The saying, “If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans,” perfectly sums up our journey. Our family is reminiscent of the Brady Bunch. My husband and I met in November 2015, each of us already raising two children. Both navigating divorces and understanding life’s many shades of gray, we decided to take a leap of faith together.

We shared a common dream: to raise happy, healthy kids and eventually retire to a farm. After marrying and settling into a new home, an opportunity arose when my in-laws asked us to house-sit while they wintered in Florida. Since we were searching for property nearby and welcomed the chance to save, we happily agreed.

Then the pandemic struck, turning our world upside down. With the kids home, myself home, and my in-laws unexpectedly back too, our house became bustling and cramped. To find balance, I returned to gardening—a passion I hadn’t indulged since my teenage years—and rediscovered how much I loved it.

Eventually, we found a home just a mile from the family farm. Though I set aside gardening to focus on a client service career and the kids’ activities, life took an unexpected turn. The first heartbreak came when my mother-in-law’s long battle with cancer ended. Six months later, my father-in-law suffered a fall and passed within a month of breaking his hip.

Shortly after, my sister-in-law delivered devastating news—she had been diagnosed with cancer. Wanting to prepare for the worst, she decided to move herself and the kids in with us, as her health quickly deteriorated. She passed a few months later. Through this, our family was fortunate to have a home spacious enough to take in her children permanently.

Not long after, we purchased a small portion of the family farm from my in-laws’ estate. And now, here we are—working to bring our shared dream to life.