Season of Big Decisions

Buying a house has always been a dream, but now that we’re on the brink of it, the reality feels… heavier than I expected. It’s exciting, yes, but also overwhelming. Lately, I’ve been dealing with this low-level anxiety that sneaks up on me in the quiet moments.

Between house viewings, crunching numbers for mortgages to insurance, my days suddenly feel consumed by “grown-up” responsibilities. After getting our residence visa, new tasks piled up—applying for KiwiSaver (kind of like NZ’s social security), sorting out extra insurance coverage, comparing home insurance options, and figuring out how much we’ll need to furnish a place when all we currently own are pillow covers, a duvet, and some utensils.

And in all the busyness, I’ve noticed we’ve been skipping the little rituals that used to ground us. Our occasional date nights, or even my usual routine of swimming and cycling—I’ve traded them for staying home, because I'm too tired to move.

What’s been helping, though, is leaning into the small things that calm me down: prayers. Taking a few quiet moments to breathe and pray, even when the words feel scrambled. Going to church on Sundays, just sitting in the quiet and remembering I don’t have to hold everything alone. And long walks, where my thoughts finally have a chance to untangle.

Photos taken during our walk in Taupo’s Botanical Gardens

This season feels like a blur of to-do lists and big decisions, but I’m reminding myself that it’s also a season of building. Not just a house, but a life. And maybe that means it’s okay if I stumble through it—so long as I keep coming back to the things that give me peace.