Hi I'm Eric Ford for made here.

Diane Tsais film, Be Our Guest profiles a family making a positive impact in Salem, New Hampshire.

The O'Learys is a family with four school age children regularly open their home to strangers recovering from opioid addiction.

A daring commitment that pushes both the family and their guests to face difficult decisions.

Each year, the children are asked if they want to continue to offer recovery in their own home and it remains their decision.

You can watch Be our guest and other great made here films streaming on Vermontpublic.org and through the PBS app.

Enjoy the film and thanks for watching.

Are you ready to go?

Did you go to the bathroom?

I didnt go to the bathroom.

Go to the bathroom.

You guys ready?

Mom, Im unbuckling this.

Oh, yes.

This is really heavy.

Daddy, can you take us jet skiing?

That sounds fun but I wonder if we need a license.

Well, you know how so how would anyone tell?

we don't ever Stop touching!

Brooklyn is the oldest, shes going to have the top bunk.

She's she's also the whiniest.

No, you are.

Guys, that's the end of it.

Bring your stuff down.

It is so unfair.

Bring it in.

Dip.

I am going to drop him.

Drop it.

How's everybody enjoying vacation?

So far.

So good.

Yeah.

It's been a lot of people that have lived at the house this past year.

Yep.

So who do you remember that lived there?

My Jan Rich, my sister.

Take your time.

Kristen stayed with us.

And Vanessa.

I've.

I've included.

Denise.

And.

Rene and Marcus.

I forgot them.

Shawn, Shawn.

Amber.

Amber, are we missing anyone?

I don't know.

What's your name?

Oh, Meghan.

Meghan.

I just know that you like serial killers.

And we did not have serial killers in our house.

We had a couple murderers, but they were like, so nice.

We did not have serial killers.

There were people who have been charged with murder.

Okay.

But there are different.

All right.

All right.

You guys are funny.

There it goes.

Yeah.

Oh, wow.

Oh, okay.

What are some of the things that have been challenging?

It's just hard.

People complaining like we've given up so much in the know, like, I don't have enough space.

I end up, like, popping like a balloon.

And then screaming at them.

Spilling.

Okay.

So what we realize, though, when we're doing this, are we expecting people to come in, like, perfect?

Are we expecting them to come in, like, easy and like good and whatever, normal people who are coming out of difficult situations many times have no grid for the type of life that we live right?

Tonight, if you guys came in agreement and said, we don't want to do this, we want to take a year off, we want to focus on our own self.

Whatever Dad and I would would honor that.

What would we do with the people living in the house?

We would create a plan for them to move out.

I cannot believe that you would let us do that.

You doing your stuff?

You almost done?

Yeah?

I was asking Jediya.

okay.

Um.

Have you talked to her, is she somebody that you know?

the best thing to do is to give her my phone number and then say to her, Listen, if you really want help.

You can you know this lady and.

She'll sit down and have a conversation with you and hear where you're at.

One way or another shell help you.

I don't know if either of the survivors live or anything like that.

The first one on walkers.

What is that?

What time was the first.

Appointment start on Wednesday.

I'll find out.

Where.

Your appointment at the clinic?

Yes, I can tell if they are using, yes, then I will do the drug test.

But I That's not a very typical situation.

I don't.

Oh, yeah.

Oh yeah.

Very, very specific order of life here.

So.

Yes.

And then you'll be our guest, be our guest Be our guest!

My name is Ronen.

I have three sisters.

Their names are Autumn, Brooklyn and that Judea.

Judea is the youngest sister.

Autumn is the middle and Brooklyn is the oldest and I am the only boy and I'm the youngest of the family.

It might seem weird, but we take people in when they are going to bad stuff like drugs or just hard things that they're going through.

We've had people that came from jail numerous times.

We had a girl that had lived under a bridge for like a couple of years.

People ask me if it's hard living in our house or stuff like that.

They think it's kind of weird that we do this because not a lot of people do this.

But I don't think it's weird because it's not weird to have people do good.

But it was not the same as last.

Monday is definitely full.

Tuesday.

Tuesday it was like my excitement at that.

And can we still.

Go to lunch tomorrow?

Or no?

Social security office?

All you have was me clinic And then just church tomorrow night and that was it.

Yeah.

So we'll go to you, come with me to the clinic in the morning.

So I have to wake me up.

Yeah, because then well go To the clinic and then we'll go right to So can you.

Wake me up at seven, 12, half hour to, like.

Awake?

Right now we have like 14 people here.

Yeah.

The most we've had here is 20.

It actually.

So don't worry, that's.

Just.

Some sort of shock.

The liquid like, you know, you give me a.

Is there.

Is it doesn't it isn't making it.

I remember we started taking people in 15 years ago and it's probably been in the last five or six that opiate addiction has been the major component for why people are here.

At the tone please record your message.

Hey, Lydia, it's me, Scott.

I'm going down to pick up Megan.

She is eligible to go into detox tomorrow, so I have to try to keep her.

Okay.

Tonight, please give me a call when you get a chance.

Yeah.

Hi.

My name is Candice Im currently homeless and was told that you might be able to help me out.

Thank you.

Bye.

Hey, Lydia Its involving the place that you have.

I would like to know more information about.

Please.

Thank you.

Hi, Emily.

