It’s hard to believe it’s already May. So far, 2026 isn’t quite looking the way I planned.
Life has a way of reminding us that we can’t control everything. And that’s not always a bad thing. For us, we found ourselves at a surprising crossroads. After 6-months of starting to rebuild our New Zealand life in Christchurch, we were met with an exciting opportunity. But, it meant relocating to Auckland.
Hunter and I have resisted the pull of Auckland for a few years now. We love the mountains and agrarian landscape of the South Island. It reminds us of places we love in the US, like Montana and Colorado, where we’ve experienced some of our biggest life moments together. We realized though, that our resistance was causing us to limit ourselves.
So, a few months ago, we made the decision to take another leap of faith, and started the process of shifting our lives to Auckland. We had incredible support from friends (Thanks, Ellie!), colleagues (Mc2!), and helpful freighters (Bascik, Container Relocations). Not to mention our kids’ gracious teachers and Hunter’s EHF fellows.
In all honesty, it was a little scary. I had some really tough days when my anxiety took full control. But, I had more good days than not. I really relied on the Positive Affirmation card set to give me a boost. Each day, I found the words I felt I needed most and it really helped. I give these pretty little cards a lot of credit! Being able to walk through my days with a positive attitude made a world of difference. Chocolate helps, too.
After many weeks of stress and a little uncertainty, we are here in Auckland. And it’s gorgeous. I love the energy, the diversity of people, languages, and cuisine. My children are settling in at their schools and football club. And Auckland reminds us of another place we love, where we have incredible memories – Seattle.
We’re slowly moving into our new home and re-entering routine life. I’m very ready to get back to business as usual. We have a couple of projects in the works that I’m excited to pick up again, and of course, we’ll be launching a Mother’s Day sale a little later this week.
So, please remember, there are always going to be peaks and valleys in life. Try to remember the things for which you’re grateful, find the mantras that fill you with light, and grant yourself the same grace and kindness you’d give to someone else.
Keep plugging away, even when it feels hard, and May the Fourth be with you.
xo
Sarah





