NEW YORK, Sept 27, (Agencies): Gwen Stefani is sharing the unexpected twists in her life journey. The 53-year-old music icon delves into her relationship with Blake Shelton, the joys of motherhood, and her newfound passion for gardening.

Reflecting on her romance with country superstar Blake Shelton, Stefani describes it as a pleasant surprise. She admits, "I never saw any of this coming with Blake. It was like a massive curveball. Experiencing love like this for the first time was an incredible gift." Their love story began while working together on The Voice during its ninth season in 2015, a period when Stefani was navigating her divorce from Gavin Rossdale and Shelton was coming to terms with the end of his marriage to Miranda Lambert.

"He's completely transformed my life...," Stefani shares, "when I started dating Blake, it was like finding my true home, where I was meant to be, with him."

The couple, who tied the knot in July 2021, now call Oklahoma their home and have fully embraced the rural lifestyle. Stefani, reminiscing about her Southern California upbringing, playfully acknowledges her evolution into a self-described "gardening enthusiast."

She recalls her youth, saying, "I used to walk home from school and see my mom in her shorts, tending to her garden. My dad would be busy trimming trees and making me pick up branches. I'd think, 'I'll never have a tree at my house.'" However, their life in Oklahoma has given her a new perspective. "Now that we're in Oklahoma, we're constantly working, but it's a different kind of work. It's probably what my mom was doing back in the day, and now I understand it!"

While currently serving as a coach on season 24 of The Voice, the first without her long-time partner Blake Shelton, Stefani's primary focus remains her children. She shares three sons with her ex-husband: 17-year-old Kingston, 15-year-old Zuma, and 9-year-old Apollo.

She reflects on her early days as a mother, saying, "I took Kingston on a world tour when he was just nine months old. I'd have to nurse him, then step onto the stage, come off, and he'd twirl my ponytail. That's when things became emotionally challenging for me. Those moments are so precious, and you don't want to miss a thing."

Stefani shares her thoughtful approach to being a working mother, revealing, "When my kids were teenagers, I was determined to be there for them, to make sure I was always home. And now, here we are."