My name is Jennifer Mosher.

I'm pregnant and currently homeless, unfortunately.

And I don't know what else to do.

If you could please, please, please call back.

All right.

Thank you.

Bye.

This is disgusting.

You know what?

Let me clean this because I don't.

There might be needles in here.

Yeah.

I don't want you getting stuck.

I already found one.

The first time I tried heroin there.

I'm 26 years old.

Felt amazing.

No pain.

All the energy in the world.

Just one thing led to the next.

And I started living in the car a couple of months ago.

I found out I was pregnant, and I was scared to death.

So I'm asking a complete stranger if I can come to your home with your family to get back on my feet.

Do you have any sox?

Yeah, I have some.

so happy you're here.

Thank you for everything.

Is that too big?

No, no.

I could probably put more than that.

Really?

Yeah.

I'm going to.

Go load that in and then see what we have.

All right.

Get to the table, please.

Whered everybody go?

Michael, come on up to the table, please.

Yeah, yeah.

You know, the next thing you know.

You look at Jules, Denise, you guys can come make some plates.

There's food ready, and there's dinner ready.

When somebody moves in, I try and think about them in, like, the brightest way possible.

Like, if they make a joke, I try and think, Oh, they're real funny.

Instead of like, Oh, they were on drugs.

But sometimes it can be a little bit scary when I don't know someone or if they're new to me.

Jesus, thank you for this food and thank you for this time.

We thank you for always taking care of us.

Thank you for each one here in your name.

We pray.

That.

A lot of parents, they have this idea that they're supposed to be their children's protector.

And I agree with that.

But I don't agree a lot of times with how people do it.

I think the greatest way that I can protect my kids is to educate them.

I can protect my kids and make them think there's nothing bad out in the world.

And the fact is, is one day they're going to go out there and they're going to be a mess because there's all this stuff out there that they knew nothing about.

Or I can let them be educated and learn in a safe environment.

See, this is the reality of what people deal with and see how blessed you are and see what life is like for other people and see how much we have.

Do you have any special words you want to say up here?

Know what?

Yeah, I got that.

Well, you know everything that you had.

To say, a prayer for Angel for safe guidance.

Swimming his way up there.

Jesus.

I afraid that, you know, Detective, in.

July in heaven.

You would be like the strong salmon who swim up stream.

He was just.

The sweetest fish.

All right, let's head back.

It was a beautiful funeral.

Oh, no.

Zorn, don't I know that it ready, Hold up, give me the money.

What's your name, whats your social security?

Right in front of the children.

I usually paint to like kind of zone out, like I just need to get away from everything happening.

The people in the house usually know to not go near the craft table.

Someone living here was cleaning up the hallway and they swept a bunch of dirt onto it and ruined the whole thing.

And I was really, really frustrated because I had started that painting because I was having a hard time with everything happening in the house like it felt.

And it's been feeling like we don't have anything to ourselves in this house.

We have extra blankets?

Laundary room buddy.

There should be pillows in there too.

So Ill wake you up at seven, right?

All right.

We'll get ready for work.

Yeah, definitely.

Good night Mike.

Good night bro.

I had a brother who was just stuck in addiction.

A year younger than me.

Very close.

We let him move in.

There's people dying around me.

All these lives just gone.

Why are people doing anything?

I am a journeyman plumber.

Pretty much my income takes care of the house.

I'm making sure I stay healthy and I go to work.

We can't afford me to be out of work, Lydias got a big family, so she's used to it.

As we started having people at the house, it it's it's something I've grown into for sure.

And the Lord gives you a crazy idea sometimes and it's like, All right, let's do it.

She pretty much asked me to do anything and I'd probably do it, you know?

And in 3 hours.

I did not look like that.

I. I was like a wreck.

I wanted to try and look decent, presentable.

I've been on methadone for being addicted to heroin, so when the baby is born, the withdrawals from methedone will start showing up.

And I'm just so worried about her.

She's going to feel pain because of my actions.

Ready?

Yeah.

Oh boy.

What are you nervous about?

Just if there's going to be any complications with her.

I know they said that it can take up to two days for the withdrawals to start showing.

Yeah.

I've never known anyone who's had a baby on methadone.

But they know what they're doing there right?

Yeah.

Any recent substance abuse?

No.

No.

When was the last time?

Was it September?

September.

Yeah.

And that was what?

Heroine.

All right.

Really?

Yeah.

That's fine.

Shes crying.

Shes so perfect.

She's so perfect.

Theres mamma.

Yeah.

I cant believe her eyes are already open like that.

Yeah, I think that's so great.

But theyre blue?

Ssshhhhhh It's okay.

You're okay.

We know that babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome Can continue to withdraw even After stopping the Morphine.

Yeah, for the next few weeks, you might notice that she's still kind of fussy with, like, the rigid the rigid arms.

The things that are really going to help her more than any medicine are holding her, being in a calm environment That's quiet.

Okay.

Bye.

Squeeze it.

Oh, wow.

Look at that.

Folds over.

Right?

Oh, okay.

Ronin, I love your hair.

I did it.

I look so good.

Okay, home sweet home.

Got it.

I need help.

Right.

Im going to trip over a rock and die.

There's a stick Like I'm going to go over a rock and die.

I'll figure that out later.

