A New Season! How to Let Go of Your Kids and Hold On to What Matters

Mary Alessi:
Anyway, wait a minute.

Mary Alessi:
You're gonna tell me my conversation I had with a couple was worse than the conversation you and the girls had last night with our daughter?

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Steve Alessi:
That was.

Mary Alessi:
What how to be ready for her honeymoon night. And all of that was awesome. That's not stressful?

Mary Alessi:
Not at all.

Mary Alessi:
Hello and welcome to a new season of the Family Business podcast with the Alessi's man. We are so glad to have you join us, Mary.

Steve Alessi:
Yes, we are.

Mary Alessi:
It's a new season.

Steve Alessi:
It's a new season.

Mary Alessi:
Season eight.

Steve Alessi:
Season eight. I can't believe we have this much to talk about.

Mary Alessi:
There is a lot to talk about.

Steve Alessi:
And it just keeps piling up with more conversation to have.

Mary Alessi:
Well, the good thing is we like something fresh. We want to do something new. There's new information out there, new events that are happening that we have to respond to. Plus there's new seasons of our own life that we'll talk a little bit about today. But we're glad that you're joining us and we want to thank you for staying with us. Listen, we are over 200 episodes strong.

Mary Alessi:
That's amazing.

Mary Alessi:
Season number eight. That is amazing. And it's amazing because what we hear is that the average podcast only tapes like seven episodes. If they do 20 or more, they're like in the top percentile.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
So that's pretty crazy. We're over 200. And according to YouTube numbers, we have just learned more or less that we are closing in on 1 million views of our YouTube channel with the Alessi family business.

Steve Alessi:
Thank you to our pawdience for that.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah, thank you, thank you. And if you're enjoying us enjoying it, please, here's two things you can do. Keep sharing what we're talking about and in our show with other people because we got some. Our kids are going to be a lot more involved. Our adult kids are going to be a lot more involved in this season eight because they are experiencing the whole family business dynamic. So it's really cool there. But also, look, we'd like to keep you informed even more. And if you'd like to find out more information, then we can get you in our newsletter and you can find it at alessifamilybusiness.com newsletter.

Mary Alessi:
That's a lessy family business.com newsletter.

Mary Alessi:
There it is.

Mary Alessi:
Read it.

Steve Alessi:
Can you see it?

Mary Alessi:
I couldn't.

Steve Alessi:
Wow.

Mary Alessi:
Little tiny print right there. My glasses definitely need to be upgraded.

Steve Alessi:
Well, it has been eight seasons. It's been a while.

Mary Alessi:
Thank you very much. You know, well, we'd love to go Ahead and have you join us even more and share this with others. You got a great story to tell about somebody who actually comes to the church as a result. What was that about?

Steve Alessi:
Well, this Sunday or recently, we had someone that went through our steps program, which is our growth track. And when they came off the stage, I went to greet them to say welcome, you know, and I didn't really know them, but they said first words out of her mouth were, I have not missed one episode of the Alessi Family Business podcast. As a matter of fact, she said, I have gone back and listened to every single one and it's changed my life. Thank you. And it just stopped me in my tracks because I know people listen to it, we see the numbers, but it's really a wonderful thing to meet and greet somebody that the first words out of their mouth when you meet them is to say thank you for the podcast and how much it's changed their life and that they listen to all 200 episodes. That's pretty incredible. So thank you, thank you, thank you to those of you who are making our podcast such a wonderful success. And it's hopefully and prayerfully helping you in your home, in your family and your marriage and your parenting and even just dealing with some of the crises that are going on in the world today.

Steve Alessi:
Because in eight seasons, it'd be interesting to go back and just do like an abbreviated version to see a synopsis of what has happened in our world since we started this podcast. I don't think I want to either. I changed my mind.

Mary Alessi:
I was looking at some of the old podcast that we had on and, man, am I glad that that that hairstyle has changed. Lost a little more weight. Thank God that those. Some of those old podcasts.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
Shows how well we're getting better.

Steve Alessi:
We're getting better.

Mary Alessi:
Podcasts are getting better. We're getting better. We're looking.

Steve Alessi:
And there's even more to talk about now than there were eight seasons ago.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah. Well, let me get some shout outs. We're here. Big thank yous. I want to thank A.P. he's right here. Alan Paul, he helps us get all of this done. Ashley is behind the keyboard back there or the soundboard.

Mary Alessi:
She is helping us with all the recording. John Roman is helping us make sure equipment is being updated. And we've got some new things in the studio. Thanks to also a George Bernal. George, you know who you are. Thank you. Part of what we do here at our church on Sundays, and you've given us the Midas touch. You've come in and helped us just design and help us get the facility looking even better.

Mary Alessi:
So thank you, all of you, for making it happen and of course, our pawdience for enjoying this information that we're able to put out there. We want to answer questions people are asking. Yeah, we really do. And try to stay, at least from our perspective, Mary, when we talk as a family, try to stay as transparent and real as possible. We may not always get it right with our views and our opinions, but it's working for us.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
We may not always have an opinion that the audience is going to agree with. And that's all right.

Mary Alessi:
It's okay.

Mary Alessi:
Hey, our church family is like that. Not everybody who comes through our church doors are robots just saluting us. Yes, I like that. I'll take it, I'll do it, I'll obey it, whatever.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
They don't follow that lead. So everybody's got their own views, own opinions. That doesn't make us insecure one bit. No, we like that that you can share those values and views as long as. And our goal is always this. As long as what we're doing. Our values are our morals. They're backed by biblical principles that we found.

Mary Alessi:
They're just a real strong foundation.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
That we've been able to build our lives on.

Steve Alessi:
And hopefully what our conversations do for people that are listening and are like minded, it brings them a sense of peace and order to the chaos. Because that's something that we search to do, is find peace and find order with all that's going on. And not just in the world, but even in the family, how do you bring us into peace? We've lived a long time. We've been through a lot. We've seen a lot. Something else that's been interesting is that our long play version has actually done better than our 30 minute segments. So we're going to stay with that. And because I think there's just so much to say about different subjects and when we rush it, we don't really get into that relaxed state of really talking and sharing from our heart.

