2014: A Look Back At My Favourite Moments.

In some ways 2014 has been a rough year. I lost my dog, one of my cats had to be put down, I've really struggled as an author... and yet I feel it's so important to focus on and recognise the good things that happen to us. Here I've rounded up some of my favourite moments from 2014 so that I can remember some of the real joy that this year has brought me. These are the moments that really stand out in my mind as highlights of this year.

• When I had a bad day and called my partner in the middle of the night she was there for me. She got on a bus at 5am and travelled through the night to surprise me at work just because she knew that I needed her. In that moment I felt so truly loved.
• My partner surprised me at work on Valentine's Day with gifts and flowers and I blushed so hard. I felt so special in that moment.
• I created a beautiful little scavenger hunt for my beloved to lead her around our town, re-visiting places we were in the weeks leading up to us becoming a couple. The aim was to lead us around those important places and meet up at the finish line.
• My short story collection was published. In March of 2014 I became a published author which has been my dream since childhood. I got to go to a book launch, my book launch, and meet the people who had worked on and edited my work behind the scenes in the run up to publication. I got a cake with a picture of my book on it. It was truly amazing. So many of my friends turned up to support me and I signed some books and felt truly, truly awesome. We then partied into the night: my friends, my partner, my editor, my old lecturers. It was wonderful.
• I got to see my beautiful soon-to-be-fiancée graduate from university and I felt so very proud.
• I really loved spending a day with my girlfriend, just exploring the Natural History Museum and learning about the world together. That was a really fun moment for me. The last time we'd been there, we were children. Maybe next time we go there, we will be there with children of our own.
• I got to spend Christmas day with my partner as well as my family. My partner and I have never been together on Christmas day which made this year so very special. 
• I went too some great gigs. I saw Aerosmith at Calling Festival (I won the tickets through work, with a little help from my partner, so I got to see them for free!) I saw Within Temptation. I saw William Control and Bad Pollyanna when I was a VIP member going backstage at their London Punishment Tour gig. I saw Miranda Sings! It was a really awesome year.