Want to race forwards?

No, sorry.

Dont run into me.

I keep on telling him to stop and he just doesn't listen and keeps on doing it.

Ronin!

Listen, you know how you like to skate around people and stuff?

Please give Jadiya her space because she's still learning, okay?

And she feels like she's going to you're going to bump into her and she might fall.

And we don't want that.

Give her her bubble.

You stay in your bubble.

Okay, let's go.

And stay to the One side of the street.

What side?

Any side, just one side, not the middle.

Okay, the baby's crying.

I'm going in.

I know, I know.

Okay, baby.

Okay.

Okay.

Here we go.

Yeah, okay.

My boyfriend Nick came to the hospital a couple of times, and he decided that he Would be better not to be together.

So 13 years, two kids.

And this is where it's at.

It's not my choice.

But whatever.

Me and Nick also have a son.

His name's Nicholas.

He is 11 years old now and currently living with my mother in Kentucky.

I want him home really bad.

Definitely a big goal of mine.

I just want to have a normal, everyday life with my family.

Can I have a drag?

Yeah, yeah.

I cant deal.

I know.

Yeah.

You can.

Block it.

Ronin go were smoking You know this, buddy?

Some people, they come in and then they're, like, demanding everything to be their way.

But I don't really like to confront people.

I just kind of go with it until they move out.

Good morning, Jeff.

Sean, it's time to get up.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Did Adam leave?

Adam left and Amber left.

Good morning, girls.

Time to get up.

Rise and shine, sunshine kiddos.

I'm running everybody to the clinic.

I'll be back in just a little bit.

Okay.

Now we're heading to the methadone clinic in Lawrence.

We do it every single morning.

It's a pain in the butt, but it's better than doing drugs.

So.

Can I get a amen?

I never get to sit next to you, pretty eyes.

I want to wake up every day and know that I don't have to run out the door to get to the clinic.

Like, so I was like a big factor in all of this.

When the time does come visit him in Kentucky and then I can do it without having a clinic in the area.

I don't want to ever have to rely on anything again.

Ever.

Okay.

Yeah.

This is the first letter I wrote.

I've written to my son about hopefully being able to build our relationship back up.

Hi my Boogie, I know it's been a long time since we talked and have seen each other.

I am so sorry for that.

So much has happened since you moved.

At first it was a lot of bad things, but now it has been good things.

In January I had another baby.

You now have a little sister and boogie, She looks just like you.

I want you to know that I was struggling with things before, but I am not anymore.

I am working very hard on myself and in myself because I will never let this happen again.

I love you to the moon always and forever.

Love always and forever, Mommy.

And that's it.

I want to rewrite it.

I dont like how it looks.

Today I had a meeting with the zoning director for our town because we have so many people registered in the town as living at our house.

I wasn't quite sure how it was going to turn out.

If they were going to tell us that we couldn't do what we've been doing anymore.

It might be time where everything's really coming out in the town as far as what's been happening in this house.

He said he had to talk to the fire chief and see because of the fact that we're not renting to anybody.

It's not a it's not like a boarding house or anything like that.

It's purely helping people.

And so he was kind of like, huh, well, I don't really know.

So I'm waiting.

I'm going to be hearing from him, I'm sure.

I don't know what he thought about me being like.

So God told me this.

You know.

God told us, you know, to take care of people or whatever.

I don't think about stuff like that until after.

I'm like that probably sounds so weird.

To people.

Dear Jesus.

Thank you for all the people that are here.

I thank you that you gave us the ability to just be a family, to people.

Thank you so much that we're able to have food.

Thank you for Rich, who made it.

And just amen.

Whos next?

Rich?

Thank you for the opportunity to be able to have all this food.

Plenty of the times in my life when I die for something like this, I didn't have to catch it out of the river and I'm just thankful for being able to be a help.

Amen.

Oh, you got some starter stuff?

To find a house like Lydia's where it's a family taking people in.

It is like finding gold on the side of the road.

Rich!

Dave knocked Vinnys soccer ball into the swamp, and I had go get it.

I moved into the house.

They're like, Oh, you're living in the room with Ronin.

And I'm like, So you're sticking a drug addict and ex-gang member known to be violent.

You're going to stick this heck of a role model in with your impressionable eight year old son?

I remember thinking that like this lady's nuts.

But mom, you just leave this on for a little bit and then let it dry?

It only takes like a second.

Like your nonexistent eyelashes.

Especially after that last Wedding, where I put like the fake eyelashes on.

I feel like so many of my eyelashes out is really bad.

For the record, you looked really nice with those fake eyelashes.

I think that the moment I actually realized that we were like, doing something is when two of my friends were not allowed to come over because of the people we were taking it like one of them was like, my dad saw that person going through a dumpster behind Walmart.

And so now I'm not allowed to go to your house.

I think she knew that.

Like, it's not like a drug house.

We're helping people, you know?

I mean.

I thought that was just I thought it was just so sad.

Fact is, living the Christian life is not really Easy all the time because we have to say no to One specific person the most.

That's ourself.

Right?

We're not allowed to, like, just go out.

Lydia has a schedule.

So the more you show her that you're doing the right things, the more the more you earn back, the more you know you can go out.

A lot of people have said, you know, is it like a cult or something?

But no, it's not.

