Bonded Through Recovery: Ronnie and Amanda's Love Story

In this episode of the Prisoner's Pardon Podcast, host Michi J welcomes Amanda and Ronnie Woodle, a remarkable couple who have conquered their struggles with drug addiction to become successful business owners. The episode delves into their unique love story, which began amidst a troubled backdrop of drug use, and how they navigated through cycles of addiction, legal troubles, and family challenges. Amanda and Ronnie share openly about their journey of recovery, the importance of mutual support in overcoming addiction, and the value of re-establishing family bonds. Their story is an inspiring testament to resilience, commitment, and the power of love in achieving a better life.

00:00 Welcome to the Show

00:13 Meet Amanda and Ronnie Woodle

00:34 A Love Story Born from Addiction

03:00 The Struggles of Recovery

08:00 Turning Points and Realizations

11:59 The Role of Family and Grandkids

15:33 The Road to Redemption

19:16 Life After Addiction

28:42 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

it can be done and you can do it together

2

I think for us and for everybody

that we talk to about stuff like

3

this is that it can be done.

4

, it's not just a choice.

5

It's a determination.

6

And don't let them tell you that

you can't do it because you can.

7

And you can have everything that you want.

8

Do you have to work for it?

9

Absolutely.

10

But it can be done and

you can do it together.

11

Michi J: Hello everyone.

12

And welcome to a

prisoner's pardon podcast.

13

. I'm Michi J your host.

14

And I'm so happy to have you

here I know I always say it's a

15

special show, but you know what?

16

It always is.

17

Today I have a couple on.

18

Their name is Amanda and Ronnie Woodo.

19

Yes, a couple.

20

I never thought I would

have a couple on as well,

21

but.

22

I had to have these two on because

they are successful business owners.

23

Traveling the country

together as a couple.

24

It's an incredible love story,

this story didn't begin this way.

25

It began with recovery looking

at what they're doing now,

26

how successful they are.

27

You would never think that they

had to go through a recovery.

28

Yes.

29

Both of them was hooked on drugs.

30

But now.

31

They're not.

32

The incredible thing is how they did it.

33

Together.

34

Michi J: I'm going to let

them introduce themselves, and

35

then we're going to get into

36

They're

37

Michi J: story, hi, Amanda.

38

And hi, Ronnie.

39

Amanda: Oh, hi.

40

Good to be on the show.

41

Michi J: Well, thank you so much.

42

Okay.

43

I want you to tell us,

like, how did you two meet?

44

Amanda: So we actually met through

drugs, um, honestly, because, um, my

45

ex husband and his ex wife were friends

and we all were in the meth scene.

46

And, um, I had separated from my

husband, but was hanging out with

47

friends of theirs still, and the

circles just overlapped, right?

48

So then we ended up,

um, partying together.

49

Yeah.

50

And, uh, it kind of just went from there.

51

And.

52

Um, he and his wife ended up separating

and divorcing and me and my husband

53

ended up separating and divorcing

and it just kind of, I don't know, I

54

hate to say that it was meant to be

through the addiction because that

55

was not a great way to start it.

56

But had we not both been in that

scene, we would have never met.

57

Michi J: True

58

Ronnie: story.

59

Michi J: Yes, you know what, that's

fine to say, because a lot of

60

couples meet under, , less desirable

circumstances, but they do meet, right?

61

So you

62

Amanda: know,

63

Michi J: So what attracted you to,

64

Ronnie: amanda is beautiful.

65

So I was just instantly interested

in her when I first met her.

66

Amanda: And Ronnie's personality and humor

is what attracted me to him at first.

67

He's just, he's always happy

and jovial and laughing.

68

And it was nice to see that, , whether

it was drug induced or not, which by the

69

way, it's not, cause he's still like that.

70

Michi J: Well, good thing.

71

Right.

72

Absolutely.

73

Now, what actually you, you met over

drugs and what happened after that?

74

Amanda: So we, well, actually I got

in trouble on a few occasions shortly

75

after we got together, uh, mostly

misdemeanor possession type of things.

76

, and we're in Wyoming, so I don't know how

the laws differ from, , Wisconsin, but,

77

um, Our department of family services

is pretty tight with stuff like this.

