SPEAKER_04 0:01

All right, we're back. It's the striped daddy, Jake Meisner, Jake's Lawn Care.

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Katherine is back. Office admin extraordinaire.

SPEAKER_01 0:13

So uh what are we gonna chat about today?

SPEAKER_00 0:18

So let's first start with our uh the update on our Chevy situation. Because last week we talked about how we were kind of frustrated we didn't have any ETA or a diagnosis, so why don't you take it away with uh what happened this week?

SPEAKER_04 0:32

Um so I think we were at day number eight or day number nine without the truck, and I called to get an update on the parts that were being ordered because parts were ordered, but there was no diagnosis of the issues at hand with the uh oil consumption on the truck. And they said as soon as the parts come in, I will then have a timeline of when the completion will be. And I'm just you know, I'm just sitting on pins and needles because I'm like, well, what is the actual issue? And then was it Wednesday of this week?

SPEAKER_01 1:13

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 1:14

I got a call that came in. I was on the other line, and I recognized the number, but I just wasn't putting two and two together. And so then I quickly see on my iPhone like the preview of the voicemail, and it's the head of service, and he was letting me know that the truck was done. I was like, huh? I thought I was gonna be notified when the parts came in, and then an ETA.

SPEAKER_00 1:42

Meanwhile, this is after I had called twice and left a voicemail with no response. I had left a voicemail the Friday beforehand. Um and then Monday like late afternoon, right? Yeah, then he got back to me Friday and he was like, I hope to have a diagnosis by Monday. They don't have an update yet. And then magically it's ready.

SPEAKER_06 2:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Which is so crazy to me because this guy was like the head of the service department. Like when you see stuff that's ordered in your system, like how do you not know what it is or like what it's for? He made it seem like he had no idea.

SPEAKER_04 2:23

You see part number 266432 come in. So like you're gonna know what that is.

SPEAKER_06 2:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:29

So then I'm on the phone and he said, Okay, so this line's been ordered. And I said, To what? And he said, It goes to this part, and I said, Okay. And then he said, New seals and all that kind of stuff, and I said, Great. I said, Are you guys installing heavier duty lines and seals? And he goes, Well, you're at the heaviest duty, I mean, being at 3500, and I said, Okay, but it failed within 9,000 miles of being purchased, brand spanking new. So that doesn't give me a whole lot of confidence, but okay. And then so I go to pick up the truck. Thankfully, the dealer's like five minutes away, so I had a team member do some stuff. Uh, I think just change blades and stuff, and I was back. Well, I shouldn't say before I know it, because it always takes a while to get your truck back and sign the paperwork and everything. So I'm reading through the notes, and it's just not addressing the oil consumption. Like, there's just some BS written down about how oh, we noticed um a little leak, and when tested, we could not tell if it was oil or transmission fluid. I'm just like, okay. Um, so then they did their oil consumption test. Like, you can't really do it there after an oil change, but okay. So they did that, and then the notes say that everything uh is basically acting as normal. They changed some stuff out on the transmission lines as well, and then I had a mirror, driver's side mirror, that was not wanting to fold out. It would fold in sometimes, then it wouldn't fold out, and then vice versa. So I just figured, okay, it's probably just from sitting in the winter. Okay, brand new truck, but I guess I'll shoot some grease in it or lubricant and whatever. Did that it was working for a hot minute and then it wasn't working again. So I was like, okay, we clearly have an assembly housing issue, and so they replaced that as well. Um, you know, had to pay the 80 bucks or whatever it is for the oil change, okay, is what it is. I understand you need fresh oil in there, even though there is fresh oil that's just been consumed and consumed and consumed, but okay. And I mean, you guys saw this video did blow up quite a bit. And just to give you context, like I knew something was wrong because the low oil light came on and it alerted crew lead Alex. So he immediately let me know. I said, Okay, check the range, and he said, Yeah, it's pretty low. And I said, Okay, all right. So, and this oil was less than I think it was 1800 miles since the last oil change.

SPEAKER_00 5:36

And yeah, I don't think you said it was much more than a thousand.

SPEAKER_04 5:39

Yeah. And I'm going like, what the hell? So I'm looking for a leak when this initially happened, not seeing anything. And so I grab a big five quart of what's recommended and synthetic. Now, everyone and their mother's commenting, like, don't use synthetic, use this, change out the weight. Okay. We're in a bind. I yeah, but I shouldn't have to experiment with oil. If this is what's recommended for the truck, then this is what I'm gonna put in the truck. So I grab a big five quart, get a brand new funnel for it, because it's in a little bit of a weird position. And uh so I start filling this. And I'm looking for leaks while I'm doing this, everything's looking fine. And so I pour in what I think is around half a quart, three quarters of a quart. And then not even close. I was like, hmm. So then I put in a little bit more, check it again. Nope. I'm going, all right, I'm just gonna fill this bitch up. And I put in close to three quarts, and then I finally saw some range, and I was like, you've got to be joking me. So then when it was all said and done, between monitoring it from that initial point to then when a couple weeks go by of constantly looking at this thing, less than a thousand miles put on the truck, and I was nearing a full five quarts of oil that needed to be added. So then I don't even have an answer from the dealer because the paperwork does not explain what is actually causing the consumption of the oil.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

I think that because everybody tells you that like certain dealerships or not even certain dealerships, I feel like most dealerships don't like to do warranty work because it's hard to get that like reimbursed from GM for the warranty. Of course they're doing, which I totally get. So I feel like part of it is like they have to code things probably certain ways, but again, that's like internal politics that shouldn't affect like the customer service or you feeling like you're walking away with a truck that's actually fixed and that you're not gonna be in the dealership a month later with the same exact issue and then be out another vehicle.

SPEAKER_04 8:13

And I have no qualms against the dealer. Like this was put in their lap. Yeah, it wasn't communicated.

SPEAKER_00 8:21

I gave all the details to Chevy when they reached out to me directly on them on communication though, but then Instagram like multiple times.

SPEAKER_04 8:29

Okay. Well, they're busy. I mean, it's chaos.

SPEAKER_00 8:32

I get it.

SPEAKER_04 8:32

Just like I mean, I wouldn't want someone else breathing down my neck, but when I am not provided a loaner vehicle to generate revenue and I'm down a truck, I have to figure it out, I have to borrow someone else's asset. Thankfully, they didn't need it. But like, okay.

SPEAKER_00 8:48

I mean, we were just talking about this last night that all of this could have been avoided if you would have gotten a rental vehicle. Like, I feel like your qualm, like it still would have sucked, but it would have been tolerable had you had a rental vehicle that could tow. Like that was the solution.

SPEAKER_04 9:06

And and don't give me this bullshit about how, oh well, you could have gone to Hertz or Enterprise or you know, Hertz has heavy duty rental. Nothing was available, no one has trucks, and it shouldn't be your problem. Correct. It shouldn't be my problem 100%. It's in it's in my purchase agreement. But the dealer, unfortunately, they get put in a position to have to fix GM and Chevy's problems. Now, this is not just GM and Chevy. Ford has their issues, totally. RAM has their issues.

SPEAKER_00 9:42

I just got a recall notice on my Jeep that we have we're gonna have to take in for service eventually.

SPEAKER_04 9:46

Like I totally understand that stuff happens, but now when I'm reading about people are on their second, third engines with the Chevy, the 6-6 gasser that I have, other people are experiencing this oil consumption problem, leaks, you name it. And the timing of this is very weird because I had done my research and I was like, this is gonna be, I think, the best one for right now.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

And because you have a Dodge as well.

SPEAKER_04 10:24

I have a I have a 6.4 gasser.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

You love that.

SPEAKER_04 10:26

Love that RAM.

SPEAKER_00 10:27

But you were like, I'm gonna try something else.

SPEAKER_04 10:29

Yeah, I wanted to try something else, and the price point of the RAM didn't make sense.

SPEAKER_00 10:37

And then because that that gasser I had gotten was through quite a significant discount with a neighbor who is high up and then this next when you bought the 3500, this was like right when COVID was like at the tail end. So like prices were so inflated because everything was like backed up for such a long time.

SPEAKER_04 11:01

I didn't have a choice. Yeah. I needed the write-off for 24 or 25?

SPEAKER_00 11:07

24.

SPEAKER_04 11:09

And then we bought it at the end of 25, right?

SPEAKER_00 11:12

No, we bought it at the end of 24.

SPEAKER_04 11:14

Okay. Yeah. So I needed the write-off, and I couldn't find the exact RAM that I wanted because I'd had such good experience with it. I wasn't loving what I was reading about with Fords and stuff. I mean, literally, I have friends that I'm close with that have been having electrical issues and stuff like that. I'm like, man, like I don't know what I want to do.

SPEAKER_00 11:34

And so the CPA recommended that you buy something as a write-off towards the end of the year. Yeah. Because the year prior, it was the what was it the Isuzu?

SPEAKER_04 11:46

Yeah, I think that was. I mean, that was a big year. We had the Isuzu. What else did we purchase?

