That time of the year came around again like it always does… Holiday card time!

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This process is a good excuse to pause and take stock of the year.
And I think it’s fair to say that 2014 was one of the biggest, most exciting years of my life.

  • In Dec 2013, I launched the website I had spent six months building. January involved the planning and finessing for upgrades.
  • January through March saw the search for a new supervisor in my department and gave me the chance to perform a lot of director level tasks that offered great experience.
  • March saw the acquisition of chickens. Lots of baby chickens. Also, the epicness that is Pioneer Nation.
  • April dawned with the interviewing at Buffer and later a job offer — was such an incredible experience and I knew right away Buffer was different 🙂 Oh. And we picked up some ducklings. Can’t forget about those quackers.
  • May saw the new journey at Buffer come into full swing while my trial period (a 45-day bootcamp) continued and also the growth of Ashberry Lane to meet with new potential authors and new releases
  • June came with the promise of new things, an amazing trip to San Francisco and Buffer HQ and a full-time offer from Buffer. (Lesson: Dreams really can come true.)
  • July made way for a new site that John now manages all environmental health and safety and facilities for.
  • August arrived and brought the yearly Oregon Christian Writers Summer Conference, where I made the tough choice to step down as their media coordinator. I learned so much from the role and am so grateful to have rediscovered my passion for writing.
  • September brought the Buffer NYC Team Retreat and it was truly memorable. Coming home was bittersweet after so many amazing memories and upon taking our sweet Honey to the vet and learning she has lymphoma. We took her to a specialist right away and she’s kicking back at her cancer.
  • October saw a shift in priorities. More time with family. More time with Honey. Though tough circumstances, crisis brings such clarity on what truly matters.
  • November brought cold temperatures and the happiest two words, “in remission.” Honey is faring well on the chemo and stopped the chemo growth. We’ll keep up with the treatment, but boy is that good to hear.
  • December delivered more exciting times at Buffer and every day has filled me with a pure sense of gratitude for all that we’re blessed with.

Thinking on everything that 2014 had to offer brings joy and hope for all that 2015 has in store.

What were some of the highlights of 2014? Share in the comments! 

Much love,

Nicole 🙂