From Grief to Grace: Laura Brazan’s Powerful Grandparenting Journey

In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett, Rich speaks with Laura Brazan, a master engraver and artist who became the unexpected guardian of her husband's two grandchildren. Laura shares her emotional journey of shifting from dreams of travel to raising grandchildren affected by trauma. She discusses the challenges, personal sacrifices, and resilience that shaped her new role, as well as her efforts to support other grandparents through her podcast and advocacy. Sponsored by the Harford County Health Department, this episode highlights themes of love, purpose, and overcoming adversity.

Sponsor Message:

Today's episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett is brought to you by the Harford County Health Department Dental Clinic. Offering comprehensive dental services for children and adults enrolled in Maryland’s Medical Assistance Program, the clinic provides essential care like cleanings, fillings, extractions, and more. The clinic is committed to improving oral health and ensuring that families in need have access to affordable dental services. To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit the Harford County Health Department Dental Clinic at harfordcountyhealth.com.

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Transcript

Rich Bennett 0:00
Thanks for joining the conversation, where we explore the stories and experiences that shape our world today. I am honored to welcome Laura Braes, and Laura is a remarkable individual who spent 35 years as a professional artist and raised three children as a single mother. After meeting the love of her life and embarking on world travels, life took an unexpected turn when she and her husband received a call from Child Protective Services, asking them to become the guardians of his two young grandchildren. Now, as a dedicated guardian and advocate, Laura has channeled her experiences into creating the park's grandparents, raising grandchildren. Nurturing through adversity with the help of the University of Montana. Her podcast aims to listen to this statistic. This is amazing. Her podcast aims to support and build a community for the 2.7 million grandparents in the U.S. who are raising their grandchildren. 2.7 million. And I was talking to Laura briefly before we started to record, and there's a couple I was originally I wanted to talk to her strictly about the podcast, but her journey is just so amazing. There's a lot we're going to be talking about here. First of all, how are you doing, Laura? 

Laura Brazan 1:27
I'm doing well, thanks. 

Rich Bennett 1:29
So I. 2.7 million. Where in the world did you ever find a statistic like that? 

Laura Brazan 1:38
While it's out there. Although statistics in particular states are not always very clear, 

Rich Bennett 1:46
Right. 

Laura Brazan 1:48
it's it's it's become a problem largely because of the opioid epidemic and of course, COVID exacerbated that as well. And then mental issues are becoming more common with parents and drug addiction, of course, incarceration and then deployment is an issue as well. 

Rich Bennett 2:15
Yeah. Yeah. So we starting a podcast. 

Especially to support grandparents. Raising grandchildren is an awesome initiative. But what I'm going to give you the floor here, because this is an awesome story. Well, it's not an awesome story. It's actually 

it's kind of heartbreaking. But at the same time inspiring because of what you did, you and your husband, how you are turning everything around. So what inspired you to create grandparents raising grandchildren? Nurturing through adversity. Adversity. The podcast. 

Laura Brazan 2:59
Well, when we made it, when we got the call and made the decision to go back to Montana, we were vacationing in Spain at the time. 

We. Had to make a long drive from Montana down to Texas and need a lot of time to talk about it. It was not something honestly that we wanted to do. We both had been my husband had had been married previously for 35 years. He lost his wife to cancer. I'd been. Yeah. Sad. And I had been raising three children on my own. And finally, when the last one graduated, I was going to get to do all the things I dreamed of doing. 

Rich Bennett 3:41
Hmm. 

Laura Brazan 3:42
My husband had worked hard taking care of his wife for the last four years. And when we met, and that was about four years after his wife had passed away, we were excited to get to do all these. Both of us wanted to travel and we thought about possibly even living overseas and. Here. We were changing all of our plans to go down and get the kids in the back of our minds. I think we hoped that their parents would get it together at some time. So this might be temporary. 

Rich Bennett 4:14
Right. 

Laura Brazan 4:14
We picked them up. We brought them home. My thought was that, Oh, I'm a great mom. I love kids. I'm going to provide them with a great home. We just finished building a home here in Montana, and it was a good life for up here in the country. Healthy life for them. I thought that they would be grateful. I thought that they would make this turn around and then their parents would get it together and we'd give the kids back to their parents. And that's not what happened. 

We made the drive back in a snowstorm. 

Rich Bennett 4:56
Oh, jeez. 

Laura Brazan 4:57
And it took three days for us to get home. The kids had never didn't have regular hours. They didn't know what it meant to sit at a table and eat. They had no manners. Their hair was matted. They had bugs crawling on them. They had 

Rich Bennett 5:14
Oh, my. 

Laura Brazan 5:14
infections. They had rotten teeth. I mean, these these are things I didn't know happened to kids. 

Rich Bennett 5:22
If you don't mind me asking, just so people know, how old were they at the time? 

Laura Brazan 5:26
Three and five. I'm sorry. Three and six. 

They were starving when we got them. So they were food deprived. They were hungry all the time. They had nightmares. They weren't sleeping well. They'd never. SAT in a car that long. So the ride home was very different. And then when we got home and showed them this beautiful house that we had for them, and they had their own rooms, they had. 

We had pajamas, new pajamas waiting for them. You know, they didn't have clothes and they were they were they didn't know what it meant to have to have boundaries or social social boundaries or personal boundaries. And they'd be up in the middle of the night because their parents kept them up all night long with them. They didn't put them to bed at regular hours and. We were exhausted. Of course, we weren't getting sleep. 

Rich Bennett 6:31
Right. 

Laura Brazan 6:32
They were. They were angry, not well-behaved. And I had never seen this before with my own children. You know, we had a pretty normal life and. 

So I. But at six months later, I was a mess. And. 

Rich Bennett 6:52
Hold on your. 

Laura Brazan 6:53
Husband. My husband. Really didn't know what to do. He they had no contact with their parents. Mother was in jail. She couldn't have contact with them. Dad was just didn't didn't call the kids didn't understand the change they were involved in and why. And six months later, when I kind of came up for air and was able to look around for help, we had no financial support. You don't get financial support when you take your kids directly like that. You do. If they go into the foster system, you get a stipend, but you don't as grandparents from the state or from the government. So all of a sudden we had two children that were eating twice as much as we were. So we had food bills, we had medical bills. We had 

to I was every day on the phone trying to get them on to Medicaid so that we could get them the help they needed. My granddaughter had teeth that were rotten and she was in pain, so it was hard for her to eat anything but soft food. And there was no I. I called around. I couldn't get any grants or or support from organizations because she needed to be put to sleep to do the work. And a lot of organizations won't give money for that. And that was an expensive part of the medical help she needed. So I had to learn all these things on my own. And when I finally got. Well, it was about a year later that I was able to connect with an organization for kinship caregivers from the Montana State University, and they at least were a hub of information where I could, even though they didn't have all the answers, I could reach out and 

Rich Bennett 8:55
Right. 

