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Sunday, November 20

Singing Pirates

Hello Friends!
Just to have as little confusion as possible... this is Richard. Just saying that so we're not lost!

I call you friends because there are so so many of you who comment and share support for Emily and the kids constantly, and my appreciation is very hard to express.  Emily in particular obviously means the world to me, but my additional 5 troublemaking, imaginative comrades-in-arms are clearly my best friends now too! Anyone who has helped to put smiles on their faces is a friend in my book. Honestly, it's a little hard to fathom how many of you are really out there caring for us on such a personal level. I'm with Emily though: if we could, we would absolutely love to meet all of you and give these thanks in person.

Today I want to highlight Emily's talents. Specifically her abilities on the piano.

When I first started playing with the kids, pirates was a main theme for us. We could be silly, climb the swing set, jump on the trampoline, use the rope swing, and generally goof off, all while shouting in bad accents and learning to wink as if we only had one good eye. It was fun for me when I realized how one of my favorite summertime songs, 'Lost Boy' by Ruth B, would fit so well. Not only did it fit, but the kids quickly started learning the words and singing along.


One night, after walking the kids upstairs, reading our nighttime stories, and turning the lights off, I came downstairs to find Emily at the piano. Without any music, she was humming to herself and picking out the chords on the piano. Since that moment, this song has sort of become a family anthem of sorts, reminding me of camping as a child in the woods of the North East, with all of us imagining adventures and pirates and secret islands far away.



In these photos you only see Sophia, but we frequently are all together in the living room singing while Emily plays for us. The other kids were quiet in the dining room, coloring if I remember right. I felt like it was the perfect to capture this memory for myself. Turns out Emily liked the photos enough to turn them over to me. :)  Who would have thought they'd get her stamp of approval?!

As the new kid on the block, I just want to say again that I'm thankful for all those who have been such a help and support for Emily and the children. We all know they have been through a lot, and it warms my heart to know there are so many who have reached out with kind words and encouragement. Things are certainly changing in many ways, but it appears to me that your love is as strong as ever. We try to smile as much as possible every day, and it's frequently thanks to you.

As we have been adjusting and getting the daily things done, time has really gotten away from us. I hope you are ok with me sharing this with you, and whatever else I get to share as time goes on. Learning about someone new can take a lot of time, and I hope that I can tell a little more about myself soon, along with some of the best parts of the story that brought me here. Obviously, there's a unique story to be told, and with Emily's help hopefully it gets shared in the next week or two among all the other things we have to get done.

Many hello's and thanks,
Richard

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74 comments:

  1. Hi Richard! It's so nice to hear more about this lovely family from its newest member! We've sure been keeping you in our thoughts!
    Your wife and children are what I call 'kindred spirits'. They are such strong, hopeful, and kindhearted people, using their talents to make this world a brighter place!
    You are truely blessed to have such a lovely family, as they are blessed by your presence.
    Please let us know if we can do anything to offer support for you or your family!
    I know the holidays are busy but we'd love to hear more whenever you get the chance!
    Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Take care!

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    1. Hey there :) Glad to know you're thinking about me and that you enjoyed my words! Emily and the kids truly are a treasure (especially for me now, yay!), and I'm glad you've been able to share with them. The world really is better with them in it :) Many thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes, and we send the same to you from our home... Until soon! -Richard

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  2. this was sweet and personal and had a lot of voice to it. I appreciate you sharing this with us.
    Thank you.

    paperrosies.com

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    1. Alexis,
      I hope there are more little moments when I can share more things like this. I'm glad to hear you appreciated it. If only the clock would move a little more slowly every day!
      Happy Thanksgiving!
      -Richard

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    1. Addie, I decided I didn't want you to feel left out. So here's a smile in return! :)
      -Richard

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  4. Beautiful pictures and such a sweet note. I'm looking forward to hearing more. Love to you all and a Happy Thanksgiving.

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    1. Friend,
      I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures. They really were very spur of the moment (when I took them), but I truly had expected that they would be 'just for me' hidden in a folder on the computer. Pulling them into this tid-bit was really special for me, so I'm glad you didn't think they were just terrible! Haha.
      Thanks for the love, and look forward to sharing more soon :)
      -Richard

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  5. Aww, what a sweet guest post and thank you for sharing this side of Emily! I love that song!

    xx Kelly
    Sparkles and Shoes

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    1. Kelly,
      It really is a great song, isn't it?? We'll have to see if we can get any new hits to take off with the kids so we can do a follow up and start a playlist! :)
      -Richard

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  6. How wonderful it is to read such a sweet post from you ♥ I absolutely adore all of you even though I've never met you guys in person. How weird is that to say? Lost Boy has been one of my favorite songs since I first heard it -- I would love to learn how to play it on the piano!

