A year ago this month, our family stepped into a season of multigenerational living that we never saw coming. A search for home led us from one multi-generational home to another.
Why We Chose Multigenerational Living
One year ago this month, our family returned to Georgia after serving in a full-time ministry role in another state.
Our official title was Houseparents, caring around the clock for girls who had experienced abuse, neglect, abandonment, and other difficult circumstances.
It was the hardest—and most rewarding—work I’ve ever had the privilege of doing.
Neither my husband nor I came from careers that looked anything like houseparenting. It wasn’t something we planned.
It was a calling.
But sometimes God leads you into a season, and sometimes He leads you out of one.
Eventually, that season came to an end, and we found ourselves headed back to Georgia.
Starting Over From Scratch
When we left for ministry, we sold a lot of what we owned.
When we came back, we weren’t just changing jobs—we were starting over.
We had sold one of our vehicles, our home, and most of our furniture. We were returning with no house, no real savings, and plenty of uncertainty.
For nearly a year, we lived with my husband’s parents.
And for that, I will always be grateful.
My mother-in-law is one of the most generous, hardworking, and caring people I know. She opened her home to our family and allowed us to live there rent-free while we got back on our feet.
But eventually, we knew we needed a plan.
Why Living With my husband’s Family Wasn’t a Long-Term Solution
There were a few challenges.
First, there simply wasn’t enough room.
My two teenagers sharing a room? Let’s just say they can only be together for short periods before chaos ensues. They each needed a room to themselves at this point.
Second, while I love my mother-in-law dearly, there can only be one queen of the castle—and she had earned that title long before we arrived.
We needed room to spread out.
Room to breathe.
Room to build our lives again.
The Dream That Didn’t Make Sense
At first, we talked about building a home on family land.
Then we looked at the numbers.
Have you seen what it costs to build a house these days?
At the same time, both of us were rebuilding our careers.
My husband finally let go of his desire to return to law enforcement and stepped into sales.
I left healthcare behind and found myself pursuing teaching and real estate.
We were paying off debt, rebuilding financially, and trying to establish a new normal.
Building a house wasn’t realistic.
Looking back, I think God already had another plan.
The House That Needed Us
That plan was my grandmother’s home.
My mother lives right next door, and her health has become increasingly unstable over the years.
My grandmother was living alone in a large house she could no longer physically maintain by herself.
The dust wasn’t piling up because she didn’t care.
The repairs weren’t being ignored because she didn’t notice.
The reality was simple:
The house had become too much for one elderly woman to manage alone.
Meanwhile, we needed a home.
They needed help.
We needed a place to live.
It seemed like the perfect solution.
Or at least the most practical one.
A 1970s Time Capsule
There was just one small detail.
My grandmother hasn’t changed much in this house since it was built in the 1970s.
And if our family was moving in, some things would need to change.
A lot of things.
Also…
There was only one bathroom.
For a family of four, plus one—my grandmother.
We’ll save that adventure for another post.
Taking the Leap
For months, we prayed about it.
Talked about it.
Thought about every possible reason it wouldn’t work.
Finally, we decided:
Why not?
The worst thing that could happen was that it didn’t work out.
And if that happened, we’d be no worse off than when we started.
We would just be going from one multigenerational living situation to another.
So we moved.
Then Life Happened
Within the first week, my grandmother fell and broke her humerus.
She now faces a total shoulder replacement. Did I mention as I write this, it’s only our second week in?
The very next day, my mother was hospitalized with sepsis—for the second time this year.
Suddenly, multigenerational living became very real.
Not someday.
Not eventually.
Immediately.
A Different Season of Caregiving
It feels strange sometimes.
Not that long ago, my house was covered in toys, baby swings, and toddler gear.
And then just last year I had a house full of youth—from 6 to 19.
Now you’ll find shower chairs, wheel chairs, medication schedules, and oxygen tanks.
Life changes faster than we realize.
And while caring for aging parents and grandparents can be challenging, it has become one of the greatest honors of my life.
My grandmother cared for me when I was young.
She helped shape my childhood and gave me countless memories inside these walls.
Now I have the opportunity to care for her.
I wasn’t prepared for how emotional that would be.
Or how much gratitude I would feel for this season.
Welcome to Our Family Fixer Upper
This house needs work.
A lot of work.
But more importantly, it’s full of history.
It’s the home where I spent much of my childhood.
It’s where new memories are now being made.
Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing the renovations, the challenges, the victories, the funny stories, and the realities of multigenerational living inside a 1970s time capsule.
This isn’t just a home renovation story.
It’s a family story.
And we’re glad you’re here for it.
Scripture places great value on honoring and caring for our parents as they age. This season has challenged us in ways we never expected, but it has also reminded us what a privilege it is to serve those who once cared for us. You can read more at GotQuestions.org about what the Bible says about caring for our elder family members.
Leave a Reply