It Starts with Grace-The Beginning of our Story

Welcome to It Starts With Grace. I’ve dreamed about this little space for a long time—long before the goats, long before the idea of a dairy or therapy program, long before I ever imagined that healing could come through muddy hooves, stubborn personalities, and the quiet rhythm of farm life.

This blog isn’t just about homesteading or animals or even my family—though you’ll meet all of them along the way. It’s about grace. Real grace. The kind that shows up when life breaks your heart and somehow, impossibly, puts it back together in a way that’s softer and stronger than before.

Our story didn’t unfold in the picture-perfect way I once imagined. It wound through loss, unexpected motherhood, grief, and seasons where I wasn’t sure what God was doing. But it also wove itself through laughter, resilience, and miracles I didn’t know I needed—like goats who sensed sadness better than people, a chicken who now identifies as a goat (looking at you, Ripley), and two incredible kids who call me Mimi but know I’m their mom in every way that counts.

And then there’s Addison—a name you’ll hear often here. Her life changed ours forever. Her memory still lives in our story, shaping the compassion and purpose behind everything we do on this farm. Healing from that kind of loss isn’t linear. It comes in gentle waves—through family, faith, and sometimes through the simple nuzzle of a goat who sees you without judgment.

As our family healed, God began showing me that this farm wasn’t just for us. The goats that helped mend pieces of my own heart could offer that same comfort to others—children navigating trauma, veterans carrying invisible wounds, seniors longing for companionship, families needing a little joy, or someone simply craving peace after a long season of struggle.

That’s how the dream grew:

• A future goat dairy built with purpose.

• Goat therapy sessions for kids, veterans, and anyone who needs a gentle place to breathe.

• Goat parties because sometimes healing looks like joy, and sometimes joy looks like a goat wearing a party hat.

• Senior visits, school events, and community moments that remind us we’re meant to connect—with each other, with creation, with grace.

Through this blog, I hope to share our journey—the hard parts, the holy parts, the funny parts, and the moments that remind me God is always working even when we don’t see it.

You’ll meet:

• The goats who started it all

• Ripley, our survival-story chicken-turned-goat

• The two kids who light up our world

• My husband, the quiet strength in the background

• The moments that break us, rebuild us, and shape us

And I hope, as you read, you find pieces of your own story here—comfort, laughter, hope, and the reminder that no matter where your journey begins…

Healing doesn’t start with perfection.It starts with grace.

Thank you for being here. Truly.This is just the beginning, and I’m grateful you’re part of it.