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    1. Kenzie,
      I'm so glad you liked the post :) And it's not weird at all to have good connections with people. Some of our best friends are internet buddies! It's awesome that communication around the world is so beautifully simple in this era. On that note, I hope you get to share some of your sweetness with others too! This time of year is so so special to me because family has an extra emphasis, and family doesn't have to only include our blood relatives, though that is obviously a special connection too.
      As for the song... It has had very special meaning to me since early this year. I'm so glad Emily has played it for us so often. Maybe I could talk her into doing a brief tutorial for the basics of the song. It's always worth asking!
      Happy Thanksgiving!
      -Richard

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  7. This is such a pure post. Period. The rawness of your new wife at her piano singing a song I'm sure we are all humming to ourselves now. Thank you for this tidbit that showed so much heart and love. I'm in tears...

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    1. Ashley! No need for tears here! We much prefer smiles :P In seriousness though, I'm glad you caught the heart and love that she projects into our lives. And keep humming. I love that song, and am excited about the frequency that it plays inside the walls of our house :)
      Hoping for more smiles to erase the tears :)
      -Richard

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  8. What a sweet post. You seem like a devoted, loving husband and dad. How lovely. :)

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    1. Alisha,
      Your words are wonderfully kind. I do try to bring extra love and excitement to a family that needs it, and one day I hope I will have earned the titles you have so kindly used to describe me. You're too sweet!
      Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving
      -Richard

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  9. Hello Richard!
    How happy to read you.
    I dont know this beautiful family personally, in fact I am thousands of miles away ... but i can see that you have been the light in the dark, and that you love them very much.
    Very happy for you all, hugs from Spain!

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    1. Tania,
      Happy to share and be read. Distance doesn't hinder us any in this family! With family members both near and far, we're ready to welcome all! De que parte de Espana Sos? :) (Disculpame por no saber usar acentos en la compu).
      Thank you so much for the hugs. I'll be sure to pass them around!
      -Richard

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  10. Hi Richard,
    How wonderful to meet you now! Thanks for this beautiful post and take care of your beautiful wife and five comrades <3

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    1. Karlijn,
      Pleasure to make your acquaintance as well! I'll do my very very best to take care of everyone here :) Truth be told though, I'm definitely receiving as much love as I've given! Isn't it so nice that love multiplies the way that it does?
      Happy Thanksgiving :)
      Richard

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  11. This is so sweet. And the photos are so beautiful. The black and white really gives me the feels!
    - Charmaine
    http://charmainenyw.com

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    1. Charmaine,
      Glad you enjoyed the photos too :) It was really great to have them turn out the way they did.
      Happy Thanksgiving!
      -Richard

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    1. You're so sweet Michelle. Thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving :)
      -Richard

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  13. Awww, this is such a beautiful post! And lovely to see a post from you, Richard.

    Meg | Elmpetra

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  14. Richard, so nice to 'meet' you! I have followed Emily's journey through it all, and cannot believe how much love I feel for a family I don't really know. I cried so many tears of sadness with all the hardships she and the children have been through, and while I was surprised when she announced you both found each other and got married so quickly, I still jumped for joy and smiled a whole lot knowing that she was as she put it, moving forward. I cannot wait to learn more about you, and this new journey you are all on. It's easy to know that this has been difficult for Emily and the children, but what I think people sometimes don't realize is how hard this must all be for you too. I wish you both all of the happiness there is to have. Emily is one tough cookie, and I admire her so darn much. She is such a beautiful soul <3 thanks for introducing yourself Richard!! Sending tons of love and hugs to you all xo

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    1. Ashleigh, nice to 'meet' you too :) I'm glad to hear you've followed along. It's not hard to recognize the wonder it is to know Emily. The announcement was quick, but hopefully it'll all make more sense soon! With busy holiday time running us ragged, we'll certainly still find time to share more. Thank you for the encouragement and well wishes. We appreciate it all.
      Love and hugs back!
      -Richard

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    2. Yay you wrote back!!! Well that just made my day! I can only imagine how busy you guys are with the holidays, and I hope you all have a lovely one filled with love, peace, laughter, good food, and even better people. The announcement may have been quick, but it is clearly what was right for all of you and that is what matters the absolute most! Sending you all squishy hugs from Canada :) <3

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  15. I think you have been a heaven sent blessing to Emily and her children. thank you for such a lovely post. I think it is wonderful you are now part of this amazing family!! Hugs to you.

