It basically all started back in 1997, when I first found out my then husband was abusing my children, especially my youngest daughter. After confronting him about the abuse, he was turned in to the Department of Human Services in North Tennessee where we lived. The first year, he was out on bail and the child support payments he made helped us make our house payments. While it was hard, we were able to live with help of food stamps and assistance. In 1998, a judge sentenced my children's father to prison for 8 years. I was unable to find a job due to my deafness because most places I applied at wanted me to be able to talk on the phone. I was in danger of losing the beautiful home that we had. Finally, while my house was up for sale, I drove to Decatur to find us a place to live.

Our first apartment was riddled with roaches and mice and dirty as could be. No one had bothered to repaint the walls or clean the carpets. Roaches came in and out of electrical sockets and crawled across the cabinets and countertops. My children would awaken in the night with roaches on their beds and their bodies. They cried and had nightmares the first year we were there because the roaches were so bad. Outside, it was unsafe for children to play.

Finally, two years later, I found another apartment to live in. It was better, but the ventilation was hard on my son and myself because of our allergy problems and asthma. While my asthma isn't as bad, my son sometimes had problems breathing during certain times of the year. Ventilation was poor and the air didn't always run well. Mold and mildew would accumulate and the upstairs apartment leaked water into our apartment. The ceiling would peel and mold up as well. We were always sick.

I felt so alone and so afraid so many times because the area we lived in was scary for me. I felt my children and I had a RIGHT to feel safe and secure, which I did not feel. My children were constantly harassed by other children and sometimes older children whose parents didn't watch them. These children were always allowed to do as they pleased. I tried to teach my children to respect other people and their properties, and also to know when to walk away from certain situations. We were always having to fight for our right to feel safe.

Then, a friend of mine, desperate to get us out of this area and into a safer area, contacted the Morgan County Habitat for Humanity. After that, the rest is history. To earn my Habitat sweat equity hours I've been volunteering at the Mental Health Center (teaching Sign Language classes), the Volunteer Center, and also the Junior Achievement office. I have met some of the most wonderful people a person can ever meet. I never knew that strangers could care for another stranger such as these people care. They're out there everyday, helping SOMEONE.

After my sweat equity hours are met, I'm going to continue to help out at the Junior Achievement office AND the Volunteer Center and continue to teach Sign Language at the Mental Health Center. Because of the wonderful people I've been working with through my volunteering work, I've learned so many valuable lessons about helping others. And this will be my way of giving back to the community.

The children and I have been through a lot. I grew up in an (adopted) abusive home, never understanding why someone couldn't just love me. Then my own children were abused by my ex-husband, as was I. Now we're loved by so many wonderful and caring friends, and even family whom I've had the pleasure to finally meet after 30 years of my birth mother missing me and searching for me. My children and I... are like the bird, the Phoenix. Just as the Phoenix rises from the ashes to become strong again, so did we. With the love, blessings and help of God, friends, and family, we will again rise as the Phoenix and be made strong. It's ironic, our house will be built in Habitat's Phoenix Place subdivision.