SPEAKER_00 11:51

I think you bought the trailer, the new trailer.

SPEAKER_04 11:53

Oh, yeah, and bought the new trailer. And then in that same year, then I also had to buy the Chevy. Because I'm looking at my tax liability and I'm going, Oh, yeah, I gotta put something back in my pocket.

SPEAKER_06 12:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 12:05

And so we did that. Where was I going with this thought?

SPEAKER_00 12:12

You were talking about why you went with a Silverado.

SPEAKER_04 12:15

Oh, and it just it made sense. It kind of felt like God's hand, too, because the guy, um, a good buddy of mine, Nick Getz, he had a guy that I got my RAM from, and he worked at some Ram dealer, I don't even remember. And he eventually went to Chevy because he was not happy one with how the Rams were being built. He didn't want to stand behind the product. At least this is what he told me. And then he happened to be at the dealership that I bought the Chevy from. And I'm looking at the website, I'm going, no way, he's at Chevy. I was like, that's cool.

SPEAKER_00 12:50

Also, weird coincidence as to why we thought that this was all like a plan, was because it was the same dealer that I had used for 10 years for your leases. So I was like, Oh, let me reach out to my contact. And then I think you were looking on the website of what you wanted, and then you found out that he worked there, and you're like, oh no way, like this is a sign that you go to small world.

SPEAKER_04 13:11

Yeah. And yeah, I mean, that's just kind of the history behind it.

SPEAKER_00 13:18

And so now you have it back. We're hopeful that this is the end of it. Um, hopeful, but skeptical that this is the end of it.

SPEAKER_04 13:28

And I have a couple um friends that work at GM. They're going to bat for me. They're gonna look into this even further. They're looking up my case number, they're looking up the VIN, they're gonna do everything in their power. And I think that's awesome. I think that's great.

SPEAKER_00 13:43

I think if anything, you can use something like this as like a training experience for the company as to like, hey, this might be some of the processes that you want to change. Like, I get to do warranty work and to get paid for it, you have to do X amount of tests to verify that there's actually a problem because people probably come in all the time and say these are problems, and they actually aren't. Yeah. But at the same time, like there was that. Then there was, you know, the problem with getting a loaner vehicle. So, like, all of the things culminated, just made it like not a good experience. 100%. And I think that's what they should use as a training experience of like this is an experience that a customer had, they're getting thousands of comments on a video saying that other people are experiencing the same thing. Yeah, so maybe we should change like how we're doing business for context.

SPEAKER_04 14:32

Let's just look this up really quick.

SPEAKER_00 14:35

Um, then we can get into what we're actually gonna talk about.

SPEAKER_04 14:38

Yeah, so we're at 129,000 views on that video. I have it pinned on my Instagram and uh 8,200 likes, 1700 comments, 366. I don't know if that's a reshare or whatever, and then it's been sent by over 1,200 people to other people. Um, so I'm glad that it's gaining traction and stuff, but like everyone I think is looking at this incorrectly. They're looking at this as like I'm attacking Chevy and GM. That's not what I'm doing. What I'm doing is I'm talking about the process that I've dealt with, with what I'm dealing with, what I'm going through. I'm sharing the experience because all I want to do is help others. And you and I were talking about this because like we've had even some family disagree with this, which I think is hilarious.

SPEAKER_00 15:39

Um, but I want an 18-year-old kid that maybe he's got the money for a down payment for a brand new truck, maybe he's stretching it thin with the monthly payment. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 15:54

But you know what? He's he's willing, he's putting skin in the game, and he's going, I gotta, I gotta get a truck. And he might come across this video, and maybe he's considering a Chevy 6'6 gasser. I don't know. But if he can come across this video and learn from my experience, that's a huge win. And all of a sudden he might just go, you know what? I'm gonna pocket this down payment, or I'm gonna, you know, ride out whatever equipment I have, whatever truck I have. Or you know what? Actually, I'm gonna just buy a used truck that was built properly back in the day.

SPEAKER_00 16:34

Or even at least go into it knowing that this could potentially be an issue. And if you do have this issue, you're not crazy. Other people are experiencing it.

SPEAKER_04 16:44

Don't let don't let the dealers and GM and Chevy tell you, you know, oh, we've never heard of this.

SPEAKER_00 16:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:49

Like you you you literally have proof.

SPEAKER_00 16:52

Yeah. So I think like that's also important too, is to like let other people know that this is a problem. Like you're not crazy because if there's one thing they like to do, that it's like to tell you, oh, that's normal. And it's like, well no.

SPEAKER_04 17:06

Oh, so it's normal to have a really low quality built vehicle that I spent top dollar on.

SPEAKER_00 17:13

And don't get me wrong, I mean, there's the quality of things that have been built recently.

SPEAKER_04 17:19

I mean, it's not just vehicles, it's like electronics, it's um, we'll get an air conditioning unit that my sister had installed two years ago and it's already broken.

SPEAKER_00 17:31

Well, even I was just gonna say, but then you have like at my old house um I bought when I first bought the house, I bought a old like a used washer and dryer from Facebook Marketplace for $300 for the pair. They were like 20 years old at the time. And 10 years after when we sold that house or eight years, they were still functioning fine. The only reason we upgraded is because we wanted something bigger.

SPEAKER_06 18:01

That was it.

SPEAKER_00 18:02

So, like in that sense, um you know, it it's across the board, it's not just GM and Chevy, it's not just vehicles, like everything isn't made like it used to be, which is just the day and age that we're in, but it doesn't mean that your experience is any less because you know you're shouting it out for everybody to see.

SPEAKER_04 18:23

And that's what like the takeaway also is one who I am as a person and how I want to help people. I'm gonna tell you the truth. I'm not gonna sugarcoat anything. Like, if this sucks and you want to learn and you want to know about it, I'm gonna tell you about it. Now, am I the type that goes on Google and leaves bad reviews when I have a bad experience? No, that's not who I am. Am I the type to be a Yelp warrior and tell you about the littlest thing? No. But when it comes to these big purchases where you could be putting yourself in a financial situation, you could be putting your family in a financial situation.

SPEAKER_00 19:03

And nowadays the cost of a vehicle is like like I bought my first house for $125,000 in 2016. The new brand new trucks at the minimum are like $50,000. So, like almost half of what I bought my house for, you want me to spend on a truck and then you can't stand by your product. Yeah, I think that's the worst part. Is like, come on. It's just made that you need me to go through all these tests to verify the issue, whatever. But do the proper things, like give me a loaner vehicle that works. I can't use a Chevy Equinox.

SPEAKER_04 19:41

Yeah, they probably don't have any loaners because they've been loaning them out and they're all in the shop.

SPEAKER_00 19:46

Or if they don't, because they said the one guy told me at the dealer that like it you'd be hard pressed to find like a 3500 anywhere in the Metro Detroit area for um rent or whatever. And maybe they could use that as an exp as a teaching tool of like maybe we should have across all of these dealerships, however, they can make it work, that like there is a commercial vehicle rental available, even if it's just one.

SPEAKER_04 20:18

Yeah, at least you have a at least you have at least you got something that one can haul for these guys for someone, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:25

For these or have one twenty five hundred and then one thirty five hundred. Yeah, whatever, however, you need to do it.

SPEAKER_04 20:31

Yeah. So anyway, but again, I we're not in the distribution and making of cars, totally. But like it to me, it just it's not it's not adding up.

SPEAKER_00 20:42

Well, I think we're both in customer service jobs, and we would never, like you said, um, I don't know if you were telling your dad or something, but you were like, if I ran my business this way, I would be out of business.

SPEAKER_05 20:55

Yeah, I'd be in the ground.

SPEAKER_00 20:57

Yeah. And same thing with my job. Like, if I just basically told people, yeah, look, we don't have like what you're looking for here. Take this instead. Who's gonna accept that?

SPEAKER_04 21:07

Yeah, here, take this other product that one, yeah, it's not gonna help you at all in this situation. Um, but at least we tried.

SPEAKER_00 21:15

Yeah. At least we can't say iPhone 16, and I'm gonna give you an iPad to use. Like it it just doesn't make sense.

SPEAKER_04 21:22

Um, here is your iPhone that you're trading in. Uh I'd like to give you a Blackberry.

SPEAKER_00 21:30

Yeah. So anyway, the meat and potatoes about what we're gonna be talking today is obviously Father's Day is coming up. So we're gonna talk about fatherhood, how it relates to business, how it relates to daily life. You know, we'll just give the give the people some insight on what fatherhood is like. So I have a couple questions.

SPEAKER_04 21:52

Oh, all right. QA. QA. Yeah. Did you write these down? No. Oh, because you're looking at your phone. I was like, this is impressive.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

Screenshot. Um what is one thing obviously our pregnancy was not planned, so very unexpected. What was the immediate first thought that you had when you found out that we were expecting?

SPEAKER_04 22:20

Um I think like most fathers, we're not ready.

SPEAKER_00 22:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 22:26

But you learn very quickly. And I think when you're pregnant, you learn this very quickly, but also as you mature as either as a woman or a man, you're never ready for anything.

