THE JOURNEY
Hi friends! My name is Jen and if you haven't figured it out by now, I recently began the process of uprooting my life in Texas, to plant some new roots in Southern California.

My hope is that when friends and family come to visit me in my new home, they will consider ME the local that holds all of the fun facts, recommendations, and hidden gems of this community.

ABOUT MY BLOG

Becoming the Local  is all about connecting: Connecting friends and family back in Texas to my life here in California. Connecting myself to this new community around me. Connecting any future visitors to all that Southern California has to offer. And right now, I could use some connections!  I want to share the stories that this land, these people, and this culture have to share. And eventually, I hope that you'll consider ME "the local".

MY WORK
I am a registered nurse by trade, entering a brand new role of home health nursing.  Outside of nursing, I also build websites for clients, as well as run my own business, Love You Sunshine. LYS has a story of its own, and is founded on connecting my love of all things children with the memory of my late uncle. 

MY HOBBIES
My favorite outdoor hobbies: hiking, kayaking/paddle boarding, traveling, taking pictures, hanging at the beach, bike rides, taking my fur-baby Myla to parks, discovering beautiful and cool spots. My favorite indoor hobbies: Crafting, writing, creating things for LYS, and anything that connects me to people like meals, board games/card games, movies, etc.

MY INSPIRATION
There was a season in my life when living with OCD completely took over every aspect of my life, including my desire to live all together. But God, rich in mercy, pursued me and transformed me in unimaginable ways. Now I have a passion for intentionally living every single day with purpose. Becoming the Local  is just one way that I hope to highlight the beauty of life by sharing stories and photos of moments I never want to take for granted. Life truly is beautiful, despite it also being full of a lot of ugly. And while I do want to be transparent in this journey, I also want to put a positive spin on the inevitable challenges of putting down roots in a new environment.

FOLLOW ME
Localize with me! Stay connected by following my blog, subscribing to my YouTube channel, or following me on Instagram.