All of the Elrods' children helped construct their Habitat house, making it a true family affair.

'Mom" Seizes a Better Life ... (continued)

John and Theresa Elrod, New Mexico

A few years ago, John and Theresa Elrod experienced a crisis point in their lives.They'd had to give up their home after a spell of unemployment kept them from making payments. John went to live with his mother;Theresa and their teenagers lived with her mother. John found more work, but, with their history, it was difficult finding a place to live. Separated and frustrated, the family was running out of options.

They decided to apply for a Habitat house, just to see what would happen, and prepared themselves to wait. But after just three days, they were accepted, and a new phase of life began.

Scattered between different houses, the family was able to find common ground on the build site. Since the Elrods' "children" were ages 21, 19 and 17, they were able to participate in the construction of their house.Theresa looks back on the construction as a bonding time for the family.

"I'm scared of heights, but me and my daughter got on the roof and did the roofing," she says. "I know what's in all these walls."

Since moving in in 2004,Theresa has gone back to school to study massage therapy, and her bedroom is proving to be a quiet sanctuary for studying. Their stucco house is nestled in a subdivision of more than 100 Habitat houses, and Theresa's best friend from junior high school lives across the street.

Perhaps most important, however, is the restoration of the family. "I think we would have gotten a divorce,"Theresa says. "We were already separated, fighting all the time. I probably would have gone to Albuquerque, gotten an apartment and worked all the time." Now, back on a solid foundation, the future looks bright.