Laura Brazan 8:55
find other help. So when I put everything together, after about a year and a half, I said. I need. I'm a person that will find the answers if I can't get them. And I knew what kind of help and support we needed. Our community had disappeared because socially, people our age don't want to have dinner with a couple of screaming, be in poorly behaved children. So friends didn't come around. Fortunately, I had a couple of friends that were willing to come around even in and be a part of the chaos. And so our lives were were very difficult. And 

I said, what I need is a resource so that I can listen to at my own leisure. And I don't have to be on the phone all the day trying to talk to someone. To find out information while I'm taking care of little children. I thought a podcast would be a good solution. And because I was doing all this rich research and connecting with educators and psychologists and therapists and behavioral experts and legal resources, that I was sure that other people like me needed that as well. So I began getting a team of people together to help me develop a quality podcast that would outlive me in case once I got it together, I wasn't able to do it anymore. I decided I would go back to my work, which is being a professional artist, and that's how the podcast came about. 

Rich Bennett 10:41
Wow. So. And correct me if I'm wrong, but University of Montana sponsors it. 

Laura Brazan 10:48
No, they support me through connecting me with resources. And then locally, I am the peer to peer coordinator for support group for kinship caregivers in a seven county area. 

Rich Bennett 11:04
Oh, wow. 

Laura Brazan 11:05
And they did all the training. They they supported me with all the training to do that. So they are a personal resource, not a financial resource. 

Rich Bennett 11:16
So with the kids, it's been, what, two years now? 

Laura Brazan 11:20
Yes. Little over two years. 

Rich Bennett 11:22
How are they doing now? 

Laura Brazan 11:24
They're doing much better. 

Rich Bennett 11:26
Good. 

Laura Brazan 11:26
It's made a huge difference to have people in their lives that they can trust in a lifestyle that's consistent. And although their their father is not in their life at all right now, we don't even know where he is. And their mother is back in jail again. 

Rich Bennett 11:49
Again. 

Laura Brazan 11:50
Yes. Which is not uncommon in these situations. 

Rich Bennett 11:55
Right? Mm hmm. 

Laura Brazan 11:58
They they struggle with what has happened to them. They still have issues with food deprivation. They have self-esteem issues. They are are still trying to understand what happened to them and what got them from there to here. 

Rich Bennett 12:21
Right. 

Laura Brazan 12:22
They have stability and love. And that is what has made. I would say, 

you know, like a and 

75% difference, 80% difference in their lives. The rest is going to take time and will be probably the struggles we all have, our own personal struggles and issues from past experiences. Those will probably be theirs all their life. 

Rich Bennett 12:54
And once they get old enough and they understand it, you and your husband saved their lives. Their lives. Oh, my God. They're. 

Laura Brazan 13:03
Well. 

Rich Bennett 13:05
Go ahead. 

Laura Brazan 13:06
How you said. I'll tell you something about that. My husband's son. Who is their father. Was adopted. And he and his wife, who are wonderful parents, gave that child everything in the world that he needed. And he still I would say, 

has let a lot of people down, including his children 

and. One of the issues about being a grandparent, raising grandchildren, and I've seen this happen. I've seen grandparents give everything financially to help their grandchildren. Everything psychologically to support them. And they still may not be successful in life. 

Rich Bennett 13:57
Right. 

Laura Brazan 13:58
It's a difficult thing to understand that you're giving up hopes and dreams without any guarantee that these children will be any different than their parents. 

Rich Bennett 14:10
Hmm. 

Laura Brazan 14:12
And that's something that was a hard thing for both my husband and I to swallow. But if someone asks me, the only support group we had when we started was a foster group. And I said, I understand you've made a choice to take this children in, but really, we didn't have a lot of choice. We were the if we didn't take them, they were going to go in the foster care system. 

Rich Bennett 14:35
Right. 

Laura Brazan 14:36
Texas. It's very bad. But they said do youth. Do you believe that that's what God wants you to do? Do you believe this is a calling that you must do? And I said, Then you know your answer. My answer is that I do this because it's the right thing to do. 

Rich Bennett 14:55
Right. 

Laura Brazan 14:56
Without any expectations. And if in that process I can learn all the stuff that I'm doing right now to help them go through what they need to to be productive citizens in a world. If if that happens, then I can't think of anything better that I've done with my life being it being a master engraver and being respected for what I do was a huge accomplishment for me. But to me, if I can go to my grave and say she changed the life of one child, then I'd rather have that on my gravestone. 

Rich Bennett 15:38
Exactly. Yeah, actually. And speaking of that, being the master engraver, you are a professional artist because you were doing that before you guys got the call, right? 

Laura Brazan 15:49
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 15:49
So if you don't mind, share with us the trees, what the transition was like. And how that impacted your life because you're no longer doing that right now, if I'm not mistaken. 

Laura Brazan 16:01
No, I had to put it aside. 

I have. Faith has been a big part of what's gotten through me, through many challenges. I was diagnosed with M.S. when I was 16. 

Rich Bennett 16:17
Oh, good Lord. 

Laura Brazan 16:18
I was I was abused as a as a young child. 

And, uh, I went through a very difficult divorce, being a single parent. And I lost my son at 20. He was 27 when he was killed. All of those things have made me, you know, my will will not be broken. That's. 

Rich Bennett 16:45
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 16:47
That's my feeling. And 

when when I was trying to work, when I got the kids back and do everything else that I needed to do, I still tried to do some work because I love what I do. And I'm an artist in every sense of the word, in the way I live and the way I think. 

Rich Bennett 17:09
Right. 

Laura Brazan 17:11
I felt like a voice was telling me to put my work down for a while because the kids, they didn't even know how to play together in a healthy way. Everything was about knives and killing and. 

Rich Bennett 17:26
Wow. 

Laura Brazan 17:27
You know, abusing. 

Rich Bennett 17:30
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 17:30
People they were living out and re-enacting in their play everything they had grown up with. And I said, I've got to put everything down because I have to sit with them and be with them. And I still do listen to them when they're playing 

Rich Bennett 17:44
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 17:45
to. And then I'll step in at times and say, you know, why don't we have instead of killing this guy, why don't we stun him, you know? 

Rich Bennett 17:58
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 17:58
And until until we can put him somewhere where he's safe from other people and we're not being hurt. You know, I have to. Kids act out that way. And I had to do a lot of explaining. I had to explain to them why they were talking this way, why that wasn't healthy, what we could do to to create better playing now. Now, 50% of the time. I get a lot of joy out of seeing them have healthy play. 

