For years, Angie Peters’ home was full. Six kids, constant noise, always something going on. Then, one by one, they grew up and moved out, and the house that used to be so full of life went quiet.
Angie and her wife felt it. They started looking into fostering children, hoping to bring that energy back. Then, by chance, they came across Shared Living, a model where adults with disabilities live with a provider family, sharing a home and daily life. She wasn’t sure what to make of it at first. But what came next didn’t just fill the house back up. It gave them a fuller life.
Angie and her wife share their home with two people, including Mike, who moved in about a year and a half ago. The early weeks together were a little careful, a little overly polite, the way new living arrangements tend to be. But it was Mike being fully himself, bringing his interests into the house, and Angie and her wife embracing them that shifted things from roommates to family.
It started with fish.
Angie had fish as a kid, but she didn’t quite know what she was getting herself into. First came the betta fish. Then Mike made his case for goldfish, and it was a good one. Soon, one tank became two, then four, all of them large and spread throughout the house. Mike has a way of drawing people into the things he loves. That’s just the kind of energy he brings. And Angie, it turns out, is exactly the kind of person who jumps in rather than watching from the sidelines.
Ask Angie and Mike about the traditions that hold their house together, and they’ll answer with a giggle, “7 p.m. snack.” The nightly ritual started with the other person Angie and her wife support in the home, who never misses his before-bed snack. Most evenings, everyone’s unwinding in their own corner of the house. But when 7 p.m. rolls around, you can hear the shuffle of slippers heading towards the kitchen. Cabinet doors open, the fridge light clicks on, and everyone takes their time hunting for the right treat.
Angie is also honest about the fact that it hasn’t always been smooth. About a year in, the routines that had worked so well stopped working and little frustrations began to build. Like any family learning to live together, they reached a point where something needed to change.
What they didn’t do was let it sit. Angie, her wife, and Mike talked it through. They found a new rhythm that worked for all three of them, one that allowed more flexibility, created space for growth, and gave Mike the independence that’s so important to him. Being honest with each other and willing to adjust along the way is part of what makes their dynamic work.
Since then, things have settled into an easier groove, giving them room to focus on Mike’s next goal: finding a job. When they got to talking about what would be the perfect fit, Angie couldn’t help but tease him about his love of shopping and how it would be great if he could just get paid to do that.
“It’s the thrill of the find,” Mike said.
These days, you can find the two of them shoulder to shoulder at the kitchen table, laptop open between them, applying to whatever catches his eye.
Looking around the house today, it’s hard to imagine it ever being quiet. There are fish tanks in nearly every room, a nightly 7 p.m. snack tradition, and plenty of laughter.
To really understand Angie and Mike’s relationship, you have to hear them together. Watch the video below for a glimpse into the teasing, the fish tank debates, and the genuine connection they’ve built over time.
If Angie’s feeling of wanting a full house again resonates with you, and you’ve got room in your life to share with someone, Shared Living could be worth exploring. Learn more about what it takes to get started.
