The next day, curiosity drove me to visit the address. To my shock, the keys opened a fully furnished house stocked with food and ready for a family. On the kitchen counter was another note explaining that the home once belonged to the woman’s late sister, who had always wanted children. She wanted the house to be filled with love and life again — and she had chosen us. Tears filled my eyes as Bella and Lily explored what was now our new home.

Weeks later, I tracked down the woman, whose name was Margaret. She told me that years ago, a stranger had helped her when she had nothing, and now she was paying it forward. Six months later, my mom lives with us, the twins have their own rooms, and our lives are finally stable. Every night, as I listen to my girls’ laughter echoing through the house, I think about how one woman’s kindness transformed our lives — all starting with a secondhand washing machine.