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    1. Melody,
      Thank you for the welcome! Glad you liked the post :) I'm trying to help out around here, but I'm pretty sure that THEY are a blessing sent to ME!
      Hugs back,
      -Richard

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  16. Hi Richard!!!! Finally nice to hear from you. I love Emily and all the kids.:) Happy thanksgiving

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    1. Hi Sofia!
      Happy Thanksgiving to you too! Sorry it took so long to say something, but you know how it is! Hope you're having a great week!
      -Richard

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  17. Hello, so nice to meet you! :) The post where Emily has mentioned that she has now you, someone who will love her and be next to her, i think for everybody reading meant relief and blessing.

    To Emily: i just by chance found this very honest article about loss and new love of Nora Mclnerny Purmort and her story brought me you to my mind. I think she went through similar experiences and i have seen she has also writen a book ( i have no idea, maybe you have seen it already :) http://www.elle.com/life-love/a40861/secret-baby/
    The book is called "It's ok to laugh (Crying is cool too)". I just thought of recommending it to you as maybe it will serve you as inspiration. Couldn't not think of you while reading it myself.

    Kisses from Spain :)

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    1. Katarzyna,
      I'm glad you are so welcoming.
      I read the article you mentioned for Emily. I really liked it, and showed it to Emily. Thank you for sharing that, and if you find more inspiring things like that, please share again in the future. :)
      Besos
      -Richard and Emily

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  18. Welcome Richard šŸŒ» I'm sure you must be a very special man to put a smile on my Sweetest Emily's face šŸ˜Œ Wishing all of you the best Thanksgiving

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    1. Mermaid friend,
      Thanks for the welcome. I'll try to live up to your sweet words, and keep Emily smiling too. Happy Thanksgiving to you too! :)
      -Richard

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  19. Hello Richard!
    I've known Emily and her story for at least 4 months, and I'm glad she has you now to support her.
    How good to see her happy!
    Kisses and Happy Holidays

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    1. Hi Fabiana,
      Glad you've been around so long! I keep trying to help, but really it's her and the kids who are making MY life better :)
      Happy Holidays to you too!
      -Richard

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  20. I am so enjoying reading Emily's blog and am so glad to hear what's going on in your life more Richard! Wish we were closer so we could have seen and met everyone! Marissa

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    1. Marissa!!! Next time you come out, let me know and maybe we can plan to see you. I wanna hold your little ones again! :)
      My best to the Family out there, and know you're missed!
      -Richard

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  21. Very nice to meet you, Richard! What a sweet and kind post. We look forward to your family's continued adventures and wish you all the best always.

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    1. Annie, Thanks for the encouraging words. I'm sure we'll have plenty to share. Thanks for the well wishes, and Happy Thanksgiving!
      -Richard

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  22. I think you are a hero Richard and I know Martin totally approves. What a blessing you are and will continue to be to Emily and those 5 beautiful children; your family now as well. I can't wait to hear your story and how you were heaven sent to Emily. Fun post today. Thank you for sharing. Happy, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

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    1. Kimberly,
      Thank you so much. I wont claim to be a hero, just someone doing the best they can. The world is a better place because of people like Emily, and I'll do everything I can to make her and the kids shine as brightly as they would like to. We'll keep sharing more soon I hope. Again, many thanks for your kind words, and Happy Thanksgiving :)
      -Richard

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  23. Well Richard, I have to tell ya. What a lovely, warm, caring soul you appear to be. I was one of those (stranger readers) that was quite honestly shocked when Emily revealed that she was married so soon after her husband's passing. I thought- this can't be good, on so many levels. So soon, and the grieving still so fresh. HOWEVER! In the glimpses we are getting and your own words above, I see the soul she fled to, and indeed I believe you two will make a beautiful life for each other and those children. The timing can't always be helped when something truly precious comes along. The best to all of you in your new life together -

