A Rich Respite

Here at the Independent, our Office Manager Tanya Spears Guiliacci has a little hand in everything. She is the Indy’s “voice, nurse, confidante, therapist, muscle, bouncer, and enforcer.” More than that, she keeps our office running! And recently she welcomed her second grandson to the world and took some time off to spend it with him and her family.

What were some of the best parts of your vacation with your children and grandbabies?

The best part of my vacation was being with both of my daughters, their children, and my mother. Four generations all together.

What is your newest grandson like?

My new grandson is beautiful with big blue eyes. He looks just like my daughter and also has the same angel kisses like her when she was born. I was moved to tears when my daughter named my grandson after my late father whom I unexpectedly lost in 2014.

What do you and your older grandson, Arrow, like to do together?

Arrow and I love to play “cars, cars, cars,” dance, and sing. Arrow often says to me, “’Mimi’ you’re my best friend.”

Both of your daughters have children now — how has it been watching them grow and change into mothers themselves? What are your favorite memories of them?

Seeing both of my daughters as mothers has been incredibly emotional. I’m actually tearing up right now ha ha. Whew! Both of my girls are in their 30’s. My youngest was a mother first. She always wanted to be a mother since she was a little girl. My oldest daughter is a ‘dog mom’; I honestly never knew that she wanted to be a mom, so it was such a pleasant surprise. The way they’ve taken to motherhood has been just out of this world, I couldn’t be more proud of them. Motherhood has come to them like second nature and they truly love being mothers. My favorite memories that I have with my girls have to be us always being together and singing; we are a singing family. It was just the three of us. The wild ones.

How long have you been with the Independent? What’s your fondest memories from working at the paper?

I was 19 years old when I started at the Independent in 1988. I left for a year then came back and was rehired, then a few years ago, I was out on medical leave for a year. Excluding those two years, this September will be 34 years here at the Independent for me. Some of my fondest memories I have from working here — Angry Poodle Softball Team, Fiesta Parade Block Parties (blue drink), the 1992 Bill Clinton Block Party — a lot of memories are a blur from the 80’s and 90’s but those were the best of times. I miss the unity the Independent was at that time, but looking at the Independent today, I’m so incredibly grateful to still be a part of said organization and proud of our amazing product.