We’ve been home in Texas for almost a week now. It has been so great to sleep (what little we get) in our own bed and get to introduce our friends and family to Myles. That said, being home has made us realize how nice we had it in Memphis.
Heading to Memphis, we knew we’d have to find some place to stay for up to two weeks while finalizing the adoption. Hotels are expensive and not the most welcoming environment to bring a new baby home to. Leaving Austin, we called some friends in Memphis to see if they knew anyone with a spare room that could put us up.
Before we finished the drive from Texas, we were sent directions to a house where we were told we could stay for the full two weeks. Some place called Habitat for Hope. We pulled in to the driveway Friday evening, exhausted, unsure what Habitat for Hope even was.
The first thing we noticed was that their property is amazing. Beautiful. Peaceful. Surrounded by forrest. Only twenty minutes from downtown.
As it turns out, Habitat for Hope is this fantastic organization that provides housing, meals, and community for families of seriously ill children (Memphis is home to two children’s hospitals—including St. Jude, for children’s cancer).
We learned later that they have plans to build a full village out there, with 8 single family homes, a chapel, gym, stables, and other community areas. The finished development will house and provide a true support community for more families temporarily in Memphis.
The Horrocks family that founded Habitat for Hope, live in the main house. There is an attached apartment that houses larger families and a couple rooms upstairs that they graciously opened up to us, even though we didn’t really fit the bill for their organization’s mission.
And, while we thought we were just getting free, comfortable housing for our adoption trip, we ended up getting a taste of the love and support Habitat for Hope has given to the 200+ families they’ve housed over the years. It was an unbelievable blessing.
Mark and Mylissa Horrocks invited us into their family with their three kids. We had dinners with the family. We watched movies together. They helped us process through the emotions leading up and after the adoption placement.
Even their other staff were encouraging. One of the couples is also adopting an African American baby and are just a bit behind us in the process. We got to sit with them during that agonizing wait time before we got Myles and talk all about adoption and life in general.
The most amazing thing about all of this was the way God answered a prayer we weren’t even sure how to ask. Jenny lost her Mom when she was in high school and was uneasy about entering motherhood without her own mother to encourage and support her.
Mylissa is trained as a doula. Where Jenny’s mom wasn’t there to guide us, Mylissa was able to help us navigate Myles’ first feeding, first bath, and answer all the paranoid questions new mothers have.
The Horrockses not only met our physical needs, but stepped into our lives and did more than anyone could to help us become parents and fill the emotional void of a motherless new mother.
We are so grateful for what Mark, Mylissa, and Habitat for Hope did for us. It was such an unexpected blessing at such an important time in our lives.
We left Memphis with more than just Myles. We took with us their contagious passion for supporting families in need. We gained new friends. Friends that feel more like family.