SPEAKER_00 22:42

Nope.

SPEAKER_04 22:42

Like you just have to do it. Get thrown in the fire.

SPEAKER_00 22:46

It's like what they say that if anybody waited until they're ready, nobody would do it.

SPEAKER_04 22:51

Um, do you want to maybe just take the listeners through how you so kindly let me know that we were expecting?

SPEAKER_00 23:04

Oh my god. Yeah, this is kind of a funny story. Um, so it was I was working from home that day. Um, Jake was also here because it was winter when we found out we had just lost our great Dane at eight months old. Um, maybe like three weeks prior to us.

SPEAKER_04 23:24

Very unexpected. It's not relevant, but anyways.

SPEAKER_00 23:27

But, anyways, like that's you know where we were at at the time. So obviously I was late, but I assumed this is how it relates to the stress. It was because the stress of losing him that that's why my body was.

SPEAKER_04 23:39

You didn't give it a second thought. Totally out of mind. You're very scheduled, you know, like it down to almost the hour.

SPEAKER_00 23:45

Yeah, so I was like, oh, this makes sense. Like, I haven't been eating, I haven't been sleeping, I've been crying all the time. So, like, this makes total sense that like we just lost him. This is why. So it got to the point to where I was kind of like, yeah, but like this is kind of like a long time. I think it was like seven to ten days, and I'm usually I mean TMI, but like I'm usually anywhere from like three to five days range, either before or after.

SPEAKER_04 24:09

And the funny thing is too, sometimes you've let me know, you're like, mmm, I'm a little late. Yeah. And I'm just like, oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 24:20

This time I didn't have You didn't even think to tell me.

SPEAKER_04 24:23

No, I didn't even bring it up.

SPEAKER_00 24:25

I didn't even have like any like symptoms that it was coming. So I was like, this is really odd. Um so uh Jake was napping and I had gone on to Amazon and I ordered a pregnancy test. And I was like, when it comes, I'm not even gonna tell him because like I don't want him to know like this is what I'm doing.

SPEAKER_04 24:48

Cause you were thinking, I'm just freaking out over nothing.

SPEAKER_00 24:51

I was like, I have to know.

SPEAKER_04 24:53

But but you were even saying, like, it's not gonna be positive. Yeah, but I just need this for my own self.

SPEAKER_00 25:02

Yeah, I just had to know that like, okay, it's coming. I'm just you know, freaking out, everything's way off in my body. And sometimes, like in the past, like seasons changing had kind of like messed with it. So I really truly didn't think anything of it. Yeah. Um so they come in uh to the front door, I grab it kind of like slyly, and I go upstairs while Jake's down here, and um I take it immediately positive. I didn't even need to wait immediately. The lines are there. I'm like, I didn't know what to do. So I come downstairs. Jake's like waiting or waking up from a nap at this point because I had just put some uh rice and chicken in the oven for us to eat for lunch. And um I literally threw it at him and I was like, Look. And he was like still like half asleep, kind of waking up, and he was like, Oh my god.

SPEAKER_04 26:10

Well, I don't I guess this is happening. I think you came down and I don't think you said look. I I think you went well, look what you did. No, I didn't say I think it was something like that.

SPEAKER_00 26:23

No, I think I just said I think I just said oh my god, look, or something like that. I don't think I said that. No, it was something like nice fact.

SPEAKER_04 26:31

It was like nice job or something like that. It was something very passive aggressive.

SPEAKER_00 26:35

After the fact, like I was like I remember I was sitting on the bench in our kitchen and I was like looking at you. Immediately I lost my appetite because I was like, uh And then um I was looking at you and you were like, oh my god. Like I think it was kind of starting to set in. And then you like went to do something outside and I was like, oh my god, like I don't know what to do. Like I I literally was like so not planning this.

SPEAKER_02 27:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:04

And um it was a shock. Yeah, so you came in and we were just like, Okay, like I got I guess we're doing this, like this is what's happening.

SPEAKER_06 27:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:14

Um so yeah, we were definitely not expecting it. Um and I forget why we were talking about that.

SPEAKER_04 27:23

It was just about fatherhood and like the backstory. I just said, Do you want to tell them how you told me?

SPEAKER_00 27:29

Yeah. So um we're gonna talk about just like how fatherhood like affects Jake, like business wise and etc. Obviously in honor of Father's Day. Um so one question that I have for you is like what did you feel when you that was the question. What did you feel like when you found out that like it was happening?

SPEAKER_04 27:54

You're scared.

SPEAKER_00 27:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 27:56

You're scared.

SPEAKER_00 27:57

And why don't you tell them what you did like every single morning?

SPEAKER_04 28:02

Every single morning.

SPEAKER_00 28:03

Like you didn't sleep. You were up at like 4 a.m. doing stuff around the house for like weeks.

SPEAKER_04 28:10

Yeah, and I I wouldn't say like eventually, you know, you accept it. Like this is our life. Yeah, you know, this is this is God's plan. A little weird the timing, um, but okay, all right. And uh so yeah, it just kind of became this I wasn't sleeping much, and it I had already accepted that like we're gonna have a kid, and like, okay, like this is a blessing, like this is exciting, but like, yeah, there was just for several months where I wasn't getting much sleep, and then I just kept like doing stuff around the house.

SPEAKER_00 28:40

And I distinctly remember you were asking your dad about it, and he was like, This is what happens, like your your stress and your need to provide is like already kicking in to where like you need to take care of your family.

SPEAKER_04 28:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:52

Because you had asked him like if he experienced the same thing, and he was like, Yeah, it's just totally normal.

SPEAKER_04 28:57

Um were my dad and I speaking on like on speaking terms because we had that little like rough pet. Okay, so like we were yeah, because we surprised them really cute with the announcement and everything.

SPEAKER_00 29:12

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 29:13

Um but okay, so we were talking, okay.

SPEAKER_00 29:17

Yeah. Um, okay, so just a couple questions. Um what was the biggest like misconception you had about like the newborn phase, like bringing him home from the hospital, like because I feel like people kind of like sugarcoat it like, oh my god, it's so amazing when you bring him home for the hospital. Like our first night home was awful.

SPEAKER_05 29:41

It wasn't awful.

SPEAKER_00 29:43

He didn't sleep at all. Remember, yeah, but like I had to sleep in the chair in his nursery. Yeah, but like you slept on the floor next to me.

SPEAKER_04 29:50

Yeah, but like you gotta think. This little guy just left the most comfy little cocoon.

SPEAKER_06 29:56

Oh, totally.

SPEAKER_04 29:57

And you know, you think you're ready, like you you read the stuff, like right?

SPEAKER_00 30:02

I did have everything.

SPEAKER_04 30:03

I did that book that was like 15 hours or whatever, and I listened to that.

SPEAKER_00 30:07

Yeah, you were telling me things about my body that I didn't even know.

SPEAKER_04 30:11

Yeah, that was funny.

SPEAKER_00 30:12

That was like the segment of himself.

SPEAKER_04 30:14

But like looking back at it, especially your first couple days, you think that you're in these trenches and stuff, and looking back now, it's like, oh, that wasn't shit. Like, that wasn't that bad. You're just so sleep-deprived, yes, and you're so stressed about keeping this little precious human being alive that can't interact with you, can't really do anything. That you're just like it that's why there's just such heightened stress. And but but your question was what was my biggest misconception? I feel like my biggest misconception was that like I didn't realize, even in the book, it talked about this, but didn't really hint at it, was just how much, you know, you obviously know as a man, your your wife, your partner, whatever, is gonna go through hell. You know, this is this is a a recovery. And all the while you're trying to give comfort to this baby while you need time to rest, you need time to take care of whatever you got going on in your body following a pregnancy.

SPEAKER_07 31:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 31:28

And you know, you're the dad. Yes, you can give the kid some comfort, but there's just something uh innate about a woman's touch and a mother's touch. And don't instinct, and don't get me wrong, I feel like I have great instinct when it comes to being. Yeah. And that's not to like put my give myself a pat on the back, but like I was very ready and willing to help. And but they're just I couldn't provide him the same level of comfort that you could. So that that hurts you as a dad because you're like, man, like you feel like you're not connecting with the kid, but like I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm doing everything. And I'm glad I took a step back and realized that, like, yep, this is just kind of how it goes with babies, and I'm gonna do my best to help. And when she's exhausted, I'm gonna help. And maybe I just need to go take him in the basement, or I need to go into a different area of the house while he's screaming his head off, yeah, and you can rest.

SPEAKER_00 32:31

I think that's so valid how you were feeling and so normal, which nobody talks about. Like nobody talks about how like the dads, I feel like find it hard to connect to the baby because immediately the first couple times, the first couple weeks, months even, all the kid wants is their mom. And you know, the mom knows their schedule, like they're synced up. Like I was co-sleeping with Zeke, so we were building a bond much quicker.

SPEAKER_04 33:01

Yeah, and don't get me wrong, him and I were having like great skin-to-skin contact and stuff, but like eventually he's like, Yeah, this Santa's working for me. Yeah, I know what my mama smells like. Yeah, and I want my mom.