Its just people that believe in God and are alright talking to him.

I worry that it might not work out for me to be here if I don't fully believe in that yet.

I believe there is a god, but at the same time why we got to let this happen.

So Dave is going to do the porch.

Alright, Order!

What do you want to do for a chore?

Why don't you do the upstairs living room?

Because that's one that's pretty easily... Just so just pick up toys and sweep?

Rich!

I'll still do the kitchen.

So you're going to upscale it to the whole kitchen?

You think you can handle that now?

So I do this show.

I do.

I do the whole countertop.

What don't I do the floor.

Are you talking.

About the kitchen table?

Still the sweeping.

The sweeping.

Countertop.

That's where the cups and stuff are.

Because when I start working, I'm leaving at seven in the morning, I'm not going to be banging around.

So you just do it at night before bed?

Yep.

All right.

Ronan, what did you want to address?

The girls are great.

They're usually up really late, like cleaning their own.

It's that responsibility.

Slash.

I was wondering if you could get that done before, because we're downstairs.

And so.

Dave or I get close to the floor and can hear.

You.

So you guys heard what Ronan asked?

Yeah.

Yep.

Because she and Dave are very close to the ceiling.

Whenever.

Especially Dave.

If it if it doesn't get resolved, we might switch the girls downstairs and the guys upstairs.

No.

And you can hear what it sounds like for yourself because even just walking around.

Yeah.

Is loud.

Okay.

So.

Oh and you got the garage.

Did you put that on there.

Ready.

Good morning.

Just be careful.

He's not strapped in.

Yeah.

Because I care about the.

I mean, I know I'm going with my baby.

I'm looking, I'm like, there's no way.

Don't bring him over here.

So Rich left.

A week or two ago.

He felt like he was ready.

I didn't necessarily agree, but at the same time, I was like.

You know what, Rich?

We can't want some of these process to happen more than they want it to happen.

You know, someone said you're the last shelter left in Salem.

I know.

And I was like, what?

We're not a shelter.

Shelter?

My life is a lie.

like we're not a shelter, we're a home.

And we just let people into that home and make it a bigger home.

I know.

I'm like I have like 60 brothers and sisters right now.

Yeah.

Four just moved out But three just we just three just walked in the door the other day.

Half of them are older than our parents.

And they.

Still call them mom and dad.

I know when people come in, sometimes they like play a joke, see how they're going to take it.

And that's kind of like the basis.

And then you're like best friends for life.

And then they leave and never talk to you again.

like when people leave the house and then they just suddenly don't really have anything to do with us.

Like Rich He actually said he was like, I'm actually going to just live here forever.

I'm going to stay here longer than all of you kids I knew already in college and then be living with your parents and we kind of like and then he was just like alright guys, bye.

Mm that hurts.

Yep.

Right, Somebody asked me actually the other day, what's your success rate?

So I'm thinking we sound more and more like a program every day.

Well, whats your success rate?

Im like, we're not a program.

We're only part of a person's journey.

We're not the whole thing.

What we believe success to be is if somebody has an encounter with God, because if they have an encounter with God that does something inside of them that keeps going, whether they're here or not.

So I look at it like we have a 100% success rate because everybody who comes here has an encounter with God.

Hello, Mom.

Oh my Gosh, Mommy?

Hi, baby.

Hi.

Is she going to come?

Hi, baby.

Hi.

How are you?

It's, uh.

Are you getting well?

Yes.

When can I see you?

I miss you so much.

I miss you!

when can I see you?

I'm working towards it, honey.

I said I'm working towards a I've been in a program, so when can I see you?

You know, I only got a phone call.

Are you mad at me?

No, I never was.

I was never mad at you.

I had my own.

It's not my fault that I made you like this, right?

Nothing is your fault.

You did nothing wrong, okay?

I had been struggling with other things that has.

It was nothing you.

Nothing you caused.

It was all my own stuff.

Okay?

No, you are the reason I'm.

You're helping me get better.

Okay?

Okay.

I'm getting better because of you.

I will see you though, right?

Yes.

Then you can live with us.

and I'll let you sleep on my bed.

Oh, thank you.

I love you, baby.

Love you.

I'm proud of you.

Thank you.

Okay.

I'll talk to you soon.

Okay.

Bye.

Bye, baby.

Your mom wrote me last night.

Yes.

Yeah, she was asking, is tomorrow really her last day of methadone?

I said, Yeah, she's doing incredible.

Im nervous, but I'm good.

So what have your thoughts been?

Well, when I start feeling like the withdrawals or whatever, it's okay knowing how to stop it.

Yeah.

You know, all I have to do is go get a little bump and I'll be fine, but I know where it ends up.

And I just keep picturing Nicholas.

Yeah, things are pretty stressful and hard right now, So much changing in my body from having methadone in a every time I've gone off methadone, Ive gone right back to dope.

But I don't want to go back to that because I know what it all leads to I had, I I think four different messages this morning from people who have lived here in the past, whether it's like for a baby sitter or would you stop in and pray for me, I'm having a hard day or I need to go into detox again.

I, I screwed up.

You know, they all view Jim and I as their family now, and that's awesome.

But it's hard being that for so many people.

I do not ever want my kids to feel like I'm putting other people before them.

But it's always in my mind.

