away in the buggy, uh, to go shopping. He would always be the one doing the grocery shopping. And he would buy me junk food to eat on the way home. Really? Yeah. My mom was like a health fanatic, so uh super strict.

SPEAKER_06 21:41

Like so, what kind of things would you get?

SPEAKER_03 21:43

Uh Swiss cake rolls and ice cream cones. Really? Would she know about it? Uh no, no. No, yeah. He would hide it even in the buggy. Aww, that's sweet.

SPEAKER_04 21:54

We we still talk about it, but do you have a good relationship with your dad yet? Yes, yes, I do. Do your does your dad understand? Why you left, do you think? Now, yes. And your mother? How is she? My mom passed away five years ago. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_05 22:07

Sorry.

SPEAKER_04 22:08

Were you able to like repair anything with her before she passed away? Yes. Yeah, well, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 22:14

I stayed with her the last two weeks before she passed. She had cancer. And the thing that I wanted to say about my dad at eating all the junk food, like he would live on hot dogs and noodles and ice cream. And he's almost 80 years old. And he's healthy. And your mom had cancer. Right. And the same week with my in-laws, they both died uh young. And they were the craziest health fanatics. Like, so what we got out of that is enjoy food, enjoy life. My dad is not stressed out about what he eats, he just enjoys life.

SPEAKER_04 22:48

Awesome.

SPEAKER_06 22:49

That is really good. That is funny.

SPEAKER_04 22:51

That is good. And he's still Amish. Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_06 22:53

And so what do you think he's still sneaking Swiss cake rolls?

SPEAKER_04 22:57

He is. Yes. He loves it. What level Amish were you brought up at?

SPEAKER_03 23:03

What they would class the middle. Okay. The middle class. So then there was one class higher, but now since that has split off and there's two higher classes.

SPEAKER_06 23:13

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 23:14

And so what were you able to do? Like that the worldly people can do? Did you have television?

SPEAKER_03 23:20

No.

SPEAKER_04 23:21

Did you have Christmas?

SPEAKER_03 23:22

Uh yes. Um, do you but no trees, no lights?

SPEAKER_06 23:27

Presents?

SPEAKER_04 23:28

Gifts, yes.

SPEAKER_06 23:29

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 23:29

What was your reason for not having trees and lights? I want to hear if it's the same as mine. There's a scripture in the Bible. Jeremiah 10. Yes. Yep. Girl, I know. It was engraved in me. Why? Yep. It was like Pegan, almost like you were sinning and like putting false gods before. Yeah. But I mean, there's more than one way of looking at it, right? Right. So like now I look at that and I'm like, I understand it too. But like if you look at everything literally as the Bible, or like what the meaning behind is, I don't know. Like I can understand what it is saying, but now I overcop and say it and have huge Christmas trees. What is Jeremiah 10? What do you do you know what it's it's about? Decorate a tree with silver and gold is not like it's a vein in their customs or something. I don't know. It talks about like how sinful it is to like cut us the tree and decorate it with silver and gold, and it's not the image that you're supposed to be like looking at when um for Christmas. And so, like when I would ask when I was a little, like, why can't we have a tree? And mom would say Jeremiah 10. And then like I would read, she'd have us like read Jeremiah 10, and it would explain why. So then it was like in my view at that age, it was like it was sinful to have a Christmas tree, even though it was pretty, but it was like sinful because a lot of pretty things are sinful, right?

SPEAKER_06 24:57

So um I'd like to ask this, but and I'm gonna do it sensitively. Okay. Remember, I'm totally respectful. What do you have a Christmas tree now? Were you no okay?

SPEAKER_04 25:10

So because of Jeremiah 10.

SPEAKER_06 25:12

So there's a number of things, because I talked with Kyle about this, like a few things, and I and I question why. Like I wanna so I even after leaving in a different scenario, but even after you leaving the Amish community, you still carry with you a lot of core values, right? Correct, yes. Um, how do you choose which ones you do and which ones you don't? You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 25:39

Like that's a great question. So after we left the Amish, we went to a number of different churches. We attended a number of different churches for a while. And our concern was like, we don't want our children growing up with this. We we'd see some pretty, you know, wild stuff and young teens being pregnant and all that, and and so we were concerned about our children. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 26:02

So basically, like on a parenting side of things, like uh okay, and I feel like we do the same thing in a sense, but also as far as clothes, I was wild after I left.

SPEAKER_03 26:15

Like, I was wild. You got wild, tell me about wild murum.

SPEAKER_04 26:22

So, what kind of wild things did you do?

SPEAKER_03 26:24

Well, I used to drink and party really okay.

SPEAKER_04 26:27

And that's I mean, I think in any religion, if you really think about it, it shouldn't be. It's not, isn't drinking a sin technically getting drunken? I think. So you're a sinner. Okay. That's not why I said it. That's not why I said it. I'm saying like every, but not many religions like Baptists, like really are strict with it.

SPEAKER_03 26:50

Wisconsin is known for drinking in every almost every house I clean, they have a big bar. Oh, right.

