More: Do your younger kids understand that another woman gave birth to them?
JL: We recently said we need to sit down with the kids and make sure they really understand what everything means. Turns out they knew that Deborah Bolig, who is still in our lives, carried them, probably because we have been talking about it all along. It was the best experience, and Deborah was so wonderful, keeping us updated on the pregnancies. We still see Deborah once a year and send pictures of the children.

More: How are you different these days?
JL: I always wanted to be in control of my economic security and future. My dad's passing also defined me because I really wanted to carry out his legacy. My dad was a community leader, had been doing a lot of cancer research and represented the United States at major cancer conventions. He was doing surgeries that no one was doing at the time.

More: You must miss him.
JL: I feel so fulfilled because I really feel like I am carrying on his legacy. There are so many ways you can help people, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be with surgery. I feel that my profession as a journalist who would wake people up every day by telling them what is going on in the world and talk to experts about how to eat healthy was like taking care of them. Do you know I remember the day I turned 40 years old? It hit me because I immediately thought, Wow, my mom was 40 years old when my dad died. All of a sudden you look at things in a completely different way and appreciate your mom on a whole new level.  

Next: The New Face of the New York Times

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