August 7, 2025 • 45 mins
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The box had been gathering dust under the bed for years. Inside were the remnants of a journey to Russia that forever changed Jamie McAleer's family. "I never thought I'd go to Russia," she recalls, having grown up during the Cold War when the Soviet Union was considered the enemy. Yet God had other plans that would take her across the world to find her son.
Listen to this moving conversation that will challenge you to recognize God's hand in your own life story and consider how sharing your journey might inspire generations to come.
Find Jamie's Book Here: I Will Come To You
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Welcome to the Become who you Are podcast, a
production of the John Paul IIRenewal Center.
I am so grateful to have JamieMcAleer with me today.
We almost didn't make it right,jamie.
We had some technicaldifficulties, but anyways you're
with me.
So it almost didn't make itright, jamie.
We had some technicaldifficulties, but anyways you're
with me, so it's good to haveyou all the way from Alabama,
that's right.
So what is the heat like?
(00:33):
And you know I'm from Chicago,jamie it's been hot, but I heard
there's heat running across thenation, right?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
It's pretty warm here .
We're in the low 90s.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Yeah, you got a little humidity down there too,
right.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
We do.
We got some humidity.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Good to have you with us.
So there's so much I related toin your book.
I Will Come to you a story ofadoption, the relentless love of
God.
Let me just tell our audience alittle bit about you before we
dive in.
She grew up as a Lutheran andwasn't until college that she
first accepted Jesus into herheart.
It was then that she met herhusband, Jack I like that name
(01:10):
and converted to Catholicism.
Both Jamie and Jack were majorplayers in the growth of Krispy
Kreme dynasty are the financiersbehind 4 pm media.
They're also on the boardmembers of Legatus and the
Franciscan University atSteubenville.
Jamie and Jack live in Alabama.
They have three children and 13grandchildren.
(01:30):
So those kids are busy.
It's awesome.
That's right, Jamie you tell awonderful story here and the
importance of stories you bringout in the book, family stories,
personal stories, passing themdown to shape the lives of
children and grandchildren, andso it's really a wonderful way
to start and you tell the story.
(01:52):
It really touched my heart.
You downsized and you'll haveto tell us a little bit about
that, and you found this dustybox underneath the bed, and so,
but before you get into it, letme just tell you a little bit
about the sword behind me.
It's a Claymore sword.
It's a big sword, jamie, andit's an apostolate within our
apostolate at the John Paul IIRenewal Center that reaches out
(02:14):
to young men, especially Gen Zmen, who are searching.
That's why I think your storyis going to touch even young
men's hearts, and so we have alot of them joining us and, of
course, the young women thatlove them and the family members
that love them, and thispodcast will go out to our
general audience as well.
But it's so many young peoplejoining us and I think this
(02:37):
story that you're telling notonly adoption of a child, but
being adopted children of God isgoing to resonate.
Let's tell a little bit aboutthat dusty box and a little bit
about downsizing and how thatcame about.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Well, my mom had passed away.
This was back in 2016.
We knew she had cancer, but itjust all happened very quickly
and I didn't have a chance toask her more things.
You know you think you havetime, you think you have the
chance to ask your more things.
You know you think you havetime, you think you have the
chance to ask your mom or yourdad or someone you love.
You know, tell me some storiesor help me remember this story.
(03:12):
But all of a sudden she wasintubated and she never spoke
again.
So my chance was gone and Ilearned a lot.
So COVID Now, when thathappened, to her.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
So, covid, now, when that happened to her, she
couldn't speak anymore.
That was, it was done, it wasover, you know she.
I sat with her for days andweeks, but she couldn't speak
and that has to be sofrustrating for a person not to
be able to speak.
Me too, I bet you.
Oh my God.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
But COVID came, you know, and we had time.
So my husband and I had my.
Jack and I had kept a journalthrough our adoption and one of
my you know the things on yourmany lists.
I wanted to get it down.
I wanted to go back through itand write it down.
So Alex knew some of thestories behind the adoption and
(04:07):
so my son-in-law, philip, satwith me for many hours and I say
it all in the book that youknow we went through it and he
helped me get it down.
He's a writer and you know heguided me and encouraged me and
so we got a good start.
And then other folks happened.
I just kept working at itbecause I just wanted him
especially to know.
And you know, anytime I wouldmention to folks that we had an
(04:31):
adopted child, or just littlecomments like that, they always
seemed interested, especiallyhim being from Russia.
That's quite a, you know.
I'm not sure how many peoplemake it to Russia in their
lifetimes, but I never thought Iwould but I did.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
You mentioned in the book that you know, when you
grew up.
You're probably similar in ageto me and I never ask a woman
how old she is, but I'm gettingup there.
I was born in the fifties andyou know you go through the
sexual revolution, but it'salways.
The Cold War was going on too,too, and you mentioned, and
Russia was the enemy.
That's right, and you mentioned.
(05:07):
I never thought I was going togo to Russia, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
It was not on my list .
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Not on your bucket list, jamie huh.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
No, it was a beautiful country and the people
were wonderful, but they had awar going on then at the time in
the early 90s, kind of likethey do now at the time in the
early 90s, kind of like they donow.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Yeah, well, it was.
You know 89 was when the BerlinWall came down and you know
that started to crumble.
There was a lot of turmoil then.
You know, I just want to backup a little bit because
something that really touched meand I think it's important for
our audience, especially for ouryoung people, to remember, you
know, to journal some of thestuff that happens.
You know journaling is not liketo me.
You know it's not a diary.
(05:49):
Journaling is and I'm notsaying this is exactly what you
did, but I'm just saying ingeneral, journaling is important
because these important thingsthat happen in your life that
move your heart, it's importantto write them down because, as
you bring out so well in yourstorytelling, is that sometimes
you have to look back.
You know you have to look backat your experiences, you have to
(06:09):
look back at things thathappened in order to piece that
together and see that God isworking in your life.
Even when he doesn't seem likeit, you know he's always going
to take.
And you really touch me because, as you're telling the story,
you see yourself in it so oftenand because this is your story,
but it's our story, andespecially stories of being
(06:32):
adopted children of God.
And before I forget, you know,to tell that story that the
forward that Father Dave put inthere about adoption, the
importance in Roman law, do youremember that?
So, anyways, I'm going to.
I got to back off and let youtell your story, but I didn't
want you to forget.
You know, when you grabbed thatbox, you looked at these little
red shoes and and I and I'vegrabbed the box of my kids when
(06:54):
I downsize, so I'll just tellyou this.
So I downsized about four orfive years ago and I pulled out
these boxes and I sat on thefloor, just like you, and you
start looking through and ooh,it aches, right.
So that's when you say I got totell the story, right, and you
start thinking about the book.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
That's true.
Yeah, we're kind of jumping allover, but that's okay, because
it was much later.
We were at the house that wehad downsized from.
It was a bigger home.
Anyway, we used to have guestscome and they would stay with us
.
We were involved in ourCatholic radio and we were
involved in a lot of things likeyou mentioned.
But Mike Aquilina came and hewas going to speak on the radio
(07:36):
but he stayed with us and he wastalking to us about you know.
I mean, we had shared.
We have two daughters and ourson is amazing, but he's adopted
from Russia.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
So you had two, just for our audience.
You had two natural twodaughters.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yes, but he started talking about adoption and what
a beautiful thing it is and howin Roman law, when Jesus came,
adopted children were prized.
That Roman could give up abiological child at any time,
just disown them.
But you could never give up achild you had adopted because
you had chosen that child.
So it was, whether it was legalor whatever, you could not give
(08:16):
up your adopted child.
They were more precious thanthe biological children.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
No, that was actually Roman law, from my
understanding.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I didn't agree.
I mean, I love my daughters,but I love my son too.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
You know, it's just two different ways, but I think,
but in Roma law, what it saysand I think this is the beauty
of the link you made with God isthat I chose you, I chose you,
you know.
You could have not chosen inRoma law right to adopt that
child that's right, you know andcould have not chosen in Roman
law right to adopt that childthat's right, you know.
And I guess they thoughtbiological children.
Look at, you know, I didn'thave to choose you.
(08:52):
Maybe you just came aboutsomehow, right?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
But with adoption.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
No, you made that decision, you knew what you were
doing.
Whether you did or not, youknew what you were doing.
And now Roman law protects thatchild.
And this is such a beautifulstory because you talk about,
and we see in Romans andGalatians, about this adoption,
of God adopting us.
God chose us, of course, hechose us to bring us into the
(09:19):
world, but then when we getbaptized, ooh, we're adopted
again.
I know I'm just trying to openthis up to the audience so they
get a feel, and so when you weretalking about writing it, Well,
it's true, Alex is.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
when we adopted him, he was almost five.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
He's now 35.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
So all those years, 30 years, you know, at first I,
I could tell him, the storkstork dropped him off in the
wrong spot.
We had to go get him, and andthat was great.
But then, you know, we had tobe realistic and explain.
And he remembered, I know heremembered, but he says he
doesn't remember, but anyway.
So then we had to talk aboutadoption and what a beautiful
(10:01):
thing it is and how much youknow how we're all adopted.
You know, I realized that againlater on.
You know, as you, you know,we're all baptized, we're all
baptized into Christ and webecome children of God and we're
, all you know, adopted in thatway.
So, just trying to help himunderstand what a beautiful
(10:21):
thing it is and what a beautifulthing it is in our faith, so
that he just feels so good aboutit, so you have two natural
daughters pretty quickly.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
But then you're getting to this point where you
were talking about being a younggirl and you know when you grew
up that you had your parentsthere with you, but there was a
certain joy that you weremissing, like, ooh, you know we
all do that.