78

So we lost our, well, I lost

my kids, Ronnie's kids weren't

79

living with us at the time.

80

Um, and we kind of went through the,

the whole rehab and out of rehab and

81

getting the kids back and being okay

for a little while, and then right back

82

into it again, and just like the cycle

just kept continuing, you know, and

83

this has been, you know, that was over.

84

Well, I've done meth off and on since

I was about 18, so I'm, you know,

85

granted, it's been nine, 10 years now,

but it was a good 25, almost 30 years.

86

You know, it was a long time, not

that it was always all the time.

87

And I didn't lose the kids till

early thirties probably for the

88

first time, but I did lose the

kids twice to this, you know?

89

And so then there, like

I said, it was a process.

90

And so we would clean up and

we'd go through rehab and we'd.

91

Get the kids back and then we'd be

good for a while and then we slippery

92

slope down again and it was just

like a, I was so tired of picking

93

ourselves up out of rock bottom.

94

It wasn't even funny.

95

Ronnie: Amanda lived in Gillette

since she was a child, like, which

96

is northern Wyoming, by the way.

97

Amanda: And

98

Ronnie: I'm from Rapid City,

South Dakota, South Dakota.

99

And, uh, I moved up there to

work in the oil field anyway.

100

Um, so me and Amanda are the

same age, but we didn't know each

101

other from school or anything.

102

Cause I moved up here

when I was 18, I guess.

103

But, uh, anyway, um, we decided to make

a complete change and we moved, um,

104

150 miles away from that town just to

get away from the people and everything

105

surrounding that lifestyle, you know?

106

Um, but, um,

107

Amanda: You can find it

wherever you're looking for.

108

Yeah, which we find out got

hung up on it again up here

109

Ronnie: remove code

110

Michi J: So What kind of drove you

towards drugs in the first place?

111

Was it because it was what

everybody else was doing?

112

What what kind of got you into that scene?

113

Ronnie: For me, it was, uh, bikers,

uh, banditos, because he grew

114

Amanda: up right outside of Sturgis.

115

So motorcycle rally type stuff.

116

Yes.

117

And for me, I grew up in the

sheltered Christian home.

118

Where I couldn't do anything.

119

So that's what was kind of my outlet.

120

Not that I got, you know, it was

mostly pot back then until after my

121

first divorce and then it was kind

of the people I was hanging out with

122

kind of experimental type stuff.

123

And that's, that's one, once you

start experimenting and you find,

124

if you find it fun, it's a quick,

Hey, let's do this more often.

125

And then all of a sudden

you're doing it all the time.

126

So,

127

Michi J: right.

128

So was that like a slippery

slope sort of deal?

129

It kind of slipped up on you.

130

Absolutely.

131

Amanda: Every time we've gone back to it

has been like that, which is why we know

132

we can't even try it once now because

we call it weekend warriors, right?

133

So you pick a weekend, you're like, you

know what, we should just do, you know,

134

meth for the weekend and clean the house

or just, you know, party and have fun.

135

Well, in our area, it's not, it's readily

available, but you have to know the

136

right people and it doesn't always hit

at the right time because we're not big

137

city, we're rural small town, right?

138

Right.

139

So we would try to find it on a Friday

night and it would be like Sunday

140

morning when we'd finally get it and

then you're up for 24 hours, which

141

then puts you into the work week.

142

And then, so then you're looking for

more because you're tired because you've

143

been up for the weekend, you know,

and it just kind of all of a sudden

144

perpetuated into instead of just an

every once in a while weekend, you're

145

doing it three quarters of the week

and then you're doing it every day.

146

Michi J: Oh, okay.

147

So this is different.

148

This is like looking at

it in a small town way.

149

Yes.

150

And it's not as accessible and

it kind of messed up your routine

151

because you couldn't absolutely

imagine you guys absolutely are funny.

152

Okay.

153

That's hilarious.

154

Okay, so that's, that's good to know.

155

And, you know, people are, you know,

doing this and they need to hear this,

156

and this is just what, what's going on?

157

So yeah.

158

And when you were doing it and

you, you slipped up and how, how

159

did you, you get out of that?

160

You know, you, you just woke

up and look, I'm tired of it.

