Stephenie, a friendly and family-oriented woman, is the mother of two daughters, Abby (15) and Bailey (3).  She also has custody of her younger twin brothers, Willie and Nick (18), who spend part of their time there and part of their time with their mom.  Stephenie is an Evansville resident who grew up in Boonville The family enjoys quality time watching movies, playing card games or going to their church, which remains a big part of their life since they started going 11 years ago.  They also try to take a family trip somewhere fun every year, like Disneyworld or Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

This bonding time is important to Stephenie and allows the family to reconnect despite the busyness of their everyday lives; jobs, high school, college.  She proudly shares her brothers are both currently attending Vincennes University and are ahead of schedule for graduation thanks to the Upward Bound program they participated in during high school, and her daughter Abby works part time in a nursery.

Stephenie has a lot to juggle herself, especially now that she’s entered the Habitat homeownership program.  She spends her days working hard to provide for her family as a Registered Behavior Technician. “At my job, we do behavior therapy with children affected by autism,” she explains. “I absolutely love my job. It’s hard work but it’s rewarding.”

The family currently lives in a 2-bedroom duplex.  The space is a snug fit for the five of them, though they are deeply appreciative of the family members who have allowed them to stay there. “I’m just excited to have a home that’s my own and be independent,” Stephenie shares. “I’m also excited to get some better sleep once I’m not in the same bedroom as my 3 year old anymore.”

She learned about the Habitat homeownership program through a friend who had completed it, and things have been going great since her approval. “I love this program!” she says. “Just how it’s built… learning to budget, how to be a good neighbor, how to problem solve… I haven’t been paying rent while I stay in my grandma’s duplex so I was scared about whether I could stay afloat by myself… but they help you figure out how you can afford it and how to budget for everything which has taken so much stress off my shoulders. All the required courses are super valuable.”

She acknowledges balancing everything can be a struggle at times, but luckily, she’s had help.  “I am so proud of my 15-year-old for really stepping up and helping take care of her younger sister throughout all of this.”

As Stephenie surpasses 100 hours in the program, choosing a lot is just around the corner, and she feels very thankful for everyone who has been involved so far.  As her future as a homeowner becomes more real, there’s one thing she’s most excited for: having her own yard to tend to. “I’ve never had a yard that was really mine to take pride in, and I’m excited to set up a space I love and can take care of.”