Welcome to Heritage Highland Acres – Where Faith, Family, and Resilience Take Root

Hello, and welcome to our corner of the internet! I’m so glad you’re here to follow along as we begin this exciting new chapter in our lives. Our journey is about more than just building a house—it’s about creating a homestead, a legacy, and a place where our family’s values, creativity, and resilience can flourish for generations to come.

To kick things off, I’d love to introduce you to the people who make up our family. My husband and I are blessed with six wonderful children, three of whom are biological and three adopted. Our family is a beautiful mix of different cultures, backgrounds, and stories, and each of our kids brings something unique to the table.

• Our eldest daughter is 26 and was adopted into our family. She and her partner have recently become foster parents, making me a proud foster grandma!

• Our 23-year-old son is also adopted. He’s navigating life and figuring out his own path as a young adult.

• Our 21-year-old son is our biological child and has high-functioning autism. We’re supporting him as he finds his way in the world as a young man.

• Our 20-year-old son, who is adopted, is currently an apprentice carpenter—a skill that’s coming in handy as we embark on building our new home.

• Our 17-year-old daughter is finishing up high school and has dreams of becoming a nurse. She’s hardworking and focused, determined to reach her goals.

• Last but not least is our 11-year-old son, who I homeschool. He keeps us on our toes and brings a lot of energy to our home.

As for me, I’m a registered nurse who became disabled after complications from COVID-19. I contracted the virus while working during the pandemic in 2020, and my health hasn’t been the same since. Living with long COVID has been a tough adjustment, and I’m on a journey to rediscover who I am.

My husband is a dedicated police officer who balances the demands of his job with helping us build this dream of ours. We live in the Catskills, surrounded by nature’s beauty, on a small piece of land that was once part of my great-grandparents’ farm. It’s humbling to think that we’re carrying on a legacy that began with immigrants from Europe who made their home here many years ago.

Our vision for Heritage Highland Acres is to create a homestead where our children can one day build their own homes and live a more independent and sustainable lifestyle. We’re excited to embrace the challenges and joys that come with this lifestyle shift, even if it means temporarily living in a camper while we build our new house.

Through this blog, I’ll be sharing the ups and downs of our journey—from the construction process to the everyday moments that define our lives. I also want to explore the complexities of raising a large, diverse family, living with chronic illness, and navigating the unique challenges that come our way. If our story can resonate with others who feel alone in similar situations, then sharing it will be worth every word.

In addition to our family’s story, I’m eager to showcase my creative passions. Crochet has become a big part of my life, and I’ll be sharing my designs, hand-dyed wool yarns, and my attempts at learning new crafts like knitting. Creativity has been a source of comfort and joy, and I hope it will inspire you too.

Thanks for joining us on this journey. Whether you’re here for the homesteading updates, the crafting inspiration, or to find connection in our shared challenges, we hope you feel at home here at Heritage Highland Acres.