161

Amanda: What

162

Michi J: happened?

163

Amanda: This final time, or like the

times before, before we went back

164

into it, because they're different.

165

So when we got in trouble

earlier, the last time, uh,

166

Ronnie: That we did it, um, it was,

um, after the SWAT team busted down

167

our door and pointed a laser sights

at everybody and we went to jail.

168

Amanda: But we were ready.

169

So the other thing about where we're at

is that, so we hit, we started dealing

170

it because we were being ripped off

by the people we were buying it from.

171

But in order to do that, we had to

drive to our nearest Large metropolitan

172

city, which happens to be Denver, right?

173

To acquire it, right?

174

So now all of a sudden we're

drug running and drug dealing.

175

So that's where this

kind of all tripped up.

176

But on top of that, It was

the, the quality back then.

177

So we're talking nine and a half

years ago when we got busted.

178

So about 10 years ago, I would say we got

to a point where we were, we were done.

179

We were tired of doing it.

180

We, it wasn't doing

what we wanted it to do.

181

It was garbage.

182

It was expensive.

183

You know, I mean, it was just,

everything was going wrong.

184

We couldn't keep jobs.

185

It was just one thing after another.

186

And we got to a point where we both

looked at each other about six months

187

before we got busted and we're like, Hey,

We need to stop because this is crap.

188

But the problem was is that we didn't

have jobs except for, for dealing drugs.

189

And so we couldn't get jobs

cause we couldn't stay off the

190

drugs long enough to get them.

191

And, um, it just ended up being one of

those things where we were ready to quit.

192

We just didn't know how, and

as we were deciding to quit.

193

I had a medical bill, like a

large one for a neck issue I had

194

that went to collections and they

started hitting our bank account,

195

like right before rent was due.

196

So we were like, okay,

well we're done doing this.

197

And then they took

everything we had for rent.

198

So we had nothing to

provide for our family for.

199

So we made one last trip

to Denver to get more.

200

And that was when we got busted.

201

Well, that's it.

202

Like two days afterwards, we got busted.

203

So it was, I want to say it was

a blessing in disguise because it

204

was, it was a little bit more of a

kick than what we were expecting.

205

Yes.

206

Ronnie: I wish I wish it could have

happened with two less felonies.

207

Amanda: Yeah.

208

But either way, I mean, the

end result was what we needed.

209

So

210

Michi J: for sure, for sure.

211

So this is like.

212

You're both you what you came

into agreement together like,

213

Hey, this is not for us.

214

So you both were on board because normally

I shouldn't say normally, but sometimes

215

a lot you do see people where one wants

to get off and the other one doesn't and

216

you two were together on that as well.

217

So how, how did this happen?

218

It's just like, you, you nudged

each other and like, I was already

219

thinking that Amanda, I was just

waiting for you to say that.

220

What?

221

Amanda: Yeah,

222

Ronnie: it's getting older

and tired of, you know,

223

Amanda: it's

224

Ronnie: kind of

225

Amanda: wasting our lives on what?

226

I mean, we were renting this

like shoe box house for.

227

There was crap, you know, and it was, we,

we'd always kind of, we would peak and

228

then we would valley and then we would

fall off the planet and then we would

229

peak and we would validate, it was just

like, there were people our age that

230

were, you know, had great careers and they

were traveling and they had, you know,

231

all this stuff that we wanted, right.

232

And, and it wasn't, it

wasn't just a drive.

233

It was more of a, what are we doing?

234

Yeah.

235

So, but, but on, on top of

that, really, really late.

236

Yeah, really late.

237

Really late.

238

Because we were, you know, Yeah.

239

Late for late thirties.

240

Late thirties.

241

But, uh, you know, and, and our

kids were getting older too.

242

That was the other thing.

243

Our kids were watching what we were doing.

244

Michi J: Mm-Hmm.

245

Amanda: And we had grandkids coming

because my son had already had

246

Myra, right when we got busted.

247

So we had our first granddaughter that

was like a year old when we got busted.

248

And it, I just, I didn't want.

249

I didn't want, you know,

I didn't want that.

250

I didn't want the family.

251

There was, it wasn't even

necessarily a status thing.

252

I just didn't want the, the grandkids

and our kids to not want to be around us.