So nice and toasty.

As you can tell, there's always people in and out of here.

We understand that it gets overwhelming.

If you're starting to feel that way, just let us know.

But it is part of this house because we want everyone to feel welcome.

Thank you, guys.

You guys live a different way than anybody I've ever met.

We realized that we're not really going to get another chance like this.

But the normal order is getting up at about 730 in the morning and then we have an hour and a half to clean up our bedding area, that type of thing, do our chore and have breakfast.

And then our kids, I do want you to know, like every year we leave it up to our kids.

Every summer we sit down with just our kids around the campfire and we say, you know, do we want to do this for another year?

Their choice to do this is the reason why it's all happening.

They want to stop.

We'll stop.

So we come to this point every year, right?

We're looking at another year and we don't know what that year is going to bring.

When a lot of adults come in, they're kind of rude.

we're like when they get because they feel like they know more than us.

Like they put us down like like like we're not the ones who have had problems in the past.

Like.

Somebody called me lazy once.

Yeah.

And I was like, you know, I'm lazy?

because my sisters were talking all night.

Yes.

I have to share a room with three other people, so shut it.

Does it bother you that there's people living in our house?

No, because it sounds like you're it's like.

It depends on the person.

There are days that we all hit where we get frustrated and whatever.

Right.

We know the reality of that.

But when those days come, I'm going to say to you, if you decide tonight that you want to give another year, I'm going to say to you, you have to remember that you chose this.

You can't look at it and go, Mom and Dad, you made us do this.

All right.

So here's the question.

Do you want to give the next year of your life so that somebody or somebodies can have the rest of their life?

that one year a year?

MAN And you see the.

Same question the same way a.

Wall of bricks.

It's like a bag of quarters that's still.

All right.

We're going to start with you, Janaya.

Do you want to give this year or no?

Yes.

You do.

You sure?

Yes.

Okay.

Autumn, definitely.

All right.

Brooklyn, yes.

All right.

Ronan Yes, absolutely.

All right.

Well, I'm choosing right now to give up another year of my life so that somebody else can have the rest of their life.

So here we go.

Hi, baby.

Say hi, Nicholas.. Hi.

Oh, hi.

Oh, she okay?.

Because of your drug use?

Yes.

She.

She.

She's completely fine, completely healthy.

They kept her in a special care nursery in the hospital for about three weeks after she was born.

But she's completely healthy now.

No problems.

I have a question.

Okay.

Its for Lydia and you.

Okay.

How many points until you can come out here to visit?

You're like so excited for your mom to come out, aren't you?

Yes.

Not necessarily points.

Something that happens a lot of times with people when they used drugs is that it becomes what they do for every feeling that they have.

When they're sad, they use them.

When they're happy, they use them when they're angry, they use them.

When your mom sees you, she's going to feel so many emotions.

She already does.

Just talking to you.

I want you to come now.

I know, baby, it's going to happen.

I promise I'll take months or years?

You're probably probably a couple, few months.

All right, baby.

I love you.

I love you so much.

His birthday would be an okay time.

Is that something that you would want to.

Go in December?

Yeah.

It's not fair to him to be with her and not him.

But the fact is, is like, you're going towards something good and you're wanting to make sure it's really good.

What you're doing is the most fair to him.

You might not see it right now.

He might not understand it right now.

And that's okay.

Yeah.

In the past that wasn't fair.

But what's happening now is the right thing.

I think that looks really good Smile at yourself.

Oh my god.

I havent done that in a long time.

Hi.

You kinda go over there.

Oh I go here and you go on camera.

Oh my god.

How about you?

Anything you want to say to the camera?

Oh, yeah.

Okay, everybody, come on.

I know, I know, I know.

But you know what?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Will.

I know, but look.

Look.

Mommy!!

Happy birthday, baby.

Oh.

Oh, excuse me.

Sorry Nicholas Look on the floor.. Oh, yeah.

Would you like to go show off your little sister in there or Mommy, would you like me to?

I want to come with you guys.

Okay, well, we just.

You have like.

Yeah.

Eyes and everybody.

This is Mommy.

This is Jennifer.

Nice to meet you.

Finally get to meet.

And Lydia is...the one who Saved my mom.

That's my.

Angel.

She saved my mom.

Yeah, she saved my mom.

Oh, yeah, happy birthday.

Bud I thought this would never happen.

Oh, honey, it's been so, so long.

I know She almost said momma.

Are you happy.

Now?

Yes, not.

You had no idea, did you?

I'm sorry.

Okay.

Yeah.

My gosh.

Yeah.

This just.

Just so you know, this is what he's like.

Mom, slow down.

There are something.

No, no.

Yeah, you got to give him a few minutes.

Mommys home!

What are we listening to?

Never heard that.

And that's okay.

I know my.

OK, we are turning this off.

This girl came to church on Friday night and she was like, You don't have any friends?

And we were like, Yeah, we do.

And she was like, No, you don't because you don't go to school, you're homeschool so you don't know.anybody And that is the cutest little girl I'd ever seen in my.

entire life.

I just want to hang out with other kids.

Kids are more my age, so I just find them easier to talk to.

Is Lydia with you?

Yeah shes in the car.

Mom coodies!

Lydia!

mommy.

They're hugging.

They're hugging.

