A Quick and Short Haul + A Lesson Learned

Mini Haul: Yesterday, the day after my two and a half year mark with Stevenson, I made one of the most exciting cosmetic purchases of this year. I have not been this excited for a palette since the release of Urban Decay's Original Naked Palette and that was ages ago. While Too Face's "The Return of Sexy" palette is not new news (it was released earlier this year mid-summer to the public), it's a new addition atop my brand new vanity set Steven gifted me. ♥ The Naked Palette makes for a great base and with my new Too Face palette, I know for a fact that I will be absolutely thrilled with the results. That's about it.. just wanted to send out my excitement before I keep it contained and blow up haha! (:

What have I learned after moving in with a man I have been in a serious relationship for two (and a half) years?

When I moved out of my parent's home to live with my boyfriend, I never imagined it would be difficult and lonely. There were some days where I just wanted to pack up and return back to the nest, return to how things used to be, to remove the pain my parents must have felt when I left against their will.. but I know better than that. As the days pass by, I filled my life with activities I could not otherwise focus on when I was under my parent's strict time schedule. My relationship with my boyfriend has grown stronger, real, and at the same time, surreal with many ups and many downs. It took a long time but my parents soon came around and, although we are still working on our differences, we are communicating in a more honest and open way that was never truly fulfilled.

My parents always stressed over my safety and protection and never wanted me to worry about their own stability that, in a way backfired. I did not want to ever stress my parents so I never came to them for problem solving advice in throughout my childhood and high school and my parents always hid their struggles with their finances to keep me from working too hard at my job; it felt as though we were living a small white lie type of life. Since I moved out and gave our wounds time to heal though, my parents and I came back together, truly. I know for a fact that my moving out was as much for my relationship with Steven as it was for my own intimate relationship with my parents. It's teaching me more and more about my family values and about how I, myself, treat my family members in both favorable and not so favorable ways. Is blood really thicker than water? Everyone has a different answer. I, personally, have definitely learned that no matter how in love I am with a man, family is irreplaceable. Its a simple lesson that everyone knows but no one really learns it until your family is put up to the test.

Photo Credit: Pixi Jasmine