When friends become family...

Tonight began just like any other night in our humble home, but it became something very special. Everyone went their separate ways except for Marissa and me. We waited in the common area for Howard to come out and play :) After almost a month off, we finally pulled out the Dutch Blitz cards. The game was moving a little slow without a fourth player, but we pressed on. I had never played with him, but I really enjoyed the game. It gets loud and then quiet and then really loud and then quiet again...always fun. He calls out the numbers as he plays them which caused us to do the same (sound familiar, Gretchen?). Marissa and I started singing "Jamie" by Dashboard Confessional and decided it would be best to just play the song for Howard. He liked it and said he wanted to look it up and learn it. I will laugh so hard the first time I hear him sing that song to me!!! We kept playing with music in the background, occasionally singing just a little too loud for how many people were already sleeping, but we were having the best time.
After a while, we conceded the game to conversation. This was the first time I've had a real conversation with Howard. Usually we have small talk in passing or work related conversations, but tonight was different. With just the three of us (sometimes four when Stacey would wander back in), he really opened up and shared a lot about his life. He taught us the greeting they use at his church: di xiong or zi mei (it means brother or sister in the church, if you use those greetings they know you are a believer). We talked about movies and decided that we need to have a family movie day. Yes, we are family. I am the big sister to all of them and I love that. I love that by God placing us all in this place together, He has created a new family. There were just so many interesting aspects of the conversation. At one point Stacey said, "I like this night." She told us that so many nights she has been in the Inn and we are all in our rooms, but she liked that we stayed and played and talked until it was time for bed. I really liked it too. I got to know my brother and sisters better.
This Monday night might not seem like much to anyone else, but I know for the four of us it was a night we will always hold dear. I hope that there are many more just like it. I will go to bed now feeling blessed to have a family such as this.