Steve Alessi:
So that's been a very interesting turn of events to see our numbers dramatically climb with a longer podcast play.

Mary Alessi:
Okay, so let's get into it because the one thing I don't like about podcast is it takes so long of introduction to get to the subject matter. But we had a lot to take care of. All right, so here's where we want to go today. It's a new season, not just for the podcast, but for our lives. Okay. So I've been struggling with two big changes that have come up I'm facing in my life.

Mary Alessi:
Okay.

Mary Alessi:
So I'm going to be 65 in November.

Mary Alessi:
Yes, you are.

Mary Alessi:
Right. So two things are showing me my age.

Mary Alessi:
Okay.

Mary Alessi:
And it's not my hair, because thankfully I got a new do. But the first is, you know, I'm a Medicare recipient now.

Mary Alessi:
Ouch.

Mary Alessi:
Oh, gone it, Mary. I had to sign up for Medicare. Yeah. I'm a. I'm. That's terrible. So I feel. I feel kind of ancient.

Mary Alessi:
I feel kind of old. And I just got the card in the mail. Having to make sure we do it all the right way. And if you haven't signed up and you're up 65, you're right there. You need to go ahead and check your insurance. All that kind of stuff's going on, and there's a lot of hoops to jump through. So this segment has come to you by Medicare. Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
So that's kind of crazy. I hate that because I definitely feel old. And in order to be on Medicare. Oh, no. I had to sign up. And I brought you in with me as a co member to aarp.

Steve Alessi:
Seriously?

Mary Alessi:
Yes. I have been getting information about it for years. I'm like, I'm not old enough yet. And now all of a sudden, I'm old enough.

Steve Alessi:
Wait a minute. Are there discounts?

Mary Alessi:
Yeah. Is there someone right now? So you're.

Steve Alessi:
I'm good with it.

Mary Alessi:
You're a part of the membership. Let's go. You're not in your 60s.

Steve Alessi:
Save some money. AARP.

Mary Alessi:
So we. We may be able to get your 4% discount at the hotel. Okay. So that's the first thing that's making me feel kind of old. The second thing is this. And this is where I'd like our conversation to go. We're marrying off our youngest child, our daughter Gabby.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
Now that. That. That's a big shocker. Yes. We have one more that is, like, in the wings, but this coming Friday, and I'll date this, this episode.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
We're going to marry off our youngest daughter.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
Now she's 25.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
And I don't feel old by her age, you know, because she's 25. But the fact that she's leaving us.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
Now I'm feeling old.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
It's like, wow, our baby daughter is going to be gone.

Mary Alessi:
I know.

Mary Alessi:
And by the way, I got a message I'm gonna speak about. It's like I got it from a country song, and it goes in with this whole Thing.

Mary Alessi:
Okay.

Mary Alessi:
And that is, there's no such thing as goodbye.

Steve Alessi:
Oh, stop.

Mary Alessi:
Oh.

Steve Alessi:
Why did you do that?

Mary Alessi:
Good about saying bye. Right.

Steve Alessi:
Why did you do that?

Mary Alessi:
Okay.

Steve Alessi:
All right. Let me recollect myself. These country music artists that write songs like that. Good Lord.

Mary Alessi:
Yep.

Steve Alessi:
There's nothing good about. I see. Who even. All my life.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah, I know.

Steve Alessi:
All my life.

Mary Alessi:
I know.

Steve Alessi:
I've written songs. I never saw that. Never put that together.

Mary Alessi:
Now you're listening to the wrong kind of music. You've got to go country.

Steve Alessi:
I can't listen to country music. I'd be a mess every single day.

Mary Alessi:
So she's gone.

Steve Alessi:
But here's the funny thing. She's gonna live one mile. We can walk to. We could walk to her house. And he's the baby. Christian's the baby of his family, too. And they could walk to his house. So they're not going far.

Mary Alessi:
No. But they are gone. They're out of the house. So leading up to these times in our life, that's. That's a message I'm actually going to be sharing this Sunday after.

Steve Alessi:
I won't be coming to church on Sunday. I'm going to stay home.

Mary Alessi:
I know.

Steve Alessi:
I will not be at church.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Steve Alessi:
You know what it is, though? It's. It's like happy tears, and it's joyful tears. Can we stop and start over? I'm kidding. But it's also just the season that we know it introduces us to.

Mary Alessi:
What's that season?

Mary Alessi:
Well.

Steve Alessi:
It'S those years that, you know, raising your kids is behind you.

Mary Alessi:
We're trying to catch our breath. Yeah, I know, babe.

Steve Alessi:
And here's the thing. We're good parents, and it's been amazing to raise our kids, and it's been an awesome season to raise them not only in the ways that they should go, but also in kind of the antithesis of some of our growing up years and making sure. Okay, I'm getting it together. I just needed that little.

Mary Alessi:
Come on, hurry. So much for that makeup.

Steve Alessi:
I'm telling you. Thank God for those just listening and those not watching. But actually, it's such a weird emotion.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Steve Alessi:
Because it's not sad and it's not totally like an elation. It's this weird mix of the next season is upon us. And I don't know. I don't know that there's a. Nope. If there's a word to describe the.

Mary Alessi:
Emotion, but it's definitely mixed.

Steve Alessi:
It's mixed.

Mary Alessi:
It's. It's a mixed emotion. Now, here's the problem with A. Our. Our whole theme of, you know, family.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
And us working together and then our church being. So relational focus. Everything is about relationship.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
And that is. If I have one core value, it really is that one core value.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
Understanding that because of the focus of relationship, we. We put such an emphasis on it. How to create good ones.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
And. And to keep the family together. That's the first priority. Then keep, you know, friends that have been in our lives for so long, keep them all together. Then when there's a moment in the relationship where there is a change, where you're not as together as you once was.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
Once were.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
So as a family, you know, one of our kids, if they're ever given an opportunity to take a job elsewhere or they're married to a spouse, about taking, you know, having to move for a job or for work or for an opportunity, you know, that's where that whole dynamic shifts and changes. And it's not bad because people do it all the time.

