Living The Good Life

Okay, so this picture isn't really from this week.  Instead it is photo from my parent's visit to Ecuador in June.  But it is still the one that I have looked at time and time again this week.  It makes me laugh and be homesick all at the same time. I love you Dad.

What do you get when you turn a bunch of these: Into this? Well, with just some handy-dandy knitting needles, and some patience, you get a pretty stylin' and earth-friendly messenger bag.  Man, I love summer vacation.

Introducing my new, and possibly very favorite, EcuaPrize... **Warning--Tiny Nudity!! This might not be suitable for young children :) ** Yeah, she's pretty awesome.   Dave and I found her at an antique store in Cuenca this past week.  We were looking for a lighter for our gas stove since the matches they sell in Ecuador are plastic sticks that bend whenever you run them across the lighter strip.  Dave picked out a standard black Zippo lighter, boring. When I saw this beauty, which I have named Bombera, I had to have her.  I can't help but think that this is an item my grandfather would have loved, makes me love her even more. 

This is what I have noticed after a year of living overseas... Living is living, no matter where you rest your head, 90% of the time.  There are still bills to be paid (please water company, I've paid you--stop sending me your love letters), a house to still be cleaned (preferably before the in-laws get here), and normal, universal, activities that find themselves into the weekly routine (coffee stop? check, reading time? check, grocery shopping? check).   But then there comes that other 10% of life in a foreign country, the times when something happens that makes you think, "Yep, definitely not in my previous parameter of experience."  Dave and I went for a pretty typical mountain bike ride this morning.  We like to bike up a trail (read service road) next to the Cerro Blanco Wilderness Reserve .  The trail, named the 5.07 Cerro, is very popular with local riders and happens to be just down the street from our neighborhood.  Needless to say, it has become a ride we do on...

David, Eight years ago, we started out on this crazy, amazing journey, can you believe it?   Back then, when we were standing in front of all our family and friends, nervous, terrified, and hopeful, I had no idea what was in store for us.  I had expectations, of course, I just didn't know that life with you would blow those expectations clear out of the water.  I didn't know that life with you would help to teach me to take risks, to trust, to laugh, to face fears.  I didn't know that life with you would give me courage to do what seems impossible--and to enjoy it so much. Eight years ago, I didn't know that I could laugh so hard, feel so loved, or be so unconditionally accepted and supported.   I'm a lucky, lucky girl. Happy Anniversary

Wow! It has already been a busy, jam-packed summer and I have many pictures to share and many adventures to tell about. But... We are taking a little forced hiatus at the Richert Ranch right now. Dave and I recently moved into a new pad and until our internet is connected, which could be awhile if things go typical Ecua, I won´t be able to share the fun times we´ve been having. Until then, hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!