You know I certainly did.
My parents were arguing and wewere always ducking from plates
being thrown and stuff, and youwatch something more.
And I speak to a lot of womenin what I do and a lot of young
(10:53):
girls, and you know they grew upwith this dream right of being
a princess.
You know, I have eightgrandchildren and most of them
are girls and they all wentthrough this phase of dressing
up as princesses and they havethis dream of the knight in
shining armor going to pick themup and they're going to go out
and you mentioned this on anadventure, this adventure called
(11:15):
life, and it's supposed to befull of joy, and so many people
don't even have fathers.
You know, grow up without thisexperience.
So take us.
Then you have two girls, andhow did you decide then to adopt
at that point?
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Well, we were in North Carolina and Jack was with
Krispy Kreme and I was 30.
My friends were having a thirdchild.
I thought I could have a thirdchild, so we began trying and it
just wasn't working.
So doctors helped us and, youknow, after some testing said it
(11:50):
doesn't look like it willhappen for you.
And so then you know, I didthink about adoption, but we had
two children already, so wewere low on a list for domestic,
which I totally understood.
Again, this was now, you know,the early 90s and children were
(12:11):
being adopted from Romania orChina or lots of different
countries, eastern Europecountries, and Russia had just
opened up and they hadestablished a link with our
diocese in Charlotte, northCarolina Catholic Social
Services.
So it came, the article came inmy Catholic News and Herald and
(12:34):
talked about this newrelationship and there was going
to be a meeting in Hickory,north Carolina, and anybody who
was interested in helping achild come and anybody who was
interested in helping a childcome.
So you know, for me it was justlike so easy.
It was like it landed at myfront door and so we did.
We were some of the first to goto Russia from North Carolina,
so we were the second to go, butbefore we got to go we went
(12:56):
through a lot just with theprocess of all the paperwork.
And then I had an issue with mypaperwork and we were actually
denied.
But then our Blessed Mother andmy belief and opinion
interceded for us and we got togo.
We got to go get Alex.
So you know it was quite astory.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Yeah, when you're going to adopt someone from, say
, russia, do you have theinformation on that person then
that they send you?
What is that process?
Because you said Alex was five.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Well, he looked three , but he was five, he was almost
five.
He turned five in April, rightsoon after he got here.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
So that's not a little infant, and so you knew
that ahead of time.
Do you know his story, hisbackdrop on that, does he?
You know, isn't?
Speaker 2 (13:51):
that something, not much, they didn't have many
records, wow but it was easierfor the Russians to place the
babies, as it is here in the US,you know, within their country.
So it was the children it wasthe little bit older children
that they were looking to place,to find homes for.
(14:12):
So there were, you know, quitea number of children they were
looking to place and we hadlittle or no information on him.
But we did receive a picture,which was a precious picture, of
him being held by one of themamas and he looked wonderful
and adorable and, yeah, that'sall we knew.
He was blonde, blue-eyed and heloved to sing.
(14:34):
That's what we were told.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
So tell us a little bit about that experience, of
that journey into Russia andmaybe seeing Alex for the first
time.
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (14:47):
It was unbelievable.
It was a movie because you know, russia was very different 1994
, and they were again involvedin a war.
We were a bit, we were veryanxious.
We brought our two girls withus, so that made us even more
anxious.
We wanted them with us tounderstand and to see.
They were old enough, they were10 and 7, so we wanted them to
(15:09):
be a part of this process.
But our contact, svetlana, wasamazing.
She was gorgeous, she lookedlike Mrs Claus and she was
waiting for us in the Russianairport, in the Moscow airport,
and they were travel agents andthey realized, you know that
they, when Russia opened up andthere were so many children and
(15:29):
they realized that Europeanswere interested in adopting some
of these children, that theykind of went into that business
too.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
You know, okay, that they kind of went into that
business too you know, okay,russians were finally free.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
They could make money , they could do things, they
could travel.
They were, you know, it was awhole new world, but they were
excellent travel agents.
So they took us all over theplace in Moscow.
We went to the ballet yeah, theRussian ballet and the Russian
circus and all the beautifulsites, but they were there for
(16:02):
us the whole way.
They were really wonderful, butyou know, it was still.
We stayed at a huge one of theseven ugly sisters in Moscow
that Stalin had created and itwas the epiphany.
It was Russian Christmas.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
What did you call it?
The seven?
What?
Speaker 2 (16:18):
They were, he built seven hotels and they were
called the Seven Ugly Sistersbecause they were very gothic.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
That's the communist way, huh, so you meet Alex.
I mean, does he understand thisprocess or what's going to
happen?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yeah, so tell us a little bit about that.
We were told by our guides, bySvetlana and her crew, that the
children in the orphanage weretold that their parents would
one day come back for them.
So he knew.
When we got there we had senthim ahead of time a Winnie the
(16:52):
Pooh bear and pictures of us,and so he knew we were coming
and he knew that we were hisparents.
That's what he was told.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Wow, I just got goosebumps.
What a beautiful thing I meanthat's really a beautiful thing.
Now he's not.
He doesn't speak English.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
No, not at this point .
No, and you don't speak Russian.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
And you don't speak Russian, right and so so, yeah,
so.
So what's that?
Like you know, it's like I'msure you just want to, you know,
pour out these words, but I'msure the body language spoke for
you, and tell us a little bitabout your faith.
You know what you're feeling atthis time and how you're
praying at this time, becausethese are.
You walk into a talk about anadventure, jamie.
(17:35):
You walked into an adventure.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Didn't you Did, we did.
And there are some highs andlows in my story.
I'm pretty honest but honestyis helpful.
But it was, yeah, he was.
It was, it was a bitfrightening, but he was ready
and but you know, it helps somuch to have our daughters with
us.
You know, he wasn't just himwith Jack and I, it was him with
(17:58):
Martin and Jennifer.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Sometimes, those kids are pretty good at bridging the
gap, aren't they?
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (18:03):
he did everything they did.
He didn't want to get a bathbut they got in the bathtub, so
he got in the bathtub and he ateeverything they ate, or tried
it at least, and you know, itjust helped so much to have them
there.
I mean, Jennifer was just twoand a half years older than him,
so he felt right at home.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Yeah, see, what a beautiful thing.
And you get him home, you know,and at that point, who starts
learning the other language?
I'm sure you're going to startto teach him English and he's
probably picking it up a littlebit, right, they're?
Good at that age, at least youknow.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
He was so he's so smart and savvy.
So, yeah, no, he did great andour Catholic schools were great.
They accepted him.
He went to preschool and youknow he, you know he just had
some catching up to do and youknow he was always probably a
little behind up to do and youknow he was always probably a
(19:01):
little behind, but you know hehad lost almost five years.
He didn't know a lot.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
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(19:27):
A couple of things to sharewith people.
Love Ed.
Love Ed is just such animportant apostolate, so it's
within our apostolate, the JohnPaul II Renewal Center.
This helps parents give thetalk to their children.
We're trying to push back onall these gender ideologies and
the porn culture and givechildren the truth and do it
(19:50):
through their parents, and wehelp them do that.
The other one is really takenoff too.
It's Claymore.
Miletus Christi, soldiers forChrist.
That's where you see the swordbehind me.
That's the big sword.
That's our logo for Claymore.
Miletus Christi, soldiers forChrist.
That's where you see the swordbehind me.
That's the big sword.
That's our logo for Claymore.
That's a Claymore sword.
And this is for young people,especially young men Gen Z, high
school, all the way through,let's call it, until they're 30
(20:11):
years old or so.
They're starting to reallyunderstand that something
nefarious, very toxic, is goingon in the culture, and so
they're stepping into the churchand we're discipling them.
So we want to help get the wordout about those things and,
lastly, consider financiallysupporting us.
Everything's in the show notes.
Hey, god bless you.
Thanks again.
We'll be right back to today'sshow.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
So somebody caught up fast and everybody was so great
and helpful, but it was hard.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
You know, as you're speaking about that and we
mentioned the Cold War in Russiaalready and you're thinking
that maybe you know that you'dnever go to Russia for anything
right, they were the enemy, butyou think about the beauty of
the people.
You know, I always think of StPaul with his, you know, in
Ephesians 6, jamie.
You know, we're not fightingagainst flesh and blood, but
(21:00):
against the powers, theprincipalities and the rulers of
this age.
And we know from Our Lady ofFatima that you know that Russia
was going to spread her ears.
But this is the rulers, youknow, this is the power, and
underneath that are real humanbeings that desire to love and
to be loved.
We have to remember that, don'twe, jamie?
(21:21):
That all over the world arethese people, human beings, and
especially the children that arelooking for mom and dad.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Yes, they're looking for love and joy, just as I was.
I agree with you, and theRussian people we met were
wonderful.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
They, you know, svetlana, our contact, her
daughter Jenny, beautiful youngRussian woman, probably 28,
engaged to be married, andanyway she was with us a lot
because she spoke Englishbeautifully.
And anyway, she was with us alot because she spoke English
beautifully.
But she picked up Alexander aswe were saying goodbye at the
(22:03):
airport, when all was said anddone, and she told him how lucky
he was to be going to America.
He called it my America, butAmerica, you know, it's true, we
are so blessed in this country.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
I do hope we all realize.
We don't all realize it,unfortunately, and we can get
into that.
