Carlos & Helen
The older I get and the more difficult things in life get, I gain more and more admiration for my parents, their marriage, who they are, and the things they have accomplished.
My dad. He is selfless, humble, and insanely hard working. He has gotten multiple masters degrees. He became a teacher and then eventually the dual language coordinator of his school. He started a church out of the basement of our home when I was little and is still the lead pastor today. He became ordained as a bishop. And now, in the middle of getting a masters in latin ministries, he received his principal endorsement that gives him the credentials he needs to become a principal of a school. An endorsement he has been working at for months. He is never arrogant about his accomplishments and is never one to tell the world about his successes. All reasons why I love sharing all that he has done for himself and our family.
While that is all impressive, what’s most impressive is that in all of that, he is still the best dad to us and husband to my mom. He’s never too busy to pick up my calls, ask me how the car is running, or plan a trip to come see us in Arizona over any break he can get from work. His love is endless. He listens to my mom, cares for her, makes her feel loved, and is patient with her. I truly don’t know if I have ever seen any man quite as incredible as him.
My mom. She is loving, caring, and supportive. She left a human resources position to become a teacher to be able to work a little less and be at home a lot more. One of the best teachers I know. Requested by parents for their kid’s siblings to have and eventually left the classroom to take a leadership position in the school. A worship leader. She translates my dad’s sermons from Spanish to English in real time, seamlessly stepping on the heels of his words and hardly ever missing a beat. While also getting her masters in latin ministries, she is the best mother, friend, and wife. She listens, she challenges, and she stretches me in ways nobody else ever would be able to. She’s never too busy to hear about my life and is always willing to offer guidance. She supports my dad’s crazy dreams and endeavors. For every last minute road trip my dad chooses to take, my mom is packed up and ready in the passenger seat. For every flight my dad springs upon her, she makes sure the suitcases are packed and ready to go. For every dinner party my dad decides to throw, my mom is taking the lead and figuring out how they are going to feed everybody. She never thinks twice about somehow making it all work.
These two are a dynamic that I wish everybody could witness. If you have witnessed it, you are probably just as amazed as I am. They compliment each other perfectly and God is at the center and the root of it all. I am incredibly blessed but the biggest blessing is being able to witness this love and all of the good things that flow from it.