Last night I went to my first meeting at the transitional housing program in which I am working this summer. My supervisor and I went out for the weekly house meeting, and only ended up meeting with one of the two families that currently reside in the apartments. It was a single woman (as most residents are) with two kids and a baby on the way. I was immediately struck by how immaculate the apartment was. There was no clutter anywhere. The dining room table was formally set with a vase of silk flowers in the middle. The little boys were so cute I could hardly stand it. My supervisor introduced me to the family then said to the boys, "Go show Miss Mary your rooms!" They were so excited to take my hand and show me how they each had their own room and their own beds. They were also really proud of showing me their new shoes. We were sitting talking, when the youngest boy (2 years old) came and handed me a book and crawled up into my lap. So, we looked at the book together and talked for awhile. The young woman was making food and wanted us to try some pasta salad (which was delicious) then proceeded to try to feed us all the deserts she had made. She apparently loves to bake. When it was time for us the leave, the little boys gave me hugs, which was adorable. They won my heart immediately. I hope I get to see them again. This particular family is about to transition into permanent housing, which will be a big step for them.

I was telling Joshua about the visit and he seemed surprised about the cleanliness and orderliness of the house. It immediately struck me while I was there that these people are so grateful to have somewhere to live that it is probably a joy for them to participate in housekeeping activities. This woman, in particular, was a great mother and her children were very well behaved. It definitely painted a new face for me on "the homeless."