The year that was

It's almost time to farewell 2017 and what a year it has been.

In December we finally celebrated and welcomed the arrival of marriage equality in Australia. I cried tears of joy as the bill was passed by our Australian parliament while hearing supporters sing We Are Australian from the gallery sent tingles down my spine.

By the time the year ends, I will have solemnised weddings for 11 couples - not bad in a year which saw me unable to work for five months due to health.

Thank you to those couples that chose me. It was my honour to get to know you and to create personal ceremonies that reflected your wishes, hopes and dreams.

I was also honoured to conduct ceremonies for a fellow celebrant who suffered ill-health. It is so important that we celebrants work together and back each other up so that our couples are always taken care of. Get well quickly, my friend.

At a personal level, I have had both my knees replaced this year. I guess that means I can't say I don't have a leg to stand on because I actually have two new ones!

I want to send a big, heartfelt thank you to my husband, Colin, who has been there every step of the way (pun intended) through my surgeries and long recovery.

At a professional level, in addition to being a celebrant, I have returned to my original career and find myself back in the newsroom, this time as a sub-editor at the Latrobe Valley Express.

I look forward to 2018, to working with many couples to make your wedding day dreams come true.