You know, we'd spent a lot ofwork on what we call stolen
innocence and what they're doingto our children, right
underneath our noses in theseschools, and different things
with you know, the sexualizationfor kids and blah, blah, blah,
blah, blah.
You know.
But of my four grandparents,three of them were orphans and
(22:42):
they came to the United Statesand they didn't speak English
and you're right, this nationembraced them all.
You know, they found the loveand they, you know, they, found
ways to raise families and etcetera, et cetera.
So we can tell this love story.
And my grandmother from Poland,jamie, brought the Catholic
(23:02):
faith and she's the one thatspread this little mustard seed
to all of us.
And as I was reading parts ofyour story, and especially that
desire as a young child right tofind that something more Sounds
like you found that knight inshining armor, by the way, jack
and I want to hear a little bitabout his story.
(23:22):
But as we're going through this, we have to just keep our eyes
open and it's God who does that.
So tell us just a little bitabout this faith journey and you
know God gets us through thisand how you start to—to tell us
a little bit about how you startto link the story to your own
story, to the story of yourdreams, and also to God, who
(23:46):
always seems to bring good outof evil, doesn't he?
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Well, like I said, I was raised Protestant and when I
met Jack I was still Protestant.
I had one sister, but Jack camefrom a large Catholic family.
There were seven of them andhis parents, his dad.
They were very devout.
They came from families of 10.
There are so many familymembers here in Mobile and
(24:12):
Fairhope, which is why we movedhere in our later years.
Yeah, so I fell in love withJack the minute I saw him and it
took me a while to get him tofeel the same way.
So I hung out with all hisfriends and they were all
Catholic and you know, everySunday they went to Mass, no
matter what they were doing,whether it was morning Mass or
(24:32):
afternoon.
You know the last Mass onSunday and I went with them and
the first time I ever went to aCatholic church was with him at
Auburn, and I can still rememberI was amazed at how they all
knew what to do and they allwent up and received something
and I could not because I wasnot Catholic.
(24:54):
So I knew I was missing out.
So fast forward.
You know we are married rightafter college and it took me a
while to become Catholic.
Just because of our life, wemoved to North Carolina and but
I did and I've loved it eversince.
I still love going up andreceiving the Eucharist.
(25:15):
I watch everybody.
It's just amazing to watch themeveryone go up and receive
Jesus.
It just is the most beautifulpart.
But anyway, when we were goingthrough our adoption, we were
actually denied by the UnitedStates government.
Our application was turned downand it's all in the story.
So we went to—we were supposedto leave in like two to three
(25:38):
weeks to go get Alex, but wewere denied.
So we went to.
We were supposed to leave inlike two to three weeks to go
get Alex, but we we were denied,so we went on to Mobile.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
You were denied what?
Just to travel.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
We were denied our application.
Our application was denied, wewere denied the right to adopt
him.
Something that had happened andit's all there.
But anyway, we went to Mobilefor Christmas like we had
planned and I was a basket casebecause I was just stunned and
his family knew it and they werekind and you know, gracious,
(26:11):
didn't ask a ton of questionsbut try not to get emotional.
But one of the mornings therehis mom came and found me and
his mom.
I love his mom, she's in heaven,but she had this quiet faith.
And she came and she knocked onthe door of the bathroom where
I was hiding and she brought metwo holy cards and I think those
(26:33):
were the first holy cards I hadreceived ever.
She said she wanted me to havethem.
I really don't remember whatshe said, but I remember one of
the cards was this I don't evenremember that other card, but
the card I remember was a prayerto our Blessed Mother, lovely
lady dressed in blue.
It was a prayer she had kind ofgrown up with with Archbishop
(26:54):
Fulton Sheen and it's the story.
It's the prayer of my favorites.
huh, yes, our blessed mother andthe son.
God was your little boy, and soyou know the way.
And so for me it was just likeyou know.
I just I was on the floor ofthe bathroom praying this prayer
that she'd given me, and I was,all I had was the only hope I
(27:18):
had that this adoption couldhappen.
And so we went home, and a fewdays later we got a call that we
had been approved Our adoption,our denial had been reversed
and we were free to go getAlexander.
So all our plane fare,everything we had plane tickets,
everything we'd set up ourvisas, they were all ready to go
(27:41):
when we had a week, one week.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
We did and I give her credit forever that she made it
happen.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
You know prayer, you know sometimes we say a prayer
we don't realize that's what wedo.
You know people will ask mesometimes, jamie, you know,
where is God in all this blah,blah, blah?
And in reality, we are to makeGod visible in the world.
And how do we do that?
Right, you know we'resacramental.
You know we are these embodiedsouls and we reach out to God
(28:16):
and, look, we get it.
It's not always easy, right, tofeel the confidence that God
really has Jack and Jamie andall our listeners, you know, and
he can count the hair on yourhead, but it's true and that's
why the story that you'retelling and all our stories,
when we share that with kids,like you said, and grandkids,
those are the stories, see, youknow, as you go through and you
(28:37):
can make those links, thoseconnections, like you just did,
you go, wow, god, really, he'sthe one that's going to bring me
on this adventure.
As a young boy, as a young girl,you want the adventure.
You know it's going to be abattle.
I mean, those are the threecore things of a man, right?
He knows life's supposed to bean adventure.
He knows it's supposed to be abattle.
(28:57):
That's where the sword comesfrom.
He knows life's supposed to bean adventure, he knows it's
supposed to be a battle.
That's where the sword comesfrom.
And the third thing is forbeauty, and especially the
beauty of love, the beauty ofcreation, but the beauty of love
.
And so God is the adventurer,he's the one that set this thing
up, he's the one that will takeus on the big adventure.
And that's what you're doing,jamie You're connecting your
story of your life to the largerstory, and it's just beautiful
(29:22):
right, it's beautiful If we'reopen.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
you know we're not always open.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
Talk about that a little bit, because that's a
very important point that you'remaking.
You know God sometimes isdinging, right, he's sometimes
dinging at you, but you makethat point early on.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Well, it's hard to be adventurous.
I'm not the most adventurousperson, but I am always seeking
love, joy, chaos, what I didn'thave, what I always wanted.
We have a pretty chaotic lifewith all our kids and grandkids
(29:56):
here, so it's pretty busy, butit's a lot of fun.
You know it's hard to be opento the adventures of life.
They can be scary, they can beexpensive.
You know children are expensive.
But they're the best gift inthe whole world.
I'm close to my children and mygrandchildren.
(30:20):
That's my greatest joy.
But that's why I share my story, because I long for people to
be open, father Dave Pavanka,who wrote the foreword for my
book.
He's a very close friend, dearfriend.
He tells the most beautifulstories and very personal
(30:40):
stories.
He taught me to tell my storybecause he does In my foreword.
He tells a beautiful story ofhis own.
His dad was adopted, which isquite remarkable.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
It was more common years ago there were more
children to be adopted.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Yeah, we didn't abort them all, did we.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
That's a whole nother topic.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Yeah, no, that is true, but the point being that
when a child is brought, nomatter how that child is
conceived, there are people outthere.
God has people ready to takethem if you give him a chance,
like you just said earlier.
But you have to be open to this.
This is very difficult.
I've gone through this with ayoung.
(31:26):
I used to be a professionalchef years ago and I had a lot
of restaurants and things and Iwant to talk to you a little bit
about that before we run out oftime with your franchise.
But anyways, I had a lot ofyoung women working for me and
you know they would get.
Some of them got pregnant andsome of them had those babies.
And I can tell you this, thatthe ones that did some blessings
(31:56):
.
It was, just like you said,very, very difficult for them.
Some of them were only 17 yearsold, et cetera, et cetera, and
they took that chance for somereason right on life and it
worked out.
You know, at the end, beautifulstories, you know, but we have
to be able to have this faith.
When we make a disconnectionfrom faith, you know we live in
chaos, but we don't know how toregroup.
(32:16):
You know, god always gives usthose ways to regroup, to come
back into this story or at leastto understand that he has a
larger story and our life isparticipating in this.
But if we don't see the largerstory, jamie, sometimes we can't
find our way back.
And you see this, you know andyou see so many children today
43% of every child born in theUnited States today is born out
(32:40):
of wedlock and they don't knowtheir fathers.
You made this point.
It stuck with me and, again, Ididn't get the whole book
because it wasn't published yetwhen we're having this interview
, but I was able to read partsof it and you made that point in
there that not everybody hasthis opportunity to have a
father.
Because you relate a story, yousay there's two things I really
(33:02):
remember about my dad and yourelated a couple of things in
there and when you were tellingit, you said not everybody has
the chance to do this, thesesimple things that we're talking
about, right, and fathers getreally busy and moms get really
busy and sometimes they don'thave the time for you.
That you think, and when youlook back at your life, you know
the beauty of it.
We can forgive them.
(33:22):
You know, we can forgive ourparents and vice versa.
And God does that, doesn't he,jamie?
Speaker 2 (33:28):
He's the one that gives us the power to do that,
that's true, because well, yeah,sometimes we don't even know
what they went through.
Like my own mom, I didn't knowso many of her stories, or they
had been mentioned, you know,when I was little, or in passing
, and I didn't remember.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
I wish I did.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I wish I knew more.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Yeah, and I think that's the gift.
You know.
I remember one time that whenwe were little boys I'm the
oldest of five boys when we werejust three of us and we were
really young, I'm the oldest offive boys.
When we were just three of usand we were really young, my mom
got married when she was 18.
She thought she was going toget rescued.
Long story there too.
And anyways, my dad's aprofessional chef.
(34:10):
He's gone all the time.
She's got three little boys.