Mary Alessi:
Sure.

Mary Alessi:
Kids move away from home. I mean, we took ours to college. You know, we. We are. They all pretty much studied here. Chris went for a year of college away. Stephanie went for an internship in Houston at Osteen's Lakewood Church. Lauren spent a season of semester in Hawaii.

Mary Alessi:
You know, we understand those temporary adjustments and moves that people have to make because you then separate from that relational thing that's constant.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
But when the focus is always relationship, when these next seasons come and you have to say, all right, now we have to adjust because you're not in the home anymore. You're not coming down to kiss me in the morning.

Mary Alessi:
I know, I know.

Steve Alessi:
That's the hard part.

Mary Alessi:
The changes.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Steve Alessi:
Well, the things that you're used to, like putting your shoes on, getting dressed, your routine, your children are part of your routine. And so, you know, here's the thing. They're feeling it, too. They're feeling it, too, because now they're embarking on this new world where mom and dad aren't there covering. Mom and dad aren't the first thing they see in the morning. Mom and dad aren't their pressure anymore. Life becomes their pressure. It's not us.

Steve Alessi:
It's bills and it's babies and it's expectations and it's one another. So, you know, it's that new season of life. And. And I think with the older two, when they started getting married, when all. I felt it with Stephanie more than I felt it with Chris, because with your son, it's like, get out there and make A way for yourself. You know, you're proud. But, man, I missed him, too, in a lot of ways. But the beautiful thing is somehow you transition to that new season and it becomes the new norm.

Steve Alessi:
And how quickly you forget about the way it used to feel. You know what I mean? It's just getting through the transition of it being. This is the end of one season into the next. That transition is hard. And I. I don't think we're normal if we don't let ourselves feel it all. I don't think it's good for us.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Steve Alessi:
To just put a smile on and get busy and get through it. I think it's healthy to stop. As a matter of fact, this morning, Stephanie sent me a long text. Mom, you need to let yourself feel it all. You need to talk to your sister. You need to talk. And I appreciate it because she's standing at a different place looking at me, seeing that I'm a little bit scattered and it's emotional, and I appreciated that. Where she's at having now, she's married almost five years, she's got two kids, and she's looking at it now from a different vantage point.

Steve Alessi:
It's a healthy perspective to look at her mom and go, mom, let yourself go. Cry if you need to. Don't try to be everything to everybody and take some time for yourself. It's okay. And I just appreciated that. I thanked her for that because, you know, it is a lot to process, and we all process differently. So Gabby's processing differently. Lauren, who's still in the house, is processing differently.

Steve Alessi:
We're all just a big mixed bag of all these emotions, and if we're not careful, we can see them as unhealthy versus it's healthy and turn on one another.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Steve Alessi:
And that's what we don't want to do.

Mary Alessi:
Well, I woke up Monday, and before I was woken a little earlier than I wanted to, and before I got out of bed, I did pray, and I prayed for our family. I prayed for Christian and Gabby as they prepare this week. I said my prayer was like, you know, let us just all peacefully embrace it.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
Because we. We want the season to be so fun. We want the week of the wedding to be celebrated. We've done hundreds of weddings over the many years in our line of work, and we know some of the worst weeks are the week of the wedding, which is why we. We have our wedding rehearsal.

Mary Alessi:
Yep.

Mary Alessi:
About four days prior to the wedding. So that whatever we need to adjust, we don't have to do it the day before or the day of. We got a couple days in between. The goal ultimately is to make sure this week is enjoyed. So my prayer was, you know, help us, help us get a grip on it this week. Help Gabby and Christian feel the moment with. Without feeling the pressure so much. There is a lot of pressure to make sure the wedding is done right.

Mary Alessi:
And our daughter and Christian have done a phenomenal job of organizing this deal. And I was super proud of our daughter because she said to me yesterday when or even Saturday, I was making some adjustments at the reception. And she says, you know, that this is why I did all the work prior, so that if you threw me a curveball, we had to make last minute adjustments. I can handle that without the stress and the anxiety of all the other things that we had to organize. So she's done a phenomenal job. So my prayer was, let us, let us go through it peacefully without any family drama which usually occurs around a wedding. And there's always somebody in the family that's taking the attention off of the bride and the groom. If it's not the bride and the groom.

Mary Alessi:
And thankfully we don't have a bridezilla. So that was the prayer that we could address this, attack it in the right way and do it without the stress and the anxiety. Don't let it show on us.

Steve Alessi:
Well, listen, I don't think there's anything more stressful than a wedding moving. We know there's like five things that they tell you that add so much stress on top of your already stressful life. And weddings can do that. Even the best unions.

Mary Alessi:
What are those? So get it. Death was one of them. Divorce was.

Steve Alessi:
Divorce is another one. Marriage, weddings, Moving, moving. And there's one more.

Mary Alessi:
Well, remember there was five. I think it was a job, something with a career.

Steve Alessi:
Oh, career changes.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah. Major, major stress inducers that just deplete you.

Steve Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
The. The chemicals that's needed to cope. Right? Absolutely. So think of this young couple. They're not only getting married, they're moving.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
And they're moving is they had bought a house and we're all working together to help remodel the whole home. We've gutted it, now we're remodeling it. This couple's having to do two things.

Steve Alessi:
That deplete their adrenal glands and then.

Mary Alessi:
They'Re supposed to go and honeymoon after it's all over.

Steve Alessi:
It's tough.

Mary Alessi:
So that's where I was thinking, you know, if there's any struggle, anything that would cause to be you know, any strife, anything that would cause strife. Let. Let's just deal with it when we get back, when they get back in town.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
Because there's a whole lot of stuff that's going to wait for them. Life's going to be waiting for them after the little honeymoon that they're going to be taken together so they'll get back and then we can get ticked at them and yell at them for not doing exactly, you know, but right.

Steve Alessi:
Now, wait for them to get home to.