SPEAKER_00 33:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 33:11

Okay. Which I it's like, wow, dude, you just spent 10 months with her. Could I could you maybe throw me a bone and we could hang out and be bros?

SPEAKER_00 33:19

And I will say though, that like one of the things that Jake said when we first had him was like, nobody really checks on the dad. And I don't know that I ever really thought about it in the aspect of like, wow, that's really true, until like weeks after he was born, where I was like, Oh yeah, like nobody checks on the dads, like everybody Which I learned that also from that book. Yeah, like everybody's so worried about the mom, and they should because she just experiencing body trauma. Yeah, not only that, and then she's trying to heal herself while trying to take care of a baby, you know, while realizing like her body's not the same, like all of the things that come with being postpartum. But like it is true, like not too many people like check on the dad, but the dad is experiencing the same kind of life change. Like they're experiencing this brand new thing that they kind of are trying to figure out along with their, but they're trying to be the supportive partner, so of course they don't want to bring you the pillar concern. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_04 34:22

And that's what's so tough too. So, like, if you guys like just recently had a kid or you're expecting a kid or know anybody that recently had one, like you guys know as a man, you have to be the emotional pillar for your family, and it's especially during that time, it's a tough role, it is very it's demanding, it's so emotional, it's so stressful, but like I'm telling you, this too shall pass. And if you are struggling with this, you can reach out to me, you can reach out to another dad. Men, we're we're terrible communicators, we're terrible communicators about our emotion. It you it's looked at almost as a weakness, and there's nothing weak about just texting a body saying, I need you, I gotta talk to you for 15 minutes, and just even just getting it out, yeah, so helpful.

SPEAKER_00 35:16

And I also feel like, too, um, one of the reasons why it's like really hard for dads is because you've experienced like this person with your partner, and then you don't know how postpartum is gonna go. So, like your your version of your partner can change at the drop of a hat. So, like you're not only trying to figure out that, trying to figure out like how this is gonna affect her and how your dynamic is gonna change a little bit based on what she needs from you at the time, but then you're also trying to take care of a kid. So I feel like men kind of are having to like, oh my god, I have to pivot.

SPEAKER_04 35:53

Like you literally, your Tom Brady calling an audible four or five different times before the snap count.

SPEAKER_00 35:59

And it's just it's not like I was a completely different person, you know, after I had him. Like, and I mean, yeah, just crazy. Um, but I agree. I think that that's like a big misconception. And I also think one of the misconceptions that we talk about a lot uh between us two is that like people say that like you've you know, I fell in love with the baby right away. We didn't.

SPEAKER_04 36:25

Nope. No, don't get me wrong, it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Of course, you know, I could still get choked up to this day seeing my son come into this world.

SPEAKER_00 36:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 36:36

And as a dad, it's it's so wild because the baby pops out if you're doing a vaginal birth, and you're like, Holy shit, he or she is here, and then you're like, are they okay? And then you're like, oh my god, is is my wife okay? Like, you're fucking savage. Nice job. I think the baby's okay. And you're you're literally being pulled in two directions. And like you and I have had the conversation where like, yes, it in this day and age, you don't have to worry about this, but like it's still a percentage. Some women don't make it during pregnancy, some joke like get emotional thinking about it, but like those are real things you have to talk about, and like you had a set of expectations.

SPEAKER_00 37:28

Yeah, I told you if something happens to me or Zeke, like you pick him.

SPEAKER_04 37:32

Yeah, you don't and I said, Yeah, you're crazy. Yeah, I said, I'm picking you, and those are real conversations that you do have to have. God is good, and we did not have to. We had some stressful times during labor. We you had some stressful times. Yeah, very scary at the last second. But men, you have stressful times too because you have a game plan with your wife ready to go, but you do have to be willing to make decisions on the fly that you don't even think about. And we had those with Z.

SPEAKER_00 38:03

I literally looked at Jake and I was like, You've got to make a call on this one because I couldn't. Like, I was so um, just to make a long story short, I had pushed for almost three hours and he was like stuck under my pelvic bone. So they ended up having to use the vacuum to get him out. And it was a split second decision where I was so stressed from pushing. I looked at Jake and I said, You've got to make this call. I can't.

SPEAKER_04 38:25

And then also, even before that, his was it his heart rate or his blood pressure?

SPEAKER_00 38:32

His heart rate was going up and down, yeah, like crazy with every single contraction.

SPEAKER_04 38:37

And then with certain contractions, you would have to hold.

SPEAKER_00 38:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 38:40

You couldn't push, they'd be like, No, no, no, no, no, don't push, don't push. And all your body wants to do is push. Yeah. So then you're fighting your natural instinct. Like, you're just a savage and you're a beast, and like you did so well, and I'm so proud of you. But like, you men, you're put in these tough positions, and like, okay, don't get me wrong, like they always laugh at like the dads that were cashed out on the couch or whatever after. Now, I don't think that was me, but it wasn't. But it is so emotionally and physically draining. So finally, when he was here and he's wrapped up and he's warm and you're being taken care of, like, there's this it's almost like you're ready to pass out because you're you've everything that was so stressful, it's now leaving, and you can go, oh you can you can exhale.

SPEAKER_00 39:34

Two, probably you like had that feeling because when whenever they use a vacuum, they have to have the NICU staff in there basically.

SPEAKER_04 39:44

Oh my god, what were there? 12 people in there?

SPEAKER_00 39:46

There was 20 people.

SPEAKER_04 39:48

Was it 20 total?

SPEAKER_00 39:49

It was 20 people. There was a team of eight people in the NICU, and then between our OBGYN, between the doctor on staff that was there, between the different nurses that we were having, between all the people that were helping, it was upwards of 20 people that were in the room with us. And like that's scary because like you're looking up and you're like, Is everything okay? But like I didn't know what was going on.

SPEAKER_06 40:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:13

So, like again, emotional support. Like, I'm looking to my husband, being like, Oh my god, like, is everything okay? Like, I'm just I think my first question to you was like, Is he okay after they got him out? Um, because you know, you don't know.

SPEAKER_02 40:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:29

And so yeah, I mean, just if you have a guy in your life that has just had a baby or is a new father, just check up on each other because I feel like a lot of men need the support from other men to even just be told, like, hey, what you're feeling is normal. Like you focus on your mom so much.

SPEAKER_04 40:52

Don't think that like you know, this is like the most joyous time of your work, your life. Don't get me wrong, it's it's a blessing, and this is incredible, but there's so much baggage that comes with this, and there's a lot of stress that comes with it, and it's okay to ask for help, it's okay to reach out to people, but that was so once I was in that position, and I had some good buddies that would, you know, check up on me, but like I make a point, even if it's someone I'm not rem like that close with, and I noticed they had a kid, I'll just say, you know, hey, how's mom? How's baby? And how is dad doing? Yeah, because everyone just says, How's baby and mom? How's baby and mom?

SPEAKER_06 41:33

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 41:33

And after going through it, I'm like, you know, and maybe I'm just a little bitch. I don't know. I could be, but it just it was it was pretty mind-boggling to me, all the emotion that I went through. And and it could be two, I'm very in touch with my emotions. Like, I'm not afraid to let you know how I'm feeling because as soon as I can communicate that to you, we can work on a solution together.

SPEAKER_06 41:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 42:00

So that way, either one, I feel heard, or hey Catherine, like I need you to just like listen and I want a solution. Like, what do you got? Yeah. Versus you, you might just want to get the emotion off your chest and you're not looking for a solution. Yeah. You just want to be heard. Versus, I feel like men, a lot of times, we want to be heard, but we want a solution.

SPEAKER_00 42:23

Well, I think two men are just so because, like you just said, they're the emotional pillar of the family. So they always are like, I want to find a solution to this. And sometimes, like, all I wanted was just to say, Hey, here's how I feel. I don't need you to have an answer for it. I just need to say that this is how I feel so that it's not just like sitting in my head and I'm going crazy constantly thinking about it.

SPEAKER_04 42:50

Yeah. Oh, and then like you don't you're kind of learning as you go. You think you are prepared, and then you're like, Yeah, my kid hasn't taken a shit in seven days. Yeah. You're like, is this normal? And then you're like Googling, you're talking, and they're like, Yeah, it could be up to like 12 days. And you're like, Can you imagine being backed up for 12 days? But their their system just getting is getting fired up and everything.

SPEAKER_00 43:13

Yeah. And but it's scary as a first-time parent. You have no idea. People like prepare you for all the stuff that you need, but nobody prepares you for like, okay, here's what could happen. Here's what could happen. And like, you're like, oh my God, did I ruin my baby?

SPEAKER_04 43:27

But you don't want to have that person, like now that we're eight months in, you don't want to tell them situations that could happen because you don't want to stress them out even more. And you look back at this and you're just like, oh my gosh, we must be decent parents because we worried about the littlest things.

SPEAKER_00 43:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 43:46

You know?