Rich Bennett 18:36
Right? 

Laura Brazan 18:37
I could go into detail of what's that like, but I'm sure you understand that takes a lot of one on one time. So I just 

Rich Bennett 18:43
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 18:43
had to stop work for a while and I don't know when I'll get back to back to it again. Want one for one thing? When we got them, Athena had been pulled out of school and so she had to go back to kindergarten and be held back. She has a cognitive brain disorder. So she she's in in special education. And so she was only going to school part time and her brother was home all of the time. So I needed to attend to him. Now he's going to start kindergarten next year, and she so I'm going to actually get a half a day without children. 

Rich Bennett 19:23
Right. 

Laura Brazan 19:24
And I still think it'll be a little early. But yeah, you know, I just know it'll I'll happen up. You don't lose. It's like learning to ride a bike. You don't lose. 

Rich Bennett 19:35
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 19:37
I did it for. Gosh, I was an engraver for 30, 

35 years. Over 35 years. So it's a part of my breathing. I still think about it. And I'm also a painter, so. I dream about art, you know? 

Rich Bennett 19:59
Those of you listening. And if you're listening while on your computer, open up another tab and go to Laura Briggs, CNN.com B, r, a Z and com and look at her paintings and the engraving. You're going to be floored. Your art is just it's phenomenal. I've never seen engraving like that. Now I know. Now I understand the term master engraver. 

Laura Brazan 20:25
Well, I started on custom guns. And if you've ever seen custom guns, you've seen the scene work on the side. I worked with Pirelli and Perotti and 

there's. 

It requires you to be an artist first. Really? It was very helpful that I had a master's degree in art before I learned how to engrave, and I just learned to use the tools to transfer what I was doing on paper, on custom guns and knives, and then into jewelry and now? Now my jewelry is in several stores and I do jewelry design work. 

Rich Bennett 21:01
Oh, wow. 

Laura Brazan 21:02
Which I love, and baby cups and wedding rings. Those are my favorite. 

Rich Bennett 21:06
Actually with your art and where you live 

and all. I mean, with two years, you might see a change, but. Well, let's go with where you live first. Taking the kids outside. Has that seemed to help with their mental health a lot? Because, you know, they say just enjoying nature helps us that. 

Laura Brazan 21:28
Oh, yes. Oh, yes. We just got back from a trip, spending six months in our travel trailer with the kids going through national parks. And I found that that connection with nature, children, children just go to ground zero, you know, when they go there, it's all about loving, being in the water, being the sunshine, being in the trees. Learning about camping is really fun, too, because we. Socialize with other campers, and there's not socially for kids. They're kind of stuck in to social groups when they're in schools, but when they're on the road, they everybody interacts with everybody, you know. It was such a healthy environment. And to now that you're bringing that up, my husband and I loved traveling and it was really difficult for my husband to stop traveling when we had the children. And I told my husband, Why can't we do the things we did before with the kids? 

Rich Bennett 22:34
Homeschool. 

Laura Brazan 22:35
So we're starting to take them out of school and homeschool them part time. And this winter will be going for two months with the kids and because that's what works for us. 

Rich Bennett 22:47
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 22:48
And they're really good travelers. They are better behaved and relate better with us when we're all together 24 hours a day and out of our home environment. So I think it's and I think I mentioned I'm working with Rhodes Scholar. 

Rich Bennett 23:10
Mm hmm. 

Laura Brazan 23:11
To develop some scholarships for grandparents to travel with grandchildren, because I think travel is a great way of getting kids like this out of the paradigm. They were born into. Seeing the way other people live in different parts of the country. And it starts right here in the U.S. because we have people of all nationalities. And those traditions, which are what our country is made of. 

Rich Bennett 23:37
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 23:39
In the melting pot. They get to see it all and they're inquisitive about it. So they're a little world is not all about them, and it's not all about pain and suffering and trauma. When you travel, 

everybody, I don't know if you camp at all or. 

Rich Bennett 24:00
Oh, yeah. 

Laura Brazan 24:01
Okay, So you know how everybody gets together. Everybody's very appreciative. You're living in a very simple environment, in a small space where nothing's more important than 

food, clothing, water. 

Rich Bennett 24:18
Yes. 

Laura Brazan 24:18
Right. And I think it's good for. 

Rich Bennett 24:23
A lot different than that first trip coming back from Texas, wasn't it? 

Laura Brazan 24:27
Yes, They're really good in the car now. We can drive for my husband. If he had his druthers, he would drive 15 hours, you know, to get somewhere. 

Rich Bennett 24:36
Right. 

Laura Brazan 24:37
We have were forced to break it up. We always need to get a hotel. If we get a hotel with a pool because they like to swim. And then he can sit and do whatever he wants. And I can go to the pool with the kids and they get to move themselves around a little bit. Then we get back in the car the next day and we drive for another six, seven, eight maximum hours that they can sit in a car for 8 hours a day. And we manage it through, you know, tablets and drawing and reading and listening to tapes, getting out of the car for lunch, taking a little break. And this is another thing about children like this. They like formula. They like predictable format. So I'll tell them this is what we they know that the first couple of hours for the trip, this is what they have to do. The second couple of hours, the trip, this is what we do. And mom comes back in the back and reads a book. They they call me mom. They call me grandma. They call me mom. They call me my first name. I said, I'm whatever you need me to be. So. Yeah, they're good little travelers. And it's it's really fun. 

Rich Bennett 25:46
So that's great to hear, especially that because when you mention their first trip bringing them back and now they just seem like they want to get in the car all the time. Let's go, let's go, let's go, man. Let's go here. Let's go there. But with 

Laura Brazan 26:00
An 

Rich Bennett 26:00
the 

Laura Brazan 26:00
adventure 

Rich Bennett 26:01
art. 

Laura Brazan 26:01
every day. 

Rich Bennett 26:01
Yeah. Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 26:03
Right. 

Rich Bennett 26:04
Let me guess. One of their favorite shows is probably Adventure Time, too, isn't it? 

Laura Brazan 26:07
Probably. 

Rich Bennett 26:09
I dunno. I can't watch it by my. 

Laura Brazan 26:11
Our kids are sponges 

Rich Bennett 26:13
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 26:13
they love. 

Rich Bennett 26:13
Oh, yeah, they are. 

Laura Brazan 26:15
And they get bored. Especially these kids have ADHD. They get bored really easily. So this is a great solution to that. 

Rich Bennett 26:24
Now was your art. Have you sat down and tried to do any art with them? Do either of them like to do any type of. 