SPEAKER_04 26:59

I mean, we don't have a bar, but I mean, like, it's like suburban. Um, my religion also, like, you could not drink, we couldn't listen to the radio. Um right, same right. Elders handled anything disciplinary, anything legal, any illegal matters.

SPEAKER_02 27:15

Like, hi, it's Cammy. I am jumping on here because the next little section contains reference to some sensitive topics. So if you are not up for that or you have small ears around, I recommend that you skip ahead about 12 seconds.

SPEAKER_04 27:33

You didn't go to the cops. There was a lot of sexual assault, there was a lot of molestation of kids, um, rape on rape with like our ministers, but it was all just like quiet ministers because you don't want the religion to look bad. Right. So I get angry about it now because I'm like, how many people that happened to, and how we were told to be quiet, and um the role of a woman, like was kind of I mean, women could work and stuff, like it's definitely I would say was more worldly than the Amish, because like we had cars and stuff like that too, but we didn't couldn't have TV, but then like we had a TV hidden, it was like this big in our closet. And like when we would like to pull it out, we would watch movies and stuff, we'd rent from the library, but it was like you couldn't tell anybody. But I remember going over to like my aunt's house and she was Catholic, my great aunt and I like adored her. Um, but I remember even at that age thinking she was going to hell because she was worldly, and I would cry about it because I loved her so much, and I would beg her to come to church because I wanted her to come to heaven, and um, but they were like, no, not if she's not in our religion. She's you know, like she'll go to hell if she's worldly, she has short hair and all these things, and and like how you said it's like in your heart. That's like what it took, it takes a long time to unlearn absolutely things like that, like a long time, and then finding a religion that fits an alliance with that has to be so hard for you to find one that you're like, this isn't toxic, this is pure, and I feel good, but yet you want it to be, you know, there were was good things about the Amish, right? Right, just like there was good things about that religion. Like, I'm like, I remember appreciating gifts and Christmas really knowing what the meaning was. Like, yeah, it's sad, like the tree thing is really kind of magical. I look back at, but I'm like, I also was never the kid that's like, where's my presence? Where's this? Where's this? You know what I mean? Like, I knew the reason of it all. So it's like I imagine your journey on like finding what religion fits best is hard because you're like, Is am I getting back into something that's gonna be putting me back? What do you think your breaking point was?

SPEAKER_03 29:46

Like when you knew it was time to go from the Amish. Um, so there was actually was a sexual abusive case, is what uh rose up, and the ministers were sweeping it under the rug. I'm so sorry. Uh and we stood up, we were like, no, and a woman isn't supposed to speak up, but I gave my vote, like I'm not agreeing with this. And so then we did get kicked out.

SPEAKER_04 30:07

Really?

SPEAKER_03 30:09

But through that, I started reading my Bible, so it's all good. Like, because before, I mean, I remember as a girl, like we were supposed we would only have church every other Sunday. So the in-between Sunday, we're supposed to read our Bible. So I'd have my Bible open, but I put another book in there to read because I couldn't understand it. And so you were just this little curious thing, right? And and so then I um all of a sudden, after the church situation, I started reading my English Bible and actually really getting something for my soul.

SPEAKER_04 30:44

So when you said every other Sunday, was that only for females or for males and females? Okay. And then so the and I don't know if you want this part cut out, we can cut it out, but so their father didn't support you in wanting to do something about the assault that happened, or was he supportive?

SPEAKER_03 31:03

Yes, he was supportive at that time, so that was 24 years ago. Then we left we left the Amish then.

SPEAKER_04 31:08

Your husband left the Amish too? Yes. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_06 31:11

Did he go back? No, no, no. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 31:18

Is there any I mean we're not done with you, but I mean, is there anything you want to add to that? Anything like of that that I was rambling for a little bit, and I wasn't rambling to talk about myself, it was just like trying to trying to show you like that I can understand a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 31:32

I appreciate it. Yeah, I I really do.

SPEAKER_04 31:34

Like, I understand a little bit of that mindset and the shift and like how things are.

SPEAKER_03 31:39

Right. Because I've listened to your podcast and I'm like, what?

SPEAKER_04 31:41

Like, I've never known this about you. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, you wouldn't know. I'm actually gonna have one of um the people from the church, she's gonna come on, and it's gonna be tough for her because her family's all in on it yet. And it's sensitive. And like even my mom gets defensive when she hears me mention it or call it a cult or call it things because she's like, Well, every church is a cult. Her, you know what I mean? Like, she'll and sorry, mom, but like she gets very like, and I get it because like I don't I think she holds herself responsible for like any trauma that happened, like naturally, but like yet, um, it's everyone has their own story to tell about their version of it, right? And if it wasn't a good version of it. So this girl that's coming on, she's like, I'll talk. She's like, but I'm gonna have a lot of upset family members because they're still in it. Yeah. So when I was looking for religion, um, it was really hard for me to trust, like in my for my experience with children. Like Sawyer and Journey, my older two, never went to church because I was very anti, I was almost angry with God about everything. Um, and then I didn't trust either. And in so I was like, when we finally landed at the church we're at and you, if you listen to our podcast, you've heard it was like because I felt safe with Pastor Sorley and like I knew he was a safe place to like let my kids be taught by and he wasn't gonna hurt them, and things were normal, right? Not secretive, like just and I feel like the more extreme things are, the more toxic it seems, right? Almost.