How was the flight?

Scary and good.

Yeah.

Are you excited?

Be here.

Yeah, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

We got Ian, Autmn, Jadiya, Crystal, Mike, Ronan.

Want me to take the baby?

I'm too old to be alive.

Alright this is the jail cell.

Don't drop the soap.

Oh, you comfy?

Oh, my stuff is already on it.

Yeah, it's going to be your living quarters.

This is the little toy corner She knows what's up there.

I.

This is the boys room and the lounger.

Okay, this is Lydias new office Jim built.

Built it for her.

When its summer time.

We have the in-ground pool out there.

So we go in and out through there.

You guys are rich but not really So this is my room and it's not very tidy.

But that's not my fault because my stuff is tidy.

Scott sleeps right there and I. I think he's like we say, he's 96, but he's like 43.

Ians down below.

and he is 19.

I am right here and I am nine.

You mean 5?

Oh wait thats actually cool.

Its like a little secret hideout.

Yeah.

Yeah I used to have that as my bed What is it like?

it's like stinky and theyre always kinda fighting about like presidents like republicans or whatever.

Yeah, it's pretty weird.

What do you think?

It's a little bit creepy.

Huh?

Any other questions?

Does it feel like prison here?

No, it feels nice here.

you guys ready for dinner?

No, cause you're cookings terrible So.

Funny.

Oh, that's Lamborghini.

Help me cut up this.

How did I show you earlier?

Whos going to say thank you to Jesus.

first?

Nicholas.

I don't know how to pray.

Do you know how to talk?

Thats all it is.

Thank you God, there!

That's all I know.

That was perfect.

So you just want to say thank you?

Thank you for what?

The blood of my enemies.

Nicholas!

Be serious right now.

I dont know!

God, thank you that Nicholas is here, we pray that you just really bless his time while he's here and that he would grow in confidence and and boldness, God, that his anxiety would go away and he would just be covered and filled with peace.

Nicholas.

I know things are not what you maybe expected I know this is different than anything you're used to, but it's all good It really is.

No its not!

Okay, but, you know, everything happens in life that we like.

These are just stupid fucking rules that just sucks about being kids.

You can't do anything you want to.

You can't make up your own rules.

You know, there's rules that I follow because.

People care about me.

There's rules you have follow because people care about you.

Is it the TV thing that's, like, really aggravating you?

Everything.

There's nothing fun to do here, there's nothing fun to do here that I like.

I can't watch TV, I can't play video games.

There's nothing I like to do here.

Do you want to go inside and talk to Lydia about it?

No, but you and me?

No.

You want to go inside?

Is that something you would want to do?

Do you want to go for a walk or no?

No.

So, let's go inside, alright?

It's encased now.

But there are a lot of columns in this wall.

Okay, so there's a beam right here.

It's.

It's right here.

Yeah.

Okay, good.

Do you think there's a long coming right at that corner?

We might need to beef up that beam right there.

Do we do we know what size we need?

Right now, there's one and a half bathrooms.

If anybody has to take a shower, the whole house has to pause any of their bathroom needs we've always gone back and forth between the two ideas of should we try and find a bigger house, or should we maybe consider building an addition on this one?

But financially speaking, it was just not feasible for us either.

One, were not feasible.

Here we are 16 years into this thing and this couple comes up to us.

So they said, We've been watching what you;ve been doing and we really feel like we just want to give toward building an addition.

On your house.

And Jim and I were like, okay, that's cool.

I mean, we had no idea what that meant.

And they said, we'd like to do it as a matching grant.

Said, Okay, well, what would the matching grant be?

And they said, $20,000.

And that like blew us away.

I've never, never conceived of something like that happening ever.

Yeah.

So that makes three bedrooms and then our bedroom, right.

Three bedrooms for the kids.

Your bedroom and then two bedrooms for the bunk rooms.

It's a it's going to be a little funky.

Hey, people are going to comment about it.

We are funky people.

People have been asking us, like everybody who gave money towards it, like, so when are you going to start?

Im like, I dont know.

So I can get you something by next week.

And that's really that would be a.

Promise would be so awesome.

Yeah, This right here, my bedroom's going to be on top of that.

And Brooklyns bedroom is going to be on top of that one.

Then there's going to be a hall going over it into the men's room with a pool downstairs to a giant attic.

I think that's what it means.

What made you write this song?

Well, this morning I came out and they were chipping away at the stairs over there.

So you felt emotional when they started?

Oh, so much.

I was crying and stuff.

Oh, I'm going to cry.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Why?

Because we're going to have our house back.

the way it was.

Stop it.

Making me cry.

I remember playing in this.living room I remember finding about Sherry.

in that old bedroom Playing floor is lava in the kitchen we were all just kids climbing up that fridge with no fear of falling I was raised here climbing on these walls I was raised here.

Learning how to crawl.

I was raised here.

Running down these halls of this house.

That was good to me and Ive laughed here We're just being silly and Ive cried here But they're always with me and they taught me what it means to be family or the people that raised me.

I know that I have all these memories, so I just wanted to say, I love you to the people that raised me inside this house, this house that built me We went to the town to have a conversation with them about our home.

And it kind of got a little tense for a minute there because something that we didn't know is that there is a law that in your private single family residence, you can only have up to three unrelated people living there.

