The Devil's in the Details...

Okay, D and I really are trying to get everything in order for the "big move" in July. I'm not even participating in my usual procrastination techniques, you know the one--denial. Mostly because the government seems to be doing that for me.

I am getting increasingly bogged down by the insane amount of paperwork that this process involves. Each time I think we are on the right track and are getting everything under control, I find that I have one more thing to get. Not to mention that I am still waiting on my passport, D already received his. I contacted the passport agency for a status check and they told me it was being processed. Yeah--I got that late-breaking news already.

I know the paperwork side of things really is a bit beyond my control, I can't force them to process my paperwork any faster, but it is still a bit stressful. Ecuador just isn't going to seem real until I have the visa and plane ticket in hand.

On the brighter side...

D's mom and uncle came for a visit this last week. We had so much fun spending an entire week with them! Most of our visits seem to be doled out in two or three days, but this felt like we actually got to spend time with them. Of course, D and I had to work the entire week but Joyce and Bill got a chance to explore the wonders of Boise and other parts of Southern Idaho on this visit. The coffee shops were a big hit, as were Boise's wonderful restaurants (I did cook dinner one night!). We had a great time and are now just waiting for Jon and Heather to make the trek.

Años Viejos, Pyromaniacs, and Fireworks...Oh My

I have to admit, it has been quite awhile since I have actually been awake to ring in the new year and say goodbye to the old. Dave and I have always been a bit more concerned about the eight hours of sleep necessary to enjoy life rather than seeing the ball drop. But this year...is different. It is 12:58 and the neighbor's hired band just started, there are rapid fire explosives (aka fireworks) going off in three minute intervals, and the car alarms throughout our block seem to be answering the loving call of said fireworks. There will be no eight hours to start off the year for the Richert's this time. Nothing about our experiences in Ecuador could be classified as typical, and New Year's Eve is proving to be no exception. The evening started out quite and low key, dinner at home with a movie. There were the occasional firework, but that isn't anything atypical. I was even contemplating continuing the tradition of snuggling into bed by 10:30. Before I called...

Yes or No?

A couple weeks ago, slipped in the far reaches of my mailbox, I found a note that took me back to the good ol' days of elementary school. You know what I'm talking about. Remember how you would just be sitting at your desk, one leg pumping back and forth, pencil eraser nudging your bottom lip, as you tried to puzzle out those mind-boggling multiplication tables? And then, out of the corner of your eye, you would see Andy passing a note to Melissa, who would then pass it on to Mark, who would then palm it off to you right before Mrs. Nelson turned around from the blackboard. Your name would be written all in cursive and curly-q's on the clumsily folded paper. Carefully, stealthily, you unfold the paper to find: Well, InterAmerican sent me a 'check yes or no' note, and it raised the same sensation of anxiety that those old love notes of yesterday used to inspire. Instead of the traditional, "do you like me?" question, it was the "will you continue...

Christmas in Colombia (The post is better late than never...)

As promised, here is the Amazing Richert Christmas Adventure 2008, with special guest star, Sherry Silvers. Bogota, Columbia. As you can see...this city and I were obviously made for each other. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops were on every block. Yes, the majority of the books were in Spanish which causes some slight difficulties, but I don't like to focus on those kind of details. I'm more of a cup half full kind of gal. Also, the city is bike crazy. There are hundreds of miles of bike lanes; we saw bike lanes throughout the city and even along the highway. They just created a bike/walking lane in the middle of the highway, incredible! They even close off some of the major streets every Sunday and holiday so people can ride their bikes through the main arteries of town without dealing with the potentially dangerous obstacle of cars. The city had me at hello. Dave found a wonderful place for us to stay that was right in the heart of the historic district of ...

Living The Good Life

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