SPEAKER_06 33:21

Do you have any questions for us at all? Yeah, I'm we'll we're probably gonna ask you some more, so you're not like totally off the hot seat.

SPEAKER_03 33:30

So I remember when I first met you, or I saw you on Facebook. Okay, and you were in your kitchen and cooking away and just you know, doing a live and talking, and and I'm like, I have to meet this lady, like and here you like live right across the lake from me. I do.

SPEAKER_04 33:47

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 33:48

And we were gonna go kayaking.

SPEAKER_04 33:49

We are probably, yeah, we are. I like that you say we are because she lives across the lake from us, and you were watching me cook, so you probably were like, girl, you don't know what you're doing. I was a homemaker.

SPEAKER_03 34:00

No, I didn't think that. I mean, to me, it was just you know, doing the videoing was like, you know, beyond. Look at you now.

SPEAKER_04 34:07

Can you imagine looking like 30, 20 some years ago, looking at yourself where you're at now? No, never because you were really good at marketing.

SPEAKER_03 34:16

I'm getting there, but I feel like I've learned so much from you just in being confident and being myself, not worrying what other people think, and just being myself. And you've actually helped me to bring stories out because you wrote that thing about your writing, like your style of writing. Yeah, and I felt like I mean my writing is all over, but I actually do have a lot of stories to tell. You need to tell your stories.

SPEAKER_04 34:39

I bet you'll be therapeutic for you too.

SPEAKER_03 34:42

It is, and just uh with AI, it's been able to help me to make it, you know, make sense because you're probably crossed between English and German. Right, correct.

SPEAKER_04 34:50

And so it's well, you do well. I I feel like it's helped me so much. And I can't tell AI helps you. You know, sometimes you can tell if AI writes something, you do a great job. It looks like it's all you.

SPEAKER_03 35:03

That's good to know. No, I promise. I don't want it to be fake. I mean, it it really is my story, but they'll go in and edit it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 35:10

I get I should be doing more of that. He's my AI. He edits because I'm terrible. I'm just like write fast. But what I found is if you have more heart and you do, and passion behind something you're talking about or writing about, you're gonna have maybe the occasional people that are like, eh, you miss ball, blah, blah, blah, whatever. But people don't really care, they want to know your content and like what's behind it. And you are you do such a great job of engaging the audience. You have a ton of journey is like she has a ton of my daughter loves you. Oh, she's like, You have a ton of followers.

SPEAKER_03 35:42

We stuck together like on Sunday, like half an hour. Like, she I love her. I love her too.

SPEAKER_04 35:47

Yeah, she does love you a lot, but yeah, you're doing really great. And in coming from you know, a situation that you came from. I like how you said you learned a lot of like good things from it too, but like look how much you've grown from it, right? Yeah, you should be super proud.

SPEAKER_03 36:01

I am. I feel like you have a step in that because like on Sunday you weren't there when we did like at the different booth. Like I told him uh it was like what woman we look up to, yeah. And I said, Nicole.

SPEAKER_04 36:12

You did? I did. You weren't in the group at the time, but yeah, so sweet. Thank you. I didn't know that you looked up to me. That's scary. I'm honored, I'm like scared for you.

SPEAKER_03 36:25

I mean, I do have a wild side in me. I can really see it. There's a twinkle in your eye.

SPEAKER_04 36:30

Yeah, like I think I think when we go kayaking, I'll bring some roadies, I'll hand you over a six pack. Um, but about that. So when I well, thank you. That means a lot. That does mean a lot to me. Um I it took a lot for me to be where I'm at. Like I was never like I don't, and I and I I don't mean this in any other way. I'm not like looking for a compliment, but like I don't love the way I look. I don't like when I see pictures of myself, I'm not like, oh, I look good. Like I'm very actually kind of insecure. So it takes a lot for me to get out and do that. And and now I'm to the point, like over the years, I don't care. You can't care, right?

SPEAKER_03 37:12

Why the people love you so much is because you're just yourself. You're so real, you're just you're you.

SPEAKER_04 37:21

Well, thank you. But what I'm getting, it is hard. It's like, and I think people leave that part out, like of how hard it is to be authentic and be yourself. And that's when I realized like it because you have to be vulnerable. I was I yeah, I was always surrounded by like I the pretty friends, and I was the funny one, but like you know what I mean, like they're my friends were always the the uh the pretty ones, and and so I was always like more insecure when it's like putting myself out there, and then I'm like, you know what? I don't give a right, yeah. Like who this is the best I'm gonna ever look tomorrow. It's gonna be one day worse. You know what I mean? I mean, occasionally you get better, right?

SPEAKER_06 37:54

But um, so when I think I think you're aging beautifully, thank you. Everything seems better to me.

SPEAKER_03 38:02

That attitude, though, will you ever remarry? No, I don't think so. No, because you don't want to, or because you I mean, we would have definitely been taught, you know, that was your husband for life. If he dies, then that's what we would have been taught. And after going through what I did, I don't think I want to do that again.