She's only 21 years old and shegoes.
I'm sure I saw her crying by acounter one day and I look up at
her and I just saw her lookingdown at me, crying and I was a
young boy, you know.
And looking back.
It took me many years to lookback for what you just said,
jamie, and say you know, my momsometimes was angry with us.
(34:32):
She would even leave for a weekor two at a time and we got,
you know, upset and confused.
But looking back, I go.
You know she had these dreamsand confused, but looking back,
I go.
You know she had these dreamsand now she's coming to the
conclusion that she might bejust stuck with a bunch of
little boys with no husbandbecause he's working all the
time.
Right, a professional chefsometimes is working all day and
(34:52):
all night and man, we needJesus, don't we?
For all these times we really do.
True, it's true, he's theredon't we For all these times?
We really do?
True, it's true, he's there.
Yeah, tell us about the KrispyKreme.
Was it your father-in-law?
Speaker 2 (35:07):
that actually started that.
No, he had Vernon Rudolphstarted it.
Okay.
But Jack's dad, joe, was one ofthe first franchisors.
He was an early franchisor.
He had them in Mobile andBirmingham and Alabama.
So Jack and all of his siblingsgrew up in the donut business.
(35:27):
They worked you know, all ofthem worked in the store went
into other hands and it went upfor sale.
So Jack's dad and some otherfranchisors purchased it and his
(35:47):
dad part of the deal was hisdad went up to run it for a few
years to get it back on trackand we went with him because we
were just out of college, wewere free.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
So that's how we landed in North Carolina, okay,
and so your husband, husbandjack, was working for them right
, and so he, he, he was gone.
Uh, a lot too, wasn't it?
yeah, they were, that's not easyfor a woman.
Let's talk just a little bitabout that.
Jamie, a lot of times, you knowyou'll look at when I'm
(36:18):
speaking to people, you knowthey feel this ache, right, I
wanted something more, I wantedjoy.
So how do we get through this?
How did you get through that?
You know, because again you go.
I wish everybody was just herefor dinner every night and I
wish everybody didn't have towork so much and I wish my
husband, you know, would listento me and I wish my wife doesn't
(36:38):
.
She hear what I'm saying.
And we have these.
You know, we're just imperfectand the only way I think to
overcome that, I know now, youknow it's just you got to open
your heart up to Christ and tohis blessed mother and to our
angels and saints and all thesepeople God sends, and our
neighbors and our friends andour family members, and start to
(37:00):
look at them with the eyes thatGod did and to hear their story
right, To understand whatthey're going through, Listen to
them right.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Right, that's right.
Hear the story.
I love hearing people's stories.
Sometimes it makes me feelbetter.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Sometimes I learn things.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
Well, how about your grandchildren now?
Do they all live near you?
They do, they all live near you.
They do they all see what?
How lucky are you.
So now they're gonna.
They're gonna be able to readthis book, hear all these
stories and they're gonna knowsomething about you and about
each other that they didn't knowbefore.
What a blessing.
You know what, how?
(37:38):
What kind of ages are they,those grandchildren?
Speaker 2 (37:40):
The oldest is 17, and we actually have 15, because
two are in the womb, so we have13 running around.
The youngest is two of thoseand two come in.
And then I have some in heavenwhich I totally believe and I
know they're waiting for me andI look forward to meeting them
one day.
But yeah, they're a lot of fun.
(38:02):
I tell them stories and theylisten.
One of my stories is that when Iwas growing up I would ask my
father, who had a funny sense ofhumor.
I'd ask him, you know where mymom was?
And he would say always say,well, she got mad and left.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
So I would tell some of my grandkids, the older ones,
this Now, how old were you whenyou when the story you just
related?
Speaker 2 (38:24):
I was many ages.
It was the story I often got.
I most of the time got.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
Wait now what happened to your mom then?
Speaker 2 (38:30):
She died when she was 86, but she was never mad or
left.
That's just what he would sayto us.
He just was trying to be funny.
I didn't really think it wasfunny but you know, as you got
older you kind of came to expectit.
But you know, it was just adifferent era, you know World
(38:51):
War II.
It was just different.
That's how they'd grown up.
But I've told my grandkids this, and so now my teenage guy
grandsons.
They're 13, 14 and 15.
But every so often I'll say,well, where's your mom?
And one of them will say, oh,she got mad and left.
And I just love it.
I just feel like they've heardme, they are interested, they
(39:17):
remember.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
You know, it's just fun, fun.
It's just so much fun to sharethings with them and and and
open their minds.
You know to beyond what theytheir life is like, which is
cell phones and social media,and I just I want them to know
that.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
You know there's a lot more yeah, so let's just you
know as we.
You know we've's a lot more.
Yeah, so let's just you know aswe.
You know we've got a fewminutes left here.
Let's just talk about that alittle bit, are you able to?
Are they all part of theCatholic faith or can?
I even ask that, yes, are youable to?
You know to how do they reactto the faith?
(39:59):
You know, again, in this timeof cell phones and social media,
are you able to you know to howdo they react to the faith?
You know, again, in this timeof cell phones and social media,
are you able to you know anysecrets there or anything?
Because you know again, youknow, we have parents listening
that are always looking for waysto make a connection with those
kids through our stories,through you know, and Jesus is a
storyteller, isn't he?
He loves to tell stories.
(40:20):
And this will be my last pointI'll throw back in your lap is
that these are timeless.
When you speak about the truth,you're speaking about timeless
stories, stories that, as youmentioned in the book, that they
have power.
When you take the truth, youput it into a story, you
personally witness to it.
(40:41):
Ooh, it has power, doesn't it?
Jamie?
Speaker 2 (40:44):
It does.
It does it does.
Yet another story one day Ilonged to tell was you know,
jack was busy in Krispy Kremeand we had a youth minister come
to our parish.
Jack found him because Jackgrew up with youth ministry and
he loved it and that's where hisfaith comes from.
So he wanted it for hischildren.
So he brought this youthminister and his family His name
(41:06):
is John Beaulieu, john and Lisa.
They came to our parish andthey rocked our world at least
mine.
That was part of our faithjourney.
So, anyway, youth ministrybecame crucial to my children.
They loved it.
They grew up with youthministry all through to my
children.
They loved it.
They grew up with youthministry all through their
middle school, high school andthen they went to college.
(41:27):
Some of them went to FranciscanUniversity of Steubenville,
which is where Jack came from.
So, anyway, one son-in-law wasa youth minister for a while and
my other son-in-law is head oftheology at the local Catholic
high school, and then Alexactually works for EWTN.
Alex does.
(41:47):
And he's the one who had thecontact for me to publish this
book.
It was all his idea.
So if anybody ever wonders whathe thinks about it, it was all
his idea.
He said I know someone, devinJones, who works with EWTN, who
works there, and he said send itto him.
So I did.
So that's where we are.
(42:08):
I feel good about that, thatAlex wanted to share his story.
So everybody's doing great.
So the kids are all very, youknow, I mean they're on their
own journey, the grandkids.
But you know they see it andthat's just the way they're
raised.
They're raised to go to massand youth group and you know,
(42:31):
love the Lord, yeah, and howabout Alex?
Speaker 1 (42:36):
Does he?
I mean, is there any reason, ordoes he have any inkling to
know any more about Russia as acountry, or you know that kind
of thing?
Does that matter as they getolder?
Speaker 2 (42:49):
Oh yes, he's very proud.
You know he's savvy.
He does all the media for a lotof the media for EWTN We'll
have to meet him one day.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
Yeah, I'd love to get him on the show.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
Yeah, you would love that A media special.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Invite him for me.
Will you ping him for me?
I will.
Yeah, I would love to put kindof a part two on this show,
Jamie.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
He's looked 23andMe Ancestrycom to see, but I just
don't know.
I mean, nothing so far has everhappened.
No connection.
But their second child, uh, isa little girl old.
Their little two-year-old sonis named simon and their
daughter, will, is planning.
(43:36):
The name has been given to usas anastasia, which is a good
Russian name A great name tooGood.
Russian one, so he's very proud.
He'd love to take his wifeLaura there.
It's just, you know, it's gotto be the right time for them.
Yeah yeah, yeah, there's a lotgoing on there now.
Speaker 1 (43:54):
Yeah, there's a lot going on everywhere in the world
, and that's why it's such a joyto have you today, jamie.
And when you look around theworld, you can get discouraged
in a lot of times.
Right, there's a lot of chaos,a lot of craziness, but even
though historically we may be inunprecedented times, but these
(44:14):
wars and these battles and thecraziness has been going on ever
since.
You know, history began rightaway from the garden in Eden.
The answer is still JesusChrist.
You know, for us, isn't it?
You know, if you want to solvethe problems of the world, you
know that's the two greatcommandments.
You know.
Love God, you know, let himpour into you and then go out
(44:36):
and love each other.
And if you don't do thosethings, you know, the chaos just
continues.
So God bless you.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (44:46):
I don't like chaos, but he's the way, the way to
life.
Speaker 1 (44:51):
It is.
It is, so tell us where can weget the book and where's the
best place to buy it is the bestplace to buy it.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
It's.
It's on ewtn, their site sofia,press their site and they're
connected.
Okay, you can get it on amazon,but I think that's a little bit
after, I think you know okay,so it's ready then I.
I think it's coming.
Okay, I don't know if they'vebeen sent out yet.
I don't have one yet well, wecan pre-order.
Speaker 1 (45:20):
if not, so Amazon pre-order we can go to Sophia
EWTN.
Okay, very good, very good.