Laura Brazan 26:30
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. You know, if I did have another time to go around in life, I would love being an art therapist for traumatized children. 

They express everything on paper to. 

Rich Bennett 26:45
Mm. 

Laura Brazan 26:47
And I love being a part of their creative development. All Children. When I raised my children, I was a volunteer artist and a big part of the community here when they were young. And 

I tell my students that come into my room, I'll ask kids how many of you think you're a natural artist? And, you know, three kids shoot their hands up in the room. And then I say, How many of you think you would like to be artists? And probably 

75% of them put their hands up. Then I'll say, How many of you think. That your your you can't you that you can't draw, that you're not good at art and you know, there'll be a bunch of them that put their hands 

Rich Bennett 27:40
Right. 

Laura Brazan 27:40
up and say what if I told you you are all naturally great artists and the light that comes up in their eyes just sends shivers up my back. 

Rich Bennett 27:52
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 27:53
And I say, What if I told you that all you needed was someone to teach you how to how to draw? And I'll say, Now look at everybody. Look at that tree outside the window. You all can probably see the same tree. You know that it's green and it's got shades of green and other colors in it. And it has these beautiful leaves and you see the sun shining on it all in another head. And I said, Well, you see the same thing that the guy next to you sees. So I just have to teach you how to take that and put it on paper. And they get all excited. I have a young man who went to West Point. He was one of my students and I ran into him a couple of years ago in the airport in Denver. And he I recognized him right away. He recognized me. And I said, How are you doing? What are you doing? He was my worst student. The worst driver. 

Rich Bennett 28:49
Really? 

Laura Brazan 28:51
Yeah. Worst in out there. And he said at the time, I was not married. So it was, it was more than seven years ago because at the time I wasn't married and my, my name was different than And he said, Mrs. Blankenship, he said, I got to tell you, remember how you taught me how to draw? I am the best cartographer in my class in West Point. 

Rich Bennett 29:15
Wow. 

Laura Brazan 29:16
And that happened because you taught me how to see things. 

And I went. 

Rich Bennett 29:23
I had to make you feel so good. 

Laura Brazan 29:25
Oh, yeah. So teaching people how to see and communicate that because that's a very powerful, powerful thing inside of us. Is it? It lights up a lot of parts of a person. Yeah. So I love I love doing art with him. 

Rich Bennett 29:42
That's the one thing I love about about art, because you can go and look at a piece of art and enjoy it and just pick out different things. Then you can go back and look at it again. And in a way it look different because you're seeing something else in it. But it just, Oh God, I just love art. One of my favorite was always, I'm going to forget his name. The artist of Light, Thomas Kincaid. 

Laura Brazan 30:12
Oh, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 30:13
I always loved his Pinkas The way light hit it, it just. 

Laura Brazan 30:18
You probably like Andrew Wyeth, too. Do you know Andrew Wyeth? 

Rich Bennett 30:21
Now. 

Laura Brazan 30:22
He reminds me of Kincaid. So 

Rich Bennett 30:25
Okay. 

Laura Brazan 30:26
anyway. 

Rich Bennett 30:27
But local artist. Oh, I'm blown away by. They're amazing. And actually, speaking of our because your podcast covers a wide range of topics related to parenting. And if I missed anything, I mean, kids. And the arts. Right. 

Laura Brazan 30:46
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 30:47
Okay. 

Laura Brazan 30:47
And. And I interview grandparents. 

Rich Bennett 30:52
Do interviews as well. 

Laura Brazan 30:54
Oh, yeah, I do. I have stories of grandparents on there, and those are pretty powerful, both for, I think for the listeners to understand some of the. Complicated issues that we as grandparents raising grandchildren have to cope with. And also because the grandparents themselves. I don't think you get a lot of opportunity to sit and listen to your own story, But when you put it on tape or. 

Rich Bennett 31:23
Mm hmm. 

Laura Brazan 31:25
Recorded. 

It's pretty amazing to hear your own story when it's out there and other people listening to it. It's 

Rich Bennett 31:35
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 31:35
an amazing confirmation of what you've done and what you're doing and what you can accomplish. 

Rich Bennett 31:40
And actually your most popular episodes from now. This according to good pods. Is understanding self-government, and I hope I pronounce her name right. With Is it Nicolin? Nicolin Peck? 

Laura Brazan 31:55
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 31:56
Okay, So what makes that episode resonate so much of your audience and what insights do you think it provides? 

Laura Brazan 32:04
Well, you know, when as an artist and I have a lot of connection to professionals and experts in this realm, so I'm one of those crazy people who when I get an idea, I'll go on and reach out on the Internet, I'll do research. I find a book I like, I call the author. I send an email to the author. I've written to Oprah, I read to Ellen DeGeneres, I've written to a 

Brian McLaren was another one. Brian McLaren is a he's one of the top. I think time listed him is one of the top 25 theologians in the world, and I reached out to him to talk about the spirituality, the issue of spirituality. In what we're doing. And Nicole Perk, who she was on the BBC, interviewed her and she's been on television as being one of the world's strictest parents, is the title they gave her. But yeah, but that's not accurate. But it does attract a lot of attention. And we did a series on World. Well, I guess it was I can't remember which company put the series together, but it was the series. It was a collection of the world's strictest parents. And she was one of them. And they interviewed her because she is very successful in working with difficult foster children. 

Rich Bennett 33:35
Mm hmm. 

Laura Brazan 33:36
She has a format called C Teaching Self-government, which is a program for families to especially that have challenging children to get it all together. And I saw the video. Somebody told me, listen to her videos when I was going through everything I was going through early on, and I went, wow, this is a good this is a good format. I think this might work for my kids. And so I started using it and indeed, it's been successful. I'm not perfect at it, but it's one of the techniques that I use with the kids. And so I emailed her and I said, McLean, you know, I know you're famous and I know you probably don't have much time, but I'm starting this podcast and I think grandparents need to hear the message. And I didn't hear back from her. And then about a month later, I said, I don't give up easily, so. 

Rich Bennett 34:33
Good. 

Laura Brazan 34:35
So I emailed again and I said, You know, I reached out. Do you remember that? You know, would you be interested? And and she wrote back and said, Oh my gosh, I'm so glad you wrote me. I've been so busy and you're on my list of people to get in touch with. And she said, I'd love to do a podcast. So that ended up becoming now a ten series, a ten part series of podcasts that we're doing together. 

Rich Bennett 35:01
Oh, wow. 

