She always thought her sixteenth birthday would be about parties, gifts, maybe even a driver’s license. But today, it was about something bigger—something she had been dreaming of for years. Today, her mom surprised her with the best birthday gift she could imagine. They were moving into their own home!
For a long time, home wasn’t a place. It was wherever she, her mom and her little brother were together. Sometimes that meant their minivan, but for the past several months, it had been in Samaritan House Greeley. It was more than just a shelter—it was safety. A place where they could breathe again after escaping. A place where her mom could start putting the pieces back together.
The crisis line connected them to the shelter, and at first, they only stayed for the night. But when one of the other families moved out, they were able to have a space of their own. Sharing one room as a family put a strain on all of them, but it was a relief compared to the yelling they were used to at home. Living at the shelter meant following rules—curfews, chores, group meals—but it also meant having access to things they hadn’t had in a long time: warm beds, food that wasn’t from a convenience store and people who wanted to help. For her, being a teenager in a shelter was lonely at times. She missed the normal things, like hanging out with friends without worrying about explaining where she lived. But at the same time, she was grateful. The shelter was temporary, but it gave them the chance to rebuild.
Her mom never let them see just how hard it was for her. She kept smiling, kept pushing forward, even when exhaustion from work and transporting kids everywhere weighed heavily on her. Their case manager at Samaritan House always said her mom was resilient. She didn’t think she ever saw herself that way—she just wanted her kids to be okay.
And now, they were. Today, they had a home. A real one, with keys and a lease and rooms that belonged to them. As they stepped inside, excitement buzzed through her. Her brother ran from room to room, shouting about where his bed would go. Their mom laughed—a real laugh, one she hadn’t heard in so long—and she felt something settle inside her, something that had been restless for years.
This was stability. This was theirs.
Her mom already had a plan. She had been talking about starting her own business—something she had been dreaming of for years but never had the chance to chase. Now, she said, it was time. Watching her believe in the future made her daughter believe in it too.
She didn’t need a fancy sweet sixteen party. She didn’t need presents or cake. Because today, they had something better. They had hope, a future and a place to finally call home.