SPEAKER_00 43:46

And I think that's like the importance of like when you were saying that you check on people who have just had a baby or whatever, even if you don't know them very well. I think that's the whole point is like we were dealing with so much stuff that we were like, is this normal? Even to just say to somebody, hey, I'm not gonna scare you with specific experiences that I had, but just know that a lot of the stuff that you will experience that you don't know how to handle is totally normal. And like you have a right to feel like, oh my gosh, it's crazy, but it's normal. Um so along the lines of what we were talking about, about how like it's all people say it's rainbows and butterflies, and it's just not when did you feel like you had that father-son connection with Zeke? Because I know it didn't happen for either of us right away, but like when did it happen for you where you felt like, okay, yeah, like I feel it now?

SPEAKER_04 44:44

Like, do you mean like the calling to be a father or more so just like him and I are bonded?

SPEAKER_00 44:50

More just like I feel like when we first had him, I feel like you and I were both kind of like, yeah, he's just like we're just trying to keep him alive at this point. Like he's not interactive, yeah. He's just kind of a blob, or just like kind of like a lot of things. He's either screaming his head off, you know.

SPEAKER_04 45:08

He's either literally screaming his head off or he is eating.

SPEAKER_00 45:11

Literally, we were just trying to keep him alive. So, like, then I feel like you get to the point where then they start looking at you, they start smiling at you, they start holding your hand. And then I feel like that's kind of when I had the connection with him. So I for me, it wasn't until like three, four months in when I was like, oh my gosh, like I would I feel it.

SPEAKER_04 45:31

I would say, yeah, probably roughly the same timeline too. And but you you get those little glimpses at like two or three weeks old where they're like smirking as they're like sleeping, and you're just like, oh my god, like that's kind of how Catherine looks when she smirks or something like that. And like that's super cute, but it was just rough, and I'm and I was trying to, you know, me, like it's so easy to focus on the negative. So, like, I was trying to find all the positives, and there were tons of positives, but it was just it, it's a new world, it's a totally new world, and like the these are normal emotions, yeah. Like, yeah, there's some parents that like click with their kid right away, good for you, was not me. Yeah, was not you, like no loved the kid to death, would still, even before I felt that quote unquote connection, yeah, would still take a bullet for the kid.

SPEAKER_00 46:27

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 46:27

It's my first point of flesh and blood. Yeah, but like it just it it wasn't clocking to me, and maybe it's just the shock of you now have the most demanding thing in your life that will need 110% of your emotional bandwidth, your physical bandwidth, you name it, you gotta give it to this.

SPEAKER_00 46:50

I think too, like it reveals all of the selfishness that you have in your own life. I mean, like we were immediately you're just like thrust into this. Everything that I want to do is on the back burner. All I'm doing is focusing on keeping this child alive.

SPEAKER_06 47:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 47:08

And I think that that's one of the things that I didn't necessarily expect. Like, because you know, you see things on social media, and I get it, like, social media does a high-right reel, but everybody's like, Oh yeah, you know, my baby's napping. They took to their crib right away, not our experience. Our baby was a contact sleeper up until he was almost five months old.

SPEAKER_04 47:30

Yeah. Which then you also read the science behind contact sleeping and how beneficial it is for you and baby. And so you have to make these decisions, like, okay, well, science says this, society says this. What do I, as the parent, want to say?

SPEAKER_00 47:46

Yeah. And you could find a contradicting opinion to anything.

SPEAKER_04 47:51

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 47:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 47:52

For all the pros you find about what you read, you'll find double, if not triple, the cons.

SPEAKER_05 47:58

And so, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:01

So, another one of the questions that I have, like more speaking to like business, which obviously, like, this is more of like a business-related podcast. This is just a special episode about fatherhood. But how do you balance the pressure to provide financially with the need to be present emotionally? Because I feel like, especially because you own your own business, I feel like it's probably, I might be wrong, but like I feel like it's probably harder for you to be present emotionally because you own your own business. So, like, like you were telling um your dad last night, like it stops with me. If I lose my job, I don't get unemployment, I don't get anything. Like, I have no safety net, like it's on me. And like that has to be so much pressure. So, like, how do you balance all of it now that Zeke is here?

SPEAKER_04 48:56

Well, there just comes a point where you have to choose your family and you have to turn it off. Now you know it's never off. It's never never completely. No, there's always a little simmer going on in the back of my head. But you have to make the decision, like, okay, I have to cut off business from 8 to 10 p.m., right? And then then I can focus on billing or estimates, whatever, after.

SPEAKER_06 49:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 49:26

Um, but you owe it to your family, and and I get it. Like, you know, everyone you know wants to grind and this, and entrepreneurs never turn off. Well, like, yes and no, you you can't emotionally not turn off. Like, you there comes a point where you do have to shut systems down and you have to be with your family, you need that. If you don't, you're literally a psychopath, and I don't know how you can do that, but um you you prioritize what what's important is is sending a couple more invoices out worth it than having my wife be upset with me that I'm still working and I'm not paying attention to my son? No.

SPEAKER_00 50:15

I also feel like, and maybe I could be wrong in saying this, but you so for everybody that doesn't know, we had Zeke in October. We were just getting into the winter season, the plow season. Um, Jake did like fall cleanups and stuff, obviously, that he had already committed to prior to Zeke being born.

SPEAKER_04 50:39

Which which then turned into a shit show because of the weather.

SPEAKER_00 50:42

Yeah, the weather turned early this this path.

SPEAKER_04 50:45

Yeah, but then if it wasn't turning, it was constantly raining. Yeah. And like, don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid to get wet, but like machinery for leaf removal and wet leaves, it just doesn't work out too well.

SPEAKER_00 50:55

It's not a good mix. So um Jake was able to kind of decide I'm gonna take a break from because he had been working with a buddy, and he was like, I think I'm just gonna take this season off and just spend time with Zeke. He's only gonna be this young once.

SPEAKER_04 51:14

And I mean Yeah, but there were other external factors at play with that.

SPEAKER_00 51:20

But what I will say is my whole point in bringing that up was like, I feel like that kind of like recharged you and kind of helped you like put your be able to be there emotionally, but also balance business because then I feel like when spring came, you were like, Okay, I'm ready to go. Like, I got this, I had some time to like spend time with my family.

SPEAKER_04 51:45

It was horrible. Like for someone who is a go, go, go, you're fighting that demon because you're so used to going, but then you know what? It it is okay to take a break, but then you feel like a piece of shit for taking a break. Yeah, and and putting your foot on the brake versus the gas, and you're trying to balance, well, am I a present father? Yeah, but now I'm a shit business owner. Okay, I'm gonna go back to well, no, that this you need me. Yeah, you need my help, and like it's this and I couldn't have done it without you. Yeah, it's nuts.

SPEAKER_00 52:17

Like, I can't imagine if you would have like gone back to work just like immediately, like you know, the two weeks or whatever, like after he was born. Like, I wouldn't have been able to get through it on my own because it was such like a crazy life change. So demanding, so demanding. Um so I feel like that kind of helped um me feel like you were there like emotionally, but also like I because I mean there were times, like just to be candid, in the winter you were like I I don't know if I still want to do lawns, like you were kind of like in a funk, which like granted, fatherhood can do that to you. Like you just had this massive life change, so of course you're rethinking a lot of the decisions that you make and have made, and thinking, like, does this still serve me? Is this still something that can help me like create success for my family? Like, I don't know. Yeah, but then you ended up like how did you get back to being like, Oh yeah, I love this? Like, did you just have a weak moment? Or was it something where you were like, No, I'm actually considering like stopping?

SPEAKER_04 53:29

I think it was just a weak moment, yeah. Yeah, just because you know, everyone just thinks you're just like cutting grass, right? Yeah, like with our level of service, it's totally different. I mean, yeah, you you miss an inch or two of something with these high-end clients that we have. You'll hear you'll hear about it. It's a the the style in which we conduct our business.

SPEAKER_00 53:54

That's just not who you are.

SPEAKER_04 53:55

It's high stress. Yeah. I'm not gonna go easy and like go cut a trailer park and like be happy with that. Um so yeah, I feel like it was just a weak moment where I was like, man, is it like I'm already being worked like a dog, not by you, but like by this kid. I'm getting my ass handed to me by life. Like, do I want to get my ass handed to me and be an entrepreneur still? Like, fudge. Like, I don't know if I want to do this. Yeah. But then I was like, I've I've built this from the ground up, and like it you hear it, you've heard it on the gram, but like, yeah, how does it go? Um, you think the price of winning is too high? Wait until you get the bill for regret, yeah, or from regret. And it's like, I was like, nah, I'm not quitting. Like, it's gonna suck, like getting back into it. I'm gonna be exhausted, but like, no, this this has to happen. Like, I just have to do it. I have to keep going. Because one, I love it, but two, like, I'm like, I have so many bigger goals that I didn't even think were gonna be goals. And I just had some unfinished business to do. No pun intended.