Laura Brazan 35:03
I think the second one just was released last Tuesday. We have a ten. The ten series will go through, I believe, through like November. And then we are doing an online course for grandparents, raising grandchildren because the topics are a little bit different than those for parents raising their biological children. So she's doing a special online course, will be offering scholarships for that program. And it's for couples that and if you're if you're not married, you can bring in a grandparent or you can bring in a sibling if you want to do the course with someone else. And we'll be doing a whole series of of online episodes or online programs. 

Seminar 

specifically focused for helping grandparents raise grandchildren, and that'll include legal issues. It will include behavioral issues. It will include social issues and helping people implement the key elements of her self-government program. So I'll I'll highly recommend it. We'll probably have about a hundred couples doing it next year in 2025. 

Rich Bennett 36:22
And if you wouldn't have written her back, that would have never happened. 

Laura Brazan 36:26
No. 

Rich Bennett 36:27
Wow. So all you listen to, especially those of you that want to start a podcast, remember that. Don't give up. If there is somebody you want to get on you and if they don't respond to you, don't give up. Keep trying. Worse they can see is No. I mean. 

Laura Brazan 36:45
Right. 

Rich Bennett 36:47
Do you go by somebody else? 

Laura Brazan 36:49
Don't write you back. Write him back again six months later because 

Rich Bennett 36:52
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 36:52
people are busy. And and once your podcast gains recognition, like now we're number one on Apple and Spotify, we are the only podcast for grandparents raising children. People are starting to reach out to me and 

Rich Bennett 37:08
Good. 

Laura Brazan 37:09
when you get recognition and you don't give up 

people, some people will listen. Later on might not happen right away. 

Rich Bennett 37:20
Actually, what's been the biggest challenge so far with the park is. 

Laura Brazan 37:24
Learning how to work, learn seven different software programs and all the technical difficulties that are involved with. You know, I'm getting a little older there. I'm 65. And 

fortunately, I did have a company that put I was one of the first people here in this area to build websites for real estate and vacation properties. So I had to learn the Internet and I'm pretty computer savvy. But it's tough to learn all the different things to do a good podcast, to do it. Right. Right. Wouldn't you agree? 

Rich Bennett 38:06
Yeah. I mean, I. 

1215. But I never delete these old episodes because. 

Laura Brazan 38:12
No. 

Rich Bennett 38:13
I like to go back and actually was another podcast or two that taught me that I should never delete those old episodes no matter how bad they are, because as a podcaster, as if art and anything else you're always learning, things are all. 

Laura Brazan 38:29
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 38:30
Change. 

Laura Brazan 38:31
I couldn't afford a really good mike. When I started, I told myself, I'm not making any money doing this. So my my hope is to build my podcast so that we have sponsors 

Rich Bennett 38:41
Mm hmm. 

Laura Brazan 38:41
that also will help with providing funding for the things that grandparents need and can't get. So I'm not out there trying to make money doing this for myself because this is a passion of mine, 

Rich Bennett 38:56
Right. 

Laura Brazan 38:56
a personal passion of mine. I hope to get more back into my work, but 

yeah, it's so I didn't have a good mike when I started out, and right after my program launched, I got a donation that allowed me to get equipment. And so you just improve as you go, as you can afford to. And you don't need a lot when you start. You just. 

Rich Bennett 39:19
Now. 

Laura Brazan 39:20
No, you got to have 

Rich Bennett 39:22
The $700 mike or 1200 dollars. 

Laura Brazan 39:25
No. 

Rich Bennett 39:25
Mike I mean, there. 

Laura Brazan 39:27
It's about the quality and it's about the quality of your content. Of course, you need to have, you know, be decent, decent, sound, but as the quality of your content and the way you've built up the foundation of what you're going to do so that it won't fail and then you can't quit. So there are some secrets to it, and I had to pay a little bit of money to do that to get that help. But it was worth it. Absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 39:53
You mentioned seven different software programs. I'm not afraid to ask. What seminar there are. 

Laura Brazan 40:01
Well, let's see. So there's there's the 

now I use a I for some stuff. 

Rich Bennett 40:12
Smart. 

Laura Brazan 40:13
And then I pay to do that. And then. 

And then 

the. Then I had to learn how to use GarageBand. 

Rich Bennett 40:26
Okay, So you're recording on on an Apple product. 

Laura Brazan 40:30
Well, I record on squad cars like you do. 

Rich Bennett 40:33
Right. 

Laura Brazan 40:34
But then I have to do my own personal recording and editing, and I do all that through garage band. 

Rich Bennett 40:40
Okay. 

Laura Brazan 40:41
And. And then once I. Was once I recorded in in squad cars, then it has to go to the script. So I had to learn the script to write. I've learned all the technical stuff involved with recording and squad cars, and then I had to learn how to do all the editing in the script. And then I have to take all that and I put it in. 

Kass magic. 

Rich Bennett 41:07
Mm. 

Laura Brazan 41:09
So that that all gets. 

Rich Bennett 41:12
Show notes and transcription, Right. 

Laura Brazan 41:14
Right. And then. And then I put it in. Garage band. Right. I'm trying to remember the format's right. 

And then I use some other software programs to. Oh, well, then I had to learn. I use Pod page because I launched it on Pod Paige 

Rich Bennett 41:34
Smart. 

Laura Brazan 41:34
So I had to learn all that. 

Rich Bennett 41:37
Mm hmm. 

Laura Brazan 41:38
I've got some other ones. I've got some other ones like Joby. I want to learn a little bit more about 

Rich Bennett 41:43
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 41:44
and then ConvertKit. 

Rich Bennett 41:46
I haven't 

Laura Brazan 41:47
You 

Rich Bennett 41:47
tried 

Laura Brazan 41:47
know, I use. 

Rich Bennett 41:47
that. No. 

Laura Brazan 41:49
ConvertKit is what I use for my mail contact system 

Rich Bennett 41:55
Okay. 

Laura Brazan 41:55
and for sending out broadcasts and promoting an email list and stuff. But I love hearing if we can talk about this privately. I'd love to hear what you've learned about it. You've been doing this a while. 

Rich Bennett 42:12
Yeah. So this is October 2015 and. 

Laura Brazan 42:15
Well, yes. I just started in not that long ago, and my podcast just launched in June. 

Rich Bennett 42:22
Right. It was a June or April. June. 

Laura Brazan 42:27
June 

Rich Bennett 42:28
Because, 

Laura Brazan 42:28
Jun, I think. 

Rich Bennett 42:29
Well, for those of you listening, we're recording this July 24th and you're 18 episodes in 

Laura Brazan 42:37
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 42:37
is what 

Laura Brazan 42:37
but 

Rich Bennett 42:37
you have. 

Laura Brazan 42:38
I launched it with ten. 