SPEAKER_04 38:23

You seem so happy. Like, why? Like, why would you do that? I am.

SPEAKER_06 38:28

I was pretty happy when I was single.

SPEAKER_04 38:32

I was too. So when I was a bartender in um Simpco, what is it called in the Amish community when you can you have a free rumspringer?

SPEAKER_03 38:48

Okay, what does that mean in English? They can go run around and be wild and wild seats.

SPEAKER_06 38:54

Is it like six months or a year or something?

SPEAKER_03 38:56

No, it's usually like 16 to 19, like age group, yes, age 16 to 19.

SPEAKER_04 39:03

Oh, because they would we'd have like a a group of young Amish boys that would come to the bar with their horse and buggy and just get hammered, drunk, but they were fun, they were fun, and then they said that it was that like that's what they and then that's a true thing. Was that here in Wisconsin? Really? Yep, yeah, Simcoe, yep. Um, were women allowed to do that, or was that just a male thing? Yes, girls do it too. Oh, okay. And are women able to go to college? No, they don't. And I, you know what?

SPEAKER_06 39:36

Or men allowed?

SPEAKER_04 39:37

No. I mean, there's not really a need for it, right? Even high school, they would only go to eighth grade.

SPEAKER_03 39:43

Okay, no high school.

SPEAKER_04 39:44

But I mean, like, what do you need to know in high school?

SPEAKER_03 39:46

But they're able at age 14, they're able to go, I mean, work hard.

SPEAKER_04 39:51

Like yes, they are the hardest working people, right? Remember when we pulled into our driveway and they were roofing our roof? Little kids, like eight-year-olds up there, were like no joke. Yeah. Um, I kind of envy like and I and I don't because I won't last a week, but like the simple lifestyle of that. Right. Do you miss that ever? I do appreciate it. You still have it though, right?

SPEAKER_03 40:21

Yes, I feel in a way. I mean, okay, when I moved here, I worked like crazy. Just, you know, to keep my sanity. I just threw myself into the work and worked like crazy, but I've backed off in like I do appreciate the simple life. Like, I I feel it's like it's what you make make it for yourself. Like you said, you want to go up in the north woods and just disappear.

SPEAKER_05 40:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 40:49

Yeah, I told them like it used to be, and I figured it out the other night. I said, you know what? I figured out what I'm not in a rut. I'm not depressed, I'm not sad, I'm content.

SPEAKER_03 41:00

Absolutely. And it's interesting how you go through the different stage because I used to always be a people person. I like every night I'd be doing something like with a lot of the young people. Uh, we go kayaking or tubing or something, like, and but I found a quietness just sitting on the swing, looking out over the field, seeing the deer, like just listening to God and yeah, found the quietness in that.

SPEAKER_04 41:25

Yeah, contentment. It's hard to find. It's like such a gift when you find it because then you're like, we made it. It doesn't have to be somewhere significant, but you're like, I'm here. This is where I want to be, right? I just had the epiphany that I'm like, I'm content. That's what's wrong with me, is I don't need more, I don't need to know what's next.

SPEAKER_06 41:42

Or because that's always been your thing. What do we do next? What's next?

SPEAKER_04 41:46

Should we buy another place?

SPEAKER_06 41:47

Should we just say it was like, and I felt like I was at that level of contentment, and she was still like having her foot on the gas, and I'm like, whoa, we can't do this without each other. Like it doesn't work that way, and I don't know if I can keep up.

SPEAKER_03 42:02

I feel it's more more important making memories, going on a vacation, going on trips and making memories together than just having things, yeah. For sure, for sure.

SPEAKER_06 42:13

I don't I don't feel as though which is odd about her, she's not materialistic, like material things have never been her like pursuit of. Um, but it's just like okay, whatever, what's next?

SPEAKER_04 42:31

I'm just like, let's buy a 112-year-old building. That's my material and fix it.

SPEAKER_03 42:36

I know go ahead. Talking about fixing, yeah. Actually, we've uh last year we bought three places. You did? Yes, and remodeling um houses. And so the one house I sold before I ever even put it on the market. I just put before and after pictures out, and I had a buyer like that.

SPEAKER_04 42:55

Great job. That is awesome.

SPEAKER_03 42:58

Uh, we've created a lot of memories. I mean, some late night working hours. Um, you know, 12 and 1 o'clock were working on the house because we worked during the day, and then the evening we fixed the house. We even had the police come out, you know, telling us it's past 10 o'clock. We're like, yeah, we need to be quiet. But we've created a lot of memories.

SPEAKER_04 43:17

And when you say we, it's you and your children, my boys, yes.

SPEAKER_06 43:20

That's cool. You said though that's 28, 26, 24?

SPEAKER_04 43:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_06 43:26

Uh how are they like, how are your kids in general with like entrepreneurship? Do they think it's a good idea? Do they think kind of shy away from it?

SPEAKER_03 43:36

Definitely, I would say um four out of the five have an entrepreneurship mind frame. Um, so my oldest son, he has the ice cream store, he sells all sorts of things. Um he's amazing. Um, and then my favorite. No.

SPEAKER_06 43:55

It's okay. You can have I have a favorite.

