If you had told me in January that 2014 would be the best year- I don't think I'd have believed you. I'm kind of writing off the beginning of the year emotionally. It was a roller coaster, but I am now so grateful for the changes that happened.
Even if it was a difficult month, it started off in the best way. I felt like I was in love and saw the New Year in with a great view of Big Ben with the lovely Lauren, one of my oldest and dearest friends. I went rollerskating for the first time since I was about 8, for Claire's birthday and she had the best bruises I've ever seen as a result! I spent some very special time with my Mummy and Daddy over the course of my birthday weekend.
I went down to stay with Katie in Kent for a weekend. You know when your friends are just the best and know exactly what you need? Katie had a brand new puppy. Nothing can cheer me up more than that. We also made an amazing breakfast spread of banana milkshakes and pancakes to build us up for a blustery wintery walk.
I had my last proper pay day from John Lewis so treated myself to a gorgeous Kate Spade Metro watch.
Lauren came to stay for a few days and we went with David to see Beyonce. We got super close. And I love them, Dave, Lauren and Beyonce.
I also found the Clavier family in February, although I didn't yet realise how much that would change my life!
For my last week in London I stayed with Claire, which also happened to be over Pancake Day...
I then went home for a month and really appreciated how beautiful Dorset is for the first time in a very long time. I spent lots of time with my lovely family, got in some practice changing nappies and Katie came to stay for a weekend. I think us together scarred my Mum and Tim a fair amount.
I moved to Guadeloupe and was completely shocked by just how beautiful it is (I still am to be honest)! I never thought I'd see such clear blue sea and white sand. I discovered completely new things, such as camping in the Caribbean, that real, fresh coconut water doesn't taste like the disgusting Vita Coco in cartons at home and I very bravely caught the biggest spider I have ever seen. Life achievement.
I immediately felt at home here with my new family and very quickly fell in love with them all!
I spent May doing a lot with the family, exploring Guadeloupe and getting to know my way around and understanding the culture here. Very French but very Caribbean!
I attempted to make coconut jam from the coconuts in our garden, looked after the boys for a whole three days all on my own- including sorting costumes for a pirate themed birthday party, saw real live whales and jumped off some crazy high rocks into the sea.
Ed turned one and I spent hours trying to get the cake to look like a cake but it was very difficult trying to use roll out icing in the Caribbean heat!
Lucy came to stay and I had the best time! Even though I was technically still working, we were able to take Ed out with us and had the weekends to go to new places. I love Luce so much and she really is just such an incredible year. She's been such a rock for me.
We spent lots of time at the beaches and made Eggs Benedict from scratch on her last day. Pretty proud of that achievement!!
The beginning of the summer holidays meant lots of activities with all three boys before we went away to Marie Galante for a week where we saw the most incredible beaches. We were there for a family wedding, which was quite an interesting experience, but it meant we had a lovely week of holiday. Estelle had her birthday while we were away and Harold showed me how to prepare and barbeque langouste.
I was also more than lucky, and went with the family to New York. I fell in love with it all over again. We did touristy things and spent a lot of time just walking around. I loved that we were there for such a long time! I am so incredibly grateful to Estelle and Harold for taking me with them- they really didn't have to and I'm not sure it made their lives much easier as their English is so great. I think it just goes to show just how beautiful they are as people.
A bit more of New York before going to Sint Maarten for a slightly more relaxed week. Loved seeing another Caribbean island, especially because of all of the English everyone was speaking. I had the best bed I had ever slept in (until I got my new Princess bed back in Guadeloupe!) and I think it was the month I realised just how in love with this family I am. We came back to Guadeloupe and moved around a bit more as the house still wasn't finished.
The boys went back to school- although different schools which was new for them. Camille stayed at the bi-lingual school he goes to and a very shy Maxime started at a new school.
Katie and Claire then came on holiday and I had a week away from the family. Found a week off very relaxing and had some much needed time with my friends!
October-
After spending nearly a month sleeping alone at the almost finished house, we all moved back in October and the kitchen was finally put in!
Maxime and Camille had their birthdays, so I did a whole load of cake baking. And at the end of the month Mummy came!
Half of the month was spent with my Mummy here. Definitely the best way to spend time. I loved that she got to meet the boys and Estelle and Harold!
I found an English friend in Guadeloupe- hopefully my grammar will come back to me!
The boys and I got to learning English Christmas songs which we started playing in the car way too early!
December-
I had some time off while Dad was here, saw the most incredible sunsets, learnt to dive, cooked Christmas Dinner for so many people and ended the year in the best way possible, completely and utterly, entirely in love with life (and three little boys).
I'm so grateful to have had such an incredible year and I didn't really want 2014 to end as I'm not entirely sure how 2015 can be any better. So much has changed this past year, that I can't imagine what this coming year will bring.
I have changed so much as a person and grown in ways I didn't know possible! I've gone from not being able to stand children-especially crazy boys, to having more love than I thought was possible to have for Maxime, Camille and Ed, and they aren't even mine! I have learnt to really love myself and even though I'm not as happy with my body as I was a year ago, I don't hate it anywhere near as much as I did. I'm so much more confident in my abilities and where I am in life- even though I still don't really know what I want to do when I grow up!
I'm incredibly excited for whatever is coming and to see what this year brings!
