Hello Devin!

ABOUT ME
I'm a 21 year old student artist living in Winona, Minnesota. I love books, crafts, painting, creating, and finding new places to explore! School, studying, and work take up most of my time but I find room to squeeze in little adventures. I enjoy creating art, cooking, baking, decorating, and visiting small shops. I like biking, walking, summer, shopping big on a small budget, and organizing. I believe that everything happens for a reason.

MY MISSION
Lately, I have realized that it's about time to start being a little more of an adult. The transition from teenager to young adult is interesting, confusing, perplexing. I'm currently trying to create a life for myself. I want to lead a life of purpose and happiness, this blog is a little journal about the stepping stones along the way.

Have you ever had those moments where you get lost daydream about all the things you want to be one day? Then life gets in the way and you never take the steps toward becoming any of these things? I feel like I've been doing this my whole life; it's time for a change. My move to Winona has been a huge push towards making these dreams a reality!

WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME
A few months after I got here I met John, we've been dating for six months now, I feel like he is the
person I was always meant to be with. Before coming to Winona I had just gotten out of a six year relationship with my high school boyfriend. I thought I would never find love again. Turns out what I felt for my ex wasn't love at all, just attachment. I love John, it was almost one of those love at first sight moments. Although I was too scared to tell him I knew I loved him a little after a month of meeting him. This is what love is supposed to feel like. Crazy, stupid, perfect, amazing, the best feeling in the world.

I also try to surround myself with my friends, my family is far away and we don't get to see each other much so I've built my own family of friends. Caitlin, Anne, Jessica, and Rachel are the most important people in my life. We don't need to see each other for months at a time, and when we do finally meet up again it's like no time has passed at all. Those are the best kind of friendships.

WHY I STARTED THIS BLOG
Life was getting the best of me, I was getting too caught up in work and school to enjoy the little things in life. I became inspired by other bloggers, doing amazing things and sharing with the world. I love writing and snapping pictures, I figured having them in one place would be great. I'd been thinking about this for awhile and always came to the conclusion: "Who would even want to read my posts?" But then I realized that writing is very therapeutic for me, even if not a single soul saw these posts writing was helping me get a hold on my crazy life.

The moment that I decided "Okay, I have to do it." was when John and I signed a lease on our first apartment. It's a tiny one bedroom in the oldest apartment building in Winona, but it is our home. I knew I wanted to document everything that is happening in our life as a couple. Friends and family also kept asking for pictures of the place, details, what floor we we're on, how we we're doing; I figured this would be a good way for them to see for themselves what we're up to.

I don't know exactly what will come of this blog, only from this moment on I am writing for myself. I don't need to write what people want to read, I don't need to put on a show. This is me and this is my life take it or leave it.