And we find out now when we'll have a lot more bedroom space.

So it's going to be interesting to navigate that Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you Happy Birthday, Dear Jadiya Happy birthday to you So what made you decide you wanted to just go, me and you, without everybody?

Well, I haven't really just spent time with you.

It's mostly with other people.

Yeah.

I wanted to hang out with you That's awesome.

Yeah.

What's different?

Like, when it's just me and you?

They're not here.

But what's different?

Like you feel like you don't get a lot of interaction.

Yeah, because you're know.

Well, they're always like talking, you know, he's talking to them and they're always talking with each other.

So.

Okay, well.

Well, let's go enjoy our date.

It's not a date.

What is it?

Not a date.

Okay, like.

Can we walk around the store and go window shopping?

Oh, no.

What are you doing?

Im trying to get snowballs.

Oh, the red stuff.

Yeah.

That's a fence that goes.

Around our pool.

this is to put around the windows so that it keeps all the.

Cold air out, but it doesn't really work.

So we are in the living room until.

Well.

Yeah, you don't touch that.

We're in the living room until we can go upstairs into our bedrooms up there.

It's all under.

Construction and there's.

Not a lot of insulation.

No!

Stop crawling everywhere.

It's cold.

It's bigger than I thought it would be.

Each kids going to get their own bedroom, but they're going to get like a bunk bed in there so they can if they choose that they want to help somebody in their room, they can make that choice for themselves, which I love.

But I assured the town that there will only ever be three unrelated people here using our address.

We're trying to work out any of those kind of gray areas of somebody who's just needing a bed and they're not using our address.

That, to me doesn't constitute living here.

So this is going to be a guestroom, right, for girls, whatever.

Girls need help at any given time, whether it's a friend or family or anybody that's come in this living here, this will be the room.

There'll be two sets of bunk beds in here.

It's still not finished yet.

And I think we have like 10,000 dollars left.

But God has been really, really good to us.

I just believe he's going to stretch that last bit to cover everything else.

So just to update everybody.

Rich Oh yeah.

is in detox right now.

He had been slowly just like getting back into a lot of old things and he got into a car accident and then was prescribed medication and he just shouldn't having and I reached out to him like, why are you on my mind today?

He said he was just getting out of the hospital.

And long story short, he wanted to come back and and live here.

And I said the only way that that would be possible is if you go to detox.

And he agreed to that.

So we just got to be praying for him, number one, to stay strong.

Number two, that there would be an opening sooner rather than later.

I lived at Lydia's for roughly nine months.

When I moved out of the house, Lydia had no thermometer to tell where I was at.

She sniffed it out, though.

She's like rich.

My heart just goes out to you like, I know you're going through it right now, and I just really wish you would come and talk to me about it.

You hear it often, you know, people talk about, Hey, I was clean for years and then I got hurt.

You know, I fell victim to it, too.

And the doctor prescribed me opiate pain medication, and I thought I could deal with it.

I thought I had it.

Do I blame the doctor?

No.

Do I blame myself?

Yeah.

The steps to get back there.

That's up to Jim and Lydia.

I don't know what they'd want to see for me before I could do that.

I know you guys have kind of heard the talk.

That's going.

Around, that there's a possibility that Rich will be coming back.

Do you want Rich to come here?

I mean, it's just I don't know how he acts now.

Ronan, how do you feel about Rich coming back into the house?

I'm glad that he has an opportunity to get better You are?

Do you have any concerns about it at all?

My only concern with him would be that he might sneak something in the house.

Okay.

Has he done that before?

No, no.

But Dad and I know it has happened to someone that we trust.

Just warn me.

If he has something.

He's not going to have anything.

Because I would see that around the complex where I used to live and most of the stuff was my mom's.

Yeah.

And it would be like hidden underneath like dirt or something.

Yeah.

So I.

Just like knowing that there was a needle.

Brought back and it's like, there it is again, right?

Which I try to store, like way down there.

Right.

Well, how your mom talked to you about creating new making new memories and concerns.

When you see yourself.

Right.

So, number one, so he's going to come in and we're going to go through his stuff.

It's going to be moved in and he's not leaving.

He's not going anywhere without me or dad there.

You know, like it's just there's not there's not going to be any room for anything like that.

And he's he's in a place right now where he's not wanting to do something bad.

He's wanting to do something good.

We want to, like, be hopeful with him and encourage him that he is going to do it and he's going to do it all the way.

And it's going to be really good.

Right.

But obviously the house is so full.

So I don't know, do.

Good night Ronan.

Good night.

Its 11-11, make a wish It would be nice to have heating systems.

and a bed.

Do you have an idea in your mind of how long we're sleeping in an office?

Dan was over the other day and he's like, How much money?

How much would it cost to just get to the electrical?

Im like, it's not going to work that way.

Like we don't have the money to just hire.

Plus, it's all has to be done while we're living here.

Like it just doesn't work that way.

Im so thankful the kids are at an age where they can do like school.

Stuff like I'm kind of missing what's going on with them, you know, kind of stinks Next summer I'll be graduating high school.

And then I think about like having an apartment or something for a little while and to like, have the whole place.

as my home and not like a dresser in the corner.

I like having people around me, but I also like to have the choice to not have people around me.

