We call each other “treasure,” my friend Melissa and I. It was a Saturday night during our senior year at UC Irvine, and we were hanging out at my apartment having our own little pity party. Ok…I was having my own little party and Isa was unlucky enough to be my only guest. “No one loves me. No one treasures me,” I lamented. Whether I had had too much dessert or too much alcohol (?), I don’t remember. What does stick out in my mind, however, is that Isa quickly responded, “I TREASURE YOU!” And from then on, the pet name has stuck, which is fitting because her friendship is something I truly value.

Isa is one loving wife, mom, daughter, sister, auntie and friend. Her husband, Nick, is probably one of the nicest people I know. Her son, Zavyer, calls me, “Auntie Nana,” and her baby girl, Alina, is my sweet little goddaughter. When she asked me to take pictures of her family, I knew it’d be my pleasure to do so.

Zavyer and his cousin, Aaden, were hilarious. Being at the park, with the playground so close to where we were shooting, the boys were beyond antsy to ditch the photographer and get on the swings. After an hour or so, they were rewarded and absolutely beside themselves swinging back and forth. It doesn’t seem like much of an event, but you know it’s a moment their parents and grandparents will probably look back on and smile about.