SPEAKER_00 55:13

Did you feel like fatherhood changed your goals that you had for yourself? Because I mean, we talked about in last episode, or maybe it was the episode prior, like how much you had grown within the period from when I met you to like now. And then I feel like even from when we had Zeke to where we are now, like we've grown even more since then. So do you feel like it changed the goals that you had for not only yourself but for your business?

SPEAKER_04 55:40

I think so. I think it does because you have um you have this kid, you want you want to make him proud of you. And uh yeah, you just want to give it everything you have because like I I'm a full believer in creating a fucking man. And there's a lot, there's a huge shortage of men, and I was raised to work hard, and like I wanted to work hard because there's so many losers out there, and I don't want my son to be a loser, you know, and I'm gonna love him no matter what, but like I want to give him the structure. Like, you know, you've gotten you've been upset with me. I've missed two bath times and two bottle feedings out of his whole life. And it was just work-related, or I don't remember what the other one was.

SPEAKER_00 56:36

It was you were looking at um oh, the truck. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 56:41

And so then I'm like, I'm thinking in my head, like, I'm so conflicted because like I'm trying to show this kid that like you're gonna have some tough days, dude. And like you're gonna have to make the decision, like, okay, is providing for the family more important, or is being with family important? And you guys are obviously number one, but there's just days where like, you know, and I'm looking at you and I'm going, why are you upset? Like, okay, eight times three is 24. So out of 240 nights, I'm here 238. And you're pissed about the the two at me, and it's like, Catherine, what do you want me to do? Do we want this kid to just think that like it's okay to quit or it's okay to just give up when like, oh, you know, I gotta, you know, be home. Like, sure, I I have to be home and like I love being home, but there's just days where it's demanding, and like you have to show your son, especially. Yeah, there are gonna come these days where you have to make these decisions, but I'm making this decision for you and mom. I know it sucks that I'm not there right now, buddy. And it's it's like that thing I sent you on Spotify that I was listening to, where the the daughter comes in to this businessman's oh yeah, um, bedroom and he travels a lot for work. And the daughter says, Daddy, why do you travel so much? And he said, Well, this is how I make a living for you and mom. I have to travel a lot, it's demanding, and but this is how I'm able to give you this life. And she said, Daddy, if I eat less, will you stay home? And you can imagine as a dad hearing that that a kid is that smart. Yeah, that in tune with that in tune with one, she misses you so much, yeah, but two, like, oh, if I just eat less food, then daddy won't have to spend money. And he says, You know, I wish, you know, I could have told you, yep, I unpacked my bag and we went and got ice cream, but I continued to pack and I went on my business trip because that's what you have to do as a dad and as a father and a provider. And there's roles where it's flipped, where mom's the provider and dad's the stay-at-home.

SPEAKER_06 58:57

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 58:58

And I'm not saying this is all to men, but it more often than not men are well, especially now because you need almost dual incomes to be able to even like you know have a success story in life, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 59:15

But you just um you gotta make those tough decisions.

SPEAKER_00 59:19

Yeah. I think that's like one of the things that I'm still learning is like I've always had a nine to five. So I've always like been around people who have only had nine to five. So like n being with somebody who is an entrepreneur and has their own business and wants to be successful, but also is obsessed with their profession, too.

SPEAKER_04 59:39

It's not even that you're chasing success, yeah. You're chasing the passion that you have.

SPEAKER_00 59:44

And I think that's like one of the hardest things is like, you know, it's not a nine to five. Like I, you know, I can expect you to be home at a certain time, but like I would like I told Jake, I said, I don't care if you come home at seven o'clock every night, but like I just want you to be home to do his bathtime and his bottle. Because like to me, it's so important that because Jake wants to show him how hard he works for us and the family, that he still knows, oh no, like my dad will be home for my bathtime and my bottle time. Like, this is my time with dad. Yeah, and he looks forward to it every night. I mean, you know, he when he's in the bathtub, he's always looking back, like, where's my dad? And like that's so sweet to see. Like, I get him all day.

SPEAKER_06 1:00:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:38

And then to like want you to have that experience with him and to always look back and be like, yeah, I did this for you, buddy. Yeah, I was home for you, so that I could do all of that. And I mean, granted, yes, there are some times when like life gets in the way and you know, you might and same thing with me. I'm sure there will be times at some point where I miss it too.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:59

But um, yeah, just yeah, those little rituals, they're so special. They're so important like when he's this little. Now that things are, you know, it's more hot season and stuff, so we're getting work done quicker. You know, the the evening walks, like that's and that's all I think about when I'm at work. Yes, I'm locked in and I'm on JLC and I'm having fun and I love what I do, and I'm thinking about the next day and the next day after that. But like, there's kind of like I can't wait to be home. Yeah, I can't wait to see him at the window pounding his cute little hands. Not saying that like he's super excited to see me, but he's understanding of the routine the routine.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:40

When we go to the window, that means dad's coming back.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:42

And then after that, we're gonna hang out and have fun, and then maybe go, he might take a quick little nap. Yeah, and then it's bottle, and that's head out for a walk, and then it's chill, play, bath time, read a book, get dressed, and boom.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:02

I think for me too, it's really important that like I'm always including you in the conversation. So, like, whenever we're at home and we're talking, um, like I'm talking to him, I'm always like, Hey, let's see if dad's available so that we can FaceTime when he wakes up from his nap.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:23

That's our new thing.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:25

Or let's and that's so much fun when you guys call because when I see a FaceTime come in, I go, Oh boy, he's up from his nap.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:34

Yeah. And so, like, I always want him to know, like, dad is the reason why we have everything that we do. Dad is the reason why mom gets to stay home with you every day because dad works so hard for us. So, like, always conditioning him to know that like all that we have is like because dad works really hard.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:55

Well, that's really nice, but also too, like, we couldn't be in this position if it weren't for mom. Like, all the stuff you do for him, all the stuff you do for me. Like, I couldn't be Mr. Provider without you.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:08

There's no way like I couldn't be the mom I want to be without you. So, like, it goes both ways.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:12

Yin and yang with so compliment each other.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:15

That's why I feel like it's so important that you know you're a beast of a mom. Thanks.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:20

I feel bad for the other moms out there.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:22

Okay, stop.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:24

I mean, shoot, you're killing that.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:26

I never wanted to be a mom and never thought that I wanted to be a mom until I met Jake. And it's just been really sweet to see that the like how it's changed the dynamic in our relationship, but also I feel like it brought us a lot closer together because we were really intentional when we had Zeke of like, we don't want to go with whatever everybody's telling us. We want to figure it out.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:51

And we did, we figured it out together. We went through every like high and low of like that newborn stage, and we figured it out. And like here we are, yep, eight and a half months later, and we have a healthy baby. Life's so good, and we have like he sleeps in his crib, like all of this that you know.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:10

So I I guarantee you 99.9% of the listeners are lean in the right way when it comes politically and stuff, but very proud to say that this boy hasn't been jabbed by anything, totally unvaxxed, like pure, pure bloodline. Okay, pure Meisner and Molnar genes just flowing.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:35

So how would you how do you balance like helping Zeke understand like what's harmful versus like creating a like a safe space for him to like make a mistake?

SPEAKER_04 1:04:51

Oh, that's such a good question because that's something I'm battling with right right now. Um, you know, obviously I don't want my son to get hurt. Who would want their kid to go through like physical pain, emotional pain, but at the same time too, like you have to learn to soothe yourself for certain things. And like there's been times where he'll like either bump himself or whatever, I'm like, yeah, keep going, dude. Like you got this, bro. Like, you're fine. And then there's times where there he is like he needs love and comfort, you have to recognize that. But like there was one time where he did something. I don't know if he hit his head, um, or just got scared about something. And you as the mama, like you're good too, about like not immediately like being like, like, oh my god, and freaking out to then freak him out more. But there was an instance, I don't know what happened, but I remember this distinctly, and you were like going to grab him. I'm like, no. I was like, he's fine, like, do not touch him. Like he's freaking out right now, and he's thinking that like if he keeps going. And he'll stop immediately. I know, trust me. I know he'll stop. Don't do it. And like three seconds later, he stopped.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:08

And I was like, okay, cool.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:10

I think like that's part of like the parenting muscle that they talk about that you kind of develop is like immediately when you first have them, like, especially if it's your first kid, you're like, oh my god, they're crying. What do they need? Do they need a diaper change? Do they need a bottle? Do they need, you know, whatever?

SPEAKER_04 1:06:27

1040 at night, I'm opening the fridge.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:30

What?

SPEAKER_04 1:06:30

It's a 1040 at night and I'm opening the fridge. I'm hungry. Um, yeah, the parenting muscle is just so cool.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:38

So I thought that the next thing that we talk about could be kind of like more of like a fun topic. What do you think is your greatest strength as a parent and your greatest weakness as a parent? Obviously, we're only eight and a half months in, so we're not into like the terrible twos or you know, the parts where they start to be able to talk back and you're like, don't like that. Um, but what do you think so far has been your greatest strength and your greatest weakness as a parent?

SPEAKER_04 1:07:16

Wow, I wasn't prepared for that question.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:18

Um Do you want me to tell you what I think your greatest strength is?

