The Embry household on Versailles Avenue might have several "adopted" children on spaghetti or taco nights.
And they don't flinch at serving more than 30 for a church gathering, overflowing into their backyard.
Dale and Angel Embry don't mind to step up when something needs to be accomplished. That includes hosting men's Bible study in their home, since their church, New Beginnings Assembly of God, moved out of its irreparable building about three years ago.
Dale and their second son Brandon, 18, also lead worship on Sunday mornings at services held at the Windmill Ridge Funeral Home's chapel. And the Embrys prefer to host the church's socials, as opposed to the small congregation paying to rent a space.
"When we lost our church building, we had to learn to improvise," Angel said.
A captain with the California Police Department and the office manager for Sakelaris Ford, the Embrys have lived in California for 20 years, rearing their four children - Tyler, 20, a U.S. Marine serving in Japan; Brandon, a freshman at State Fair Community College; Lucia, a seventh grader at California Middle School; and kindergartner Tanner.
The couple met while Angel, originally from Russellville, was a student at Central Methodist College in Fayette and working in Boonville, Dale's hometown, where he was a police officer.
Angel had worked during school breaks for the California Ford dealer for several years, when they offered her the full-time receptionist position, which moved the young family here. They enjoy being close, but not too close, to both extended families, they agreed.
Dale didn't start out with the intention of law enforcement as a career. But 23 years later, he's discovered it isn't always handcuffs and jail time.
"I like to think I'm not the typical cop," Dale said. "I like the counseling side. Sometimes if you sit and have a conversation with a person, it can make a difference.
"You can do a lot just by listening to somebody's story."
Jefferson City Marriage Encounter helped him understand that.
The Embrys went on their "encounter" in 2000 and have been active with the organization most of the time since then.
For the third time, they are the registration couple for the National Marriage Encounter Conference being held at Lincoln University in Jefferson City July 16-19. Angel also will lead a session on "Striving to be a godly wife."
When the Embrys were invited to Marriage Encounter, they were struggling with paying day care and bills, living a complicated lifestyle and being without close friendships, Angel said.
They soon found their troubles were not unusual.
"Suddenly, we were not on an island," Angel said. "There's something comforting about finding out your struggle is normal."
The tools they learned 15 years ago, particularly about one-on-one communication, continue to help them not only with each other but those around them. Especially in this new world of social media, the ability to express one's self and to have compassion for another are really important.
For the Embrys, their Marriage Encounter friends have become like family.
"They're good, down-to-earth people," she said.
And since the Embrys seldom do something without their children, Marriage Encounter was a good fit as children are welcome at planning meetings, too. Their children have developed similar friendships.
Dale added, "When you get involved with a group like Marriage Encounter, if you want it, there's all kinds of resources to draw from and you'll have more support than you ever knew."