I love getting older. 21 is a strange age, but yet a beautiful one. There's strange things that happen in the short time between being a teenager and becoming an "adult". You mature. Your understanding deepens. You can see more clearly what connects. You can apply the stories of past experiences. Things you never thought would make sense, all of a sudden, do.

Man, it's weird.

When I was a teenager, or even barely into 20 years old, or even six months ago for that matter, I thought things and experiences I had gone through, some unwillingly, would never make sense, and there would never be a good reason for them. In the last few months of my life, I've learned that's not true.

By the age of 21, I have gone through three, not so great relationships, and three heart breaks, that for a very long time I wish I had never endured, and that God would have never put me in.

And a few months ago I realized that I was wrong.

I had no clue at the time that those tough situations were forming me to be the woman that I am today.

I wouldn't be as strong as I am. I wouldn't be as understanding as I am. I wouldn't be as confident as I am. I wouldn't have started to love every single aspect about myself, like I do now. (I'll be the first to admit confidence has never been my strong suit, so this is super cool for me.) I wouldn't know that putting what I need first is important. I wouldn't know how much I had been settling. I wouldn't have accomplished as many goals as I have. I wouldn't have as deep of a relationship with God. I wouldn't be chasing my dreams. I wouldn't have this urge to show every single person I meet the love they deserve and that they matter. Most importantly, I wouldn't know that I am enough. Just as I am, I am enough.

And heck, I'd be a lot less happy than I am right now if things would have gone exactly the way my younger naive mind wanted them to.

I mean, who am I to think, that a young woman who locked her keys in her car while pumping her own gas for the second time last week, could really have her own life planned out perfectly. Let's all laugh together now.

Thank God for not letting that be the case.

I'm rambling now. But, I guess what I'm really trying to get across, is that while a lot of people hate getting older, I'm loving it. I love seeing how God's plan for my life has been unfolding and continues to unfold.

I love the fact that it is nothing like I planned, and I am so thankful for that. I love that God loves us enough to push us to our limits, to break us down, to humble us, to only show us that we are enough. God made that known when he died on the cross for us, that we are enough. I am enough. You are enough.

And that's the best lesson I've learned in my 21 years so far.

"Culinary school is a waste of time. You'll never make enough to pay off those loans."

Two sentences: two sentences spoken to me was all it took to bring such a frustration that consumed my mind nearly all day.

And that's okay.

After more thinking than necessary, it's okay that this person felt the need to express their opinion to me. Unwanted at the time or not, it brought a frustration forth that has ultimately made me realize that the frustration I've felt today has been passion. Passion about my career path and life choices.

What this person doesn't know is that I am in this really strange season of my life, where I could travel, work, move, go anywhere that God calls me, and I will continue to chase my dreams. And I might fall flat on my face at some point. I may be paying off student loans for the next 10, 20, 30 years. I may never make enough to pay off my loans. I may never make it to the top. I may never be the world's views of what success is.

But then again, maybe I will.

And the really cool thing is, I have no idea what is going to happen, or what I am going to face on this journey.

However; what I do know is this. I know that I am not taking the easy way out. I know I may never become a huge success story or make millions, but that isn't why I'm in this industry. I know that God's plan is bigger. I know that I will never spend a day of my life working a 9-5 job at a desk, in an office, in some huge city, that I absolutely hate. I know that every day I go to work I have ample opportunity to learn. I know that everyday I have the blessing, to make a living doing what I am most passionate about. I know that I have the ability to serve God's people. I know that I have gained numerous amounts of knowledge in the last two years of my life. I know that my life choices have brought me to the place I am at now and I wouldn't change anything I've gone through. I know that for the rest of my life I will be doing what I love, with the talents and passion given to me by God, and God alone.

I also know that not everyone can say that. I am so unbelievably blessed.

So no, dear stranger, I may never be your version of success, but as of right now, I am my own version of success.

And all of this is more than okay.

Nearly two weeks ago I took a leap of faith. I did probably one of the most reckless, brave, and exciting things in my life. I left both of my jobs to chase my dreams. I left my family. I left my best friend. I left my home. I left my dog. I left my comfort zone. All for my childhood dreams.

Crazy right?

Yes.

Ever since I was a little girl I have had this big, terrifying, dream of being a Pastry Chef, and now I am living that dream. When I was 19, I started working in a professional kitchen, while going to school to obtain an associates degree in business. Fast forward, after graduating with that degree, I enrolled in culinary school at the Oregon Culinary Institute in Portland. Fast forward a little more, I have finished the schooling aspect of that and am now on my externship to complete my program, which brings us to the craziest thing I've done.

Last week, I arrived in Yosemite National Park, in California, to work as a Pastry Chef, at the Majestic Hotel here. Might I add it is a 4 Diamond resort. I didn't even know that was a thing, you guys. I am now studying and working under a phenomenal pastry chef, who owns numerous businesses, has worked at multiple 4 Diamond resorts, and is just a complete wealth of knowledge.

And on top of all of this I am living in an Oregon girl's paradise. Trees and mountains everywhere.

As I sit here writing this, to whoever is reading right now, I am staring out the window at one of the largest mountains I have ever seen, and I cannot help but be humbled.

Who would have thought I would have ever been here? Certainly not me. I have an overwhelming amount of gratitude to everyone who has helped get me here, whether it had been a few encouraging words from friends and coworkers, or my parents and family, who have continuously supported me through ever single second of my life. And to God, because you and I both know without everything He has done, for every living creature, absolutely none of this would be possible.

How absolutely humbling is that? I have done nothing to deserve all of this love, and the life I have been living and yet here it is. Right in the palm of my hand. That's wild.

I have only been here for a week and a half and I feel as if I could type pages and pages about everything I've learned so far, in the culinary industry, about life, and about my own self.

I can only imagine everything to happen in the next seven weeks to come.

What a ride.