So, these boys have really become in integral part of our family and I thought I might as well include them in our family photos. 

 

Brian and Gabe.  Brian lives with us and Gabe is friends with everybody who lives with us. Brian has a hidden musical talent that we see unearthed at times, and he is one of Daniel Josiah’s best friends. He’s a “pork chop” (portugese kid) from the neighborhood. 

 

Vernard lives with us and is a teen employee of Safe Haven.  He’s wicked at DDR (he practices enough!) but also has talent at video producing and editing (one day, i’ll put up some of his videos).  He has a great laugh, and when he gets around certain people he can make me laugh so hard that my stomach hurts. He’s also a MODEL kid to have live with you…he’s polite, and clean, and responsible, and HE DOES HIS CHORE ON TIME! 🙂 thats how you earn brownie points with me….

 

Kyle thinks he’s too cool for school….so we had him move in with us to see if a change of environment could remedy that falsity. Kyle also thinks he’s goth.  But we know he’s not. 🙂  He rocks at video games (his room is full of every one imaginable) but he also likes to think deeply…with a little apologetics training he would be a fireball for Jesus.  He’s also really really sweet with our kids.  He and DJ are buds.  

 

 

Anthony is our honorary member of the family.  He comes over every afternoon to hang out, eat dinner, and just be part of the family.  His mom was one of the first people in the neighborhood to come to know the Lord through the ministry of Danny’s Grandfather.  Through her, the whole family came to Christ, plus many neighbors.  She died suddenly a year and a half ago and Anthony now lives in a rented room in an apartment around the corner (his stepdad pays for it).  God’s got great purposes for this young kid, but its really really hard to lose your mama (i know!)

 

Ahhh, Dele.  Dele THINKS he lives with us.  I probably see him at our house more than some of the people that actually live there. But he’s also more like a like in nanny.  He is SUPER helpful with the kids, with kitchen stuff, with anything.  He and I have long kitchen talks- I cook and wash dishes (we have no dishwasher) and we talk about his past, his family, his aspirations for the future, and we get a good laugh out of quite a few tangents in between, all while his 6’8” body is perched on my back steps. 

 

 

 

Nori is Dele’s brother (through adoption).  Nori is one of those wonderfully sanctifying people in your life. But his also grown ALOT since we first met him.  I have faith that he’s going to become a great leader and use his hyperactivity for God’s glory some day.