Mary Alessi:
We're going to do it now. I did notice this because I want to be self aware. I did notice that you didn't like me playing with my shoes.

Mary Alessi:
You're playing with his shoelace.

Mary Alessi:
I did notice that I would be under a certain level of stress. So I was like, lord help me, because I just want to be aware of what may tick me off, what may set me off, what may trigger. Trigger whatever that looks like. Let me be aware. Is it going to be an unexpected bill that all of a sudden pops up?

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
Is it going to be a family member, you know, that shows up? That whatever. Is it going to be a delay in somebody's travel plans, we're going to have to shift and so on and so forth. I wanted to make sure I was being prepared so I wouldn't take the attention off of the couple or put more stress on the couple.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
So we're day two. How are we doing?

Steve Alessi:
I think we're doing great.

Mary Alessi:
I'm all right.

Steve Alessi:
I think you're doing really good. The conversation last night was probably heavy, but it worked out good.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah. It was about budget.

Steve Alessi:
It was about money.

Mary Alessi:
Money, man.

Steve Alessi:
That should be number six. Talking about money is stressful. So stressful again.

Mary Alessi:
Well, look at this couple. They're. They're trying to. We got a lot of money out there with the wedding.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
Going on. How much does that cost? Right. And then they got a house they're building and so they got to make sure that, you know, now they're coming to their honeymoon. Where the money. Where's the money from the honeymoon coming? I mean, they just went out and bought their bands on their, you know, for her engagement ring. Got her. Her band and he got his. So we're looking at their money and making sure they're gonna.

Steve Alessi:
Only you. Only you would say at 10 o' clock at night, four days before the wedding. Let's sit down and be realistic about money. And get terrified.

Mary Alessi:
Missteps.

Steve Alessi:
Probably. Probably. Actually, you know, they.

Mary Alessi:
Hey, I was telling them, do you got your Money set up for an offering. Don't you. This is good to you now you bring an offering.

Steve Alessi:
Listen, they. They respond to it, so. Well, I.

Mary Alessi:
As we were watching the dolphin game, we all kept looking over our shoulder. Oh, we scored. Cool. So it wasn't that heavy. Okay, good.

Steve Alessi:
No, you know, being realistic is also important. And being aware and being guarded. But, you know, four days before the wedding. Anyway.

Mary Alessi:
Wait a minute. You're gonna tell me my conversation I had with a couple was worse than the conversation you and the girls had last night with our daughter?

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Steve Alessi:
That was.

Mary Alessi:
What, how to be ready for her honeymoon night and all.

Steve Alessi:
It was awesome.

Mary Alessi:
That's not stressful?

Steve Alessi:
Not at all.

Mary Alessi:
How is that talking sex and all that to a virgin compared.

Mary Alessi:
Hello?

Mary Alessi:
Compared to money, I think money is.

Steve Alessi:
Hey, listen, listen, listen. If it's stressful to talk about that, it's only on her. Now, the money, they're both stressed. Oh, see, okay, you're just trying to divert. I know you.

Mary Alessi:
Oh, my.

Steve Alessi:
Well, they can handle it. You know what I notice about them? Hold on a second. I want to say this. These moments of pressure really show you what you're made of. They really, really do. And some people are built for pressure. Some people aren't. And you don't know until you're tested, until you feel pressure.

Steve Alessi:
So, you know, as parents, we still maintain our role as parents. And the times that I hated when my mom and my stepfather would put pressure on us, or your mom and your dad would put pressure on us. And in the moment, I hated it. I always rallied because I knew they were right. And I would want to. For us to kind of raise to the level of their expectation. It made us who we are today. And there are days, Steve, I missed that.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Steve Alessi:
Because just. You had it. You had a ceiling that you were always trying to please. Here I go. I'm gonna start crying again. Change the subject. Yeah, but it's. It's good for them.

Steve Alessi:
It's good for young. Young people to understand that life is full of pressure. How are you going to manage pressure? It's just pressure. It's not anxiety. It's not depression. It's not stress. You aren't doing it wrong if you feel pressured. As a matter of fact, you're doing it right.

Steve Alessi:
And pressure shows you're doing things at a high level. Because pressure creates diamonds.

Mary Alessi:
Diamonds.

Steve Alessi:
Pressure creates beautiful things. And if the next generation is trying to run from pressure, well, don't get married. Stay in your little nine to five and don't ask or want Anything more than what you have right now.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Steve Alessi:
Because what will create all of those things that are beautiful, but at the end of it, you look back over in your life and you go, man, look at what I've accomplished. Look at what we've been able to do together. Just know each and every moment and each and every season or experience that you walk through will be filled with pressure, which will lead to conflict. But you'll fight together and you'll make a beautiful life with a lot to show for it.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Steve Alessi:
So that's my little mini sermonette right there.

Mary Alessi:
Oh, that's a good one. All right. Here's the real important question, though. This is heavy, man. How's your dress going to look on you?

Mary Alessi:
Beautiful.

Steve Alessi:
Are you talking about my. The fact that we ate pizza last night?

Mary Alessi:
No.

Steve Alessi:
Just so you know, I didn't eat it.

Mary Alessi:
I. How's it going to look? You feel good about.

Steve Alessi:
I feel. I feel great in my dress.

Mary Alessi:
Helped you with that one.

Steve Alessi:
Brides of Florida.

Mary Alessi:
Brides of Florida.

Steve Alessi:
Thank you so much. To brides of Florida, Mackie and Ben and Priscilla, who own that place. And they said come. And they. They blessed me and Maria, which is Christian's mom, with the most beautiful dresses.

Mary Alessi:
And.

Steve Alessi:
No, it looks beautiful.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah. They also provided Gabby's wedding dress. Wedding dress.

Steve Alessi:
She's stunning.

Mary Alessi:
As she. As they did Stephanie and Rochelle.

Steve Alessi:
All right, so guess what? That takes a lot of the pressure off.

Mary Alessi:
Huge.

Steve Alessi:
So along the way, when you have pressure situations, God blesses you with things that just take a little bit. Take the pressure out just a little bit. And they definitely did that.

