Moving to North Carolina

This was one of the biggest decisions we've ever made as a family, and it all happened so fast.

The moment that really pushed us to go was when the Arizona Coyotes were relocated to Utah. That was kind of it for us. We didn't know what it would mean for youth hockey, and on top of that, the cost of living in Arizona kept going up. It started to feel like we were working harder just to give the kids less. We wanted to be somewhere we could actually give them the life they deserve.

The idea of moving had been in the back of our minds for a few years, but North Carolina gave us a real sense of hope. Joe had visited the year before to see coworkers and came back talking about how beautiful and green everything was. I had never been there before, but something about it just felt right. Looking back, I truly believe God paved the way for us to be able to move here.

As excited as we were, it was definitely scary. We had lived in Arizona our entire adult lives. We raised our kids there. My parents and siblings were there, and leaving them for the first time was really hard. We didn't have a lot of money, and in Arizona we always had family nearby if we needed help. Moving here meant starting over without that safety net. But Joe made it work. He works so hard for our family, and being here has made it so much easier for him to provide for us in the way he always wanted to.

We left on July 5, 2024 and made the drive across the country. It took us three days. Joe's mom, Angela, came with us to help with the driving, but Joe ended up driving the entire way anyway. It was a long trip, and being packed in the car for that long made all of us a little loopy by the end of it. We had never done a drive like that before, so we were more than ready to be done when we finally got close.

On July 7, we stopped in Maggie Valley to stay with my Aunt Anna and Uncle Anthony at their cabin. I hadn't seen them in years, and they were so welcoming and kind. It felt really special to be there. When I woke up the next morning, which was my birthday, they had a cake and cupcakes for me. It was such a sweet moment, and I'm so grateful we got to spend that time with them.

We arrived at our new house on July 8, on my 32nd birthday. It felt like the best kind of fresh start. We were all exhausted, but we got right to work. Our pod had already been delivered, so we started cleaning and moving everything in right away. Unpacking made it feel real. We had packed up over a decade of our lives, and bringing all of our things with us made it start to feel like home.

The difference from Arizona was immediate. Going from the desert to green trees and flowers felt like a relief. We have a big backyard here, something we were never able to give the boys in Arizona. Homes with grass and trees were so expensive there, and here it just feels normal. The day we arrived, there was a tiny family of baby bunnies in the yard. There were cardinals and sparrows everywhere. Seeing cardinals every day is still one of my favorite things about living here. Ella has been especially happy here too. She begs to go outside every day and will just lay in the sunshine like it's everything she's ever wanted.

The boys were 8 and 10 at the time, so it was definitely an adjustment for them. It's not easy to leave the only home you've ever known at that age. But looking back, I know it was worth it. They are so much happier here. They can play outside year round, which is something we didn't have in Arizona because of the extreme heat.

The first few weeks were spent exploring. We drove around, got to know the area, and visited the arena where the Carolina Hurricanes play. We got the boys signed up for hockey and just enjoyed the rest of the summer.

Getting them into hockey here was important to us, and it ended up being one of the best parts of the move. We met so many great families, and a lot of them have become really close friends. Joe and the boys are very social, so I knew it wouldn't take long, but it still worked out better than I could have imagined. Their first coach, Josh, and his boys have become like family to us.

Even now, I still joke that it feels like we're on vacation most of the time. That's how much I love it here. It truly feels like God gave us an incredible gift by bringing us here.

Now that we've been here for a couple of years, it's hard to imagine ever leaving.