SPEAKER_03 43:57

Well, not they always tease me about which one. My favorite one.

SPEAKER_06 44:00

Oh, yeah, they should. So my and then I tell them, Well, you're not it up for game. Like you gotta be a better kid, and then maybe you'll be my favorite next week.

SPEAKER_03 44:10

So my 24-year-old one, he I lived with him, or he lived with me actually. Um, and I moved three months ago, and like it was so hard on me because he stayed at my old place, and like because he was always he's the calm, just chill, and like everything will work out. Like, yeah. Who is the one that has the snake skin on your wall?

SPEAKER_04 44:33

That's him. That's a really cool wall. Yeah, that's I love that color, and the snake skin's pretty cool. Where did he get that? At an auction.

SPEAKER_03 44:43

So cool. Um, I have a few cleaning stories if you want to put in there.

SPEAKER_04 44:48

Yeah. So I feel like um you have so many good cleaning tips too. We you uh we'll plug you in so people can follow your page because she will seriously have like, hey, a cleaning tip, like how to wash your washer. That was a good one. It went viral. That was my first one. Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_03 45:04

Yeah, you have 400 some thousand views. Holy buckets, yeah. Okay, so go, sorry. So I love, you know, finding ways of cleaning smarter, not harder, and things that work. Uh, I try to stay natural as much as I can. And I feel like I have to have the top-notch supplies uh equipment to, you know, to do a good job. And I've tried out many things and I kind of feel like I've found you know what works. Um, but I feel like going into a client's home, I mean, takes a lot of trust. Like I wouldn't want just anybody in my house. No. And I feel it's because of they can trust me that I do have the clients that I have. For sure.

SPEAKER_04 45:43

You have a trustworthy face.

SPEAKER_03 45:45

So when I moved here um in 2018, so almost eight years ago eight years ago, I drove to Green Bay almost every day, um, getting houses ready for the market, um, move ins, move out. So that's what I did. And now I have 60 clients. Like so amazing. And I have a number of clients that I've never ever met in person, just over the phone. They it would unlock the door, and I go in, give them a quote, and they're like, Yes, and then I've cleaned it. So for one client, six years I've cleaned for them. And you've not met them? Never, never met them.

SPEAKER_04 46:21

And so, like, so your business kind of grew because of word of mouth?

SPEAKER_03 46:25

A lot, yes. I feel like those are the best clients, is word of mouth because they already trust me. Oh, my friend has her eye sister.

SPEAKER_06 46:33

That's what Elijah just said.

SPEAKER_04 46:34

Elijah Bainkey was on, and he has a cleaning service too, which ironically interesting she was just on, and he said that too. It was like the word of mouth ones are the best clients, usually.

SPEAKER_03 46:44

So a funny story about this one client. I clean, um, I clean for him, the one that I've never met, but we've talked over the phone. And so I cleaned for a few months, and then I took the girls in, and then the girls start cleaning. Well, they didn't know he has cameras everywhere. And so when they went alone, they're just being funny and they're cleaning out the fridge, and there's like there's pizza in the fridge. Let's eat pizza. And and all of a sudden a voice goes crackle, crackle, crackle is like, help yourself to the pizza. And they were joking, they weren't right, they just lose it and they run down to the basement and they're rehearsing everything.

unknown 47:21

Like, what?

SPEAKER_03 47:22

Like, and and and they look up and they see another camera in another corner, and so they run to the bathroom.

SPEAKER_04 47:28

And so that hopefully there's no camera in there.

SPEAKER_03 47:30

No, so that night they're telling me the story. They're like, We hope you won't lose this client. So I called our messaged client. I'm like, I'm sorry for the drama, the girls are just playing, like or just joking. And and so we still clean for him this day. Oh, that's so cool.

SPEAKER_04 47:49

And he he or she probably meant it, like help yourself. Yeah, that's so funny. And when you say girls, are they your kids or like your cleaning cleaning girls?

SPEAKER_03 48:00

Correct. And how many staff do you have? I have 14 less. Oh, so at some point I would like to back off. I mean, I love cleaning, but I know it's physically, it's hard work, extremely hard work.

SPEAKER_04 48:12

And how many hours do you personally put in cleaning a day? Do you think?

SPEAKER_03 48:15

I mean, it depends. If I have help, you know, we're done five, six hours, but we do, I mean, we do five, six houses a day, but during the summer, we'll do 12 plus houses a day.

SPEAKER_04 48:27

That's insane. So my mom cleaned homes for a little while. My dad was in a bad car accident, and she hated it when they would charge her hourly or they would want to be charged hourly. Because she's like, just because I'm good at it and I get your house down, don't punish me. So she started charging per job. That's what I do. Yeah, because she would get the house down and they'd be like, Well, that only took you that long. She's like, Well, I'm getting that good at it, and I have a system going, you know.

SPEAKER_03 48:53

We definitely have a system going. And to me, I mean, I tell my clients, if you're not satisfied, you let us know, we'll make it right. Like, we want you to be 100% satisfied. And so, yeah, I do them all per per job. And of course, we're we have it down to a science. I believe it. What is some cleaning hacks you can share with us? So, one of my latest ones that I really, really like is salsuds. It's just it's a natural uh castle soap cleaner. Yep. Uh, it takes like really, really little, and you can make a big bottle full of soap, and it it's it cleans almost everything. Then also I I really like using if you have heart water stains, using the zero zero zero uh steel wool pad. Um and yeah, just get all that off.