Mary Alessi:
They did.

Steve Alessi:
They helped financially to help take.

Mary Alessi:
Yes.

Mary Alessi:
And they celebrated. It was so smooth.

Steve Alessi:
So. So much so. And little Gianna, she's three. And she. She went with us and just ran up and down that little catwalk in front of the mirror and tried on dresses, too. So cute.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah. What a memory. Well, good thing is I had a tux a few years ago for Christopher's wedding. I had the tux made and I mean, all these years I've been in tuxedos doing weddings and things that never had a tux made just for me. So finally got it done. A guy helped me out talking about a financial blessing as well. So I went to put it back on a few weeks ago, and it's super big.

Steve Alessi:
Jeepers, look at you. Look at you.

Mary Alessi:
Slim. So all that's done. I got my tux size, the jacket. The pants are pretty much the same, but the jacket. Good. So I'm ready to go. Let's go pull out those patent leather shoes and. Should look good.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
And the nice black tie.

Steve Alessi:
You always look good in that.

Mary Alessi:
Christian's gonna be in white.

Steve Alessi:
He's gonna look great.

Mary Alessi:
Gonna look great. Nice black tie. He's gonna look sharp. And he's so stinking tall and handsome.

Steve Alessi:
So handsome.

Mary Alessi:
He's. They're gonna look, I mean, dynamic.

Steve Alessi:
It's gonna be a beautiful day. Can I just say though, the more we cry now, the better off it's going to be because that day. My fake eyelashes. I do not want caterpillars on my cheeks. I. It is not happening.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Steve Alessi:
I am just going to cry now.

Mary Alessi:
So. So.

Steve Alessi:
Because they're happy tears.

Mary Alessi:
I'm glad you bring up that because last Tuesday was it that they were all at the house. Gabby did a run through with her hair and makeup. That was cool.

Steve Alessi:
That was great.

Mary Alessi:
We're all right there celebrating. It brought the young lady in to help with her hair.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Steve Alessi:
Just to avoid the chaos on the.

Mary Alessi:
Wedding day and the wedding week.

Steve Alessi:
No surprises before.

Mary Alessi:
Grandmammy was there to be a part of that. And the grandkids were there walking around looking at all of that. It was fun.

Mary Alessi:
It was.

Mary Alessi:
That's how you can enjoy that whole pre wedding thing without it just being a night, an event. You just spread it out over a few weeks.

Steve Alessi:
And it's smart to do that because the wedding goes by so fast. The whole season goes. It's like you're planning for a year and then all of a sudden it's over. What happened to the last week of the wedding? So that's why we did what we did last night with some of our close friends. We brought Gabby in the room, we had a few snacks and we said, let's just talk. What are your greatest fears? Let's just share. And it was so sweet. We said one hour.

Steve Alessi:
It turned out to be two hours. And it was such a sweet time. And she cried and we cried and it just lets a little bit of the air out of the balloon. I would strongly encourage all you moms out there who are marrying off your daughters have those moments. You take the lead. You know what I've learned with Rachelle being married and then Stephanie and now Gabby and Lauren will be right behind them, is if we don't take the lead as moms, then some of these beautiful moments that could help so much won't happen. And we don't know that we should take the lead in these moments. And so I just want to share that little tip before before the day gets going, before the week gets away from you, even two weeks out.

Steve Alessi:
Whatever. Take a night at your house. Don't make it a fussy event. Just have everybody over with coffee and pastry and just sit with the bride. The girls that matter, the people. Yes, she's gonna have her bachelorette, but we don't go to those as moms. And there's a lot I wanna share with my daughter. There's emotions I want her to see that I'm having about her.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Steve Alessi:
And do that. When I. When I left last night, I thought, pro tip. Pro mom tip. Let's do that for our daughters, where we have a moment that we're helping them just process for a little while.

Mary Alessi:
Very.

Steve Alessi:
You know, it's important.

Mary Alessi:
I like that. I think that's important. You may want to. What's wrong with my hair? There you go.

Steve Alessi:
Well, everybody that is watching.

Mary Alessi:
All right, so here's.

Steve Alessi:
Can't see.

Mary Alessi:
Let's get into this subject, okay. Because we've talked about in a number of episodes ago, maybe a couple seasons ago, the leave and cleave thing, and it's a matter of leave and cleave or leave and grieve. You know, what. What does that look like to us at this season of life with this couple going forth, walking, you know, away into their new life and so forth. What is. What. What are we. How are we tackling that this time?

Steve Alessi:
Well, I think we've learned a lot with Christopher getting married and Stephanie getting married, and the healthy side of. We're always there as a covering, as well as his mom and dad. We're very blessed because we have his wonderful family that we've been friends with for many, many years. But for you and I, I think the leaving and cleaving is. It just continues that scripture verse that says, raise them up in the way that they should go, and that is letting them fly and be free without restraint, without our feeling like we're always either criticizing or feeling like we have to implement our advice. But we're here for it. We're here as counselors. We're there as participants for whatever they need, but also making sure that they're smart enough to surround themselves with young couples that can help them throughout the seasons of their life like we had, which was a blessing.

Steve Alessi:
How do you see that? Leaving and cleaving?

Mary Alessi:
Yeah, I see this as a. There's a. It's a scriptural prom principle that the scripture does tell us that when a man leaves his mother in father's house and a woman leaves her home that the two of them cleave.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
They become one. And that is a principle that we see allows couples to go back to what the experience was in the Garden of Eden when God looked at Adam and said, it's not good that he's alone. He made him a health meat. So the two were one to complete one another. As of course, not to compete with one another, but to complete.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
One another. So that's where that whole scriptural principle comes from.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
Now, how does that play out? Because what some may think is that when they leave the home, that's it. There's. There's no more connection to the home base, no more connection to the father and the mother whatsoever. And then they just go on to build their own lives.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
And part of that is true because it's on the couple now.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
To start this fresh new life, their family, to build their legacy, their name and their legacy and so forth. The side that they also need to remember is that in the cle. In the leaving there, there's not the losing of where you've come from.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
There's not totally walking away like now. You've got to begin again.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
So to get a. A fresh start as a couple, to have a new beginning does not need that mean that you now have to begin again all by yourself.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
That hampers that. That hurts a young couple when they have the support in the experience and the wisdom of parents that have already built a platform upon which to now build your life on. In our case, we. We're. We're third. We're second generation of the. The family unit of building the name and so forth. And then now we see our kids doing this.

