After fighting homelessness as a single father, we finally have a home.

We really dont have much. 2 out of 4 bed frames (we all have matresses) one recliner to sit in that I found on the side of the road, a tv my mom gave us. We still have our clothes and food so we are blessed. Their mother left 6 years ago and the financial burden slowly took a toll until we were evicted in 2023. My sister, the rock she is, let us stay with her and her 2 kids. That made 5 kids total, myself sleeping on the couch. She gave us a place to stay, in return I helped with food, bills, cleaning, and childcare. Government-assisted housing recently opened up near us, and I immediately applied. It took a month of signing and submitting paperwork before we finally got the key. I recently got full custody and agreed to let the kids spend their summers with their mother in Ohio if they want. Unfortunately they left **the day before** I got the key, so they missed the big move. They're having a great time over 1,000 miles away, and I'm left alone (in Louisiana) for the first time in 20 years. Thankfully, having to start from scratch and scrounge together whatever furniture I can find has taken my mind off everything. My end goal is for them to come home and the house is done. Only thing left is for them to design their own rooms.