10/16/2026
❤️🐐 Sometimes the ones we're trying to help end up helping us in ways we never imagined.
It's time for a little update on Miles for Miracles, and to share a little more about one of our newest arrivals who has already made quite an impact on my heart.
Earlier this year, I completed my first half marathon in nearly 20 years. It wasn't easy, but every single mile was worth it because I knew who I was doing it for. This fall, I set another goal: complete a second half marathon in 2026, bringing my total to 26.2 miles for the year, all in honor of the incredible animals who call Butterfly Valley home.
Unfortunately, life had other plans.
During a race on October 4th, I injured my knee. What I initially feared was a torn ligament turned out to be two broken bones — fractures of both my tibial plateau and fibular head.
Just like that, the plans I'd worked so hard toward were suddenly in question.
After talking with my doctor, it became clear that attempting another half marathon this weekend wasn't the right decision. Thankfully, I've been given permission to participate in the Urban Bourbon 5K with some restrictions.
But I'll admit, even doing the 5K was something I questioned.
And then Bean arrived. ❤️
On Wednesday, we welcomed four beautiful goats to Butterfly Valley. A momma named Peaches, her two precious baby boys, and a very special girl named Bean.
Bean's story is heartbreaking.
Before she ever arrived here, she had already endured more than any animal should have to. One of her legs had already auto-amputated, meaning she lost the leg on her own without surgical intervention. Another of her legs is severely infected, and she now faces surgery to amputate that leg as well.
That surgery is still ahead of her.
If all goes as planned, Bean will face the challenge of navigating life with just two legs. There are still uncertainties about her recovery and what her long-term mobility will look like, but we're committed to giving her every opportunity for a happy, comfortable life.
And despite everything she's been through, Bean has a spirit that is impossible to overlook. In fact, during her veterinary visit yesterday, even our vet described her as a "Small goat with bright attitude."
And that couldn't be more fitting.
Looking at Bean, knowing what she's been through and what she still faces, something really hit me.
Here I was, disappointed that I couldn't complete the 13.1 miles I'd planned, while this precious goat was preparing to undergo a life-changing surgery and potentially navigate the rest of her life with only two legs.
And yet, when I look at her, I don't see what she's missing.
I see a life that's worth fighting for. A future worth believing in. And a reminder that sometimes the path forward looks nothing like the one we imagined.
That's what Butterfly Valley has always been about.
We've watched animals learn to walk differently, navigate the world without sight, overcome extraordinary challenges, and find joy in lives that others might have given up on.
They've taught us that being different doesn't mean being less. That progress doesn't always look the same for everyone. And that sometimes the smallest steps are the greatest victories.
Bean reminded me of something I already knew but needed to hear again.
It's okay to change the goal. It's okay to adapt. What matters is finding a way forward without losing sight of why you started.
So this weekend, I won't be walking 13.1 miles.
I'll be walking 3.1 miles, with my doctor's guidance, some important precautions, and a renewed appreciation for every single step.
And this time, those miles will mean something a little different.
They'll be for Bean. For Phoebe. For Caroline. For every resident we've ever loved and every life still waiting for someone to believe in them.
I don't know exactly what Bean's future will look like. She has a major surgery ahead of her, followed by what could be a challenging recovery and a whole new way of navigating the world. But we're going to do everything we can to help her find her way.
Because she deserves that chance.
They all do.
And if a goat who's already endured so much, yet still has what our vet calls a "bright attitude," can remind me to keep moving forward, then the least I can do is show up for her — even if that means doing things a little differently than I'd planned.
After all, isn't that what we've been saying all along?
🦋 Different Is Beautiful. ❤️
