2015 Holiday Letter

Adrián is doing well after last year’s meningococcal meningitis, no residual issues. In May this year we had one big event for each of us followed by another for my Mother. In May they had all us Doctoral students walk for graduation even though we all had one more summer course. So I have my graduation photos ready for when I actually graduate. And Adrián had an Open Studio in his art studio. Then on June 5, my Mother sold her house and temporarily moved in with us. By the end of July, my Mother had moved into her own house in the Los Angeles area and Adrián was enrolled in Otis College of Art and Design with a scholarship. Probably based on his open studio. Additionally, they accepted his UCLA work, so he has now completed the first semester of his junior year.

In July we had two vacation trips. One to Yosemite National Park and another to Los Reyes de Salgado, Michoacán, Mexico to visit Adrian’s sister and family for his niece’s child’s baptism. While there we had to take his Mom to the hospital. It took them until October to finally discover the cause. She had a combination of cirrhosis of the liver and ovarian cancer. She died on our 20th anniversary (December 16, 2015) while face timing with Adrián. We were having dinner when Adrián’s younger brother face timed. She responded to Adrián voice as he told her how much he loved her, …. then took her last breath. Forty minutes later I was driving Adrián to the Tijuana airport so he could catch a flight to Sombrerete, Zacatecas. There had been several trips for Adrián since she had been ill.

For Christmas, Adrián and I returned to Los Reyes de Salgado, Michoacán to join his family there. We spent four plus days with the family there.

If you want to see some pictures, I have them attached to this page. I also have some of Adrián’s art.

I do hope this letter finds you well. And I look forward to our getting together in a bit. I do miss you all. I hope you and your family had very happy holiday. Wish you and your family a joyful, bright, healthy, prosperous and happiest new year ahead!

I completed the course work this May for my Doctorate that I started in August 2012 at California State University at Northridge while still working full time as a classroom math teacher at Culver City High School. I still need to complete my dissertation. It is hard to find the energy with working full time, but I am pushing forward still.

We have done more work on the house. Added furniture to the backyard’s fireplace, two olive trees, grass, and fountain. It is extremely pleasant to sit out there. So, we are getting closer to a house warming party. One night, (In December yet!) I fell asleep on the coach. In the morning, when I awoke, I was being stared at by a lot of humming birds. They were all perched in the olive tree nearest me, decorating it like Christmas ornaments. It was very magical. I had never seen so many humming birds in one place. Once they saw I was awake and moving, they all flew off, in many different directions. Too bad I didn’t think to use my camera phone.

Season's Greetings

I know, Christmas has passed, but it is still before New Year’s and I have sat down to write this letter and wish you a Happy Holidays and a fantastic 2016. So, please give me some credit, I managed to get it out before New Year’s and two years in a row! I’m getting better.

CSUN ceremony

Adrian's Open Studio, Los Angeles

Cirque du soleil's Kurios, Los Angele's Dodger Stadium

Here is Mícheál in his floppy hat in the official California State University Northridge photo on May 15, 2015. Everyone in the cohort walked and had photos, even though they had one more class to go and some still have to complete their dissertations. So, he's not officially graduated yet, but he's prepared.

Adrián and Mícheál in front of one of Adrián's pieces at his Open Studio on May 30, 2015. He opened his art studio to show off his work to the world.

On December 20, 2015 Adrián and Mícheál with Mícheál's mother Janice and neighbor Robert.

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