When Taylor Swift invites you to Houston...

As the story would start, months and months were going by while the dreams of being able to go to Taylor Swift’s private show in Houston never subsided.

When Swift and AT&T first teamed up to announce this show would be happening in February months in advance, I thought I had a real shot in going, but suddenly it was four days before the show and there I was, still no invite with a disappointed heart and a lost dream.

AT&T launches their campaign advertising a special pre-Superbowl Taylor Swift event.

As she always does, though, Swift definitely had something up her sleeve, as she had her management invite me a mere four days before the actual show was set to take place.

Clearly, when Taylor Swift invites you somewhere, you go.

The Super Saturday Night show was a private invite-only Taylor Swift concert taking place in Houston, Texas the night before the Super Bowl.

That being said, airfare was inherently ridiculous, and I stood no chance of getting a hotel for even a moderately reasonable place.

I momentarily thought my dream coming true was about to be crushed by the reality of time, but with luck and Taylor Swift on my side, I ended up finding a way to road trip to Houston all the way from Gainesville, Florida (a 30-hour round-trip car ride that’s not to be taken lightly).

The road to Houston was long and chaotic, but arriving at the venue finally allowed the reality of my dream being right in front of me sink in.

You’d think being invited to a private show by the actual Taylor Swift herself would be more than enough for anyone, but, of course, not for her.

I get to the venue, assuming I’m going to wait in line like the rest of everyone, get checked in, and simply attend the show as I was meant to.

Myself and Liz Bissonette (right) outside the venue in Houston, TX waiting to be led into the private pre-party.

Swift left me stunned though, as not only did her and her management give me the opportunity to attend such an exclusive show, but my name was put on the guest list for an even smaller private pre-show party, as well.

Fans enjoy free food, music and entertainment at the private pre-party while waiting to bed led to the next venue for the start of the show. Photograph by Carly McCullough.

It whole-heartedly felt like living like a rock star, and that’s exactly what Taylor Swift does for the people she loves. She takes care of them.

I enjoyed the pre-party as if I were a celebrity for the night, dancing and mingling with not only some of the other friends I’d known through Swift, but also her father, Scott Swift, who was gracious enough to talk to me and offer me a guitar pick.

Myself and Erin Steil (left) excited to be reunited after first meeting at a separate Taylor Swift event in Tampa, FL. There was no shortage of laughing or dancing as we all had the time of our lives at the private pre-party.

Basically, the pre-party felt like the greatest thing to possibly ever happen to me, and then we get escorted first into the venue.

I think the entire night had to be lined with magic because I still can’t believe these words are real things that actually happened to me.

The waiting is the hardest, of course. I hadn’t seen Taylor since October of 2015, which felt like a lifetime when missing your best friend, but she made her epic entrance, as per usual, and the emotions hit.

Taylor Swift opens up her first and only show of 2016 with her single, “New Romantics,” while giving the crowd one her infamous smiles. Swift never seemed happier. Photograph by Carly McCullough.

I was ecstatic with the fact that I was finally getting to see her again, overwhelmed by the reality of her really wanting me right there in front, and proud of the woman I’d grown up with since I was just ten years old.

The show was incredible, but to be fair, my opinion is just a little biased.

She mixed her set list up with an array of songs from not only her most recent and successful album, 1989, but also previous records from over the years.

We danced the night away together, all 9,000 of us in that venue, and the smile on Swift’s face showed very clearly that she was just as happy to see us as we all were to be with her for the night.

Swift shakes it off to one of her songs less than five feet away from me. We both had quite the night dancing and singing together for hours. Photograph by Carly McCullough.

Every moment of that night, February 4, 2017, is a moment I will never forget for as long as I live. I never in my life thought that Taylor Swift would ever actually reciprocate the love I’ve grown for her, and as an individual with a name and a story, not just a collective group of millions of fans.

Caught on camera, Swift gives me a glance with nothing but love in her eyes as she does her hit single, “Blank Space.” The entire night consisted of these beautiful moments, as Swift made sure to dance with all of her favorite people. Photograph by Carly McCullough.

I am so grateful for everything Taylor Swift has done to me.

Houston, Texas was legendary. I cannot wait to see where life brings Taylor and I next…

-C.M.