SPEAKER_04 49:41

What's your secret with wood floors to help them shine?

SPEAKER_03 49:46

So I use I'm I'm really careful, you know, not using chemicals and things or are ruining it, but I just use a small drop of don dish soap. That's all I use.

SPEAKER_04 49:56

Oh yeah. And that helps it shine and clean it good. Look at you. Very simple, very basic. Yeah. My mom was a big um advocate with vinegar too. But then, you know, what if your clients don't want to smell like a pickle? Yeah, right. Do you have stuff that like because we kind of jump all over the place? Sure.

SPEAKER_01 50:18

So Cammy's good at like, I have questions.

SPEAKER_04 50:21

Cammy's has really is good at like being like, wait, we should have touched more on that.

SPEAKER_01 50:26

Um, so I have two, but the first one, because I know you talk about your your being saved story. Do you have any other because I I feel like when people have gone through significant transitions in life, that's where you almost have a very visceral experience with God. Do you have any other stories with that of just something that you're like that was God in that moment, or just in that transition period from Amish out?

SPEAKER_03 50:51

So I had such a piece at that point of transition, like, because I felt like everybody was cutting me off because I would be telling them my story and I was totally innocent. I wouldn't, I didn't know that they didn't want to hear. Like, I felt like the whole world needs to hear. So I'm just like, as I'm telling everybody, I have like complete chills, they would cut me off. So during that time, I would go into my closet and in my bedroom and pray. And that connection I will never forget. Like, I'm so thankful for that time. Like, even though it hurt really, really bad, I'm extremely thankful for that time because it just it brought me really close to God.

SPEAKER_01 51:31

Kind of solidified the foundations. Yeah. Um and then if somebody is like, what would your advice be for somebody that is transitioning out of the Amish community? What would you advise them in that um transition process? That's a great question.

SPEAKER_03 51:50

I would say um read your Bible and stay close to God and not worry about what everybody else is saying or thinking.

SPEAKER_04 52:01

It is and what would you say for them to like if they're worrying about losing connection with their family?

SPEAKER_03 52:10

So with time it did change for me, but at that point I did not see that or foresee that even at all. Um, but it did change.

SPEAKER_04 52:18

So were your parents at risk of being thrown out by talking to you?

SPEAKER_03 52:24

Yes, and even so my brother actually got excommunicated from this whole situation. My brother got excommunicated.

SPEAKER_04 52:31

So there is a myth, or is it the truth? Let's ask Miriam in this area that if they want, if they want to get like new blood in the area, they'll is that true? Like stud people in or like stud out a man. Oh, no, that's a lie. I mean, yeah, there are men that are perverts and and they'll do that. Okay, okay. Am I making sense? I'm being too vague. There was a always this like thing in there, like they used to put in the paper if like a smaller, like around this area, it's not as obviously as big, right? Is where you came from. And if they needed new bloodline, like so there was an incest going on, they would look for a man to come and from another community.

SPEAKER_03 53:19

I don't think so, not in our community, but there were things that happened. I mean, definitely um things that happened.

SPEAKER_06 53:25

What's your favorite thing about not being Amish anymore?

SPEAKER_04 53:32

Can you just light up a cigarette right now and cross your leg? No, I will do that.

SPEAKER_03 53:38

I will tell you. I love driving. Yeah, uh, I really love driving. I am a crazy driver, believe it or not. Like fast? Yes.

SPEAKER_04 53:49

Get her, Keith.

SPEAKER_03 53:52

So that's where I wanted to get to with the police. Oh yeah. So when I moved here a few years, like my son was like, go to Reisner here in town. Like I had All State. He was like, go to Reisner. And so I went there and he's like, he's like, your records. He's like, I can't get you any great policy. Like, this is like really bad. Like, and I'm like, uh, what is it's probably my children, like, you know, they have crazy driving records, something. And and he's like, no, it's you. So I had gotten stopped, you know, quite a bit because I drive, yes, because I drive really crazy. But guess what? I don't think I've gotten any tickets in the last five years. Oh, so it should be better.

SPEAKER_06 54:30

Yep, it'll be good again. Try it out, try it out again.

SPEAKER_04 54:34

Get new, hey, Tony. Tony, we gotta go insurance maybe.

SPEAKER_03 54:38

I just listened to him today. But the thing is, I'm friends with a lot of the police, and I work for a number of police. Um, interesting story. The one, I mean, I met him, had no idea he was police. He just had come and you know, clothes on, and and we're cleaning. And one day he had his closet door opened, and here's like all the police uniform. And I'm like, what? We're like, Well, he's a police, okay.

SPEAKER_04 55:04

So I looked him up, I googled him, and you're like, don't steal pizza from this fridge.

SPEAKER_03 55:11

So a number of them, and I think I've told Keith, like, he was see, see my vehicle, don't stop me. Yeah. So I've gotten stopped a few times just last week, but I haven't gotten any tickets.

