I met Emma at Sconce Hills, we were in the same maths class and she always sat at the front next to a girl called Eleanor.  First impressions, I thought she was a bit posh and snobbish.....then I got to know her and realised how lovely she was. 

We became closer friends during our A levels as we both took the same subjects so often sat together,  helping each other and often chatting and giggling when we weren't supposed to.  My strongest school memories were of our chemistry lessons, almost getting thrown out of one particular lesson because we got the giggles over the very flaky hair gel on another student's head. I'm sure Dr Phillips checked his fly several times,  which caused even more giggling plus other students (bearing in mind there were 6 of us in that class) tutting at us for being childish (yes we were, but it was funny at the time). I still don't know how we composed ourselves. 

Another chemistry lesson,  we discovered that our teacher owned angora goats in Wales,  so we spent the lesson discussing how we'd go and live in Wales and knit jumpers using wool from his goats after we'd failed our chemistry exams. Fortunately,  we passed our exams so we never did make it to the angora goat farm (probably to the relief of our teacher!!)

we kept in touch throughout the university years and after I dropped out and started working,  we'd meet up with the old crowd from school whenever they were back in town.  Emma was out with us over the Christmas holidays when I met my husband, encouraging me to "go for it" and even checking my drinks for me to check they weren't laced with vodka (I had trust issues at the time). It was on my 21st birthday though that Emma and Nichola decided enough was enough and that Sean and I were destined to be together so literally threw me back into the pub rather than letting me go clubbing with them.

Emma was one of my bridesmaids, after all,  she was responsible for us getting together (,as she and Nichola often reminded me). I remember going shopping for bridesmaids dresses one day, after spending weeks trying to coordinate a date that was convenient for everyone. It was a tricky day finding something suitable that everyone agreed on and also Emma being mortified when a zip broke on one of the dresses she tried on and was then unable to get off again, not helped by the rest of us not being able to help because we were laughing too much. Needles to say,  Emma looked amazing on the day and was a fantastic support. 

Sadly, more recently, life somehow had got in the way, kids came along for both of us and we would communicate via birthday and Christmas cards interspersed with an occasional text, always catching up with what we were up to and loose plans to try to meet up once things were less busy. I was shocked to get the message from Owen telling me that Emma had passed away, I'd just been thinking I needed to get in touch to tell her my recent news.

You're going to be missed Emma. Hope you're at peace xx