EPILOGUE

For most people, completing a move like this would be the end game; for us, it was just the beginning. Getting the farm was only the start of Esther’s mission. She had changed our lives—that’s obvious. She taught us how to be the people we are today. She showed us how to love unconditionally, and she showed us how powerful a smile could be.

Dr. Paul Farmer said it best: “The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that’s wrong with the world.” Esther helped us see the truth in that statement.

So now it’s our turn to try to change the world for the rest of the Esthers out there.

Once we completed the move, Derek and I finally had a few days more or less to ourselves. I really wish I could say we had that quiet and romantic “We made it!” moment, but quiet isn’t something we do, and our version of romance is the comfort of sitting beside each other, watching mindless TV with our faces buried in our phones.

With that said, we definitely (and repeatedly) had some magical moments of Look babe, this is our farm! These occurred while we walked around the property with Esther, reminding each other of all the amazing things that had happened over the previous ten months, all while daydreaming about what the future was going to look like.

And that future was now. Our conversations upon moving went almost immediately to What’s next? We’re here. Now what do we do? And we couldn’t wait to get started.

We look at each other every day in disbelief at the kindness of strangers and with a newfound belief in miracles. We hadn’t found Esther. She’d found us, and that led to us finding our calling.

We all like to think that we’re doing the best we can, but what does that even mean? And who are we “doing the best we can” for? At some point, we need to take a step back and realize there might be a whole lot more to this world than we realize. Esther is a prime example of that. Just because we (like pretty much everyone else) spent our entire lives thinking something was okay, that doesn’t mean it actually was. Since our relationship with Esther opened our eyes, it’s become our mission to show the world what Esther has taught us, and to teach everyone that all of us can become kinder and more open-minded. Maybe our story will show people the amazing things you can accomplish when you believe in yourself and really go for it, even when—hell, especially when—others tell you something is impossible.

We definitely doubted ourselves every step of the way, and we took turns freaking out and pulling each other back from the edge, but we did it. Derek and I did so many things we never, not in a million years, thought we would do. We didn’t think we could live an “Esther Approved” lifestyle, but we did it. We didn’t think we could raise a 650-pound pig in our house, but we did it. And we surely didn’t think we could rally thousands of people from around the world to help us buy and build a farm sanctuary, but we did it. Kindness is magic, and Esther is proof that a smile can change the world.

Life today is definitely different. For starters, it’s really dark on the farm at night, and I am apparently terrified of the dark. So even nine months into our new life, I still sprint like Usain Bolt running the 100-meter dash when I need to go from my car to the house. I had no idea I could run so fast.

I also never expected to have piglet afterbirth on my hands on April Fools’ Day, of all times. No, Esther didn’t get knocked up. She’s a proper lady. We rescued a pregnant pig who gave birth to a quintet of adorable little squeakers, and it was no prank—but at least her timing suggested she had a sense of humor about the whole thing. So now we have five beautiful piglets who will live out their lives with their mother (whom we named April) by their side.

It’s hard to believe that a little over a year earlier this had all been nothing more than a far-fetched dream. I look around in awe and still pinch myself every day to make sure it actually came true.

As of this writing, we have provided a safe home to thirty-three animals: six rabbits, six goats, two sheep, ten pigs (not including Esther), one horse, one donkey, three cows, three chickens, and a peacock. That’s in addition to our original five beloved pets. And we have requests to take in new residents almost every day. By the time you’re reading this, the number will have grown. And we look forward to welcoming even more residents to our farm, where they can all live “Happily Ever Esther.”