08/01/2026
One thing I've learned this week is that when a severe storm with 90+ mph winds hits a 20 acre property, recovery doesn't happen overnight.
Trees were down everywhere. Our driveway was completely blocked. Fences were destroyed, part of our roof was torn off, and debris covered nearly every part of The Ranch. One thing that really surprised me was learning that your insurance company doesn't come out right away. As I write this, we're still waiting for our adjuster to come. It makes you realize how much you rely on the people around you when something like this happens.
If it wasn't for my husband, Sebastian, along with Harold and Enrique, I honestly don't know where we'd be. The amount of work they've put in over the last several days has been unbelievable. They have spent countless hours clearing trees, cleaning up debris, repairing fences, securing buildings, and making sure every animal was safe. I can't thank them enough.
A huge thank you to my Clinical Director, Daneen, for coming to help. As soon as she heard what had happened, she came immediately. It was incredibly hot outside, and I truly appreciated her willingness to jump in and help. It meant more than you know.
Thank you to Chris, Melissa, Mary, Cassie, Cali, and Odin from Club K9 for holding down the fort and taking such great care of all of our dogs while everything else was going on. Knowing they had everything under control allowed us to focus on the cleanup here at The Ranch.
A special thank you to our neighbor, Peter, for letting us fill our water trailer at his house after we lost water. Because of his generosity, all of our horses had fresh water for the next two days. We are so grateful.
Thank you to everyone from The Hive Day Program who came out to help pick up sticks. There were thousands of them. We truly appreciate your partnership and your willingness to help.
It has been exhausting, overwhelming, and unlike anything we've ever experienced.
One moment that really got me was when I thought one of our chickens had died. Part of the roof collapsed over the chicken coop, and every chicken came out except one. Harold climbed into the debris to look for her and found her trapped underneath. He was able to get her out safely, and thankfully she wasn't hurt. That was one of the biggest reliefs of the week.
We also had four horse paddocks with damaged fencing. Thanks to a lot of hard work, every fence was repaired in less than 24 hours so our horses could safely get back into their pastures.
The Ranch would not be what it is without Sebastian, Harold, and Enrique. They work incredibly hard every single day, but seeing everything they've accomplished this week has made me even more grateful for them.
Now we start figuring out what comes next. Until something like this happens, you don't realize there isn't really a guide that tells you what to do next. We're hoping to have more answers after the insurance adjuster comes on Monday. Recovering a large property is so much different than recovering a house. There are so many moving parts, and every day we're learning something new.
The best part through all of this is that every one of our animals is safe. That is what matters most to me. They can continue living their best lives here at The Ranch, and for that I am incredibly thankful.
We were also fortunate to have our power restored much sooner than expected. With so many power lines down throughout the area, we were told we might not have electricity until Friday. When it came back on Wednesday, it honestly felt like a miracle. Our roof has been temporarily tarped, and now we wait to find out what the next steps look like.
To everyone who has checked on us, sent a message, offered to help, prayed for us, or simply kept us in your thoughts, thank you. Your kindness has meant more than you know. We have an amazing community, and we are so grateful for every single one of you. ❤️
