Favorite Photos of 2012

I meant to do this, you know, in 2012, but since I was hit with a stomach bug right at the turn of the year, you'll forgive me for being a few days late, right? (same goes for the Xmas cards... I'm hoping I'll get them in the mail by tomorrow, but....)

Anyway, here are some of my favorite photos of 2012!

Casa DK:

Epiphany Dinner Party with our Support Team

Hayden & I dressed up for a fancy club (they wouldn't even let us sit down there without paying)

Post-ReO trip to Sequoia National Park. This is the house pic we left at Casa DK.

90's PROM with Shannon

Verbum Dei graduation with Putnam and Kevin

Richard Simmons workout class. Ladies of DK.

One of Casa DK's final dinners together--with our landlord Al, who's a foot taller than all of us.

Urban Compass:

With my best friend Daveon and his sister Desire, who were both in my class. This was the day after Mom was diagnosed, so I took a break from making the kids do worksheets and we had a photoshoot instead.

My darling friend Jennifer, who was practically attached to my hip during my time at UC.

Shantelle was one of the most difficult students to work with, but also one really made a connection with. Though it was hard to hear some of the things she confided in me, I was honored that she felt safe enough with me to do so. This girl was ahead of her time, so here's hoping everyone else catches up to her in the next few years.

Cristopher was like my son. He even seemed to know it wearing this Harry Potter shirt!  And I hope when I have a son someday, he is exactly like Cristopher: brilliant, creative, hilarious, resilient and loving.

Couldn't have survived my year at Urban Compass without my amazing supervisor, and very good friend, Annie.

Friends:

With my bestie from St. Ed's, Victoria at her cousin's quinceañera--my first one!

At Ann's annual Halloween party, she was the Statue of Liberty and I am a flamingo.

Ballet Folklórico at SEU with H-E-Buddy before a performance.

My dear friend Claudia got married to Noel!

Travel:

At Sequoia National Park with General Sherman, biggest tree in the world!

In Golden Gate Park in San Francisco during Spring Break.

This still counts as travel, even though it was only to Anaheim.  For my birthday, Lydia and I went to Disneyland!

With all the photos we took on the road trip from Los Angeles to Austin, it was really hard to narrow down what to post in this entry, but since they're all on facebook, I narrowed it down. This is in the Big Sur section of the Pacific Coast Highway on day 1 of our trip.

This was about halfway into the road trip, in Arches National Park, with Park Avenue, so named because walking down it, the rocks go straight up, similar to the buildings of Manhattan.

Family:

Lydia came to visit in my last week in LA and one of the things we did was go to Venice Beach and get matching henna tattoos--her first time!

Mama's 54th birthday. 

My family (minus Lydia) came to see me in the annual fall show with BF!

Broadway Family Thanksgiving 2012.

Broadway Family Christmas 2012.

This year has been an incredible blessing. I also want to take this moment to remember some of those lost this year: one of my favorite professors from St. Ed's, Dr. Shirley; Autumn Rose, a darling girl who has struggled with cancer for the last few years who I knew from the BPFNA and was Lydia's friend; Francis, a student I briefly worked with through ALA who died of leukemia a couple weeks ago; and of course all those who died in gun violence this year from Trayvon Martin to the children at Sandy Hook Elementary. May they rest in eternal peace.

Happy 2013!