SPEAKER_04 55:23

I wouldn't give you a ticket. Like, you would have to be evil to give her a ticket.

SPEAKER_03 55:28

She's so sweet. A number of them told me, like, yeah, we see your vehicle, we'll just wave at you. But now I don't have any logos on my vehicle anymore because you know, sometimes we drive if we drive crazy, like we don't get any calls.

SPEAKER_04 55:46

I have um I have thought about putting like the mill logo on your there is on your old Jeep truck, but that's different. But I'm like, uh if I cut someone off.

SPEAKER_06 55:55

If I pulled over in that in that truck.

SPEAKER_04 55:59

Oh yeah. But or if I accidentally flip someone off and I have the mill logo, it wouldn't look good.

unknown 56:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 56:06

But you drive around flipping people off a lot. No, it was a joke. I think I think you're safe.

SPEAKER_03 56:12

So I do have a really good eye out for police. Like, you know, yes, I still do drive crazy sometimes, but I do have a good eye. Like, you know, now you know.

SPEAKER_04 56:21

Now you know what do you drive?

SPEAKER_06 56:24

She's got like a usually you have a black Tahoe, right?

SPEAKER_03 56:28

Yukon. Yeah, and and now I have a little Toyota um Avalon, and the thing is so fast. Like, I mean, like lightning, like it's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 56:41

Can you talk a little bit more of your experience growing up in the Amish community? Just if you have any stories from that time. Let me think a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 56:50

I mean, I grew up working extremely hard.

SPEAKER_06 56:54

Um what kind of things did you like to learn about when you were?

SPEAKER_04 56:58

Did you go to the doctor?

unknown 57:00

No.

SPEAKER_04 57:02

Home births. Like if you had babies, they were at home. Yes. Um medicine, like what was your medicine?

SPEAKER_03 57:09

Just natural remedies. Never went to the doctor. Which, like I told you, my mom was like a uh herbal is crazy natural, right? So yeah.

SPEAKER_04 57:17

Was there here's I I know I interrupted you. Oh you know where I'm going with this?

SPEAKER_06 57:22

I well, I was gonna ask you.

SPEAKER_04 57:24

Do you think because this was also something that people have said, did you do you see a lot of autism in the Amish community? More or less the same? I would say less. Okay.

SPEAKER_06 57:38

Do you think that there is um like does everybody get birth certificates that are born? Yes, I would say so.

SPEAKER_03 57:50

And maybe the lowest class of Amish.

SPEAKER_06 57:52

I don't know about them, but actually, I think they probably don't, but like the rest of the so there it's possible or maybe probable that there's people that live in the Amish community that could be born and pass away and nobody knows they were alive.

SPEAKER_03 58:14

I mean, the older class, like so if they die, they actually have the what do you call it, the mortician or right. He comes out to their house and he does it because they don't want the body taken away. So he does it like right there at the house.

SPEAKER_04 58:28

So what does that look like? What does death look like in the with the Amish religion?

SPEAKER_03 58:32

Like, what is it used to be like really like a lot of grief and wailing? Um, I remember when my mom passed away, like she had cancer, and so I could barely recognize her. Like when they brought her back, I'm like, I don't even know who this is, and everybody else is crying, and I could like barely cry because I'm like, this is not even her, like um, so it was really hard.

SPEAKER_04 58:58

I imagine, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_06 59:00

Um, is there is is it like a common funeral, like for the past?

SPEAKER_03 59:06

Yes, which they would have a self, you know, they would bury them themselves then instead of having somebody come in and bury them.

SPEAKER_06 59:14

So they like the Amish community had like their own cemetery, yes. Okay. Um and would there be a service like in church or is it a service over the grave?

SPEAKER_04 59:25

Both like us and a wake, like a not anymore, but they used to do that, yes. I'm intrigued with the medicine. Like, I really wish I could never go to the doctor. Like, do you do you make a lot of your own medicines, like knowing all that stuff?

SPEAKER_03 59:42

I do, and so actually, I mean that's what we used to do like 20 years ago. Plus, like we would make all our own herbs, which like I told you, my father-in-law was a crazy herbalist, right? And so and then he was sick, right? But my doctor would make all the uh herbs and things to sell.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:01

That is so awesome. Um, so do you like do you go to the doctor? Like, um like are you do you do that or do you very seldom?

SPEAKER_03 1:00:09

I just own personal reasons, I would rather take something natural instead of.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:15

I agree. I wish I had the knowledge behind it though, instead of like I have books, I have a lot of herbal books and jars and the intent of like making my own stuff, and I have like eardrops and stuff or like if Nash is like starting to like if he's getting an ear infection. But I would love to be an herbalist and like really know how to do all that stuff.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:34

Um, do you know the books? Is it be your own doctor? Yes, because that's by those. Okay, yeah. Oh, there's a woman in my church that like is all about that and she'll be able to do it. And it really works. Yeah, it really works. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:48

You need to get it. Be your own doctor. Okay. See, what I find my problem is is like when I get these books, it's a whole bunch of herbs I don't have.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:58

But most of this is just normal things that you know you would have. Okay.