Well, thank you so much.
Thanks for uh, thanks forsharing the story and I'm going
to say goodbye to everybody here.
Thanks for joining us today,but you hang on, jamie, just for
a minute, will you?
Goodbye.
Speaker 2 (45:41):
Goodbye, thank you.
Welcome to the Become who you Are podcast, a
production of the John Paul IIRenewal Center.
I am so grateful to have JamieMcAleer with me today.
We almost didn't make it right,jamie.
We had some technicaldifficulties, but anyways you're
with me.
So it almost didn't make itright, jamie.
We had some technicaldifficulties, but anyways you're
with me, so it's good to haveyou all the way from Alabama,
that's right.
So what is the heat like?
(00:33):
And you know I'm from Chicago,jamie it's been hot, but I heard
there's heat running across thenation, right?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
It's pretty warm here .
We're in the low 90s.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Yeah, you got a little humidity down there too,
right.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
We do.
We got some humidity.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Good to have you with us.
So there's so much I related toin your book.
I Will Come to you a story ofadoption, the relentless love of
God.
Let me just tell our audience alittle bit about you before we
dive in.
She grew up as a Lutheran andwasn't until college that she
first accepted Jesus into herheart.
It was then that she met herhusband, Jack I like that name
(01:10):
and converted to Catholicism.
Both Jamie and Jack were majorplayers in the growth of Krispy
Kreme dynasty are the financiersbehind 4 pm media.
They're also on the boardmembers of Legatus and the
Franciscan University atSteubenville.
Jamie and Jack live in Alabama.
They have three children and 13grandchildren.
(01:30):
So those kids are busy.
It's awesome.
That's right, Jamie you tell awonderful story here and the
importance of stories you bringout in the book, family stories,
personal stories, passing themdown to shape the lives of
children and grandchildren, andso it's really a wonderful way
to start and you tell the story.
(01:52):
It really touched my heart.
You downsized and you'll haveto tell us a little bit about
that, and you found this dustybox underneath the bed, and so,
but before you get into it, letme just tell you a little bit
about the sword behind me.
It's a Claymore sword.
It's a big sword, jamie, andit's an apostolate within our
apostolate at the John Paul IIRenewal Center that reaches out
(02:14):
to young men, especially Gen Zmen, who are searching.
That's why I think your storyis going to touch even young
men's hearts, and so we have alot of them joining us and, of
course, the young women thatlove them and the family members
that love them, and thispodcast will go out to our
general audience as well.
But it's so many young peoplejoining us and I think this
(02:37):
story that you're telling notonly adoption of a child, but
being adopted children of God isgoing to resonate.
Let's tell a little bit aboutthat dusty box and a little bit
about downsizing and how thatcame about.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Well, my mom had passed away.
This was back in 2016.
We knew she had cancer, but itjust all happened very quickly
and I didn't have a chance toask her more things.
You know you think you havetime, you think you have the
chance to ask your more things.
You know you think you havetime, you think you have the
chance to ask your mom or yourdad or someone you love.
You know, tell me some storiesor help me remember this story.
(03:12):
But all of a sudden she wasintubated and she never spoke
again.
So my chance was gone and Ilearned a lot.
So COVID Now, when thathappened, to her.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
So, covid, now, when that happened to her, she
couldn't speak anymore.
That was, it was done, it wasover, you know she.
I sat with her for days andweeks, but she couldn't speak
and that has to be sofrustrating for a person not to
be able to speak.
Me too, I bet you.
Oh my God.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
But COVID came, you know, and we had time.
So my husband and I had my.
Jack and I had kept a journalthrough our adoption and one of
my you know the things on yourmany lists.
I wanted to get it down.
I wanted to go back through itand write it down.
So Alex knew some of thestories behind the adoption and
(04:07):
so my son-in-law, philip, satwith me for many hours and I say
it all in the book that youknow we went through it and he
helped me get it down.
He's a writer and you know heguided me and encouraged me and
so we got a good start.
And then other folks happened.
I just kept working at itbecause I just wanted him
especially to know.
And you know, anytime I wouldmention to folks that we had an
(04:31):
adopted child, or just littlecomments like that, they always
seemed interested, especiallyhim being from Russia.
That's quite a, you know.
I'm not sure how many peoplemake it to Russia in their
lifetimes, but I never thought Iwould but I did.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
You mentioned in the book that you know, when you
grew up.
You're probably similar in ageto me and I never ask a woman
how old she is, but I'm gettingup there.
I was born in the fifties andyou know you go through the
sexual revolution, but it'salways.
The Cold War was going on too,too, and you mentioned, and
Russia was the enemy.
That's right, and you mentioned.
(05:07):
I never thought I was going togo to Russia, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
It was not on my list .
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Not on your bucket list, jamie huh.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
No, it was a beautiful country and the people
were wonderful, but they had awar going on then at the time in
the early 90s, kind of likethey do now at the time in the
early 90s, kind of like they donow.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Yeah, well, it was.
You know 89 was when the BerlinWall came down and you know
that started to crumble.
There was a lot of turmoil then.
You know, I just want to backup a little bit because
something that really touched meand I think it's important for
our audience, especially for ouryoung people, to remember, you
know, to journal some of thestuff that happens.
You know journaling is not liketo me.
You know it's not a diary.
(05:49):
Journaling is and I'm notsaying this is exactly what you
did, but I'm just saying ingeneral, journaling is important
because these important thingsthat happen in your life that
move your heart, it's importantto write them down because, as
you bring out so well in yourstorytelling, is that sometimes
you have to look back.
You know you have to look backat your experiences, you have to
(06:09):
look back at things thathappened in order to piece that
together and see that God isworking in your life.
Even when he doesn't seem likeit, you know he's always going
to take.
And you really touch me because, as you're telling the story,
you see yourself in it so oftenand because this is your story,
but it's our story, andespecially stories of being
(06:32):
adopted children of God.
And before I forget, you know,to tell that story that the
forward that Father Dave put inthere about adoption, the
importance in Roman law, do youremember that?
So, anyways, I'm going to.
I got to back off and let youtell your story, but I didn't
want you to forget.
You know, when you grabbed thatbox, you looked at these little
red shoes and and I and I'vegrabbed the box of my kids when
(06:54):
I downsize, so I'll just tellyou this.
So I downsized about four orfive years ago and I pulled out
these boxes and I sat on thefloor, just like you, and you
start looking through and ooh,it aches, right.
So that's when you say I got totell the story, right, and you
start thinking about the book.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
That's true.
Yeah, we're kind of jumping allover, but that's okay, because
it was much later.
We were at the house that wehad downsized from.
It was a bigger home.
Anyway, we used to have guestscome and they would stay with us
.
We were involved in ourCatholic radio and we were
involved in a lot of things likeyou mentioned.
But Mike Aquilina came and hewas going to speak on the radio
(07:36):
but he stayed with us and he wastalking to us about you know.
I mean, we had shared.
We have two daughters and ourson is amazing, but he's adopted
from Russia.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
So you had two, just for our audience.
You had two natural twodaughters.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Yes, but he started talking about adoption and what
a beautiful thing it is and howin Roman law, when Jesus came,
adopted children were prized.
That Roman could give up abiological child at any time,
just disown them.
But you could never give up achild you had adopted because
you had chosen that child.
So it was, whether it was legalor whatever, you could not give
(08:16):
up your adopted child.
They were more precious thanthe biological children.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
No, that was actually Roman law, from my
understanding.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
I didn't agree.
I mean, I love my daughters,but I love my son too.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
You know, it's just two different ways, but I think,
but in Roma law, what it saysand I think this is the beauty
of the link you made with God isthat I chose you, I chose you,
you know.
You could have not chosen inRoma law right to adopt that
child that's right, you know andcould have not chosen in Roman
law right to adopt that childthat's right, you know.
And I guess they thoughtbiological children.
Look at, you know, I didn'thave to choose you.
(08:52):
Maybe you just came aboutsomehow, right?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
But with adoption.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
No, you made that decision, you knew what you were
doing.
Whether you did or not, youknew what you were doing.
And now Roman law protects thatchild.
And this is such a beautifulstory because you talk about,
and we see in Romans andGalatians, about this adoption,
of God adopting us.
God chose us, of course, hechose us to bring us into the
(09:19):
world, but then when we getbaptized, ooh, we're adopted
again.
I know I'm just trying to openthis up to the audience so they
get a feel, and so when you weretalking about writing it, Well,
it's true, Alex is.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
when we adopted him, he was almost five.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
He's now 35.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
So all those years, 30 years, you know, at first I,
I could tell him, the storkstork dropped him off in the
wrong spot.
We had to go get him, and andthat was great.
But then, you know, we had tobe realistic and explain.
And he remembered, I know heremembered, but he says he
doesn't remember, but anyway.
So then we had to talk aboutadoption and what a beautiful
(10:01):
thing it is and how much youknow how we're all adopted.
You know, I realized that againlater on.
You know, as you, you know,we're all baptized, we're all
baptized into Christ and webecome children of God and we're
, all you know, adopted in thatway.
So, just trying to help himunderstand what a beautiful
(10:21):
thing it is and what a beautifulthing it is in our faith, so
that he just feels so good aboutit, so you have two natural
daughters pretty quickly.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
But then you're getting to this point where you
were talking about being a younggirl and you know when you grew
up that you had your parentsthere with you, but there was a
certain joy that you weremissing, like, ooh, you know we
all do that.
You know I certainly did.
My parents were arguing and wewere always ducking from plates
being thrown and stuff, and youwatch something more.