Rich Bennett 42:40
OC. Oh so you oh were you launched you had, you uploaded all ten right away. 

Laura Brazan 42:47
I did. And that was for, uh, uh, for reasons of getting right up to the top. 

Rich Bennett 42:55
Right. 

Laura Brazan 42:57
The broadcasting platforms. 

Rich Bennett 42:59
So you're being like Netflix so people could binge listen. 

Laura Brazan 43:02
Yeah. Right. 

Rich Bennett 43:04
That's 

Laura Brazan 43:04
But. 

Rich Bennett 43:04
smart. 

Laura Brazan 43:04
So I have. I have now, actually. Yeah. Right. So, yeah, I just started in June, but I launched with ten episodes. And so I spent all that time prior to that. And then I had people go through all that to make sure that the sound was good and. And. And, you know, all the editing was proper. So. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 43:25
It's a lot of work, isn't it? 

Laura Brazan 43:26
It is. It is. To start off with. I'm getting into the. Well, if you do all the editing yourself, 

Rich Bennett 43:33
That's what 

Laura Brazan 43:33
it 

Rich Bennett 43:33
I. 

Laura Brazan 43:33
it. I love to I love at some point to to get to there and maybe with more donations I can do that. 

Rich Bennett 43:42
It tastes. I mean, with me, when I first started a one hour episode, normally would take me 8 hours. To edit in everything because I was cutting out all the arms to you, all that stuff. And when I listen to it, to me, it took away from the natural conversation of it. 

Laura Brazan 44:03
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 44:04
So, yeah. So now a one hour episode takes me one hour to edit because I go back, I listen to the full episode. And that then probably. 

Another 5 minutes to transcribe because I use Hindenburg Pro and the transcriptions 

Laura Brazan 44:22
That 

Rich Bennett 44:22
built 

Laura Brazan 44:22
one. 

Rich Bennett 44:23
in. That's when you can actually put on your computer. 

Because at first when I first started, I was using audacity. And then. 

Laura Brazan 44:32
Right. 

Rich Bennett 44:33
Found out about a Hindenburg probe and fell in love with it right away. I figured when our episode altogether and our recording, our editing and it maybe another hour of show notes, marketing. Yeah, all that good stuff. 

Laura Brazan 44:48
Right. Right. 

Rich Bennett 44:49
What originally was 8 hours. I got knocked down to 3 hours. 

Laura Brazan 44:52
Yeah. Yeah. I'm getting better at as well time. 

Rich Bennett 44:56
Yeah. And your episodes sound great. You share. 

Laura Brazan 44:59
Thank you. 

Rich Bennett 45:00
You're doing an awesome job. 

Laura Brazan 45:02
Thank you. 

Rich Bennett 45:02
Awesome job at which and I got to commend you on that because a lot of people 

when they they say now it is actually it's easier to start a business and succeed than it is to start a podcast and succeed. 

Laura Brazan 45:21
I believe that. 

Rich Bennett 45:22
Before we were talking, you mentioned something about how a lot of episodes on grandparenting had come out and then those podcasts are going. 

Laura Brazan 45:31
They're dead. 

Rich Bennett 45:32
Yeah, because people don't realize the work that goes into. 

Laura Brazan 45:35
I think the statistics are that most podcasts, that there's a large percentage of podcasts that don't release more than eight episodes. 

Rich Bennett 45:46
Mm. Yeah. Actually. Are you on pod match at all? 

Laura Brazan 45:52
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 45:52
Okay, well, then you all see the stuff that Alex puts out all the time. 

Laura Brazan 45:56
Oh, yeah. Yeah. And I get a lot of my interviews, my interviewees from their. 

Rich Bennett 46:03
Yes. Yeah. So to why he when he started that that was and there's other ones out there. But no, none of them can compare to Pod man. 

Laura Brazan 46:14
No. Alex. Alex and his wife. I forget her name at the. 

Rich Bennett 46:18
Alicia. 

Laura Brazan 46:19
Alisha 

Rich Bennett 46:20
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 46:20
are incredibly supportive. They they've seen me try to get this started for a year now, and they have always been there to encourage and support me. They give very personal support 

Rich Bennett 46:33
Yes. 

Laura Brazan 46:34
and they're great people. Quality quality program matches. 

Rich Bennett 46:41
He cares about other podcasters. 

Laura Brazan 46:43
He does. 

Rich Bennett 46:44
And I think that's why he's you know, he's as successful as he is that. 

Laura Brazan 46:51
What doesn't work for him and 

Rich Bennett 46:53
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 46:54
what 

Rich Bennett 46:54
And 

Laura Brazan 46:54
we're. 

Rich Bennett 46:56
the was it. Every quarter he does the podcast and made simple. Live. I don't know if you just went to the most recent one, but. Oh, 

Laura Brazan 47:05
Well, we were we were camping and didn't get very good reception, so I couldn't listen to it. And I have it. It's recorded and I've got it and I keep meaning to listen to it, but I'm just we've got company coming this weekend and so 

Rich Bennett 47:17
well, 

Laura Brazan 47:17
I haven't got it, but it's there. 

Rich Bennett 47:19
good. 

Laura Brazan 47:19
But yes, and I did do the last one. 

Rich Bennett 47:23
Yeah, they're great. So looking ahead, what are your hopes and goals for the future of the podcast and the community you're building through it? 

Laura Brazan 47:31
Ooh. Um, my hope would be that 

we that the listeners really are receiving what they need from this podcast and that they understand it as a community that they can trust and. 

That's my number one priority. And I already know that I'm accomplishing that now. But I hope that I can continue to grow because people do seem to be referring other people to it. And I get into social the social media groups that I am a part of are very good about promoting what I do because it is a non-for-profit organized nation. And they know that that we're out there looking for the best interests for grandparents raising grandchildren, that we start gaining sponsorships to help grandparents do some of the things they need that they don't have the money to do. I know so many grandparents that are have gone back to work to be able to support their grandchildren. I'd love to help them find some relief and respite from the situations they're in, but through the funding we can get from sponsors. People that care about this particular issue, getting the word out, 

which my local media is doing, but connecting with other people like you. Hopefully more people hear about it and help other people that need it. Get to the podcast. 

Continue to hope that as my grandparents or grandchildren are doing better, that. I can share good news about that with other people. Yeah, that's. Those are my only hopes. You know, my. My if if I'm doing well and the show is doing well, then it's helping other people. And that makes me happy. 

Rich Bennett 49:38
And actually, since you mentioned helping other people and I don't know if this has happened yet. If it hasn't, it will. Have any of your listeners reached out to you yet and thanked you for an episode that they've heard? 

Laura Brazan 49:52
I get about 20 emails a day. 

