A New Roommate

Yeah!!!  We had a new roommate move in last night:  Adopted Big Kid Kati joined me and the young ones in our big house.

Kati is 21.  Kati has been a "part of our family" since she was in 8th or 9th grade.  Kati has worshipped with us.  Kati has vacationed with us.  Kati joined us out on the island multiple times during our 6 months there.  The one thing that Kati has never done ... is actually live with the Big D. Family.

While we LOVE our "Adopted Big Kids" as we love our own ... we have always encouraged them in any way we could, to build their relationships with their bio. families.  If there was not a safety issue, we never invited them to live with us.  They could come over ANY time for the love and security that our family offered.  But, if at all possible, they needed to live with their parents.

Now that Kati is a young adult, and needed to move out of her apartment, I thought it was the PERFECT time to come live with Mama D.  Kati will be living here until August (unless our house sells before then).  Then, she will be headed to Texas for a YWAM school.  Not only will Kati be able to save on monthly rent, by moving in with Mama D., but she will be able to save a LOT on gas money.  Kati works across the street at our church.  She had been driving probably 10 miles each way (from her apartment), 6 days per week.  Now, she can walk to work.  We are excited to help Kati save some money for her ministry school, by giving her a place to live.  And, we are very excited to have this time with her before she heads to TX.

When Ben & Hosanna move home in the next couple of weeks (after track season), Hosanna and Kati will get to share a bedroom.  They are both excited!

Yeah ... for Adopted Big Kids!  

Yeah ... for a house that is big enough ... 

with always room for one more!  

Yeah ... for YWAM schools!  

Yeah ...  for young adults passionate about ministry!  

Thank you, Lord, for this awesome opportunity to have Kati live with us for a short time.  Thank you for the wonderful work you have done in her life over the past 7 years since we've known her.  Thank you, Lord, for giving me and Papa a heart for so many "Adopted Big Kids".  Thank you for showing us which teens really needed us to reach out to them, and for giving us the opportunity to truly show them the love of a godly family.  Thank you Lord for the adults that reached out to me and Papa, as we were teens ... in need of examples of godly families.  Thank you for the examples that they set for us, as they opened their hearts and homes to me and Papa ... teens in need of love and security.