And I speak to a lot of womenin what I do and a lot of young
(10:53):
girls, and you know they grew upwith this dream right of being
a princess.
You know, I have eightgrandchildren and most of them
are girls and they all wentthrough this phase of dressing
up as princesses and they havethis dream of the knight in
shining armor going to pick themup and they're going to go out
and you mentioned this on anadventure, this adventure called
(11:15):
life, and it's supposed to befull of joy, and so many people
don't even have fathers.
You know, grow up without thisexperience.
So take us.
Then you have two girls, andhow did you decide then to adopt
at that point?
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Well, we were in North Carolina and Jack was with
Krispy Kreme and I was 30.
My friends were having a thirdchild.
I thought I could have a thirdchild, so we began trying and it
just wasn't working.
So doctors helped us and, youknow, after some testing said it
(11:50):
doesn't look like it willhappen for you.
And so then you know, I didthink about adoption, but we had
two children already, so wewere low on a list for domestic,
which I totally understood.
Again, this was now, you know,the early 90s and children were
(12:11):
being adopted from Romania orChina or lots of different
countries, eastern Europecountries, and Russia had just
opened up and they hadestablished a link with our
diocese in Charlotte, northCarolina Catholic Social
Services.
So it came, the article came inmy Catholic News and Herald and
(12:34):
talked about this newrelationship and there was going
to be a meeting in Hickory,north Carolina, and anybody who
was interested in helping achild come and anybody who was
interested in helping a childcome.
So you know, for me it was justlike so easy.
It was like it landed at myfront door and so we did.
We were some of the first to goto Russia from North Carolina,
so we were the second to go, butbefore we got to go we went
(12:56):
through a lot just with theprocess of all the paperwork.
And then I had an issue with mypaperwork and we were actually
denied.
But then our Blessed Mother andmy belief and opinion
interceded for us and we got togo.
We got to go get Alex.
So you know it was quite astory.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Yeah, when you're going to adopt someone from, say
, russia, do you have theinformation on that person then
that they send you?
What is that process?
Because you said Alex was five.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Well, he looked three , but he was five, he was almost
five.
He turned five in April, rightsoon after he got here.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
So that's not a little infant, and so you knew
that ahead of time.
Do you know his story, hisbackdrop on that, does he?
You know, isn't?
Speaker 2 (13:51):
that something, not much, they didn't have many
records, wow but it was easierfor the Russians to place the
babies, as it is here in the US,you know, within their country.
So it was the children it wasthe little bit older children
that they were looking to place,to find homes for.
(14:12):
So there were, you know, quitea number of children they were
looking to place and we hadlittle or no information on him.
But we did receive a picture,which was a precious picture, of
him being held by one of themamas and he looked wonderful
and adorable and, yeah, that'sall we knew.
He was blonde, blue-eyed and heloved to sing.
(14:34):
That's what we were told.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
So tell us a little bit about that experience, of
that journey into Russia andmaybe seeing Alex for the first
time.
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (14:47):
It was unbelievable.
It was a movie because you know, russia was very different 1994
, and they were again involvedin a war.
We were a bit, we were veryanxious.
We brought our two girls withus, so that made us even more
anxious.
We wanted them with us tounderstand and to see.
They were old enough, they were10 and 7, so we wanted them to
(15:09):
be a part of this process.
But our contact, svetlana, wasamazing.
She was gorgeous, she lookedlike Mrs Claus and she was
waiting for us in the Russianairport, in the Moscow airport,
and they were travel agents andthey realized, you know that
they, when Russia opened up andthere were so many children and
(15:29):
they realized that Europeanswere interested in adopting some
of these children, that theykind of went into that business
too.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
You know, okay, that they kind of went into that
business too you know, okay,russians were finally free.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
They could make money , they could do things, they
could travel.
They were, you know, it was awhole new world, but they were
excellent travel agents.
So they took us all over theplace in Moscow.
We went to the ballet yeah, theRussian ballet and the Russian
circus and all the beautifulsites, but they were there for
(16:02):
us the whole way.
They were really wonderful, butyou know, it was still.
We stayed at a huge one of theseven ugly sisters in Moscow
that Stalin had created and itwas the epiphany.
It was Russian Christmas.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
What did you call it?
The seven?
What?
Speaker 2 (16:18):
They were, he built seven hotels and they were
called the Seven Ugly Sistersbecause they were very gothic.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
That's the communist way, huh, so you meet Alex.
I mean, does he understand thisprocess or what's going to
happen?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yeah, so tell us a little bit about that.
We were told by our guides, bySvetlana and her crew, that the
children in the orphanage weretold that their parents would
one day come back for them.
So he knew.
When we got there we had senthim ahead of time a Winnie the
(16:52):
Pooh bear and pictures of us,and so he knew we were coming
and he knew that we were hisparents.
That's what he was told.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Wow, I just got goosebumps.
What a beautiful thing I meanthat's really a beautiful thing.
Now he's not.
He doesn't speak English.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
No, not at this point .
No, and you don't speak Russian.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
And you don't speak Russian, right and so so, yeah,
so.
So what's that?
Like you know, it's like I'msure you just want to, you know,
pour out these words, but I'msure the body language spoke for
you, and tell us a little bitabout your faith.
You know what you're feeling atthis time and how you're
praying at this time, becausethese are.
You walk into a talk about anadventure, jamie.
(17:35):
You walked into an adventure.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Didn't you Did, we did.
And there are some highs andlows in my story.
I'm pretty honest but honestyis helpful.
But it was, yeah, he was.
It was, it was a bitfrightening, but he was ready
and but you know, it helps somuch to have our daughters with
us.
You know, he wasn't just himwith Jack and I, it was him with
(17:58):
Martin and Jennifer.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Sometimes, those kids are pretty good at bridging the
gap, aren't they?
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (18:03):
he did everything they did.
He didn't want to get a bathbut they got in the bathtub, so
he got in the bathtub and he ateeverything they ate, or tried
it at least, and you know, itjust helped so much to have them
there.
I mean, Jennifer was just twoand a half years older than him,
so he felt right at home.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Yeah, see, what a beautiful thing.
And you get him home, you know,and at that point, who starts
learning the other language?
I'm sure you're going to startto teach him English and he's
probably picking it up a littlebit, right, they're?
Good at that age, at least youknow.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
He was so he's so smart and savvy.
So, yeah, no, he did great andour Catholic schools were great.
They accepted him.
He went to preschool and youknow he, you know he just had
some catching up to do and youknow he was always probably a
little behind up to do and youknow he was always probably a
(19:01):
little behind, but you know hehad lost almost five years.
He didn't know a lot.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
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(19:27):
A couple of things to sharewith people.
Love Ed.
Love Ed is just such animportant apostolate, so it's
within our apostolate, the JohnPaul II Renewal Center.
This helps parents give thetalk to their children.
We're trying to push back onall these gender ideologies and
the porn culture and givechildren the truth and do it
(19:50):
through their parents, and wehelp them do that.
The other one is really takenoff too.
It's Claymore.
Miletus Christi, soldiers forChrist.
That's where you see the swordbehind me.
That's the big sword.
That's our logo for Claymore.
Miletus Christi, soldiers forChrist.
That's where you see the swordbehind me.
That's the big sword.
That's our logo for Claymore.
That's a Claymore sword.
And this is for young people,especially young men Gen Z, high
school, all the way through,let's call it, until they're 30
(20:11):
years old or so.
They're starting to reallyunderstand that something
nefarious, very toxic, is goingon in the culture, and so
they're stepping into the churchand we're discipling them.
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lastly, consider financiallysupporting us.
Everything's in the show notes.
Hey, god bless you.
Thanks again.
We'll be right back to today'sshow.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
So somebody caught up fast and everybody was so great
and helpful, but it was hard.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
You know, as you're speaking about that and we
mentioned the Cold War in Russiaalready and you're thinking
that maybe you know that you'dnever go to Russia for anything
right, they were the enemy, butyou think about the beauty of
the people.
You know, I always think of StPaul with his, you know, in
Ephesians 6, jamie.
You know, we're not fightingagainst flesh and blood, but
(21:00):
against the powers, theprincipalities and the rulers of
this age.
And we know from Our Lady ofFatima that you know that Russia
was going to spread her ears.
But this is the rulers, youknow, this is the power, and
underneath that are real humanbeings that desire to love and
to be loved.
We have to remember that, don'twe, jamie?
(21:21):
That all over the world arethese people, human beings, and
especially the children that arelooking for mom and dad.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Yes, they're looking for love and joy, just as I was.
I agree with you, and theRussian people we met were
wonderful.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
They, you know, svetlana, our contact, her
daughter Jenny, beautiful youngRussian woman, probably 28,
engaged to be married, andanyway she was with us a lot
because she spoke Englishbeautifully.
And anyway, she was with us alot because she spoke English
beautifully.
But she picked up Alexander aswe were saying goodbye at the
(22:03):
airport, when all was said anddone, and she told him how lucky
he was to be going to America.
He called it my America, butAmerica, you know, it's true, we
are so blessed in this country.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
I do hope we all realize.
We don't all realize it,unfortunately, and we can get
into that.
You know, we'd spent a lot ofwork on what we call stolen
innocence and what they're doingto our children, right
underneath our noses in theseschools, and different things
with you know, the sexualizationfor kids and blah, blah, blah,
blah, blah.
You know.
But of my four grandparents,three of them were orphans and
(22:42):
they came to the United Statesand they didn't speak English
and you're right, this nationembraced them all.