Rich Bennett 49:55
That's great. 

Laura Brazan 49:56
From grandparents thanking me for the show and wanting to share their stories. And yeah, I, I remember the first first emails that I got. Oh, well, actually, when I release the podcast, I, we, I got the podcast out, the kids got out of school and I left. We left for camping. And so I didn't have 

email access wi fi for like three days and my mailbox was full of messages and it just lit up my heart after all the work and getting it out and getting it launched. And you know, you second think yourself like, what am I? 

Rich Bennett 50:43
Right. 

Laura Brazan 50:44
Is is is this going to matter to anybody? So, yes, the answer is yes. People do. People do. Reach out. I get lots of comments and. 

Rich Bennett 50:54
Feels good, doesn't it? 

Laura Brazan 50:56
It feels great. I know for you to write. People love 

Rich Bennett 50:58
Oh. 

Laura Brazan 50:59
your show. 

Rich Bennett 51:01
I've mentioned this before because we cover addiction a lot and mental health. 

Laura Brazan 51:06
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 51:06
And when people 

Laura Brazan 51:07
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 51:08
contact me, especially from other countries and thank me because of a certain guests I've had on and what they've learned from it. Oh, which is why I do this in the first place is I want to learn if I'm learning and I know my listeners are learning and it never fails, I always learn something with every episode, every. 

Laura Brazan 51:31
Well, that's why I reached out to you, because the quality of your podcast and what you're doing is really interesting to me. 

Rich Bennett 51:38
Well, thank you. Thank you. Actually. Excuse me. I'm sorry. 

Because with everything that you've been through your life, the podcast. Have you thought about writing a book? 

Laura Brazan 51:52
Yes. 

Do 

Rich Bennett 51:55
Have 

Laura Brazan 51:55
you 

Rich Bennett 51:55
you 

Laura Brazan 51:55
want 

Rich Bennett 51:55
started 

Laura Brazan 51:56
to? 

Rich Bennett 51:56
on it? 

Laura Brazan 51:58
New. 

Launching was my my goal. And then, of course, we took off and did this camping trip. And then, of course, I had a car. We had a car accident. And 

Rich Bennett 52:08
Right. 

Laura Brazan 52:09
so, yeah, just getting back to life is where I'm focused right now. But I'll tell you what came to me, and I'm actually did one of, one of the people that I interviewed is works with authors. And I think these stories are really interesting. 

I think that children being raised by grandchildren need to hear different stories, you know, stories that are not about mom and dad, but stories about grandparents in their books. And as I told you when I was on this trip and we were camping out in nature, I think people need to get out with their grandkids and explore nature more. So I want to write a book for children because I love writing for children. I just love their mom. 

Rich Bennett 52:59
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 53:00
In the way they work. And I like writing in that format. And I thought as my husband and I travel more with the kids, that I'd like to write books about the travels that are for children, but for grandparents to read to them, 

simple books with that, that communicates some of the issues that are important for them to relate to. Because I think 

people, not everyone is creative of. In ways that they 

are naturally creative to come up with ideas on commuting some of these important issues to their grandkids and through books and. In travel, that that would be a fun way to do it. And I think my grandchildren would enjoy being a part of that. So, yeah, thinking about it, letting it simmer, talking to some people already. 

Rich Bennett 54:00
Wow. A children's. If you did a children's book, do you know any illustrators? 

Laura Brazan 54:07
Well, you know, I'd been. 

Yeah. And then I get to be painting again. 

Rich Bennett 54:12
Yeah, I think that would be great. And believe it or not, I do think you even have a platform where you could even sell your books. 

Laura Brazan 54:22
Really? 

Rich Bennett 54:23
Yeah. Your podcast. 

Laura Brazan 54:25
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah, yeah. And I. I'm, I'm, I'm, I've been I just interviewed an author this morning 

who's doing that. Not, not a grandparent, but. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 54:40
Right. 

Laura Brazan 54:40
Therapist. Yeah. Yeah. Gives me. I have a few of a few things to do. 

Rich Bennett 54:47
Yeah. Which means you're going to have to come on again no matter what. 

There's always the door is always open for you, Laura. I could sit here and talk to you forever. God, I could do a full episode on just engraving and art, you know, And. 

Laura Brazan 55:04
Sure. 

Rich Bennett 55:05
Oh, and travel. 

Laura Brazan 55:07
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 55:08
She says. I started traveling again this year. I haven't. Yeah. The last time I was on a plane was in 95. I had a bad experience. I flew this year. In February, we went to New Orleans for a week and then we just couple weeks ago we just went to the Outer Banks in North Korea. 

Laura Brazan 55:28
Oh, my gosh. That's beautiful. 

Rich Bennett 55:30
Yeah. First time I've ever been to the Outer Banks. I've been to Camp Lejeune. You know that good old flavored water. But it's just and I thought driving the Outer Banks, I thought was going to kill me because I got a bad back. And it was simple. Who's pretty good? Six or 8 hours down. 8 hours, 8 hours back because we had traffic. And the reason took so long. My wife wanted to go over to over and through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel. 

Laura Brazan 56:02
Uh huh. 

Rich Bennett 56:03
Which I haven't done in years. And. It was white knuckle driving across, but I was fine. 

Laura Brazan 56:09
Well, there's so much in the United States. 

Rich Bennett 56:11
Oh, yes. 

Laura Brazan 56:13
To see. 

Rich Bennett 56:14
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 56:15
I just. We we went to the Redwood National Forest. 

Rich Bennett 56:19
Oh. 

Laura Brazan 56:21
And and you got to get a guide when you go there, get one of the local guides because the stories are amazing. And I hadn't ever done that. And we went into, you know, into Sacramento and parts of California and through where everything all those great fruits and vegetables are grown and that was really fun, too. But yeah, there's a lot to see here. So I'm going to have two trips next year for grandparents raising grandchildren and we'll be going in the U.S.. And grandparents will be able to socialize and talk. And we're going to have care for the kids so parents can do some stuff and get a break and have some adult time and have some educational time wherever we go. It might be going to a ranch in Montana. It might be. A trip to the Redwood National Forest. You never know. But yeah, it's so good to get out of our out of our environment. 

Rich Bennett 57:19
Yes. Yeah. And it's definitely good, like you said earlier, for your mental health. 

Laura Brazan 57:24
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 57:25
Without 

Laura Brazan 57:25
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 57:25
a doubt. Tell everybody, because this is very important. Tell everybody your websites and where they can find you and listen 

Laura Brazan 57:34
sure. 

Rich Bennett 57:34
to the podcast. 