253

And I didn't even want to

be around us half the time.

254

I mean, we were dumb.

255

Michi J: That was, you know what,

that I was going to ask about that.

256

What about the kids?

257

Did that kind of rob you?

258

But you say, you know, you

automatically went there.

259

Thank you for that.

260

The grandkids.

261

So, you know, I kind of liking

you guys to Bonnie and Clyde.

262

So I don't think the great.

263

We have five now.

264

Oh, Congratulations about that.

265

So that's good that you stopped

when that first one came.

266

Cause you would have had

a lot of explaining to do.

267

Well,

268

Amanda: you know, I just wish we

would have stopped before the kids

269

came because they we've put our

kids through way more than they

270

should have ever had to go through.

271

We, we really have now they've,

they've mostly, mostly turned

272

out to be really good people.

273

You know, some of them still have a little

ways to go, but you know, um, My son's

274

been through Ronnie's my fourth husband.

275

I'm his third wife.

276

So

277

Ronnie: together.

278

We're lucky number seven

279

Amanda: But you know, so I put my my

son who is now he'll be 29 and in August

280

and you know I put him through three

failed marriages And, you know, the

281

whole time pretty much drug addiction.

282

When I was with his dad, it was mostly

pot, you know, and I don't really consider

283

that an addiction, it was just what we did

at the time, you know, and then after that

284

it was, you know, meth and coke and pretty

much anything I could get my hands on.

285

Not to mention a lot of

alcohol back then, too.

286

And not that I don't

drink now, because I do.

287

Um, but I'm very responsible about it now.

288

Because we have driving jobs and whatnot.

289

So, um, but, but it, you know, when

the grandkids came, it kind of put

290

a different twist to it because my

son was basically like, Nope, we're

291

not doing this, you know, and I'm,

I'm extremely proud of him for that.

292

He's tried it all.

293

He used to have a problem with,

um, well, he used to have anger

294

issues too, but behavioral issues.

295

But, um, but alcohol was his big

thing and he doesn't even do that now.

296

So,

297

Ronnie: but, but he does do

kratom and it's a problem for him.

298

Amanda: Yeah, that's true.

299

But it does keep him from drinking.

300

So I guess there's that.

301

And, you know, he's got a mine job,

so, you know, he has a very, you know,

302

he does, he does what he needs to do

and he provides for his family and I

303

couldn't be prouder of the two of them.

304

Ronnie: He calls his mom all

the time for advice about, uh,

305

Amanda: about life, financial

306

Ronnie: issues,

307

Amanda: taxes, and car titles and

just, you know, stuff like that.

308

And I love it.

309

I love the fact that

I'm his go to, you know.

310

That's

311

Michi J: awesome.

312

That's awesome.

313

I'm so proud of both of you, um, in

making, you know, looking at the kids

314

and the grandkids and, watching those

little eyes watching you and knowing that.

315

Hmm.

316

I don't want them to see that.

317

So in making those changes, so

that was when you two made those

318

changes again, you said that was

right when the grandkids were there.

319

And one of the things that you

did, you said you, you moved away.

320

Amanda: Well, so we moved a

couple of years before we quit.

321

So we moved in moved in 2012,

322

Like I said, about two hours

away from quote unquote home.

323

And started new and that lasted about

a year before we got right back into

324

it again, we got busted in March of

325

Michi J: So why, why haven't

you touched it since?

326

Is it you didn't move again did you?

327

Amanda: No, no, we got

busted in this town.

328

Ronnie: We thought we were

done when we left and let, and

329

then they fell into it again.

330

And then after we got

busted, I mean, that was,

331

Amanda: well, we, like I said, we

were, we already knew we were ready.

332

We were ready to be done.

333

And I think that that's

the key for addiction.

334

You, I don't care.

335

How many people tell you you need to

quit or force you into this or force you

336

into that, you know, yes, going to jail

helps because it makes you, you know,

337

clean up for a while, but until you are

ready, you are not going to quit, period.

338

I don't, I don't care who it is.

339

It has to be that ready to quit

thing, which we both were, we just

340

didn't know necessarily how, and

then I ended up, you know, and I

341

only spent like three weeks in jail.

