Heather, You want some advice about the place next door to where you work? Well, here's my fifty cents on that one, run, do not walk as far away as you can from this offer. It sounds like it is in worse shape than your home that you left in Ohio. I know you want to find something more reasonable, but don't lower yourself and your daughter to living in that dump. All you would need is for Matt to find out that you have your daughter living in that place and he would file some kind of complaint because of the living conditions. Quite frankly, it sounds like a fire trap. Keep looking. It's spring time and things will begin to open up and you'll find something nice and more affordable.
Now, about the little girl down the street...don't get sucked into her staying at your home. It's okay for her to come over periodically to play, but this man and his baby momma may become the type of people that will allow you to babysit her and feed her on your watch. It's nice to open your house up to others...but be careful w/your time, energy and hospitality. I know you feel sorry for her, but it does sound like they want to dump her off on someone else and you don't want to become the babysitter to this young girl.
I would be questioning why he's got custody of all of the kids. If I read correctly, the mothers of the children are not living in the area. Something doesn't sound right if he's got them all and the mothers don't have them.
Keep moving forward.
Sit quietly, the answers will reveal themselves when you least expect them to. The past is gone, the present is a gift and you need to focus on today, allow the future to reveal itself when it is ready.
