I’m very into breakfast (and second breakfast), lavender lattes, hospitality, stripes and denim, runner’s highs, the outdoors, Needtobreathe, hope, analyzing personality tests (fellow INFJs and enneagram 9s holler at me), adjectives, natural light, the pacific, and you. I daydream about converting my Honda CR-V into a camper and roadtripping across America, but that’s another adventure for another time. I’m a huge proponent of simplifying things, serving others, celebrating people, and taking risks -- and I need more practice in all of these.

I was that quiet, decently studious, expressive 90s kid that grew up on a diet of toaster strudels, Harry Potter, and California sunshine. Early on someone decided it’d be best if I skipped first grade, which resulted in me always being the youngest of my peers. I felt simultaneously behind and ahead in life. I had a handful of gracious teachers through the years that pointed out some good stuff in me that I didn’t really see in myself. I’m creative, I’m empathetic, I’m well-spoken, they cheered. They gave me new eyes to see and I owe them forever. It’s perhaps why ‘words of affirmation’ is one of my top love languages. There is power in the words we give each other and in the stories we tell ourselves.

I’ve had an appreciation for photography since before I can remember, but my first real experience with it was when I took it as a class in high school. We used film cameras and developed photos by hand in our darkroom (like Jonathan from Stranger Things, but minus the creepiness). Reading remains my favorite form of travel, even after I studied abroad in Germany and my fernweh desires widened by a million miles. I went to my dream school primarily to strengthen my faith and find refuge in community. My degree is in marketing, communication, and writing. Since then, I’ve spent a lot of time (years really) contributing on creative teams and supporting other people in their creative endeavors. I have so much catching up to do on the things I want to create on my own.

What I create does not have to be perfect. No one agrees on what perfect is anyway. Therefore, it just has to be. My way is not the only valid way of thinking about something, it just is. I like words that create images in the mind and photos that compose a vivid story. Here I will do my best to share those things as I travel around the world and create whatever feels good. If you are of like mind and spirit, welcome to my corner of the internet.