SPEAKER_04 1:07:23

No, I wanna see if I can come up with one first before you tell me. Um, greatest strength. I mean I just want to be the best parent that I can be. So like I don't feel like there's I really don't think there's something I'm really good at as being a parent. Like I just I just want to be present and like help as best I can. Like I don't think I'm great at anything because the parenting's hard.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:55

It is hard.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:56

So then my I'd say my biggest weakness. I think my biggest weakness is that I'm sometimes too focused on JLC. I think that's my biggest weakness because I want to just give this kid the best life ever, and I think sometimes I'm too selfish with that. So maybe that's my biggest weakness. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:23

That's good. I would say that your greatest strength is that you're very calm and patient with him.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:32

Oh, thanks.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:33

You don't easily get riled up when he's having a fit or you know, when he's just like being fussy and kind of being like an upset kid.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:45

Yeah, like he's he's figuring it out too. Like he's sometimes experiencing some of these emotions for the first time. So it's like, I mean, how would you react? You know, like of course this kid's gonna go off the handle.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:57

Yeah, I think like you're a lot more you have like a much more calming energy to him. And like when he knows that like dad's there, he's like, all right, like everything instead. Um, and like I can see it already.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:12

Oh, that's cool. Yeah, I guess, yeah. Like now that you say that, because like this is why I didn't want to just say it first. But like, oh yeah, I can see that. Like, I just yeah, that's something that I wanna definitely provide is patience and understanding, and like so that way he can just come to me with whatever he's got. Like, I don't want him to be afraid to tell me I messed this up or that. Like, okay, so what are you gonna do, buddy? Yeah, well, I'm not gonna tell you what to do. Tell me your plan. Yeah, see if it works out.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:45

Yeah, but I'll always be here if you make a mistake and you need some guidance.

SPEAKER_06 1:09:50

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:51

Yeah, I think that's one of the most important parts, and I feel like you really valued that in your dad. That like you felt like you could always come to your dad and be like you think I could that I felt that? Not maybe when you were growing up, but I feel like now you do.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:09

Yeah, because he's a grandpa now. Yeah, no, no, you didn't fuck up with Mike Meisner.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:14

No, I mean, you did not want to mess up with Mike Meisner where you can go to him and you can say, like, hey, I did this. Like, you know, like I feel like even in like situations that we've had where like, you know, we've had an issue or whatever, or they can see that like we're not like getting along at the moment or something, and like he'll say, like, hey man, you gotta like well what's so funny is he's got all these great ideas.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:45

Do as I say, not as I do. Yeah, you know what I mean? Like, because I know he wouldn't do the same thing. Yeah, he's like, Oh, it's sound this sounds really good on pen and paper. He's not gonna do that.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:54

And I feel like for dads, it's like they're speaking from their own experience, but like they're not willing to change their experience to telling you like what they would do differently, which like brings us to the point of like generational family curses that you want to break with your kid, and like yeah, like I don't want to give Zeke advice that I'm not gonna do as well. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:15

But here's the right thing to do, do it.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:18

Am I gonna do it? Probably not.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:20

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:20

Your mom really pissed me off when she said this. Yeah, I should have said, like, if you ever are in this situation, do this, don't do this.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:27

And then like, I just do the opposite.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:30

Like, I made your dad upset. I'm going to apologize. Like, this is what you do when you make someone upset. You don't just like, you know, gloss over it and not like acknowledge that you've hurt somebody's feelings. Yeah. I feel like we're very big on like wanting him to understand stuff like that. Um, let's see. Let's see, let's see. What other questions do I have? What is the most exciting thing that you're looking forward to with Zeke?

SPEAKER_03 1:12:01

Sports.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:02

Yeah. You will thrive in that area. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:07

I cannot wait to like coach whatever he wants to do. Yeah. But like, if he doesn't like sports, like that's totally fine too. I just want to whatever he's passionate about, I want to make sure he has every opportunity to thrive at whatever it is and just give him my undivided support and attention. Like, I don't care if the kid loves friggin' Legos and like that's all he wants to do is Legos. Yeah. All right, cool. We're gonna get like the coolest little Lego set that we can, and we're gonna go to Lego camp or what you know what I mean. Like, I just want if that's what he's passionate about, I want to be able to give him every opportunity to thrive on that.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:48

Yeah. I I would agree with that. I feel like you'll like you'll also teach him that like when you commit to something, you complete it. You know, you we don't just quit here. If you find something that you don't like, like you committed to it, you'll finish it out. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:06

Um, but like I hated T ball as a kid. T ball was the most boring thing ever. And I wanted to quit, what?

SPEAKER_00 1:13:13

I said it is kind of boring.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:15

And but like I I'm almost certain my dad said, like, yeah, that's totally fine that you don't like it. Um, you have like six more games. And I was like, what do you mean? Like, I I don't want to do this.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:30

But you committed.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:31

You saw you signed up.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:33

Sorry.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:34

Yeah. What do you um feel like is the most important thing you want to teach Zeke?

SPEAKER_04 1:13:44

Do what's right.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:45

Yeah. That's a good one.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:48

Um you know, and it it might be a difficult conversation you have to have with someone, or it might maybe doing the right thing might even put you in the bad light for a while. Where like someone might look at you differently, and it's gonna take them a while to actually have the emotional bandwidth to understand what actually you did was the best thing that you could have done.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:11

And why you did that, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:13

So I would say doing the right thing, but just being the most Christ-like that you can. I think that it's kind of like a two-part, I guess, but like when you but by doing the right thing, that's what Christ would do. So being just a very level-headed young Christian man, I feel like that's the most important thing.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:39

Yeah, I I would agree with that. I feel like that's something really important that he's gonna need, and I feel like we've both experienced that part where like doing something right doesn't look good, or it does it's not the popular thing to do, which I think he's gonna have to understand. Or you know, it's gonna, like you said, it's gonna make you look bad for right now. But then when people can look and say from objectively, like, oh, I can understand why you did what you did, like that's that's the most important part of like becoming a good man is like understanding that like I'm always gonna do what's right. I may you know fall along the way, but like at the end of the day, like I'm sure you all you want to do, like all he's gonna want to do is make you proud.

SPEAKER_06 1:15:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:34

And I feel like by doing what's right all the time, like that you'll he'll make you proud no matter what. Let's see, what else can we talk about with Fatherhood?

SPEAKER_04 1:15:45

Right, just so you know, this is all like we're getting this is a long podcast.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:49

Oh, okay. Let's end it with one question.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:51

All right, yeah, because we're at we're at an hour 15.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:54

Okay. What is the biggest thing that Fatherhood has taught you?

SPEAKER_04 1:15:59

You are capable of so much more than you think you are.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:03

Like, yeah, it's just like you mean like dad instinct, or are you just talking like everything.

SPEAKER_04 1:16:11

You are capable of running on so much less sleep, you are capable of chasing your dreams, you are capable of loving your wife and giving her the best version of yourself. You're also able to give your child the best version of yourself, you're able to give your dog the best you, as Mozzie is sitting right in between us.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:31

Like, don't fall into this, like, well, I got a kid now, so I gotta maybe take my foot off the gas and and focus on family. Absolutely. Family is amazing.

SPEAKER_04 1:16:47

But like, I realized how much I had my life on cruise control. And it was like, yeah, it was comfortable and it was fun, but like God has something like on my heart, and I think I've found it, but like I'm just feeling it out still, but I'm like, no, he's got like I'm not even scratching the surface yet. Like, God has some big and audacious goals for me, and it it comes back. I always relate a lot of this stuff, and I just I got a weird memory, but like Goggins, David Goggins, everyone knows who Goggins is, and he's like, I don't want to get to heaven and God say, you know, David Goggins, 300 pounds, worked for um that pest control company, spraying cockroaches. Look what you could have done. This is what this is what I had written down for you, but you decided to take like the easy path or whatever. Like you're capable of so much, and God gives you the tools to to chase that. Like your life has already been picked out. He knows everything that's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:05

He knows the time when your your time will expire.

SPEAKER_04 1:18:08

Yeah, and he knows all of the successes, but he also knows what you're capable of, and he puts those tools in front of you to get to where you're supposed to be.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:22

And typically he doesn't call you home until your job is finished, so you know if you're still here, job's not done yet. Yeah, there's something more that he's put on you that he knows that you're capable of. I didn't think that I was capable of becoming a mom. I didn't think that I would have it in me.

SPEAKER_04 1:18:40

And like, look, like I can't imagine you not being a mom. Like for someone who is so scared to be um become a mom, and someone who is so afraid of like, am I gonna am I am I gonna am I just gonna be a decent mother? One that shows you are going to be a decent mother because you care so much. But like I mean, you were built and bred to be a mom. Like it's so blatantly obvious. You're so good at it. And for me to think that you thought I don't know if I'm gonna be a good mom, I don't know if I want to be a mom. It's like oh my god. When you look up mom in the dictionary, I mean your picture is next to it.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:24

Well, I think it's just because like parenthood is so heavy, it's so like you are raising the next generation, you're molding a child's mind, you're you're doing all these things that it's just like I don't want to mess it up. Yeah, you know. Of course we're gonna see you feel the same way. Yeah, of course you're gonna make mistakes and you're gonna mess it up. For their entire life, not just until they're 18. Once they are adults, obviously you can, you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:19:57

For someone who doesn't get very emotional, you're getting emotional right now.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:00

Yeah, because like I feel like parenthood is just it's such a heavy thing. And I feel like that's really what scared me. Is that it's when you think about the gravity of like God entrusted you with this kid, yeah, this specific child.

