For the past nine years, my three children and I have been searching for a place to call home—a place where we could feel safe, stable, and truly belong. But that search has been anything but easy. As a single mother, providing for my children while trying to secure permanent housing has been a constant struggle. We have moved four times across three different states, always hoping the next place would finally be the one where we could settle.
Each move brought uncertainty. Packing up our lives again and again, adjusting to new schools, making new friends, and always wondering how long we would stay—it was exhausting. My children longed for a place where they could feel secure, and I longed for the day I could tell them, “This is our forever home.”
That day is finally here. Skagit Habitat for Humanity has given us something we’ve only dreamed of—the opportunity to own our first home. And while having a permanent place to live is life-changing, it’s the little things that make this home feel even more special.
We are most excited about having a kitchen to cook in together, a space where we can create meals and memories. Cooking has always been a way for us to bond, but moving so often made it hard to have a kitchen that truly felt like ours. Now, we can finally have that—a place where we’ll bake birthday cakes, try new recipes, and gather around the table, sharing our days and laughter.
And perhaps most importantly, everyone will have a comfortable space to call their own. No more squeezing into shared rooms or making do with temporary setups. My children will have their own corners of the home where they can relax, grow, and just be themselves. That kind of stability is something we’ve never had before, and it means the world to us.
This home is more than just four walls—it’s a fresh start, a dream realized, and a promise for a better future. Thanks to Skagit Habitat for Humanity, we finally have a place where we can put down roots, build memories, and most importantly, call our own.
Tarra has been selected as a future homebuyer for Skagit Habitat for Humanity’s Homebuyer Program. Tarra’s family will be joined by two other families to build and buy three permanently affordable homes on the corner of Caledonia and S. 3rd St in La Conner. In October, they celebrated breaking ground on the site of their future homes and are excited to begin construction later this year.
