11 out of 12 | november

November included countless days of unusually brisk but perfect weather, concerts with roommates and new friends, my 19th birthday, lots of finished (and unfinished projects), a few trips home (I can't help it) and you know, everything in between. School is in fill swing as we finish up the semester, and  I'm so so so excited to spend an entire 5 weeks at home with friends and family. I've already learned so much being away at school. I've learned simple things from the easiest way to make a bunk bed, to filling my car up with coolant, to being aggressive when you get .5 seconds to merge.

This new life of being away from home is a good season, and a challenging one. I can't pretend everything has been a - okay when there has been days of stress, tears, and an overwhelming feeling of "how will I ever do this all?" However, a time of growing is beneficial and it feels like a good growing, most of the time. 

The city feels so big at times, but I love it. We've been to so many fun concerts and seen so many fun things since being here. This is such a big city -- like SO big compared to Duluth. I thought I knew it in and out, but turns out I've maybe seen one tenth of it, if even that. Turns out the Mall of America takes more than 4 hours to fully see, and not every road leads "home."

Thanks for reading friends. <3

#kileymarissagoestocollege

Sooo folks, here I am. At college. It's been an adventure. A weird one. Mostly fun, exciting, and refreshing but also very sad, lonely and scary. I, for the most part, have been enjoying myself, but it's also been really hard. Moving into a new place where you only know a handful of people, you have to really learn how to get to know people. Friendship takes time, which was no surprise. After all, I just did this 3 years ago, but it's the worst feeling in the world being surrounded by so many people and still feeling alone. As the weeks go on, I feel more comfortable joining tables of familiar faces (people whose names I still don't know) and asking random girls to just come join you for lunch. I'm so excited to feel like I have a community here.... I know the days are coming. ;)

I know this is where God wants me. Through the struggles and the unknowns, I want to be here. I want to create community like I've never known before, I want to learn, I want to feel lonely, because I want to be vulnerable and make new friends. I want to grow in my relationship with Christ.

So what have I been up to? Besides classes, strategically spending my freshman food plan, piles of homework, and running down the hallways late at night, I've been spending time in the city. At new coffee shops, farmers markets, antique shops I've never seen before, hammock-ing in the middle of the campus, and shooting weddings non stop. (I've literally had a wedding every weekend since I got here.) Also! Nannying these sweet baby faces you'll see below. Seriously, love them. I've always wanted to be a nanny.

I'm so thankful for this new chapter of my life, and the learning process that comes with it. Thanks to all the friends and family members that have texted, visited, sent letters, called, you name it. I'm so thankful for such a support system, near and far. You guys rock my world. If you wanna write, send me a message and I'll send you my address! (I promise to write back!)

Thanks for reading friends, just wanted to give a little update. Feel free to follow along on instagram (lol, self promotion... but seriously, I post the most there. @kiley_marissa)

Now, for the fun part -