SPEAKER_04 1:20:16

He was picked out for you.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:17

He was picked out for you. He God knew everything that was gonna happen and still picked you to be his parent. Yeah, it's just so beautiful to me, and like such an honor that like we're his parents, like we get to experience like all the good and bad parts of him and everything in between that comes with it.

SPEAKER_04 1:20:39

And he gets to experience all of our faults, yeah, and all of our positive things that are like I don't even know what I'm trying to say. Like, he he's gonna see one dad is not perfect. He's a dad is very flawed, but dad also has a lot of good qualities too. Yeah, and like he gets to learn from that.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:20:59

And I hope and pray that like I have way more good qualities than I do bad. You do, but I just because I just I'm obsessed with people who win, and I'm obsessed with people that want to make themselves better, and like I hope that like I give something to him where he wants to be better. Yeah, and that he wants to be the best version of himself because like when you're dialed in and you're focused on being the best version for yourself first, you give so much to others. When you're running on full tilt and giving everything you have, it just you're so much more of a blessing to people around you, and that's what that's what you're supposed to be. Yeah, you're supposed to bless other people.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:49

I think there's this like common misconception with parents where it's like when you have a kid, everything becomes about your kid, and it's like, yeah, it does. There's a time and a place for that, but like you can't pour into anybody from an empty cup. Nope. So if you aren't taking care of yourself first, then you can't be the parent that you want to be for your child.

SPEAKER_06 1:22:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:13

So whatever pouring into your own cup means, whether it's like being consistent in the gym, eating healthy, like staying fit, so that you can carry your child everywhere as they grow.

SPEAKER_03 1:22:24

What was that? Um, do you remember what I told you last week that I wanted to start doing once a week?

SPEAKER_04 1:22:30

Do you remember what I told you? It was so off the wall.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:33

And the Oh yeah. You wanted to go get breakfast by yourself without a phone and just unplug and think about everything in life, really.

SPEAKER_04 1:22:43

Yeah. Like, how did we do last week as an organization? Yes, yeah. And like just enjoy life. Like look around and see everything moves so fast. Yeah, everything moves so fast. And like when the guy was taking me back from the dealership in the shuttle car, like my phone was buzzing like crazy, but I was like, it I was loving the conversation I was having with this guy. And just to be able to just disconnect, and it's not that I need a break from you or from Stinky. It's like I think I just need this for me. And yeah, sure, Jake, you go to the gym at you know 4 30 in the morning. Yeah, but that's not really for me. I need it. Like, that's just to keep my body.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:26

It's like busy time, yeah. Like where you're not just still.

SPEAKER_04 1:23:29

Yeah, and do you think I'm just you know how many estimates I do on the treadmill? And then how like I make sure like the invoices are correct and I didn't make any errors, or you didn't make any errors. Like, I'm working out maybe 40%.

SPEAKER_06 1:23:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:23:45

And the 60% is I'm still JLCing it up. And like I finally realize like, one, my workouts, they're they're pretty good, but they can be better. But like, that's a part of me that like I can do both. I can do I can work out and do business, but like I need to just fully disconnect and I need to unplug, and I think I just want to go to our cute little breakfast spot and go get breakfast alone.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:12

So, parting wisdom, what would be the advice that you would give any father? I mean, obviously, we're only eight months, eight and a half months into parenthood, so we're not into the nitty-gritty, but so far from what you've experienced, what is do you have any advice that you would give either a fat a guy who's already a father, a guy who's expecting, um, a guy who may think that one day he would want to have a kid? Like, what would you give them advice-wise?

SPEAKER_04 1:24:45

Do everything you have. Like you just one, you don't even know if you're gonna wake up tomorrow. So why not put everything you have into it? Like, oh man, yeah, uh the kid was freaking out, the house is a mess, my wife is mentally exhausted, I'm exhausted. Go clean the kitchen, like do something that benefits your spouse because it's so easy to get lost in the weeds, and like mom feels like she's doing everything. And I think that's why, in hindsight, I couldn't sleep when we found out we were pregnant. I feel like my brain was training me to like, you're gonna be really low on sleep, so let's get used to that. And you know, like I literally, you'd be like, Where are you going? It's like two o'clock in the morning. I'm like, I gotta go fold the laundry. You're like, What?

SPEAKER_00 1:25:45

Yeah, and I was just trying to not throw up in the middle of the night.

SPEAKER_04 1:25:50

Yeah, and you're like, baby, you need sleep. And I'm like, no, like I I got a couple hours and I can't sleep, so I'm just gonna be productive.

SPEAKER_07 1:25:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:25:57

So like I feel like just do the best you can to show your partner that you're trying. And like, oh, there's there were days where I just wanted to lay on the couch and like I would have maybe three minutes, right? You know, I'd sit down and then you're like, baby, and I would literally lean my head back. I'd be like, you've got to be kidding me. Like, what could someone need right this second? But like, you're called to serve.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:29

And that's how fatherhood and parenthood is. It's like you're called to serve, and when you think that you've given it all you've got, somehow you find more in the tank.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:41

There's more in the tank. You're just like, there's no, there, there is no way I'm not gonna pass out in six seconds.

SPEAKER_04 1:26:48

And then Mozzie's throwing up in the middle of the night randomly. Yep, you got one dog with like shitting her brains out, and you're like, Lord, I can't take any more. Yeah, please. It if you got more, this is gonna be hilarious, but there's no way you can put more on my plate right now, and sometimes he does. Yep, and it just builds this muscle that you're like, you're so now used to adapting on the fly. Yeah, and like that's what was, I think, too, changing gears. This is just a reflection now that I'm saying it. I feel like this is why, like, my sister is such a great mom, because she was given a diagnosis. My godson Cash, her oldest, has T1D. What a horrible thing to discover that your son has an autoimmune disease, that one he is now not even insurable from a life insurance standpoint. Like, there's so much that goes on in cash's life, and like he could drop dead at any time. At any time. What a stressful, stressful time. And they handled it beautifully, they figured it out, and then they were gifted Colton, just nuts. This kid. This kid's a freak, you know, he doesn't sit still, he's a blast. And then Callie got her third and her biggest wish, a baby girl. And like God puts these things on your because you're like, Callie's, I'm sure when you know she was having cash and she's figuring, she's like, How am I gonna do this? How are we gonna go from okay, now we're going to single income? Because I I can't leave cash with a nanny. I can't leave cash with a mother. I need to protect him. So then, like, God said, like, you got this. Do what you need to do.

SPEAKER_06 1:28:50

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 1:28:51

And then it just, and you're like, then they find out they're pregnant with their second. Like, what are we gonna do? Like, what if cash, you know, like what if his disease gets worse? What if Colton has T1D?

SPEAKER_00 1:29:02

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:04

Figure it out. Yeah, you you already did it.

SPEAKER_00 1:29:06

Yep, you're equipped now.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:07

You're equipped, and now you're equipped for Colton's craziness.

SPEAKER_00 1:29:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:11

And so now you just know, Sissy, she's gonna be a breeze. Yeah, because God's gonna go, you did well. Yeah, this one's gonna be a piece of cake for me.

SPEAKER_05 1:29:22

And she has been these several months. I mean, she just sleeps and she's so sweet. Yeah, and she just hangs out with mom while all the while she's chasing Colton all over the city, and Cash is just going, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:38

I mean, my little brother's pretty crazy.

SPEAKER_00 1:29:40

Yeah, yeah, I mean, it's so true. God definitely um sometimes is a comedian and gives you things, and you're like, okay.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:52

Didn't understand at the time, but now I do.

SPEAKER_00 1:29:54

Yeah, yeah. And that's the coolest part is like looking back on stuff and being like, we didn't expect this pregnancy, we didn't expect to have Zeke, but like I can't imagine now our life without him.

SPEAKER_04 1:30:06

Oh my gosh, it's so much fun.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:08

Like he's given our life so much more purpose. Yeah. And um yeah, I think that's just like the lesson, maybe, is just kids give you so much purpose in your life, and it's up to you what you do with that. Like you just said, God gives you all the tools, and you know it's up to you on what to do with them.

SPEAKER_04 1:30:32

Yeah. So well, I'm starting to get the hiccups. We better end this.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:30:37

All right, gang. Thanks for listening. Special edition, Father's Day.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:41

Father's Day special.

SPEAKER_04 1:30:43

Father's Day special. All right, we'll see you on the next one.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:46

Bye.

SPEAKER_04 1:30:47

Bye.