I’m home in Alabama this week visiting my family. It sure has been great seeing them, hanging out, going to see my siblings and eating some great southern grub. I think it’s been six months since I’ve been home and seems as if it’s been way too long.

One of the great things about being home is being waited on (something I don’t get a whole lot of because I’m usually waiting on and caring for others) by my Mom. She has been spoiling me by bringing me a tray of coffee and the fixings to the sun room first thing in the mornings, cooking me grits, bacon, sausage and eggs, a fabulous southern lunch and dinner and of course she also refuses to let me wash the dishes or do my own laundry. How cool is that? She is the epitome of the term care-taker.

I’ve often blogged about my parents letting you guys in on how great they are and I will re-emphasize their awesomeness! I’ve never met a more fabulous couple (and I’m not just saying that because I’m prejudiced). People who meet my parents and hang with them for any length of time always tell me how blessed I am to have them – I concur.

The condensed version 

While raising five of their own kids, not having a whole lot of anything, I have always known them to be the kind to take other strays into their home with welcoming arms. From strangers to cousins to grandkids – they have never turned anyone away who needed a place to stay. They have helped more people; from preparing meals to buying groceries to giving them money and have even been known to provide monthly support to those in need, extending their reach of their love and support.

I am the baby of the bunch and when I finally moved out at 18 – they decided it was time to fulfill their life-long dream of becoming missionaries.

They first ventured to Puerto Rico for several months where they helped in whatever capacity was needed such as cooks and carpenters, before going heading to Brazil. They always talked of one day taking off to Brazil and felt they had a true calling of what they were to do and where they were to do it(they were in their 60’s and 70’s when they finally saw that come to fruition).  I admire that.

While in Brazil, they worked at a home for boys and helped raised young street children – keeping them off drugs and prostitution, those who had been abandoned and had no one to love and care for them. They became their surrogates, so to speak, forming life-long friendships and changing lives for the better. Even to this day, we have one of those young boys from the orphanage come to our home for holidays and he is now giving back and in the mission field because of them. He’s now a part of our extended family.

I’ve never known two more generous, loving and unselfish individuals as my parents. I’m honored to call them not only Mom and Dad, but mentors – as they have taught me so much about living a life for others. I’m hoping that one day people say these same things of me and would love to hear “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”