You know, they found the loveand they, you know, they, found
ways to raise families and etcetera, et cetera.
So we can tell this love story.
And my grandmother from Poland,jamie, brought the Catholic
(23:02):
faith and she's the one thatspread this little mustard seed
to all of us.
And as I was reading parts ofyour story, and especially that
desire as a young child right tofind that something more Sounds
like you found that knight inshining armor, by the way, jack
and I want to hear a little bitabout his story.
(23:22):
But as we're going through this, we have to just keep our eyes
open and it's God who does that.
So tell us just a little bitabout this faith journey and you
know God gets us through thisand how you start to—to tell us
a little bit about how you startto link the story to your own
story, to the story of yourdreams, and also to God, who
(23:46):
always seems to bring good outof evil, doesn't he?
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Well, like I said, I was raised Protestant and when I
met Jack I was still Protestant.
I had one sister, but Jack camefrom a large Catholic family.
There were seven of them andhis parents, his dad.
They were very devout.
They came from families of 10.
There are so many familymembers here in Mobile and
(24:12):
Fairhope, which is why we movedhere in our later years.
Yeah, so I fell in love withJack the minute I saw him and it
took me a while to get him tofeel the same way.
So I hung out with all hisfriends and they were all
Catholic and you know, everySunday they went to Mass, no
matter what they were doing,whether it was morning Mass or
(24:32):
afternoon.
You know the last Mass onSunday and I went with them and
the first time I ever went to aCatholic church was with him at
Auburn, and I can still rememberI was amazed at how they all
knew what to do and they allwent up and received something
and I could not because I wasnot Catholic.
(24:54):
So I knew I was missing out.
So fast forward.
You know we are married rightafter college and it took me a
while to become Catholic.
Just because of our life, wemoved to North Carolina and but
I did and I've loved it eversince.
I still love going up andreceiving the Eucharist.
(25:15):
I watch everybody.
It's just amazing to watch themeveryone go up and receive
Jesus.
It just is the most beautifulpart.
But anyway, when we were goingthrough our adoption, we were
actually denied by the UnitedStates government.
Our application was turned downand it's all in the story.
So we went to—we were supposedto leave in like two to three
(25:38):
weeks to go get Alex, but wewere denied.
So we went to.
We were supposed to leave inlike two to three weeks to go
get Alex, but we we were denied,so we went on to Mobile.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
You were denied what?
Just to travel.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
We were denied our application.
Our application was denied, wewere denied the right to adopt
him.
Something that had happened andit's all there.
But anyway, we went to Mobilefor Christmas like we had
planned and I was a basket casebecause I was just stunned and
his family knew it and they werekind and you know, gracious,
(26:11):
didn't ask a ton of questionsbut try not to get emotional.
But one of the mornings therehis mom came and found me and
his mom.
I love his mom, she's in heaven,but she had this quiet faith.
And she came and she knocked onthe door of the bathroom where
I was hiding and she brought metwo holy cards and I think those
(26:33):
were the first holy cards I hadreceived ever.
She said she wanted me to havethem.
I really don't remember whatshe said, but I remember one of
the cards was this I don't evenremember that other card, but
the card I remember was a prayerto our Blessed Mother, lovely
lady dressed in blue.
It was a prayer she had kind ofgrown up with with Archbishop
(26:54):
Fulton Sheen and it's the story.
It's the prayer of my favorites.
huh, yes, our blessed mother andthe son.
God was your little boy, and soyou know the way.
And so for me it was just likeyou know.
I just I was on the floor ofthe bathroom praying this prayer
that she'd given me, and I was,all I had was the only hope I
(27:18):
had that this adoption couldhappen.
And so we went home, and a fewdays later we got a call that we
had been approved Our adoption,our denial had been reversed
and we were free to go getAlexander.
So all our plane fare,everything we had plane tickets,
everything we'd set up ourvisas, they were all ready to go
(27:41):
when we had a week, one week.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
We did and I give her credit forever that she made it
happen.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
You know prayer, you know sometimes we say a prayer
we don't realize that's what wedo.
You know people will ask mesometimes, jamie, you know,
where is God in all this blah,blah, blah?
And in reality, we are to makeGod visible in the world.
And how do we do that?
Right, you know we'resacramental.
You know we are these embodiedsouls and we reach out to God
(28:16):
and, look, we get it.
It's not always easy, right, tofeel the confidence that God
really has Jack and Jamie andall our listeners, you know, and
he can count the hair on yourhead, but it's true and that's
why the story that you'retelling and all our stories,
when we share that with kids,like you said, and grandkids,
those are the stories, see, youknow, as you go through and you
(28:37):
can make those links, thoseconnections, like you just did,
you go, wow, god, really, he'sthe one that's going to bring me
on this adventure.
As a young boy, as a young girl,you want the adventure.
You know it's going to be abattle.
I mean, those are the threecore things of a man, right?
He knows life's supposed to bean adventure.
He knows it's supposed to be abattle.
(28:57):
That's where the sword comesfrom.
He knows life's supposed to bean adventure, he knows it's
supposed to be a battle.
That's where the sword comesfrom.
And the third thing is forbeauty, and especially the
beauty of love, the beauty ofcreation, but the beauty of love
.
And so God is the adventurer,he's the one that set this thing
up, he's the one that will takeus on the big adventure.
And that's what you're doing,jamie You're connecting your
story of your life to the largerstory, and it's just beautiful
(29:22):
right, it's beautiful If we'reopen.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
you know we're not always open.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
Talk about that a little bit, because that's a
very important point that you'remaking.
You know God sometimes isdinging, right, he's sometimes
dinging at you, but you makethat point early on.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Well, it's hard to be adventurous.
I'm not the most adventurousperson, but I am always seeking
love, joy, chaos, what I didn'thave, what I always wanted.
We have a pretty chaotic lifewith all our kids and grandkids
(29:56):
here, so it's pretty busy, butit's a lot of fun.
You know it's hard to be opento the adventures of life.
They can be scary, they can beexpensive.
You know children are expensive.
But they're the best gift inthe whole world.
I'm close to my children and mygrandchildren.
(30:20):
That's my greatest joy.
But that's why I share my story, because I long for people to
be open, father Dave Pavanka,who wrote the foreword for my
book.
He's a very close friend, dearfriend.
He tells the most beautifulstories and very personal
(30:40):
stories.
He taught me to tell my storybecause he does In my foreword.
He tells a beautiful story ofhis own.
His dad was adopted, which isquite remarkable.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
It was more common years ago there were more
children to be adopted.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Yeah, we didn't abort them all, did we.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
That's a whole nother topic.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Yeah, no, that is true, but the point being that
when a child is brought, nomatter how that child is
conceived, there are people outthere.
God has people ready to takethem if you give him a chance,
like you just said earlier.
But you have to be open to this.
This is very difficult.
I've gone through this with ayoung.
(31:26):
I used to be a professionalchef years ago and I had a lot
of restaurants and things and Iwant to talk to you a little bit
about that before we run out oftime with your franchise.
But anyways, I had a lot ofyoung women working for me and
you know they would get.
Some of them got pregnant andsome of them had those babies.
And I can tell you this, thatthe ones that did some blessings
(31:56):
.
It was, just like you said,very, very difficult for them.
Some of them were only 17 yearsold, et cetera, et cetera, and
they took that chance for somereason right on life and it
worked out.
You know, at the end, beautifulstories, you know, but we have
to be able to have this faith.
When we make a disconnectionfrom faith, you know we live in
chaos, but we don't know how toregroup.
(32:16):
You know, god always gives usthose ways to regroup, to come
back into this story or at leastto understand that he has a
larger story and our life isparticipating in this.
But if we don't see the largerstory, jamie, sometimes we can't
find our way back.
And you see this, you know andyou see so many children today
43% of every child born in theUnited States today is born out
(32:40):
of wedlock and they don't knowtheir fathers.
You made this point.
It stuck with me and, again, Ididn't get the whole book
because it wasn't published yetwhen we're having this interview
, but I was able to read partsof it and you made that point in
there that not everybody hasthis opportunity to have a
father.
Because you relate a story, yousay there's two things I really
(33:02):
remember about my dad and yourelated a couple of things in
there and when you were tellingit, you said not everybody has
the chance to do this, thesesimple things that we're talking
about, right, and fathers getreally busy and moms get really
busy and sometimes they don'thave the time for you.
That you think, and when youlook back at your life, you know
the beauty of it.
We can forgive them.
(33:22):
You know, we can forgive ourparents and vice versa.
And God does that, doesn't he,jamie?
Speaker 2 (33:28):
He's the one that gives us the power to do that,
that's true, because well, yeah,sometimes we don't even know
what they went through.
Like my own mom, I didn't knowso many of her stories, or they
had been mentioned, you know,when I was little, or in passing
, and I didn't remember.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
I wish I did.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I wish I knew more.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Yeah, and I think that's the gift.
You know.
I remember one time that whenwe were little boys I'm the
oldest of five boys when we werejust three of us and we were
really young, I'm the oldest offive boys.
When we were just three of usand we were really young, my mom
got married when she was 18.
She thought she was going toget rescued.
Long story there too.
And anyways, my dad's aprofessional chef.
(34:10):
He's gone all the time.
She's got three little boys.
She's only 21 years old and shegoes.
I'm sure I saw her crying by acounter one day and I look up at
her and I just saw her lookingdown at me, crying and I was a
young boy, you know.
And looking back.
It took me many years to lookback for what you just said,
jamie, and say you know, my momsometimes was angry with us.
