My Parents are Cooler than Yours :)
- katlynsaley
- Jan 3, 2015
- 5 min read
For Christmas this year Alisha and I pitched in and "bought" Mom and Dad passports. If you have a passport yourself you're probably wondering how the heck we did that without them knowing, considering the owner of the passport has to have their picture taken, etc before you can send in the forms. Well, when I say bought, what I really mean is we went to Micheals Craft store, purchased little scrapbooking passports, cut out and pasted headshots of each of them inside the book, printed off the forms, and stuck an one hundred dollar bill inside of each one. So I guess each of them will actually have to get a legit picture taken, fill out the form themselves, and send it all in. However they won't have to fork up the price of an United States passport, which is probably the best part.
Giving my parents meaningful Christmas gifts has always been something Alisha and I strive to do every year. For all that our parents do for us year round, and the amount of financial and other support they have given us throughout our lifetimes, giving them a well thought out Christmas gift once a year is the least we can do. And in all honesty, the amount they have done, and given up for us to have the lives we do is completely selfless, and nonrepayable...even with awesome Christmas presents. Even so, its always the thought that counts with any gift, and this year the passports were meant to take care of the first step of getting on the plane to Malawi.
If you know me, you've probably heard me brag about my parents. How awesome they are. How much I love them. And to sum it all up, I may have even told you that my parents are cooler than yours. Now when I say that there may be a slight bias (or theres a good chance they actually are), but either way I don't think I could have been blessed with two people I'd want more. Dave and Corina are my foundation. They are two of the biggest reasons I am who I am today. And for that I will forever be thankful.
So today, exactly 2 months before I am sitting on a plane to Africa to somewhere completely different than my everyday life, I am wondering how I'm going to leave two of my favorite people in the world, for 27 months behind in the United States (again a reason for the passports....did i mention they better come visit me haha). And i think there's a good chance that my brain will be thinking about this question until I'm on that plane, and probably even until I get to my country. I would be lying if I told you this doesn't scare me.
My family has always supported me in the decisions that I've made for my life. Since I was a little girl my dad has always told me I can do and be whoever I want to be. I made the decision to apply to the Peace Corps almost a year and a half ago, and when I told them this is something that I felt like God wanted me to do, they didn't question me, but again gave me their support. That was more than a year ago, and they are still giving me that support today, even though I'm sure it has been a lot harder the closer it gets to my departure date and the day their oldest daughter leaves for Africa for 2 years. My mom tells me I'm her stubborn, strong willed daughter, and that there isn't really a point of telling me no because either way I'd probably go anyways. Now I don't know if that's true or if I needed to ask for permission to go to Africa for 2 years, but I do know having them on my side has made this process a lot easier than it would have been if it were the opposite. I have been very blessed with the overall response to that they have both given me through this long process.
However, there is a little part of me some days that wishes my mom would've given me the "Why are you leaving me?" expected motherly response. But i know she's probably thinking something relatively close, and instead of saying it she loves me enough to let me go. And for this I am truly grateful.
The only conclusion that I can think of is that my parents are rockstars. Not because they are letting me go to Africa, but because of the reason they are letting me go to Africa. Because they love me with an unconditional love. Probably more than anyone else in the entire world. And I know they will miss me. Maybe even more than i will miss them, as I'll most likely be caught up in a completely different life. They love me enough to let me follow my dreams. Even if my dreams are to move away....aka half way across the world...for 2 years. How many parents are that selfless and strong and willing to truly support their children's dreams? I don't know that answer to that question, but I am thankful that mine have allowed me the opportunity to explore. Because if it weren't for that blessing, I probably wouldn't have applied for the Peace Corps in the first place. I am thankful for parents who would give up everything so that I can be happy. They would and have done everything for me....Pretty similar to Jesus.
Jesus died on the cross to save the world. He died for me, and for you, and for people who choose not to have a relationship with God. He suffered for my sins, and your sins, and for the sins of people on earth who will never know Him. Jesus has given us everything, all while knowing that there will be days where we aren't grateful for all He has done. Jesus has given us free will to make the decisions of our choice, even when we continue to fail Him. And all of this because of an unconditional love. A love that is greater than we could ever imagine.
My parents know that when I leave I will be causing them pain, and hurting, and sadness. But they know that this journey is going to bring me happiness, to follow the calling that Jesus has given me, and so they choose the happiness on my behalf because of how much they love me. Because they are selfless, like Jesus is. They will be strong when I can't be. And they know that Jesus will protect me and give me strength. I could not be more blessed to be raised in the family God gave me. I love you guys.
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