SPEAKER_06 1:01:04

Do you have a greenhouse?

SPEAKER_03 1:01:07

Uh, I don't, but my daughter actually just started uh really plants in my swimming pool room.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:15

Oh, I bet. I bet you it's perfect warm. Journey's like, do you know she has like a pool? And I'm like, I haven't been to Miram's house, but nice.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:25

I went from an 800 square foot house to a 4,000 square foot house.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:29

Wow, good for you, but I've worked hard. You you have good for you all.

SPEAKER_06 1:01:35

I would like for her to learn how to do that stuff, and then she can have a spot in her apocalyptic compound.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:47

Yeah, we're gonna have a like but it it was kind of funny because we're like, okay, if World War III happens, like we're gonna have like this. What we don't tell people, no, we don't, but but I was like seeing who what everyone can bring to the table, and he's like, What do you got? I'm like, Well, I can market for it. No, I I didn't say that because that's not relevant. I'm like, I don't know, I don't know what I'll do, but I can garden if I try, you know.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:18

That's one thing that I really appreciate of what I learned growing up is being able to be self-sufficient.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:24

Yes. Yeah, I feel like that that would be very beneficial.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:27

Because they say the people that if like the world really goes south sideways, yeah. It it's gonna be uh Amish community, they're gonna be unfazed, they're gonna be like, oh, okay, just another day. We don't need we don't need electricity, we don't need all this stuff, and they'll be able to figure it out.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:41

The the hunter-gatherers are gonna be the ones that are gonna survive.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:48

What do you what what kind of skincare do you do? You have beautiful skin. So I go to Fresh Face. I love her. Megan.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:55

Oh, yes. Um, I had severe issues because I had uh shingles at one point, so my skin was just like, oh, like a thousand needles on my face. Oh. And since I've gone to Megan, it's like it's cleared up. Yeah, you have really good skin. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:12

Okay, one more question. Um, and sometimes I don't know how to word these questions, so bear with me. But what values do you try to instill in your children, grandchildren, based on what you learned from growing up and transitioning out? Does that make sense?

SPEAKER_03 1:03:30

Yes, absolutely. So um having a good work ethic and then also giving back to other helping other people. So something I had wanted to share earlier is my um father-in-law's barn burnt down, like a big um huge barn burnt down. And two weeks later, they had a barn raising where hundreds, thousands of people would come help build up the barn. Like in one day, they have the barn rebuilt. So I really appreciate you know the helping each other out in time of need.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:05

Um, so I definitely want them to give back to the community, help other people out.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:12

Yeah, that's cool.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:14

That is that is something that the Amish are known for his community.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:19

If there's a need, they'll be there to help. I feel like you have more you want to share.

SPEAKER_06 1:04:25

I wrote like three pages, but I'm playing right now. We we will probably have you back.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:33

Yeah, so like you can um like process of like what we talked about and stuff because I don't want to press too much on things you don't want to talk about. And do you have anything else?

SPEAKER_06 1:04:44

I mean, I could sit and talk with you forever.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:47

Yeah, we're super and like we'll make sure we'll plug in your your business. Are you taking new clients right now?

SPEAKER_03 1:04:53

For the summer, yes. Right now, I'm pretty well maxed out, but during the summer I have more girls helping, and and definitely um we'll take more.

SPEAKER_06 1:05:02

Okay. Well, thank you so much for coming. Yeah, we're gonna have you on again. Hopefully you had fun. Do you feel good?

SPEAKER_03 1:05:10

Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_06 1:05:11

So, like I say this often. I've never gone to therapy, but I imagine that this is what you'd feel like when you're done. Like you just feel good, you know, like we just got done talking to somebody on a couch, sort of the same.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:26

I really is she off? Is she dead?

SPEAKER_06 1:05:29

She's still going. Yeah, unless you want to be on.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:33

Well, no, it's fine. So I would have been used to be like really nervous to even speak in front of anybody. But I did the Dale Carnegie class um eight years ago. So this was when I um just before I moved up here, I gone to a free version of it. I was like, oh, this is great. Do you know who Dale Carnegie is? Very famous. Okay. Um and so it's like $2,500 to do it. The class. And so somebody asked me, Are you signing up? And I said, No, I said, I can't. Like, and he's like, Why not? And I said, I don't have the money. I mean, we were poor, we were broke, right? And and he's like, if you want to do it, go write your name down. It's taken care of. And this random man that I had no idea who was paid for my class. Really? And so it helped me so much with you know speech and confidence. Um, that is such a good idea. So I'm not nervous at all. I mean, it's been wonderful. No speaking with you. Yeah, you are so great.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:33

Good.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:33

And in that class, I got the last week, I won first place for making the greatest difference from the beginning to the end. Because at in the beginning, I could barely speak.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:45

Oh my gosh, good for you. And now look at you. Killing it. You're you have a really inspiring story, Miram. I'm happy you were on, and we're gonna have you on again for sure. I appreciate you all very, very much. You are amazing, amazing, amazing. Thank you so much. All right, we'll see you next Tuesday.

SPEAKER_06 1:07:05

Bye, everybody.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:06

Bye.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:08

Helmet freely walk in your heart.