More Family Success Stories Contact: Homeowner Relations (650) 568-7322 housinginterest @peninsulahabitat.org Home Family Success Stories The Dimitrov Family Christmas Comes Early For The Dimitrov Family Walking into the Dimitrov's small one-bedroom apartment, you can't help but marvel that four people live there. But they do, and have for the past four years - Eleonora and Panayot keep a bed in the living room; their children,13 year old Mariya and 6 year old Dimitar, sleep on bunk beds in the bedroom. It works because it has to, but it's not ideal. Mariya is a teenager now, while her brother is still playing with toy cars, when he can find the space to spread them out. In the years since they arrived in this country from Buenos Aires and before that their home-country of Bulgaria in May of 2003, they had long since given up on buying a house here. Although they were optimistic about the future after winning the green card lottery in this country and establishing permanent residency in Brisbane, the housing prices were too high and there was no chance that they could afford a down payment on a new home. However, in September, the family will pack their bags and move into a new two-story, three-bedroom home just a few short blocks away from their apartment, creating a new life where "everybody will have their own room and their own space," says Eleonora. "We are so excited!" Not only will they have room to spread out - a yard to plant flowers or maybe a small garden - but also a real kitchen for Eleonora, who spends much of her time cooking, she says. She will even have a dishwasher for the first time ever. Across the street from their new house is Brisbane Elementary School, where Dimitar will start first grade in the fall. The Dimitrovs are one of seven families receiving Peninsula Habitat for Humanity homes in Brisbane. Finishing the required 500 hours of "sweat equity" was a memorable event for the Dimitrovs. Not only did Eleonora's sister from Bulgaria arrive to pitch in - completing more than 100 hours on the construction site - but they also worked side-by-side with so many other Habitat families who all had the same dream. And they all helped each other to make their dreams a reality. "We have the chance to pass that great experience of building our homes together with the community on to our children," says Eleonora. "Now is the moment to pass that family story as a valuable message and foundation of good fait h and love, which will make them good citizens of this community," she says. The Christmas season is just a few months away, and the Dimitrovs are looking forward to it. They already know they will put a big tree up and string lights outside the house. Using her new oven, Eleonora will bake the Bulgarian Christmas bread, traditionally containing a hidden coin that brings good luck to the person who finds it. This year, however, luck came early for the Dimitrov family. To read more about Habitat families, please click here.