I share a bedroom with Peter Gaffney, who graduated from ND last year. We live in the Havard household with their awesome family of six. Robert-Michael was adopted from an orphanage in Russia when he was 2; he was non-verbal at the time and he now, two years later, spouts off question after question after question, also exhibiting an incredible memory. Mark-Allen has a poker face that can burst into a goofy smile and goofier laugh with just the right amount of provocation. He's turning 10 pretty soon, and is pretty intimidating from the little league pitching mound. Christen-Marie will surrender their new puppy, Coconut, to absolutely nobody for more than a few minutes. She's at that ackward 12ish age where the tomboy gets her in the pool before everyone else, and the mother in her is beginning to make some clumsy attempts to direct her younger brothers. Katie-Ann is a soft-spoken piano player who just completed her first non-homeschool year, an 8th grader at Trinity School. She's in the pool almost immediately after her sister. Jen homeschools the 3 younger kids, and manages to maintain a home that sees countless community members through it's doors on a weekly basis, for both physical and mental nourishment. Mark is a professional speech pathologist, provides spiritual direction to both Peter and I in addition to his family, and plays a mean game of ping pong. Together, Mark & Jen have brought up 4 very conscientous, socially inquisitive, morally disciplined children. They are very affectionate, especially with their parents, and they reach out to so many people around them.
It is a phenomenon of our age - whether accidental or more basic, we do not know - that many men and women who are open to being married do not marry. These men and women have neither the support of a Christian spouse and children nor the stability of a dedicated celibate life. Our covenant provides those of us who are single with mutual support, participation in the lives of children in the community and mature friendships with those who are married and those living single for the Lord. They, therefore, take their rightful place with their brothers and sisters, who need them to make up the full complement of those the Lord has called to be the People of Praise. - The Spirit & Purpose of the People of Praise