But I is it going to matter to me so much that I'm going to look back me like, man, when I was a kid, I wish that I was able to have my own room.

Someday Im going to have to look back on my life and all of the choices that I made.

And when I'm looking back, what am I going to think about what I did?

No way.

Gmail is Google email.

I did not know that.

Burt Chase Academy subject waiting list.

Jake, how does it sound?

I'm trying to be my mom.

Hi.

I'm messaging you in regards to my son, Ronan OLeahry.

If you could go.

Yep.

If you could get back to me to tell me my son's number on our waiting on your waiting list, that would be extraordinary.

Thank you for your time.

Fine with me.

Send.

I haven't heard anything more from the charter school.

When you had written them that last time, they had said you were like number six, right?

Fifth.

But yeah.

Who's counting, though?

What do you do in detention?

Why are you even thinking about it?

I'm just wondering.

I don't even want to have that.

conversation if I'm doing it for a full year, I there's probably going to be like one.

What?

That there's at least going to be everyone's gone to detention.

All right.

Well, there's a couple of things you need to think about before we even make any final decisions.

You get to sleep in much later here than you would if you were going to the school.

So what I need to see is that if we begin this process together, that you're not going to give me a hassle about your responsibility with it.

Okay.

If this is something you're choosing to do from now.

On, I will get a bit.

630 Let's shake on it.

That's going to be the level of your shake right there.

Now, is that what you're showing me?

Give me a good one.

OH it is So on mom!

I really love teaching medical systems.

And that's because for a lot of them, this is their start.

And I know what it's like to have this be your start.

Come on over here.

Give it a pinch in Make sense, right?

Who doesn't have a stethoscope?

Okay?

Okay.

I don't really hear it in here.

Turn that around.

Let's see if that works better.

There it is.

Yeah.

Oh.

Okay Oh, wow.

Wow.

Yeah, that's so cool.

Oh, yeah.

Here you go, youre signed in.

Why don't you sit here and you can read it over?

Okay.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh my God.

I am pleased to offer you the position medical assistant trainee to work in the Human Resources Department at a hourly rate of $10 an hour plus any applicable differentials.

Yes.

I am a winner.

Yes, you are Submit.

We already got a bunch of free furniture, free TVs for it in there.

Bureaus in the garage.

And then we're moving June 1st, mom's planning to share her bedroom freely.

Is there anything you're going to like, miss about the house and living here?

I'm going to definitely miss Jake.

He's a really good friend to me.

Ill definitely miss all the fun stuff that I could do here.

Like this is where I got to learn how to use a skill store and stuff.

So I'll miss that.

And I'll also.

Miss the memories here.

Okay, so let's just get this straight you'll miss Jake?

Yep.

And the skillsaw?.

It's not what I just said.

OH its what I heard.

Also, miss you guys too and the house.

Okay.

Oh, okay, good.

I was like, what you talking about?

So I'm going to make you miss this shot.

You can try.

I really don't.

Want them to move out.

I just.

I've seen so many people leave and then I, like, don't see them for a long time.

And I don't want that to happen.

And I know that they say they're going to come over and stuff, but that's happened before and I just really don't want that to happen because I love them so much.

Now I have to get a plastic cover for this.

Oh my God.

Excuse me.

This is my room.

And I got a bathroom.

I Like it.

And I have, game stuff here.

And when I get my TV its going to be right here.

This is amazing.

You flush right?

You get praised!

Oh my gosh, theres one on both sides?

Its coming off in strips.

It's not like peeling.

Get out of my house!

Really?

Bye Rob, Bye Jake!

Nervous?

Im good.

A little?

Normal nerves.

People coming to our house and you can see a change in them I don't think I've.

Ever really thought about.

What it would be like to live in a family who doesn't do this.

If I did, I wouldn't.

Want to.

I just want to tell you guys, I am super, super proud of how you guys all got through this last winter and how you've been handling the construction of the house.

I know that it's not easy.

I would not like to do it again this winter..

Enough is enough, Lord.

Okay, but I know for me that some days I'm just exhausted because we all know that.

The point isnt just to have people come and crash at our house and stay the same, right?

And so for there to be change, it means, it takes time and it takes being intentional.

And that is on all of our parts.

And I see you guys do it as well.

So anyways, just a quick show of hands, okay.

Who does not want a bunk bed in their room?

Oh yeah.

I feel bad.

No, I feel bad.

Being like I don't want a bunk bed in my room.

But I've also I've never had my own.

Room before, you know.

Michael's bed in his room, his old room, how it was like above and ladder.

And then under there there was like play space.

I kind of want that.

So you don't want to have space to share.

Oh, wow.

You said there was an option.

Make up your mind.

Im just kidding.

Listen, if you can joke.

If you can joke, I can joke.

All right, moment of truth, guys.

Whats the question?

Are we going to give another year of our lives so someone can have the rest of theirs?

Yes, I will.

I nominate.

Myself.

Autumn.

No way.

I'm not going to give another year of my life..

I think he's like, no way.

Hey, Brooklyn, you.

Yeah, Ill do it.

Don't be so enthusiastic No, I want to.

Ronan?

Youve got four yeses.

Even if they said.

No, I'd be like doesnt really.

What you say this is just for fun.

For fun?

Shut up.

We're doing it Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you.

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