Born and raised in Maine, I grew up surrounded by crisp fall air, snowy winters, and the rugged charm of the East Coast. Over time, though, the winters became more about enduring than truly living.

In 2005, my husband, daughter, and I traveled to Hawai‘i to celebrate our ten-year wedding anniversary—and something just clicked. I felt an immediate sense of belonging, like everything had finally fallen into place. Nine months later, we packed up ou...