342

Ronnie had like two, but I had an

eight to 10 year sentence over my head.

343

That was the other thing.

344

I didn't want to miss out on seeing the

grandkids grow up and our kids graduate.

345

We had at least one that hadn't graduated

from high school yet, you know, and it

346

was still pretty little and, you know,

there was just all these things in life

347

I didn't want to miss out on because

I was sitting in prison somewhere.

348

Michi J: So, I would like,

rationalize this to be

349

something like, it's, it's love.

350

Amanda: It is.

351

For each other, for ourselves,

for our kids, for our

352

grandkids, for a better life.

353

And, and you know what?

354

And we have that now.

355

And now we're switching gears again, but

because we had, we got what we wanted

356

and now we want something different.

357

You know what I mean?

358

Michi J: Ronnie, you are

about to say something.

359

Ronnie: I don't recall.

360

Michi J: Okay.

361

I'm sorry about that, Ronnie.

362

Um, yeah.

363

So I like what you said, Amanda,

that you have to be ready and people,

364

it depends on the person, what

makes them ready for you, you too.

365

It was the grandkids.

366

You were paying attention to what

they were paying attention to.

367

So that's, really significant.

368

So after you're ready, then the

necessary steps was it hard to do

369

did you feel, , some sort of pressure

after you, you were ready, but you

370

still had to make some changes.

371

Everybody does like you,

make some small changes.

372

Of course, you weren't hanging

around and you weren't, you know,

373

Amanda: we severed ties with

everybody except for, um, my best

374

friend who happened to be one of

the people we used to party with.

375

Um, but they were extremely respectful

in the fact that we said, do not

376

bring it over and do not come

around if you're on it, period.

377

And we had to do that

for a really long time.

378

Nowadays, it's not as big of a deal for

us because we're, we're comfortable in.

379

Being clean, so we could be around it and

not be tempted by it now, but for a good

380

probably four or five years, it was like,

nope, and if we showed up anywhere where

381

it was happening, we just left, we had

to, because we know we can't do that one

382

time without it becoming an issue again.

383

And we have too much to lose now.

384

I mean, we have, we have a nice

house and we've got great jobs

385

and we just bought an RV and are

hopefully semi retiring in four years.

386

Ronnie: It's not an RV,

but it's a motor coach.

387

Amanda: What's the difference?

388

We have a huge 39 foot bus, basically.

389

Like one of the really big, it

looks like a tour bus, basically.

390

Michi J: Wow.

391

Amanda: So, and you know, I never in a

million years would have dreamt that we

392

could have gotten to where we are now.

393

In like nine, 10 short years, really,

394

Michi J: from where

395

Amanda: we started.

396

Yeah, 10 short years.

397

We've got retirement.

398

We've got, you know, we have awesome,

awesome, we've got great credit scores.

399

We've got brand new cars.

400

We have four wheelers and motorcycles

and we take vacations and, you

401

know, it was everything we wanted.

402

We just took a long time to get here.

403

Michi J: Well, 10 years is not that

long compared, you know, looking

404

at how much you accumulated.

405

Amanda: Oh, absolutely.

406

I, I could have never dreamed we could

have done it in 10 years for sure.

407

But we've worked

408

Ronnie: to do it.

409

Our next step is going to be also

for, The grandkids and ourselves.

410

Um, we're going to early retire and

that's kind of what the bus is for.

411

Um, but so that we can visit

family and grandkids and things

412

that we don't have time for right

now because we work way too much.

413

We do work a lot.

414

We work a lot.

415

Amanda: And they're growing up

without us because we work too

416

much now instead of, you know.

417

Do drugs all the time.

418

So,

419

Michi J: well,

420

Amanda: yeah,

421

Michi J: it's a big difference.

422

You went from very, unproductive

lives to very productive lives.

423

And now you're transitioning to where

you want to make sure you're in.

424

Even more productive because you're,

you're looking at your grandkids and

425

you want to, , establish relationships,

better relationships with them because

426

you realize the importance of that.

427

Am I getting that right?

428

Amanda: Absolutely.

429

Absolutely.

430

Because, you know, well, our oldest

granddaughter just turned 10.

431

She, she plays soccer and she's.

432

Fantastic at it.