Mary Alessi:
What they should be able to do is build off of our platform to go even higher. The only way to get that done is to remain in that covering and support that is in place. So when I hear of the leave and cleave that we know couples are needing, what that says to me is look to one another now.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
Of. For your support, for your love, for your affection. If a young girl has been mothered or too daddy. Too father.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah. Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
She can't go back and look for that affection from her parents.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
Parents is always going to give that to her, but she can't go and look for that as her soul. It's on the husband's role now. It's on his. His shoulders. That's right.

Steve Alessi:
His responsibility.

Mary Alessi:
He's providing that for her.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
And if the Son or now the groom. The husband has been used to being overly parented, provided for financially. No. Now there's, there's a shift. Now it's on you.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
Now you start this. Okay. I've got to be the provider of my household.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
I can't go back to dad and mom. No. To pay my bills. My future with my wife is going to depend on my ability to now be the provider.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
And now where my affections are from my parents, to be the pat on the back to go forth, now let me go conquer this world. Now I don't get it from them, I get it from my wife.

Mary Alessi:
Right, right.

Mary Alessi:
And so the leave and Cleave is starting and stepping into this new season of your life, but with the momentum of your family and your upbringing helping you go forward.

Mary Alessi:
That's good.

Mary Alessi:
Now it doesn't mean you now walk away and say, I have no other ties with you. I'm doing my own thing. And you know, hey, it's been great. And now saying it's all on me. Well, to a certain extent it is. But then to the other extent, it's like, wait, take advantage of the covering.

Mary Alessi:
That's it.

Mary Alessi:
And the platform and the legacy and the foundation and stay close to that.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
Because that's going to bless you in the future.

Mary Alessi:
It will.

Mary Alessi:
It's going to help you build even more in the future.

Steve Alessi:
And you're honoring where you've come from so you'll be blessed where you're going. And I was getting a picture in my mind when you're talking that it's like there's an emotional placenta that some young people still have attached to their parents. Even some young couples living with their parents. It gets one sided. That can happen. And you can do that if you live in a city like Miami. And it's tough and whatever, but be mindful that you might be living with your parents right now as a married couple, but you need to develop individuality as a couple and independence to make your own way. And it doesn't.

Steve Alessi:
It's not. To make that sharp turn and to cut the placenta off doesn't mean now you're having to make a decision, do I honor love my parents? No, you leave and Cleave, the Bible tells you to, to your spouse, but your family's always there as that added support from where you've come from that will always be there for you in times of crisis. But you make your own way and you have to cut that cord from your, from your family. But it's emotional. It's where you, you now know you can't just glean from mom and dad or mom if you have a single mom, or dad if you have a single dad. Because that's where it can really get one sided and become very dysfunctional. And we see that, we see that today. But independence as a couple is the lifeblood of your marriage.

Steve Alessi:
But that doesn't mean that if your family is still in your life, that, and they want to bless you and they're there and they're, they're giving that oversight that you, you can't have both. And I'll give you an example. You know, you, you come from a very strong Italian family. Your dad was very much about the family and you said it for years. Your dad's voice, I just read it in your forward yesterday we did the audiobook and how your dad's voice was always in your head. And that can be good and bad, but that's not your dad's fault. That's where you had to control and say, my dad's voice is always in my head. I wanna make sure I'm honoring my dad, but I've gotta make decisions for me and Mary.

Steve Alessi:
I couldn't make you do that. That wasn't on your dad to do. That was a self control that you had to exercise. Now we still took your dad and mom's advice and I'm so grateful we did. Because when it came to houses, when it came to investments, when it came to even pastoring and loving people, they were the people we went to. Now when it came to loaning us money, they certainly didn't shortcut us. They didn't, they didn't make it easy. And I look back on that and I'm so grateful.

Steve Alessi:
But what could have been toxic was on. It was in our, on, on in our hands. Not to allow that to be overbearing or where we were too leaned into your mom and dad, where they became a crutch for us. Yeah, we did not let that happen. But we didn't dishonor either by leaving and cleaving. Because you say it all the time. If you honor God, you'll honor man. Yeah, you honor God first and then you'll honor man.

Steve Alessi:
So that's even with our own kids, when it can be difficult. Because, man, in our selfishness, we love to keep all our kids close.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Steve Alessi:
But we know we have to launch. We know we have to let go. And in the very beginning stages, it might Feel like we've backed way off. And what's going on with mom and dad? Well, there's wisdom in that because we have to distance ourselves from our daughters, especially, and our son, too, so that they feel that vacancy and their spouse feels it, because that's important. We can't. It's hard on us, too, to create that space. But we know in order for our kids to have healthy marriages, and those first few years are so important, so much damage. Go back and listen to our episodes, guys.

Steve Alessi:
We talk about this a lot in the first year of marriage and how to handle it. Moms and dads and the kids getting married. We've dealt with all of that on these podcasts. Go back and listen. But today we're talking about our own personal walk and how we are navigating it in real time with all of our emotions and what we lean on, the truths that we lean on, and what we practice to get our daughter through and down the aisle.

Mary Alessi:
I remember when Bud came into the family, your mom's husband, he came into the family, and we were already married, you and I, for a period of time. So it was kind of weird because we're now the married ones, as was your sisters. And now this is a new wedding that your mom has. So she brings Bud into her life and our family. And Bud was a very successful businessman. So when it came time then for us now, he would. He would give advice to me about working with my dad because he had. He was.

Mary Alessi:
The reason he was a Bud was because his father was Bud Senior. He was Bud Junior. So he had a problem with the Bud Junior thing. So then he looked at me working for my dad.

