Sitting on the dock, drinking coffee, watching the flocks of geese coming and going- this is exactly how we pictured retirement! We didn’t want much more than to walk down to the neighborhood lake and enjoy the peace and quiet whenever the weather allowed. Sometimes, we bring our fishing poles and try to catch some trout. When we retired, we were living off our minimal benefits and our social security. It was enough for the two of us, after raising a family and working for many years. We aren’t big travelers and looked forward to spending time around the house and in our community. Our kids have their own families; one just starting and the other ten years into a cohesive, successful family unit. Spending time with the kids and their families provided the little bit of action, aside from hooking a trout, that we were happy to have in our peaceful lives.

Our youngest son has struggled over the years, but so did some of our friends’ kids. His young family was living without electricity and running water. He and his girlfriend (and children’s mother) were on and off. He was having trouble finding a steady job. She left town. We worried about the grandkids. One day it became apparent that it was too much for my son to provide a safe, warm, home for the kids to thrive. It was at this time that we knew
we had to step in and bring the two children, ages 3 and 4, to reside with us.

The children were “temporarily” turned over to us two years ago. Unfortunately, our income did not change with the additional needs of our two grandchildren. We immediately noticed that our retirement funds were not enough for raising a family. While we had enough for our plans, for our needs, it had become extremely tight with the unexpected “new” family being raised in our home. We also knew that neither one of us were fit to go back to work. We swallowed our pride and went to FESS to ask for emergent support. We had supported FESS in the past, contributing to their fundraisers, so we were familiar with their services.

Thankfully, FESS was able to assist with both groceries and an overdue utility bill we overlooked in the process of adding new sleeping arrangements, clothing, diapers and other necessities around the house. In addition, the Basic Needs Navigator helped us access the TANF Non Needy Relative program, which provides a food stipend for low income families, which we now are.

Yes, retirement looks much different than we have envisioned. Those quiet mornings on the dock are now loud mornings filled with cartoons, toys, and dancing around the house. Coffee is enjoyed at the kitchen table, while endless loads of laundry need to be attended to. Being in our seventies can present challenges at times, forcing some changes to our lifestyle and habits in order to stay ahead. We aren’t sure how long our grandchildren will be living with us. We just hope we can continue to keep up with them! They have brought a newfound joy to our home and we are blessed to be able to provide a safe, warm place for them to grow up. Next week we are going to try to take them fishing.