There is a special kind of beauty in burning the rulebook of life.
At an important age in their lives, two moms unexpectedly found themselves in the middle of a crossroads. Down one route is the choice of continuing to live as is, and the other one held a chance of a lifetime.
Fast forward to now, four families sit together at a table, sharing food and stories with each other. In a house they built with love, they survived a pandemic, divorces, and loss. It might just be a place of four walls to some, but for them, it was a house of healing.
The idea started with friends Holly Harper and Herrin Hopper.
The two women were just emerging from their recent difficulties. Harper’s marriage just ended, and to make matters even more painful, she just lost her dad.
For her, her entire life was burnt to the ground. But instead of wallowing in the ashes, she decided to build something new. It gave her a different kind of courage to try things she’d never consider.
Meanwhile, on Hopper’s side, she’s finding difficulties with the logistics of being a single mom. The need for a babysitter, rent, making ends meet while taking care of the kids – the list just keeps longer and longer.
Then, they decided to move in together.
They uprooted their lives and jumped into a non-traditional way of living. They bought a four-unit property in June 2020. To help them with the costs, they put out advertisements for anyone interested.
“Two single moms bought this house. We have a basement unit for rent.” Harper told TODAY. That’s when the third and fourth members of the family moved in.
Leandra Nichola and Jen Jacobs joined the duo shortly.
Nichola was looking for a stable place for her family at that time and just like Harper and Hopper, she’s a single mom.
Meanwhile, Jacobs was just healing after coming from a “bad place” in her life. Thinking that moving in with her friends will help her recover, she decided to get the fourth unit.
The women have never been happier with their setup.
The house is divided into four units which meant that each family has its own space to grow. But outside of those units are common spaces where they eat, talk, play, and come together.
They split the cost of housing, groceries, and other expenses. But Harper said that the best part about it is “living with women” who are very conscientious when it comes to chores. More than that, the kids get to play with each other, and babysitting costs are out of the window.
But for these women, there’s so much more than the practicality of it.
They shared that they found so much more in their home. They found a place where they can be supported and heard, a place to heal, and a place to find love.
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Nichola and Jacobs have since been together. The women also helped Nichola open a small café called Mainstreet Pearl.
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What started as a decision to tackle the costs of living became so much more. From single moms to sisterhood. From a house to a place of healing.
Watch how these four women “burn the rulebook of life” by moving in together.
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