Mary Alessi:
Sure.

Mary Alessi:
And he was kind of trying to help me with something that he dealt with, being a junior.

Steve Alessi:
I remember that.

Mary Alessi:
But I wasn't dealing with.

Steve Alessi:
You didn't see yourself as a junior.

Mary Alessi:
I never was. And I didn't have those struggles. My dad didn't treat me the way his dad treated him, but didn't know that Bud just giving me his opinion. And I was like. And I'd even say to you, Mary, you know, I'm kind of tired of his advice and stuff. And. And I was. I had to be very careful not to say anything to combat his comments and so forth.

Mary Alessi:
And it just became really a matter of, you know, that's Bud's opinion. But this is what I have.

Mary Alessi:
Sure.

Mary Alessi:
But I still would listen. I would listen because maybe he brought a different perspective than me as the man over my family.

Steve Alessi:
You were always good like that.

Mary Alessi:
Okay. So I had to.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
But let me tell you another reason why I had to. Because when I needed a loan, well, guess who I went to.

Mary Alessi:
You're right.

Mary Alessi:
I went to Bud.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
When we sold our house after Hurricane Andrew and we found another one, I needed about $25,000. And I went to Bud and I said, bud, would you loan me the money? He said, sure, I'll loan you the money. And this is the interest rate that I'm going to charge you. Well, I thought, okay, no problem. We'll get that money. But I'll be able to negotiate later the interest rate. Bud held my feet to the yes. He.

Mary Alessi:
I had to pay every penny. Penny.

Steve Alessi:
Yes.

Mary Alessi:
Of the loan, plus the interest.

Steve Alessi:
Plus the interest.

Mary Alessi:
Charge me. Any. Used to say, steve, there is ain't no free lunches.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
So they were saying, you, if you didn't want to pay the interest rate, you should have negotiated on the front end. Maybe we could have done something. But you signed a document, son, so you pay me my money. So I had to. Now, how hypocritical would it be of me to go to Bud and say, bud, I don't want your advice, but I want your money.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
Oh, and we're family, by the way.

Mary Alessi:
Right, Right, right.

Mary Alessi:
That would be very hypocritical. So here's the point. I could leave mom and dad and older people to go cleave to you.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
And say, guys, hey, this is my world now. You don't have a right to give me any kind of input. Don't ask anything for me to honor the family legacy or anything. Don't. I'm gonna do my own thing. Well, if I'm gonna do that, then don't go back and ask Bud for money.

Steve Alessi:
No.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
And that played out because every big step I took for our family required financial assistance.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
From my dad and from Bud at different seasons.

Steve Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
I had to pay them back.

Mary Alessi:
That's.

Mary Alessi:
And pay them back interest.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
But I just needed a hand up.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
From them to help me along the way. And if I was willing to do that, then I couldn't run around acting as though I'm just my own man. No. Because I was my own man to a certain degree. But I needed other men like them fathers to help me get to where I needed to be. So that's why I think some people that have the mentality that, listen, I'm leaving and cleaving and, you know, middle finger up to all of you who helped me get here because now I'm my own man. I think what you're setting yourself up for is leaving and grieving.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
Later you're going to wish you would have been more honoring of the people that have helped you get to where you are. It's going to help you go forward if you are honorable to your parents who still want to speak into you and you're honorable to your in laws that still want to speak into you.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
And that goes for both the husband and the wife, the bride and the groom, because you most likely, if you're young, do you, you, your mom has helped you become the woman or the young man that you are. And if she's 20, 30 years ahead of you, stay connected to that advice because she's going to help you get to be the older, more mature person later in life. And the husband has to be willing to say along the way, honey, I'm good with that.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
I'm good with your mom still giving you counsel.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
And not be jealous or threatened by it or not be threatened by the father or the father in law. You can't be threatened by that advice. All because you're saying, but I got to leave and cleave.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
No, you always want to honor, you always want to keep an eye looking back over your shoulder and know, as they say sometimes in the movies, know where you come from and honor and respect where you come from.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
Because it's going to help you in the future. Now, is it an adjustment?

Steve Alessi:
Heck, yeah, it's an adjustment. And I. This is the last thing I want to say about this part, and I've learned this from you, that one of the greatest characteristics, characteristics you can have or attributes as a person, as a human being, to deal with family, to deal with advice, to deal with opinions, to deal with having to, you know, get money from somebody, borrow money from somebody, is to have a personality or a mindset that knows how to eat the meat and spit out the bones. And you've always been so good like that, which has shown wisdom beyond your years. Your years have caught up with you. However. You had that wisdom when we were younger, when we first got married, you could throw things off that your dad would say that would make me think he's trying to control us. But you were so good about not taking those things seriously.

Steve Alessi:
And you'd eat the meat and spit out the bones. And I followed that lead because I trusted you. And I look back over the landscape of our Marriage. And I think we wouldn't be where we are without God, without you. We would not. It's not up to me. We would not be if it wasn't for you. But you always honored your dad and the stuff.

Steve Alessi:
He would say that if people knew. Sometimes. Sometimes the way he would get triggered and. And I would just go, it's not worth it, Steve. It's not worth it, Steve. Don't ask him for another thing. You had that learned skill, and I think it was your heart to say, it is what it is. We will always respect Mary.

Steve Alessi:
I can't ask for him to help us and not deal with this other little conflicting side. It's not control. It's just emotion on my dad's part.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Steve Alessi:
And you would eat the meat and spit out the bones. And I. I was so. I am today so grateful that you had that attribute. Because if you didn't, this emotional girl.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Steve Alessi:
Would be like, I don't want any of it.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Steve Alessi:
Who are you to tell me? But that's a mistake.

Mary Alessi:
Well, I'm grateful. Since you're giving out compliments, let me throw one back at you. I'm grateful that you didn't allow the broken relationship that you had with your dad, sad to say, come and spill over and be brought into our marriage. And it starts to show itself. That anger towards dad, disappointment, all of that towards him would manifest towards me or towards my dad or towards Bud or to any other man that along the way has helped get us to where we are.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
Everybody needs somebody to help to get them where they are now. I would just say. And this was a learned deal. All right. Since you. You made reference to the way of eating the meat, spitting out the bones. It was learned.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
Honor was learned.

