From South Dakota to Seattle and Beyond Embracing Change and Building a Life of Love and Adventure
Moving across the country is never easy, especially when it means leaving behind everything familiar. My journey from South Dakota to Seattle began with a chance meeting with my now husband in 2004 that changed my life forever. Over the next 21 years, Seattle and Normandy Park proper became the backdrop for building a life filled with love, challenges, and unforgettable moments. Now, as my family prepares for a new chapter in Italy, I find myself reflecting on the meaning of change, resilience, and the power of taking leaps of faith and always betting on yourself.
South Seattle’s charming residential streets where our life began to take shape
Meeting My Husband and the Move to Seattle
In 2004, I met my husband in South Dakota. It was unexpected and felt like the start of something special. We connected over shared values and dreams, and soon after, in 2005, I made the decision to move to Seattle to begin a step towards a future life I could see with him. Leaving South Dakota was bittersweet as I was comfortable and I loved the small-town feel of my upbringing while being close to family. I was stepping away from the comfort of home, family, and lifelong friends. But the promise of building a future together gave me the courage and strength to curate a life I loved in purpose, on purpose, and for purpose.
Seattle is a city full of energy and opportunity, filled with seasons of highs and lows. The rainy skies and the urban pace were a stark contrast to the wide-open spaces I grew up in. I remember those early days vividly—navigating new neighborhoods, finding a job, and learning to embrace the slower, wetter rhythm of the Pacific Northwest. It didn't take long before I found my wings and began to fly.
Building a Bespoke Life in Seattle
Over two decades, Seattle became more than just a place to live. It became home. Together, we built a life tailored to our values and passions: Faith, family, fitness, fun, and friends. Here are some key moments and lessons from our 21 year journey:
Creating a Home
We discovered a charming, small home in the Normandy Park neighborhood and made it our own. After two complete remodels, we created a space that truly reflected our family and essence. Interestingly, my husband didn't initially see the potential in that 1967 house, but my creative vision and determination helped us transform it into a home filled with light, love, and laughter. Every corner mirrored our tastes and memories—from the garden where we planted our first flowers to the cozy reading nook filled with books we've collected over years of personal and professional growth. I've always embraced a growth mindset, and reading self-empowerment books has helped shape me into the woman, wife, mom, family member, friend, and business owner I am today. We also enjoyed a quick five-minute drive in various directions to the local community schools where we enrolled our children, from their early years to the more academically rigorous final three years. We've cherished the community's focus on family connections, small gatherings, local pool membership, swim team, play dates, and the assurance of knowing our kids were seen and cared for among the wonderful families in Normandy Park. Watching our children build their circle of friends has been a joy, and now they too have the opportunity to spread their wings, meet new people, and embark on an exciting adventure, gaining a broader perspective of the world.
Career Growth and Challenges
Seattle’s creative scene has offered me many opportunities. I switched gears twice in the two decades living here. I started off as a sole proprietor in a salon called "Salon in the Park," where I spent the first 14 years building my life in Seattle. Then, in 2019, I made a major pivot by opening my own beauty salon company, "Posh Beauty Bar," 7 years and counting. Each year evolving in the PNW has taught me to trust the process, take time to set goals, and set clear intentions as I learned something new about myself along the way. I am a tried and true creative; I trust my instincts, and I'm not afraid to pioneer and embark on new doors that open. Of course, setbacks are a part of my story, but every challenge has taught me resilience and adaptability.
Family and Community
We built a circle of friends who became more like family. Celebrations, support during wonderful sky-high seasons, tough times as well, and shared adventures made our community strong. Our family grew, and with it, our sense of belonging did as well, even when we pivoted schools. I believe people always meet you when you're divinely aligned with your core values and beliefs.
Joy in Everyday Moments
Seattle’s natural beauty consistently inspired and brought peace to our family. We cherished activities such as day hikes, competing in bodybuilding competitions, CrossFit, being members of the local community pool, and participating in league soccer and volleyball. These pursuits reflect our family's core values, with health and wellness being a top priority to teach our children to care for their mind, body, and spirit as a whole.
The Decision to Move to Italy
After 21 years, deciding to embrace change and temporarily leave Seattle has been challenging. One evening, my husband sat me down and said, "You know, I've never said no to you, and because of your hard work, determination, and perseverance, you've achieved a lot of success. However, I'd love for our family to seize this amazing career opportunity in Italy before I retire. Would you be open to it?" I replied, "Wow, this is a big decision, but if God is for it, then who could be against it?" Italy represents a new chapter filled with excitement, where we can fully engage our creativity and passion for life. It’s a leap of faith into a different culture, language, and lifestyle. For our family, this move signifies trusting in divine timing to give our children a worldly perspective and believing that the 21 years of hard work in Seattle will enhance this new chapter. We hope to inspire many stylists at Posh Beauty Bar who truly design hair out of passion for people and their craft. The fashion and beauty mecca is influenced by Italian culture, and I'm so excited to immerse ourselves in the whole authentic view and perspective of life abroad. "If you think you can, you can... If you think you can't, you won't." I guess I've always been a woman that goes all in with the decisions we make together as a family.
Embracing New Experiences
Italy’s rich history, food, and lifestyle offer endless opportunities for growth and adventure. We look forward to exploring new traditions and making fresh memories. Seeing the beautiful sights, the people, the culture, and embarking on curating health, beauty, and wellness retreats are in the making as Posh 2.0 goes global. Stay tuned.
Facing the Unknown Together
Moving abroad comes with challenges—adjusting to new systems, building new friendships, and sometimes feeling like outsiders until we find our groove. But we are ready to face these challenges as a family, as everything that is worth working hard for is never easy but always worth it.
Reflecting on What Matters
This change reminds us that life is about more than comfort zones. It’s about love, courage, and the willingness to grow. As I embrace the love and comfort of my family as a very small unit as we leave the PNW, I trust this door has opened for a reason, so we will be intentional with using our gifts, our care, and our high regard for people, as everyone deserves love, empowerment, and the framework for growth! We will watch the countless ways our children adapt and shine in their resilience.
What This Leap of Faith Means for Our Family and Future
Taking this step is both thrilling and humbling. It’s a reminder that life is a series of chapters, each with its own lessons and joys. For our family, moving to Italy means:
Strengthening Our Bonds
Facing change together will deepen our connections and teach us new ways to support each other intuitively and intentionally. The slower pace of life will realign us to the greatest purpose of life, and that is TIME... take time to embrace the simple little moments that often mean the most. We have a beautiful community of family and friends in Seattle; however, as we move to Italy, this will align us to lean into the strength the four of us have to give one another to curate and build a new community with our +1, our Australian Labradoodle, Miss "Izzie." Together we go far!
Opening Doors to New Opportunities
Whether it involves personal development, career opportunities, or cultural enrichment, this transition broadens our perspectives. If you are passionate about family, health, wellness, beauty, intentional living, and embracing the next version of yourself, we invite you to engage and remain part of our journey! We encourage you to live with purpose, for a purpose, and intentionally in your one extraordinary, amazing, delicate, yet resilient life!
Living with Intention
We are choosing a life that reflects our values: placing faith above fear, and embracing hope, love, adventure, curiosity, openness, and growth. Our goal is to make a difference, inspire others, build connections, and help people realize the wonders of their lives. As time quickly passes, it's worthwhile to dedicate yourself to creating a legacy where family and friends believe they can achieve anything through hard work, determination, resilience, a positive mindset, and a small mustard seed of knowing that open doors and new opportunities happen for a reason.
Much love, and stay tuned for this journey of the HannaCruz family moving to Italy!
Warmest regards,
Kristi HannaCruz and the family!
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