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    1. Karen, you're great. I understand that our news was 'shocking', as it was quite shocking to us as well! But more about that later. For now, suffice it to say that we are very glad to have you still here. Hopefully the glimpses we are able to continue to share will help with the feeling of comfort surrounding the recent months. We have every hope and plan for much beauty and many smiles in the future.
      Thank you for the well wishes, and Happy Thanksgiving :)
      -Richard

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  24. Awww. What a great little blurb. Its interesting to hear some of your perspective and I definitely look forward to seeing more from you in the coming months. We all have worried for Emily and the kids and I think I can speak for most people when I say Happiness is so hard to find sometimes that it is precious and vital. The most expensive thing we can give to someone is our time for it is finite.

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    1. Kiante,
      Thank you for the compliment! Hopefully Emily will rub off on me and my writing skills :P Without stealing her thunder, because I believe Emily plans to find time to talk about this soon, YES time is SO finite, and YES happiness is truly important. I believe that happiness and gratitude can be found in ANY circumstance, but it's particularly important to RECOGNIZE it when it is around. I totally agree with your comment :)
      Thanks for who you are!
      -Richard

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  25. Hi! It's so good to hear from you. :) I loved your words and your photos. I've been folllowing Emily for years. I saw her last pregnancy and as a medical student I wept when I read about martins diagnosis.
    And when I read that she found you (or was it found again?) I was so happy for her. And for the kids.
    We are the same age. But my life is so different in so many ways and similar in others.
    I can't wait to see, read some more from you. And I'm looking forward to see this family grow and heal and remember.

    Sarah

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    1. Saralina...first, Love your name! Have to put that out there :) Also, I would love to know what part of medicine you've chosen to focus on (?).
      Yes, 'found again' would be correct. I'm so glad you can share in our happiness. We certainly share a lot in this life that is similar from person to person, but no two circumstances are the same, which means no two people are truly the same. But we can all learn from each other.
      Hopefully we'll find lots more time for sharing. There's a lot that we want to put out there still, including parts of OUR story, our every day adventures, and other topics that we would like to address. And while healing is usually a slow process, there is lots and lots to remember and be grateful for, especially for the children.
      Looking forward to sharing more :)
      -Richard

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  26. Such a true honest and sweet post :)

    Nice to meet you Richard , and so glad, and truly deeply from my heart to see that all is going well and it's getting well.
    I hope to hear more about your pirates friends and all your adventures.

    Kisses from Portugal,
    Sofia

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    1. Hi Fiona,
      Nice to meet you too :). Thank you for your kindness. We're glad that things are going well too, even on the hard days when one or more of us is feeling down. I'm sure my pirate friends would love to have another adventure to share :)
      What part of Portugal??
      Yaaaarrrrrr!
      -Richard

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  27. Welcome Richard! It really is an odd little world of blogging. I've ooohed and ahhed over the years with the babies, smiled at these gorgeous family photos, and then of course cried and felty own sort of selfish sadness in the last year. I think it's fantastic that Emily (and now yourself) put your hearts out there to share. I wish you all the absolute most happiest and love. Happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. MomE (very clever!)
      So glad to meet another friend who has been part of the clan for so long. We are very grateful for your well wishes, and hope that we can continue to share good things here and there that make an impact :)
      Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
      -Richard

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  28. Welcome Richard! I was touched by your sweet and kind words... I could truly feel the love that you share with your new family as I was reading the post!
    Hope to read more from you very soon!

    Love from Portugal,
    Helena

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    1. Helena, You're too kind. There is certainly a lot of love here in this wonderful home Emily and Martin built, and the kids have been raised in such a wonderful way. I'm very grateful for a lot of things right now, but sharing in this is a wonderful thing.
      I'm surprised I'm asking this twice on the same page, but... What part of Portugal?
      Happy Thanksgiving!
      -Richard

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  29. I can only imagine for financial , emotional, religious and physical ,the needs of you and your family , I have been following you for quite some time now Emily your just a fantastic person I hope only good things for you and your family.
    Ann from Pensacola Florida

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    1. Ann,
      This seems to be directed towards Emily more than me, but ... I'm on a roll! Haha. There were a lot of reasons that this made perfect sense for us. We'll be talking more about that soon :) So glad to have met you, and grateful to know another someone who has been along for the journey for a while.
      How's the weather there in Pensacola? :) Can we borrow a few degrees from you? :P
      -Richard

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  30. I have followed Emily and her little kiddos for awhile now, and admire the strength she has as a woman and as a Mama. Her love for her kids easily comes through her pictures and posts. I think of how everything has transpired for her (that she has shared with us here) and can't wait to know more about this new path you both are on together. Many blessings and memories for the Holidays!