433

And they travel and she plays

soccer games all over Utah.

434

And it's, I, I've gotten

to see one practice.

435

She's played for four years and

I've got to see one practice.

436

I have yet to see a game

because she's too far away.

437

And we have like 36 hours off on a

weekend, except for the one week a

438

year, we get off together because

that's all we get off together.

439

Right now.

440

Michi J: Okay.

441

All right.

442

So you two, it just looks like in,

you know, I was around you to you

443

to have an awesome relationship.

444

You're laughing, you're talking

together, you're engaging.

445

I mean, I, I do call you

guys, Bonnie and Clyde.

446

You all are so well matched,

you know, so well matched.

447

And it's really hopeful with someone

that probably been through some

448

relationships that didn't work out.

449

And, and now, you know, You know, giving

them the hope that they can get to that

450

place where they do have that individual.

451

So I do applaud you be, you know, being

together because like I said, you got

452

couples that fall apart under the.

453

Way less of pressure than you

guys did having SWAT teams come

454

into the house and stuff like

455

Amanda: that.

456

You've had relationships fall

apart for way less than that too.

457

And the other thing was, is when

we went through treatment, they

458

almost didn't let us do it together.

459

Because, because of the fact that

most of the time one or the other of

460

the couple will fall off the wagon

and then it takes the other one with.

461

Michi J: Right.

462

Amanda: So a lot of

times they separate them.

463

Michi J: So how

464

Amanda: did you

465

Michi J: get them to

let you do it together?

466

Amanda: We, uh, pled with them.

467

We said, Hey, you know,

we need to do this.

468

You know, this is something

we need to do together.

469

Um, we're both all in and if it's

going to work, it's going to work.

470

And if it's not, it's not.

471

But then they gave us a shot.

472

They also told us that if it

wasn't going to work, they would

473

separate us out after that.

474

But, you know, they w they didn't want

us to, at first they almost, they've

475

tried to make us separate completely.

476

They tried to make us

live in separate houses.

477

Yeah.

478

Ronnie: My judge,

479

Amanda: my judge tried to do that twice.

480

Um, you know, tried to make us.

481

Before we were married, when I got in

trouble, they tried to, to separate us,

482

we were, um, engaged and they're like,

no, you need to, you know, break up

483

with him and I'm like, we're engaged.

484

It's not going to happen.

485

Sorry.

486

And then this last time when,

you know, we'd been married

487

for years and years and years.

488

Say what's our,

489

Ronnie: what's our anniversary is here.

490

Amanda: What do you mean

what's our anniversary?

491

What number?

492

You don't know what number is?

493

I

494

Ronnie: can't think of it right now.

495

Amanda: Twelve.

496

Twelve.

497

We've been married 12

years as of end of July,

498

Michi J: we've

499

Amanda: been together for 17.

500

Michi J: Wow.

501

This is an incredible story.

502

I really, that, that is

what I was talking about.

503

It's very unusual.

504

It's usually one day fall off

and the other one,, want to stay,

505

you know, so it's like, but I'm

glad to hear that it is possible.

506

It is possible.

507

Together.

508

And it just depends on the people.

509

So, and, and they gave you a shot.

510

So I hope, people are listening

to this then to understand that

511

family does need to, if at all

possible, keep them together.

512

So

513

Amanda: definitely, Oh, that was just

give the hope and give the extra chances

514

because it's not like my biggest thing

was I was, when we left Gillette.

515

I had had the kids taken away twice, and

then this third time, when they, Gillette

516

DFS, Department of Family Services,

told me this is your last chance.

517

If she goes away again, it was my youngest

at that time, because my oldest was Old

518

enough to go with his dad at that point.

519

Um, and my, our youngest is autistic,

so it was a different kind of case.

520

Um, but they're like, if, if they

take her away again, she's gone.

521

So when we got busted with our

felonies, I immediately was freaked

522

out because I thought we were done.

523

I thought she was gone for good.

524

And that they were going to place her in

some foster care, you know, she'd end up

525

being part of the system and I, it was

not going to be okay one way or another,

526

but I tell you what, the biggest thing

for me with that too, was that the DFS

527

system in where we live now worked with

us immediately and they're like, we're not

528

trying to take her away where we live now,

529

Ronnie: where we moved from,

they were, they were the

530

ones that said, uh, it's over

531

, Amanda: Like made this jump through hoops

for years and gave her back finally.

