LYMAN — Wooden cutouts of the words “Dream” and “Family” decorate the windows over the dining room table at the home of Rusty and Melissa Blackington ”“ two words that describe what they’ve created for five friends of the family who recently lost their mother to cancer.

The Blackingtons, who have two biological children ”“ Dylan, 14, and Julia, 11 ”“ recently became a family of nine when they decided to take in the five children of Gloria Zunser: Chad, 14, Neal, 12, Leah, 9, Surafel, 13, and Aman, 7.

Since “the merge,” as Rusty calls it, the family is now known as the Blackington-Zunsers, and their easy rapport with each other shows that these new siblings were friends first ”“ family, even.

The Blackingtons met Gloria Zunser through their “soccer family,” the Massabesic United Soccer Club. Everyone in the family plays soccer, with the exception of Melissa and Leah, and the two families grew close as friendships formed.

Zunser, who worked as an orthodontist adopted Neal, Leah and Chad with her husband, Gene. After their divorce, she adopted Surafel and Aman on her own four years ago.

When Zunser found out she was terminally ill this past summer, she faced the difficult task of finding homes for her children, since Gene, in his mid-60s, was not up for raising the children on his own and the rest of her family lives out of state, said Rusty.

“She was going to split them all up,” said Melissa. “She didn’t feel like she could put (all five of them) on anybody.”

So Zunser asked her older children with whom they would want to live ”“ and Chad chose the Blackingtons, to be with his friend, Dylan. When arrangements for the other children fell through, said Melissa, Zunser felt it was a sign to keep them together. It was September when she asked the Blackingtons if they would raise Neal and Leah, too. Surafel and Aman were to live with a nearby coach.

“We were on board,” said Rusty, “and we talked to our children and they were on board, too.”

The only concern at the time, he said, was that their house was too small. So Zunser offered them hers ”“ a six-bedroom on a sprawling property in rural Lyman.

When Zunser’s health began to fail over the summer, Melissa would take all five Zunser children every Tuesday to allow her to rest. That’s when “we started thinking, wow, maybe we could keep them all together,” she said.

When Aman and Surafel asked to stay in their own home with the Blackingtons, too, that’s when they said, “We’ve got to do it,” said Melissa.

It was Halloween when the couple told Zunser they would raise all five children.

“She was speechless,” said Melissa. “She had wanted to keep the kids together from the start.”

With the decision made, the two families planned to move in together the weekend after New Year’s, but Zunser’s condition worsened, and she died Dec. 31.

“We moved in the day she passed away,” said Melissa.

Since Zunser’s passing, the family has received many offers of help, from moving to cooking, and even anonymous donations. Staff at Lyman Elementary School set up a rotation to provide hot meals throughout January, said Melissa, and school counselor Marianne Tozier even visited the house to offer grief counseling.

Much of the support has also come from the soccer family, said Rusty.

“They’ve been right there every minute,” he said.

The Blackingtons joined that family when they moved to Lyman 11 years ago from midcoast Maine so Rusty could work for his father’s construction business. Melissa opened Salon Allure in Waterboro, where she has now cut back to two days of work per week. With all of the children’s activities, she said, the only night they have off each week is Thursday.

“There obviously are crazy times,” said Melissa, “but it’s fun, actually, having a large family. There’s always someone to play with.”

“It’s amazing how well it’s gone,” said Rusty.

The Blackingtons plan to become legal guardians for Chad, Neal and Leah, who still see their father regularly, but they will legally adopt Surafel and Aman.

“We just cared so deeply about her and her kids,” said Melissa. “I feel honored that she felt Rusty and I could carry on where she left off.”

Though all nine family members seem to be adjusting well, merging the two families hasn’t been without some struggles.

“Lawyers are still figuring out the finances,” said Rusty, and Zunser’s estate won’t be settled for another six to nine months. In the meantime, the paperwork holdup has left the children without health insurance and waiting for social security benefits.

“It’s been a nightmare,” said Rusty.

Increased oil expenses and the need for a second fridge and a Dumpster caught them by surprise and the house didn’t cooperate either: Ice caused the roof to leak, the washer/dryer stopped working, the toilet overflowed, and the furnace failed.

Through it all, the couple have been amazed by the help they’ve received.

“We’re so blessed to live in this community,” she said. “It’s overwhelming, the kindness of people who don’t even know you.”

Greg Kidder, of Lyman, is part of the soccer family and helped organize a benefit dance for the Blackington-Zunsers this Saturday.

“When this whole thing started, it happened quicker than anybody thought,” said Kidder. “The doctor told Gloria she had about six months, and in six weeks she was gone.”

In talking with Rusty, he said, he could tell “they could use some help, but they’re the type of people who aren’t going to ask for it.”

Saturday’s benefit dance will feature music from DJ Roger Grenier and will run from 7-11 p.m. at the Rochambeau Club on South Street in Biddeford. Tickets will not be sold at the door, but can be purchased from Kidder, who can be reached at 432-4463. A silent auction featuring donated items will also take place at the event.

“It’s amazing what they’re doing for us, it’s unbelievable,” said Melissa.

— City Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 322 or [email protected].