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A Gift to Grow Into -- Habitat for Humanity Int'l 1
A Gift to Grow Into
A Texas family marks family milestones in a safe, affordable home.
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Dennis and Marsha Hester, with their children Miranda, DJ and Ivy, celebrated Miranda’s 6th birthday in their new house.
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By the time Dennis and Marsha Hester applied for a house through Habitat for Humanity of Grayson County (Texas), they had already known about the organization for at least five years. Dennis’ aunt, Merrie Johnson, is the proud homeowner of House #7 in Grayson County, built nearly 10 years ago. Merrie is a walking advertisement for Habitat, and she encouraged Dennis and Marsha to make the phone call.
At the time they applied, Dennis and Marsha had two young children: Miranda and DJ, plus a third on the way. When Marsha received the message inviting her family to meet with the family selection committee, she was so excited that she returned the call from her hospital bed, having just given birth to their second daughter, Ivy.
Dennis and Marsha were elated to be selected as partner homeowners, but there were a quite a few bumps along the way. The Hesters were scared out of their wits both when a car crashed through their living room wall and later when Dennis was stabbed while leaving his apartment one Sunday afternoon. Then, Dennis’s industrial plant downsized, and he had to change jobs. Three-year-old DJ broke his arm while jumping on the bed, and the family was in a serious car wreck.
But they were optimistic that all would be well, and the family looked forward to moving into their new home sometime in March. Miranda was perhaps the most excited of all. Looking ahead to Miranda’s 6th birthday in February, Marsha asked Miranda what kind of party she wanted. Miranda told her mother that the only thing she wanted was to have a birthday cake in her new house.
“But our house isn’t finished yet,” said her mother. “There is no furniture, no cabinets, and no heat.”
“It doesn’t matter,” said Miranda. “We could just sit on the floor.”
So on Miranda’s 6th birthday, the Hester family gathered in their chilly new house, sat in a circle on the concrete kitchen floor, sang “Happy Birthday,” and ate birthday cake.
“It was even better than Chuck E. Cheese!” exclaimed Miranda.
—submitted by Habitat for Humanity of Grayson County
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