532

Here where we're at now, it was like four

or five months, and we did everything we

533

were supposed to, you know, we were daily

UAing, and everything was good, and we

534

were going to classes, and we were doing

everything we were supposed to, and we

535

had her back in like four or five months,

and they're like, no, we're planning on

536

reuniting, because I had given up hope as

soon as I went to jail, because I thought,

537

our daughter's gone, she's gone, I'm,

you know, I'm never gonna see her again.

538

And just, I think that hope, hope and

ambition and something to work for

539

Ronnie: that day, a lot of them,

540

Amanda: they allowed us because it was,

you know, I, I really was at the point

541

where I was like, we're just, we're just

done, we're just done, we had to be done.

542

Michi J: So that's good that, um,

I'm just gonna say that alluded to

543

forgiveness and them giving you chances.

544

guys.

545

To rectify that situation, so we

do need to have that compassion for

546

people to give them chances, of course,

protecting them and the kids at the

547

same time, of course, but also allowing.

548

Or that family to be reestablished.

549

And so many times, like you said,

department of family services, , some

550

of them, they do work to, they have like

the wrong mission is to take the kids.

551

And when they should be looking at

how we can keep the kids with you,

552

that's a whole different perspective.

553

And that means you'll be doing

things a lot differently.

554

So that is just a miracle.

555

You guys, that's, that is a miracle that

you were able to get the kids back because

556

normally DFS is, it's the entity unto

themselves and they have different rules.

557

It's a whole nother court system.

558

So

559

Amanda: it definitely is,

560

Michi J: definitely is

definitely different from

561

the criminal justice system.

562

They have their own system and we

do really need to bring them to have

563

the some standards and keep it like.

564

Not just, you can do this over

here and then you go to the

565

next county and it's different.

566

So then we're

567

Amanda: at now that we were

fortunate to the fact that they

568

have funding that helped us.

569

They, they put us through rehab and

they paid for stuff like that, where it

570

was, you know, when we were unemployed

and straight out of jail, we didn't

571

have to try to figure out how to pay

for everything on top of all of that.

572

So they provided treatment for us.

573

Michi J: That is not

done in a lot of places.

574

Amanda: Like I said, small

town, small town, which I guess

575

is the fortunate part of that.

576

Ronnie: He says it's a small

town, but this is the second

577

largest city in our state.

578

Michi J: Well, we're going to be

wrapping this up now, but what is

579

the main thing you want the audience

to take away from this conversation?

580

Both you and Ronnie, you can

say two different things,

581

or you can do it together.

582

Whichever you like.

583

Ronnie: Buy a motorcycle.

584

Amanda: No, I think for, for us and

for everybody that we talk to about

585

stuff like this is that it can be done.

586

You know, it's not just

it's not just a choice.

587

It's a determination.

588

And don't let them tell you that

you can't do it because you can.

589

And you can have everything that you want.

590

Do you have to work for it?

591

Absolutely.

592

But it can be done and

you can do it together.

593

Michi J: Together.

594

I like that.

595

Together.

596

Together.

597

You can do it together.

598

Ronnie: Okay,

599

Michi J: well, thank you so much.

600

Amanda and Ronnie, this was a pleasure

and you are my Bonnie and Clyde.

601

I really thank you for coming on and

sharing your experience and sharing

602

with the audience how to stick together.

603

I say, not just through beauty,

because yes, Amanda is very beautiful.

604

Ronnie is very funny as well.

605

So it's, you need those things and

beauty is from the inside out humor.

606

Everybody needs humor.

607

So.

608

Amanda: That's true.

609

Michi J: All right.

610

Well, thank you all.

611

You all have a blessed evening and thank

you for being on the show again and again.

612

I thank you again and again.

613

So that's all.

614

Oh, wow.

615

Yes.

616

It was a pleasure.

617

So

618

Ronnie: I was going to say thank

you for the opportunity also.

619

And this was fun.

620

Michi J: Thank you.

621

Well, that's it, everyone.

622

Thank you for listening and may you

have a week filled with blessings.