Richert Kids Together Again

The last week of June we were reunited with the Sr. Richerts as they jumped from Ecuador to Idaho to California, and back to Idaho before their final destination: Vietnam! We are so excited for them and their newest teaching adventure overseas, and thankful we were able to spend time with them before they left the U.S. once again. We have way too much fun with them (not that it shows in this first pic at all) and are always saying that someday we need to live in the same place... considering we've never lived in the same state and now are hardly ever even in the same country!

Our visit started with Jon and me picking up Dave and Danielle in San Fransisco and spending the night there, giving us time to take the city by storm. It was our first night away from Kealani, and I don't want to talk about it. ;) Back on the central coast we proceeded to eat lots of food, play lots of cards, and spend every day in a different corner of the county. I love these guys!!

"Ninja"

Hike along the bluffs on Hwy 1

My Tribute to Rich

A letter I wrote to Rich Fisher, my beloved youth pastor and friend. I am so thankful that his wife, Lynette was able to read it to him a couple days before he passed away on May 3rd, 2010...

April 30, 2010

Dear Rich,

I'm praying with all my heart and soul that God decides to perform a miracle and heal you completely. But if He has another plan for you I wanted to make sure you know how I feel about you and how much you mean to me.

There are so many people out there, including my best friend and my husband, who you have been a father to... You have provided for them a person to look up to, have given them guidance and direction in their lives, and been someone to just have fun and fart around with. :)

My story is different because I have an amazing dad. He and I share a very special relationship and I was never in desperate need of a figure in my life other than him. That doesn't mean I didn't find one, still, in you. Some of the best years of my life were spent at your house, and under your care and guidance. There were times when you knew more about me and my life than my own parents did, and I was and am, so grateful to you and Lynette for providing that for me. Even though I have two loving, Godly parents, I still needed you guys and knew I could come to you for anything.

Whether it was watching westerns, getting shot (by YOU) point blank with an airsoft gun, watching boys play video games, eating delicious food, or talking about life, I have endless wonderful memories of you and what you did for me during a time when people need positive role models the most (Jr. high and high school). I continued to make decisions in my life through college and even now in marriage and parenthood that are based on foundations that YOU helped build for me. I will be forever thankful to you for that, and to God for providing you.

As I said before, I am praying for a healing miracle because I can't imagine not having you here. Lynette and the boys are constantly on my mind, and I certainly don't want them to have to be without you. But I also know that we won't always understand God's reasoning, or why He does things, but no matter what we think about it, He is GOOD. It's because of you and your teaching, loving, and guiding that I can even say that right now.

I love you so much, Rich. Thank you for being my 2nd dad and for teaching me more than you could ever know.

Love,
Heather

Ecuador Adventures

All the Richert kids!

I first started this blog because Jon and I thought we would be joining the Sr. Richerts, David and Danielle, in Guayaquil, Ecuador the following year. I had been offered a job teaching 2nd grade at InterAmerican Academy, while Jon was planning to explore and be a stay-at-home husband until other opportunities presented themselves. I wanted to blog about our adventures, not only so they would be forever documented on the Internet machine, but so friends and family could keep up on our travels.

Plans changed when we found out I was pregnant, and wouldn't be keeping my job. Life took a much different turn than we had expected, but there's nothing we would change about the last year and a half. God knew what He was doing, as usual. The biggest disappointment was actually the fact that we wouldn't be living in the same city as Dave and Danielle for the following two years, since we've never lived in the same place!

You can imagine our excitement when our chance to travel internationally came at the end of February when we got to visit the other Richerts with the main reason for our original change of plans: Kealani! She ended up being a better traveler than some adults I've known, and added an extra element of excitement to an already amazing trip. On this trip we were able to do so many things we love: travel, hang out with Dave and Danielle, play outside with Kealani in tow, and even relax in a hammock and read (oh, wait, it's just the girls who love that...). Here are some photos of our awesome South American adventure...

On top of the Basilica in Quito

Kealani looking over the city of Quito

The main street in Mindo

Ziplining in Mindo

Checking out butterflies at the butterfly farm

The cable car taking us where we could hike to look for waterfalls

Jon toted K just about everywhere in the backpack

Relaxing in the hammock outside our room
We stopped at the "Middle of the World" on the way from Mindo to Otavalo

Lunch break on the equator!

The view of Otavalo from the roof of our hostel

Otavalo animal market

Some beautiful handcrafted vases in the Otavalo market

Kealani's First Birthday

It's obviously been a while since I added anything to this blog, so instead of trying to "catch up" on the past 9 1/2 months, I think I'll just start right where we are... and attempt to update a little more often!

On February 16th, we celebrated Kealani's first birthday. Jon and I often talk about what a weird sense of time we've had for the last year. Looking back at newborn photos of K makes us feel like we've been parents for decades, as it seems like those events took place a million years ago. At the same time, we can't believe how lightning fast the year flew by!

Whether you're a parent or not, we all have events or seasons in our lives that we look back on and wonder how it's possible for the time to have passed as quickly as it has... For me, having a child has added a new outlook on what it means to enjoy every minute, no matter what stage I'm in... I'll never get those minutes back, or be able to relive them. Watching Kealani grow and learn is like having a new "marker" in time, with the ability to remember events and seasons in relation to how old she was, and what she was doing at the time. I wouldn't trade a minute of the last year for anything. Jon and I look forward to living out this coming year with our precious daughter.

Birth Time photo! 12:37 p.m.

Our family date in Cambria

Enjoying some birthday cupcake

Opening gifts... the wrapping is the best part, of course!