Mary Alessi:
Sure.

Mary Alessi:
And over the years, I just learned I didn't get it right at the beginning.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
But along the way, I just learned honor is going to get me more in life.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
Then any money's going to get me any gifting or talent. It's going to be honor.

Mary Alessi:
It's the truth.

Mary Alessi:
Which is why even now. And honor goes both ways in the sense that it goes back to people who has helped us, but it's also going forward to this young man that's going to come into our family now. And young Christian.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
I'm going to honor that young man.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Steve Alessi:
Because it goes both ways. Justice doesn't go up.

Mary Alessi:
No. It doesn't go back to people who helped us get here. I need to Honor him. To help him get to where he needs to go.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
And he's got to always know, as does Gabby, with the KUD family.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
That we're here to help them be the best version of themselves. We brought you to this place. They're 25 years old. We've raised these kids.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
To get right here.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
To have this kind of experience. And we know there's more in them so they can have a better life than we've ever lived.

Mary Alessi:
So. Good.

Mary Alessi:
How foolish would it be for them not to want to look back over their shoulder and now say to us as parents, I value that.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
Let me honor that.

Mary Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
I've got an ear to listen.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
I'm going to make my choices and my decision, but I'm not going to make it based on my peer group right now who haven't experienced what you've experienced or helped me get to where I'm at today.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Steve Alessi:
Or with an attitude of don't tell me how to do.

Mary Alessi:
Don't tell me how to do it.

Steve Alessi:
Which is beautiful.

Mary Alessi:
And if I could. If I could give counsel to any young couple.

Mary Alessi:
Yes.

Mary Alessi:
Don't have that attitude. I had to work through that attitude. I had to work through the thought. It's always there for every young man, every woman. You know, you're not going to talk to me like my dad. You're not going to talk to me like you're my mom.

Steve Alessi:
You're not my dad.

Mary Alessi:
You know, there's a tendency to think that way. Okay, sure. But you want to. You want to. After you think it, just dismiss it.

Steve Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
Don't act on it because it's not honorable. That's not honorable. But if you can honor where you've come from, leaving and cleaving is going to be easy.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
If not, it's like I'm going to go ahead and give my daughter's hand in marriage to a young man, but I'm not giving her away.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
They say, who gives this woman to be married to this man? I'm giving her hand in marriage, but I'm not giving her away.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
I will always have some level of connection with her. Now it's on him to now move forward and help her.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
As it was with Christopher. I didn't give Christopher away.

Steve Alessi:
No.

Mary Alessi:
Right, right. Didn't do that. I gave him to Rochelle in marriage, if there's such a thing. But I'm always in my son's ear.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
And because we Work together. I will always be pouring into him about how to handle our business, which spills over sometimes into his life. Now, that's just a process. You're going to need to be able to do that and keep that relation openship and that honor openship open because it is going to be honorable for both the couples. But I've seen too many fathers give their daughters away in marriage only to have to take them back.

Mary Alessi:
I know.

Mary Alessi:
Marriage didn't work.

Mary Alessi:
Right.

Mary Alessi:
He mistreated her. Well, then the son comes back home, the daughter comes back home. So, yeah, we're not saying in this sense that you give them away. Right. You just give their hands and marriage and then you keep your distance as a parent to help them, then leave and cleave because their future is going to be better if we let them do that. But that relationship and support will always be there. I hope this makes sense. And I didn't confuse anybody.

Steve Alessi:
You said open ship, but I'm like, that's a good word.

Mary Alessi:
Anyway, that's what you got out of my ranting.

Steve Alessi:
It wasn't ranting. That was good. That was good.

Mary Alessi:
Does it sound like a father who's grieving?

Steve Alessi:
You're not grieving. We are not grief. We're excited about you.

Mary Alessi:
The first leaving podcast we did, our.

Steve Alessi:
Emotions are all over the place. Maybe they shouldn't listen to this one.

Mary Alessi:
But let's just not tell them that on the front end. Let them get to the end of it and they can make a decision for them.

Steve Alessi:
You're welcome, everyone.

Mary Alessi:
All right, Mary, we're going to get this done. This couple's going to be married.

Mary Alessi:
That's.

Steve Alessi:
And I hope we've helped some families who are either going through it or will go through it that it's normal to be a little bit. Have a personality disorder when you're going through marrying your kids off. Because it's harder than it looks.

Mary Alessi:
Okay, so somebody beautiful, somebody came up to you. Let's close with this. Somebody came up to you and said, okay, no more blessings for you guys.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah, right.

Steve Alessi:
That's it. No more blessings for the Alessi's because we just.

Mary Alessi:
The good things have been happening in our lives.

Mary Alessi:
Yeah.

Mary Alessi:
Well, a great thing is there's more blessings coming.

Steve Alessi:
There's more blessings coming my way.

Mary Alessi:
And if you're part of our family business, then you'll hear about those blessings. Oh, yeah, Soon. If not, good thing. Hey, we got something new to tell you in the next episode. Somewhere down the road.

Mary Alessi:
That's right. Good.

Mary Alessi:
We good? We done?

Steve Alessi:
We're done.

Mary Alessi:
I think it's been fun. Our first episode of Season eight. We're out here making it happen. And by the time you hear this, there'll be a Mr. And Mrs. Kaladiyud.

Steve Alessi:
That's right.

Mary Alessi:
Christopher or Christian. Christian.

Steve Alessi:
And Gabrielle.

Mary Alessi:
And Gabrielle. Three. Chris's in the family. All right, guys, thanks for joining us for this episode of the Family Business with the Unless he's Take care.

Steve Alessi:
Thanks so much for joining the Family Business today. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow or subscribe, share with a friend and leave us a review. We appreciate your support and can't wait to have you join us next time, because family is everybody's business.