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    1. Ruth :)
      So good to meet you. Emily is an amazing person and a wonderful Mother. I agree that it's something that is easy to spot in her interactions with the kids (and everyone). We'll be sharing more soon. Thanks for the blessings, and we'll be doing a lot of remembering over the next weeks. There's a lot to be grateful for this time of year :)
      Happy Thanksgiving!
      -Richard

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  31. I appreciate that you reply to every comment. :) also thank you - my name is actually Sarah. But in school there were two of us so they gave us nicknames. I love it ever since.

    I haven't specialized yet. Shortly after graduating from med school I met my now husband and moved from Austria - Europe to Utah to be with him. And in Amerika medicine is a whole other chapter.
    So I trust in the lord and whatever he might have planned for me.

    Can't wait to read and see more of you guys.

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  32. That's a lovely post. I really love the simple moments, and you Richard capture the sweetest mom and daughter time.
    I'm happy to read you on Emily's blog. Is always good have news from old friends. ☺
    Hope to see you soon and finally met Emily and the crew.
    Kisses from Argentina ☺

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  33. what a lovely post! nice to 'meet' you! you both have such ways with words being able to capture such special moments and keep them intimate while still sharing with such a big audience making everyone feel as if we're the closest of friends! I have been following Emily for a little bit and she has inspired me and taught me so much as I'm sure she has countless others through her strength, her faith, love, kindness and her positive outlook no matter what. you guys for sure are a blessed family and are all a blessing to each other! happyyy thanksgiving and happiesttt holiday season to you all celebrating and creating old and new traditions! Con mucho cariƱo a todos! - Mariel

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  34. Hi! I've been following Emily since Martin got sick. I lost my mom and brother to cancer. What a beautiful post, and beautiful pictures. Can't wait to hear about you finding each other again. Love of fate! I'm so happy you guys found each other again. Happy a Thanksgiving to you, Emily and the kiddos.

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  35. Love this post!!! Hi Richard!! I've been following Emily's blog for a long time (and FB and IG)... I feel like she's my friend even if she doesn't know me. Like many other readers I was shocked at the news she was remarried, but at the same time sooo happy! I'm so happy to read from you and can't wait to hear your story...I believe your beautiful family brings hope and light to many many people, also to me.
    xoxo
    Luisa

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  36. Is there anything Emily Meyers can't do!?! On top of everything else...she plays the piano! She reminds me of Mary Poppins 'practically perfect in every way'.

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  37. You are an angel who has come into this families life at exactly the time that God had set in stone. Thank you for loving a family that I can only love from afar. Your sweet spirit must be beyond reproach for Emily to believe you are the man to help her mold these beautiful children into adults. Thank you Richard and I am so excited to learn more of the story when you are ready to share.

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  38. Hi Richard and Emily,

    I'm one of the thousands who is most likely just a name or number when you see the ❤️ sign on a photo. That said, the story that I have pieced together about love, loss, family, and survival is just beyond touching. At the end of the day your story teaches so many that we can do hard things and come out the other side being better for it. Thank YOU both so much for sharing a bit of yourselves and making social media a better place...and a more uplifting place. Lots of love your way!

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  39. This is a beautiful thing to cherish in your heart and share with others. I am glad you shared and congratulate you both on the journey you are taking together through the love you share!
    +Victoria+
    http://justicepirate.com

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  40. I don't often comment on blogs, but I feel compelled to today. I'm grateful for your sharing pieces of your lives. I'm grateful to see that there is light after darkness. Hope after feeling hopeless. Love after love is lost. I can't fathom the emotions Emily has been through in the past several months, but knowing that you were brought to her is such a heartwarming and hope-giving thing. Blessings to you both, and a lifetime of health and happiness!

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  41. Richard; For a man to jump into the deep end as you clearly did, takes a lot of courage and self confidence. Teach those traits to the children and you will clearly earn an A+ at the end.

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