Embracing 26!!!

My early 20s were a time of transition for me. I graduated from college on the East Coast, drove back to California with one of my high school friends and then decided to turn around and move back to Boston in order to give my now ex-boyfriend another shot. I settled in to life in Boston, found a job in corporate retail that I absolutely LOVED, and spent time with my college friends. About a year later I realized that the relationship I had moved back for wasn't going anywhere and that Boston wasn't my home so I quit my wonderful job, said goodbye to my college friends and packed my bags once again. This time I headed back across the country with my brother in my overloaded volkswagon jetta.

{Mount Rushmore seen on Road Trip #2 - August 2008)

This move was much more exciting than the last because I was moving closer to family, friends, and a pending relationship. We made the trip from New York to San Francisco in 5 short days and once home I dropped off my bags, gave my mom a kiss and headed to San Francisco to visit this new guy. All my friends and family thought we were crazy, moving in together on the first date, adopting a dog in the first 3 months, and taking our first big trip (to Costa Rica) before we had even introduced each other to our parents. Fortunately we weren't crazy and the man I moved home for is now the man I am going to marry. Our love hasn't been conventional but it fits us perfectly and I couldn't be more excited to spend the rest of my life with him.

{Ian, Sierra and I at the beach - October 2008}

After moving to San Francisco I found another job in corporate retail but the love I once had for the industry was gone and the job I found wasn't what I was hoping for. Despite disliking my job I was good at it and as I received promotions and recognition it became even more difficult to quit. It took me two years to finally gather the courage to stop moving up and focus on getting out. I put my career on hold to figure out what exactly would make me happy. I had what every 20 something girl wants; a well paying job, a fabulous fiance, and a beautiful one bedroom apartment, and yet nothing seemed to matter because my days were filled with resentment towards the very place that was paying my rent. Fortunately this job led me to start a blog, to bake for fun and eventually, with the encouragement of my boyfriend (now fiance), I turned my love of baking into a full time endeavor. I quit my job to attend pastry school and while I worried what my parent's might think or how I would pay my bills I realized that this was a change I had to make for myself. Pastry school was a huge blessing and after one week of unemployment my best friend offered me a part time job that would allow me to pay my bills and continue to follow my pastry dreams. Life isn't always what you expect but if you put your mind to it and follow your heart it has ways of working out for the better.

{Pastry School Party -December 2010}

So now as I embrace my 26th birthday and say goodbye to my early 20s I get to look forward to my wedding, hopefully opening my own pastry business, and most importantly spending the rest of my 20s moving forward instead of standing still. I hope that my story inspires you to follow your heart and do what you truly love because life is too short to be anything but HAPPY!