(34:32):
She would even leave for a weekor two at a time and we got,
you know, upset and confused.
But looking back, I go.
You know she had these dreamsand confused, but looking back,
I go.
You know she had these dreamsand now she's coming to the
conclusion that she might bejust stuck with a bunch of
little boys with no husbandbecause he's working all the
time.
Right, a professional chefsometimes is working all day and
(34:52):
all night and man, we needJesus, don't we?
For all these times we really do.
True, it's true, he's theredon't we For all these times?
We really do?
True, it's true, he's there.
Yeah, tell us about the KrispyKreme.
Was it your father-in-law?
Speaker 2 (35:07):
that actually started that.
No, he had Vernon Rudolphstarted it.
Okay.
But Jack's dad, joe, was one ofthe first franchisors.
He was an early franchisor.
He had them in Mobile andBirmingham and Alabama.
So Jack and all of his siblingsgrew up in the donut business.
(35:27):
They worked you know, all ofthem worked in the store went
into other hands and it went upfor sale.
So Jack's dad and some otherfranchisors purchased it and his
(35:47):
dad part of the deal was hisdad went up to run it for a few
years to get it back on trackand we went with him because we
were just out of college, wewere free.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
So that's how we landed in North Carolina, okay,
and so your husband, husbandjack, was working for them right
, and so he, he, he was gone.
Uh, a lot too, wasn't it?
yeah, they were, that's not easyfor a woman.
Let's talk just a little bitabout that.
Jamie, a lot of times, you knowyou'll look at when I'm
(36:18):
speaking to people, you knowthey feel this ache, right, I
wanted something more, I wantedjoy.
So how do we get through this?
How did you get through that?
You know, because again you go.
I wish everybody was just herefor dinner every night and I
wish everybody didn't have towork so much and I wish my
husband, you know, would listento me and I wish my wife doesn't
(36:38):
.
She hear what I'm saying.
And we have these.
You know, we're just imperfectand the only way I think to
overcome that, I know now, youknow it's just you got to open
your heart up to Christ and tohis blessed mother and to our
angels and saints and all thesepeople God sends, and our
neighbors and our friends andour family members, and start to
(37:00):
look at them with the eyes thatGod did and to hear their story
right, To understand whatthey're going through, Listen to
them right.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Right, that's right.
Hear the story.
I love hearing people's stories.
Sometimes it makes me feelbetter.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Sometimes I learn things.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
Well, how about your grandchildren now?
Do they all live near you?
They do, they all live near you.
They do they all see what?
How lucky are you.
So now they're gonna.
They're gonna be able to readthis book, hear all these
stories and they're gonna knowsomething about you and about
each other that they didn't knowbefore.
What a blessing.
You know what, how?
(37:38):
What kind of ages are they,those grandchildren?
Speaker 2 (37:40):
The oldest is 17, and we actually have 15, because
two are in the womb, so we have13 running around.
The youngest is two of thoseand two come in.
And then I have some in heavenwhich I totally believe and I
know they're waiting for me andI look forward to meeting them
one day.
But yeah, they're a lot of fun.
(38:02):
I tell them stories and theylisten.
One of my stories is that when Iwas growing up I would ask my
father, who had a funny sense ofhumor.
I'd ask him, you know where mymom was?
And he would say always say,well, she got mad and left.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
So I would tell some of my grandkids, the older ones,
this Now, how old were you whenyou when the story you just
related?
Speaker 2 (38:24):
I was many ages.
It was the story I often got.
I most of the time got.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
Wait now what happened to your mom then?
Speaker 2 (38:30):
She died when she was 86, but she was never mad or
left.
That's just what he would sayto us.
He just was trying to be funny.
I didn't really think it wasfunny but you know, as you got
older you kind of came to expectit.
But you know, it was just adifferent era, you know World
(38:51):
War II.
It was just different.
That's how they'd grown up.
But I've told my grandkids this, and so now my teenage guy
grandsons.
They're 13, 14 and 15.
But every so often I'll say,well, where's your mom?
And one of them will say, oh,she got mad and left.
And I just love it.
I just feel like they've heardme, they are interested, they
(39:17):
remember.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
You know, it's just fun, fun.
It's just so much fun to sharethings with them and and and
open their minds.
You know to beyond what theytheir life is like, which is
cell phones and social media,and I just I want them to know
that.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
You know there's a lot more yeah, so let's just you
know as we.
You know we've's a lot more.
Yeah, so let's just you know aswe.
You know we've got a fewminutes left here.
Let's just talk about that alittle bit, are you able to?
Are they all part of theCatholic faith or can?
I even ask that, yes, are youable to?
You know to how do they reactto the faith?
(39:59):
You know, again, in this timeof cell phones and social media,
are you able to you know to howdo they react to the faith?
You know, again, in this timeof cell phones and social media,
are you able to you know anysecrets there or anything?
Because you know again, youknow, we have parents listening
that are always looking for waysto make a connection with those
kids through our stories,through you know, and Jesus is a
storyteller, isn't he?
He loves to tell stories.
(40:20):
And this will be my last pointI'll throw back in your lap is
that these are timeless.
When you speak about the truth,you're speaking about timeless
stories, stories that, as youmentioned in the book, that they
have power.
When you take the truth, youput it into a story, you
personally witness to it.
(40:41):
Ooh, it has power, doesn't it?
Jamie?
Speaker 2 (40:44):
It does.
It does it does.
Yet another story one day Ilonged to tell was you know,
jack was busy in Krispy Kremeand we had a youth minister come
to our parish.
Jack found him because Jackgrew up with youth ministry and
he loved it and that's where hisfaith comes from.
So he wanted it for hischildren.
So he brought this youthminister and his family His name
(41:06):
is John Beaulieu, john and Lisa.
They came to our parish andthey rocked our world at least
mine.
That was part of our faithjourney.
So, anyway, youth ministrybecame crucial to my children.
They loved it.
They grew up with youthministry all through to my
children.
They loved it.
They grew up with youthministry all through their
middle school, high school andthen they went to college.
(41:27):
Some of them went to FranciscanUniversity of Steubenville,
which is where Jack came from.
So, anyway, one son-in-law wasa youth minister for a while and
my other son-in-law is head oftheology at the local Catholic
high school, and then Alexactually works for EWTN.
Alex does.
(41:47):
And he's the one who had thecontact for me to publish this
book.
It was all his idea.
So if anybody ever wonders whathe thinks about it, it was all
his idea.
He said I know someone, devinJones, who works with EWTN, who
works there, and he said send itto him.
So I did.
So that's where we are.
(42:08):
I feel good about that, thatAlex wanted to share his story.
So everybody's doing great.
So the kids are all very, youknow, I mean they're on their
own journey, the grandkids.
But you know they see it andthat's just the way they're
raised.
They're raised to go to massand youth group and you know,
(42:31):
love the Lord, yeah, and howabout Alex?
Speaker 1 (42:36):
Does he?
I mean, is there any reason, ordoes he have any inkling to
know any more about Russia as acountry, or you know that kind
of thing?
Does that matter as they getolder?
Speaker 2 (42:49):
Oh yes, he's very proud.
You know he's savvy.
He does all the media for a lotof the media for EWTN We'll
have to meet him one day.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
Yeah, I'd love to get him on the show.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
Yeah, you would love that A media special.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Invite him for me.
Will you ping him for me?
I will.
Yeah, I would love to put kindof a part two on this show,
Jamie.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
He's looked 23andMe Ancestrycom to see, but I just
don't know.
I mean, nothing so far has everhappened.
No connection.
But their second child, uh, isa little girl old.
Their little two-year-old sonis named simon and their
daughter, will, is planning.
(43:36):
The name has been given to usas anastasia, which is a good
Russian name A great name tooGood.
Russian one, so he's very proud.
He'd love to take his wifeLaura there.
It's just, you know, it's gotto be the right time for them.
Yeah yeah, yeah, there's a lotgoing on there now.
Speaker 1 (43:54):
Yeah, there's a lot going on everywhere in the world
, and that's why it's such a joyto have you today, jamie.
And when you look around theworld, you can get discouraged
in a lot of times.
Right, there's a lot of chaos,a lot of craziness, but even
though historically we may be inunprecedented times, but these
(44:14):
wars and these battles and thecraziness has been going on ever
since.
You know, history began rightaway from the garden in Eden.
The answer is still JesusChrist.
You know, for us, isn't it?
You know, if you want to solvethe problems of the world, you
know that's the two greatcommandments.
You know.
Love God, you know, let himpour into you and then go out
(44:36):
and love each other.
And if you don't do thosethings, you know, the chaos just
continues.
So God bless you.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (44:46):
I don't like chaos, but he's the way, the way to
life.
Speaker 1 (44:51):
It is.
It is, so tell us where can weget the book and where's the
best place to buy it is the bestplace to buy it.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
It's.
It's on ewtn, their site sofia,press their site and they're
connected.
Okay, you can get it on amazon,but I think that's a little bit
after, I think you know okay,so it's ready then I.
I think it's coming.
Okay, I don't know if they'vebeen sent out yet.
I don't have one yet well, wecan pre-order.
Speaker 1 (45:20):
if not, so Amazon pre-order we can go to Sophia
EWTN.
Okay, very good, very good.
Well, thank you so much.
Thanks for uh, thanks forsharing the story and I'm going
to say goodbye to everybody here.
Thanks for joining us today,but you hang on, jamie, just for
a minute, will you?
Goodbye.
Speaker 2 (45:41):
Goodbye, thank you.
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