What kind of parents would welcome a family of five to move in with them – even if they are part of that family?
What may seem a little wacky to some is actually catching the attention of others.
This very touching story is being shared with us by Terri from Phoenix – as she is watching her story play out, August 2008.

Hi, my name is Terri. Just six months ago, my husband, Dave, and I were living in our home alone enjoying the “empty nest” life. This was about to change.

First, let me tell you about Dave’s sister who was a victim of abuse. After suffering a stroke and going through back surgery, she left her husband and moved to Phoenix. This in itself is stressful, but soon after her arrival in Phoenix, she was diagnosed with cancer – all this at age 54. Dave’s sister was living with her daughter after she first moved to Phoenix, but the daughter couldn’t take it anymore and asked her mother to leave. At this point Dave’s sister was homeless and landed on our doorstep asking for a place to stay. This was somewhat terrifying as I never got along very well with her. We didn’t have anything in common, so we just tried to avoid one another. This really put us in a tough situation, but we agreed to take her in as we did have an extra bedroom.

I have a strong faith, so I just used my faith in God that things would work out. Yes, it was tough at first, but as time went on, I actually began liking her and found we did have some things in common. Today I see her as a person who has been dealt a “bad hand” and one who needs a lot of love. This experience has also helped me to not judge someone before I have had a chance to walk a distance in their shoes.

Just as Dave and I were getting accustomed to his sister living with us, our daughter, her husband, and their three small children were getting ready to ask if they could move in with us. As we soon discovered, there was a family in their church they had only recently known that really had hit on hard times. First, they lost their savings when they made a deposit on a home that didn’t turn out. Then the husband lost his job (laid off) in the tough Phoenix market. Then their car was impounded. Their only income was a nursery care service the wife was running out of their home. But now they had no place for this service. This family with four children; 16, 14, 6, and 2 years old, was literally headed for the street. That’s when my daughter and her husband told us they wanted to let this family live in their home so they could continue with their only source of income, the home nursery, and allow the husband to find another job. To make this happen, they wanted to move in with us. We were just getting used to Dave’s sister being with us, and then this! To move in another family with three young children might sound impossible, but we readily agreed. After all, we are family.

It has been stressful. We have two small children sleeping on the floor in our bedroom. Our daughter, her husband, and their baby are in one bedroom, and Dave’s sister in another. I think you call this a “full house”. There really is no end in sight. But through all this, I feel good. I feel we have done the right thing. As a parent, I am proud of my daughter and her husband for giving up their home to help another family in distress.

We will all get through this. My faith in God allows me to keep going. But my biggest reward may be that of seeing people in our community helping others in need. We are in a tough economy here in Phoenix and maybe this is what’s needed. So often we let “things” control our lives. Helping others in need is much more rewarding – even if it isn’t convenient.

Terri
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