Laura Brazan 57:36
The podcast is at grandparent's hyphen raising hyphen grandchildren dot org and there's a Facebook page of the same name. So that's where I focus. I don't do a lot of stuff on other social media. And my art site is at Laura Brazen Dotcom. 

Rich Bennett 58:02
In your 

pockets. It's because you're on something that I am, too. The baby boomer, dawg. 

Laura Brazan 58:11
Yes, they reached out to me. 

Rich Bennett 58:14
Great shoes on their. 

Laura Brazan 58:16
Yeah. Yeah. I haven't even got a chance to really delve into those the relationships with people on that. 

Rich Bennett 58:24
Yeah, there's a lot of good shoes. Those are those of you listening. When you listen to her podcast, make sure you leave a review. And remember, if you listen to it on good pods and no good page does not pay me to say this. If you listen to it on Good Pod, you can leave your review about every episode. And this as a podcast, or when you leave reviews about certain episodes that helps us out just like it does if an author of a book, because it tells us what episodes you like, what we can get more of and so forth. So make sure you do that. Ashley Is there anybody that you want to get on your podcast that you haven't yet? 

Laura Brazan 59:07
Hmm. 

Rich Bennett 59:08
You're a lot of podcasters have that dream, that dream list. 

Laura Brazan 59:11
More. I want more grandparents getting on and sharing their stories. And I'm going to be offering actually a little incentive for people to do that. I just haven't gotten that on my website yet. I'm offering a $50 Amazon card to anyone that whose story I accept. So if people know of people that have a good story to share and they're all good stories to share, honestly, I'd love for them to reach out to me. All they have to do is email me, send me a paragraph summarization of how they became a grandparent raising grandchildren. And we can keep them anonymous. A lot of people have to for legal reasons, and I'm happy to do that. But yeah, I'd love to hear more stories. And for other people to hear those stories. And I'd love to hear more from people that can give legal advice. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:11
Mm hmm. 

There's a lot out there. 

Laura Brazan 1:00:16
There's so many different aspects of it. There's this, there's 

Rich Bennett 1:00:19
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 1:00:19
the educational aspect. There's a love to hear from more artists. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:24
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 1:00:26
Can recommend some little, you know, maybe projects that we can do with kids that have experienced trauma, trauma therapists, 

people that help grandparents transition from the the mental challenges of leaving their dreams. Every one of us thinks when I retire, this is what I want to do. And when that plan changes, it's difficult to let it go. But what I what I really encourage people to do, I hit a wall about it myself. And what I stop to do is say no. Why? Why can't I do some of the things some of the things that I wanted to do? And how can I rearrange maybe things financially so that I don't have to be in terror of losing my retirement? 

Rich Bennett 1:01:32
Right. 

Laura Brazan 1:01:33
Right. So there are some creative ways financially we can do that. And people also should contact me if they have questions about that. There's some new 

things with Social Security that you can do if you adopt. And we're. We're learning about that. I think. I think the world is recognizing that it isn't a good thing for children to be taken from that situations and put into foster care right away that they're trying to make it easier for them to go with a family right afterwards and then reward us for doing that. That's the that's the part that it hasn't been the piece. It hasn't been there. If you go in, if the children go into foster care, they get a supplement. So more people to talk about helping grandparents transition and make the mental change is that they need to to think outside of the box, which is something we have a more difficult time, I think, doing as we get older. Yeah, I love to hear from everyone. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:45
Actually. Have you thought about interviewing some Grant? Now, Grant, I know you got probably best when they get older, but grandchildren who have been raised by grandparents. 

Laura Brazan 1:02:56
Oh, and yes, and I did one with Seth Gill. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:00
Mm hmm. 

Laura Brazan 1:03:01
A fascinating young man who was terrifically abused and traumatized. And he is a successful businessman and he talks about what he had to do to get through then he's very open and honest. Yes. If there are any grandchildren out there that are raised by grandparents and are willing to share the story, it does not have to be a successful one. You can talk about why you're having a hard time and what was good about it and what was bad about it. I want to hear all those stories. Absolutely. Absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:37
I love it. Well, Laura, I want to thank you so much. But before I get to my last question, is there anything you would like to add? 

Laura Brazan 1:03:44
Oh, gee, now, this has been lots of fun, and I hope to talk to you again. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:50
Oh, you will be. You will be. So actually, how many interviews have you been on? Not that not how many interviews have you done? Yeah. How many different people have interviewed you so far? 

Laura Brazan 1:04:04
You are my first. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:06
Why? 

Laura Brazan 1:04:07
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:09
Okay. That really threw me for a loop. How am I going to ask this question? 

Laura Brazan 1:04:14
Well, well, so, you know, I'm you know, I've put it out there that I'm a podcast because I wanted to build, uh, pod podcasts. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:25
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 1:04:26
But now that that's that flow is going and I got that under control, I want to start reaching out and and be interviewed. This was a lot of fun. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:36
You know what? I know? Because usually I'll ask people, you know, is there anything I. Hirsch has never asked you. 

Laura Brazan 1:04:43
Hmm. Hmm. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:44
But I can't do that. So. I've been doing this forever. And you? Is there any questions you would like to ask me about podcasting? 

Although I think you really got it all wrapped up. 

Laura Brazan 1:05:00
No, I. I want to communicate more with other podcasters. So lately, that's part of my plan for the next stage of working in this room. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:12
Good. Good. Well, best of luck to you. And I have a funny feeling you're going to be seeing a guy in the red suit in a few months, right around December. So I know I got a call from him, and he said he would love to see the grandkids and talk to them as. 

Laura Brazan 1:05:31
I'm going to tell the kids that I found out that Santa wants to be on my podcast. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:39
Yeah. Yeah, he will, but I'm pretty sure he will be. 

Laura Brazan 1:05:43
I think that I think that is going to make these two kids day. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:48
Who knows? Maybe it will be up to you. But if you want to let them ask Santa questions during the podcast. 

Laura Brazan 1:05:57
Hoo, 

Rich Bennett 1:05:58
There's from my understanding 

Laura Brazan 1:05:59
boy. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:59
and Sandy give some hard questions to. 

Laura Brazan 1:06:03
Okay. Okay. We're. It's a deal, Reg. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:07
Sounds good. I mean, I'll let Shannon know that. 

Laura Brazan 1:06:11
You us in and know. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:13
Yeah. 

Laura Brazan 1:06:13
And and tell him I would be most grateful. It would be the highlight of my life to get to talk to him. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:21
I will definitely let him know. Thanks so much. Continued success. And if there's any help you need, just reach out. I'm always willing to help other podcasters. 

Laura Brazan 1:06:32
Thank you. Appreciate that, Rich.