Adventure of Romance, Love & Mila!!!
In July of 2015 my cousin Laura Keller left for a week’s vacation in Mexico with a girlfriend whose children were traveling with them to Zihuatanejo to visit their grandmother, Mary. She wasn’t expecting a life changing experience but that’s the joy of adventure, isn’t it? After one week in the laid back little fishing town along the Pacific Coast, Laura re-evaluated her entire life.
She was very unhappy at her current job of the last five years, she liked her home but it was just a rental, she loved her family & friends but at the age of 34 she had never really been tied down by any means. Now, opportunity for adventure was knocking at her door as Mary (also a long time family friend), invited her to come live in Zihua’ with her. So with a leap of faith, Laura quit her job, collected $2,000 she had saved for retirement, sold nearly everything she owned & in October of 2015 moved to Mexico with all of her possessions totaling three checked luggage bags!
Laura admits things happened fast… and life continued quickly to change, seemingly on it’s own destined path! It had been two weeks since her arrival when Mary decided to remodel her kitchen, so they found a custom wood craftsman on Facebook to interview for the job. Laura shared, “I was swimming in the pool when he arrived… as I got out I noticed he was very good looking in his jeans, cowboy boots & button up shirt.” Gerardo Andrade introduced himself, shook Laura’s hand, looked her in the eyes & said in his deep sultry voice, “Nice to meet you”. He then walked inside with Mary to discuss the kitchen. Laura swallowed hard, dried off and smoked a cigarette.
Over the course of the kitchen project they saw each other & talk occasionally but it happened on one day while Mary was out of town that they took time to get to know each other. They hung out all day talking, laughing, listening to music, eating pizza & swimming in the pool. The attraction seemed mutual & Laura was thrilled, but Mary came home that evening & wasn’t. “I suddenly felt chaperoned & a little uncomfortable“ said Laura thinking back.
Gerardo made his departure walking with Laura down to the property gate, “I had a very good time today” he said & shook her hand once again. Expecting & hoping for a kiss, Laura was like, HUH? She now understands Gerardo, who is two years younger than her, to always behave as a gentleman.
Gerardo quickly scheduled a “real” first date with Laura a few nights later. She met him at Paseo del Pescador (Fisherman’s Walk) where they enjoyed an evening stroll. They ate some dinner, listened to the ocean waves hitting the shore, took in the warm salty air as they sat on a cement bench in Zihuatanejo & fell in love.
James & I recently talked my parents & a few others into a family vacation to Zihua’ where we met up with Gerardo for beers & a tour through the markets. We ended the day walking the path of his & Laura’s first date. He confessed that she went home with him that night & with a big bashful grin he added, “…and she never left.”
Check out our 2019 family vacation video of meeting Gerardo at the markets then continue on with their story:
The night after their first date back in 2015, the town was hit by the rain of a nearby hurricane for the next few days. The walk has been rebuilt since then. Reminiscing back on that day Gerardo said, “I never thought I’d love someone like I love Laura”. As November rolled around they decided to take the next step & move into an apartment together. During their search Laura felt extra fatigued. Totally exhausted she started sleeping some long hours.
They found an apartment & moved in, excited to be starting a home together… but that’s not all they had started together! “I think I knew then that I was pregnant, but I took two different home tests which were both negative” Laura remarked. However the third time was the charm. While Gerardo was sleeping she got up to perform the test one more time. It was clearly positive! “I was in shock, I had just never thought about having children through my life”. She laid the test on the counter & quietly went back to bed to ponder.
Sometime later Gerardo woke to use the bathroom. When he came back to bed he had obviously seen the test because he was very happy & excited. He caressed & snuggled with her expressing his love & joy. The next morning he left for work but came home early. She opened the door for him but couldn’t even see his face for the huge bouquet of beautiful tall tropical flowers he brought home for her. With the flowers set aside, Gerardo dropped to one knee to present Laura with a ring. He looked into her eyes & asked “Will you marry me Laura?”
She may have paused a little too long, giving the wrong impression as she took in all that was happening. She went with her heart as she found her voice to reply, “yes?” They embraced to celebrate the wonderful new path each of their lives had taken. Laura then embraced the fact that after two months of living in Mexico she needed to call her family to tell them she was getting married & having a baby!
““I’m getting married and having a baby”
She called her mom & step-dad first. The call was a very short one & after sharing the exciting news, my Aunt Donna replied to her daughter, “oh…huh. Really. I gotta go.” Laura hung up & gave her mom some time to take it all in, knowing her faithful heart would eventually accept the situation.
Next was her father, my Uncle Rick Keller who is my dad’s younger brother. Laura’s only sibling Jill, happened to be at his house when Laura called. On the phone Rick responded to his daughter, “Awesome Laura!” to his daughter’s relief & happiness. Of course, off the phone Jill witnessed the shock, frustration & obvious concern the news brought to their father. It was concerning to us all, not knowing Gerardo, and Laura starting a family in Mexico… so far away from us all here in Washington state.
The 3,000 miles WOULD prove to be challenging for what was about to transpire next in Laura’s life. Her dad had recovered from a two year battle with cancer but in December her sister called to inform her the cancer had returned. Laura booked a flight immediately to go home for Christmas & spend time with him.
She wanted to share her pregnancy though, with Gerardo so she flew back in January 2016, planning to return to the states when her pregnancy approached 8 months along. Their child would be born in the US & she would have the best care possible at the local hospital. Afterward she would return to Mexico for her wedding set for late summer.
As a weird coincidence, James & I had planned a vacation in Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo that spring, not ever knowing that Laura’s adventure had taken her there. We wouldn’t be able to go again for her wedding but we were SO excited to get a chance to hang out with her & meet Gerardo ourselves the second week in March 2016!!! We shared a few days hanging out with them… one day at the markets, a day sailing on the ocean & one of my favorite adventures - a day snorkeling at Ixtapa Island! It was the first time snorkeling for both Laura & me so I captured the memory in the following video:
On March 24th 2016, Laura celebrated her 35 birthday & on that day she & Gerardo found out they were expecting a little baby girl in just over 3 months! She planned to stay in Mexico until June but Laura & our family received news that her father’s cancer was progressing. By April he decided to stop all treatments & hospice was called in.
The situation of course was devastating & Laura needed to make a tough decision. Stay in Mexico until June or change her flight to go home early & say goodbye to her dad? Even though it was hard to leave Gerardo, she called the airline, who after verifying with her father's doctor, changed her flight free of charge. “I knew if I didn’t come home I would regret it the rest of my life” she said.
We were all able to spend time with Rick as his journey here on earth came to an end. My own dad was vigilant at his bedside as were his daughters, grandchildren, wife & entire family & friends. He was a leader to us all in so many ways… bringing everyone together with his passion for life which he had truly lived well. He joined Our Lord on April 21st 2016 & was finally at peace but he missed the chance to meet Laura’s fiancé & his newest granddaughter expected to arrive in just a couple more months.
On our recent family vacation to Zihua’, three of Rick’s siblings had the opportunity to finally meet Gerardo. I couldn’t help but imagine Uncle Rick walking there along with us, his spirit laughing & approving of time well spent together. Did my dad as the oldest, feel the need to step in on Rick’s behalf? Sort of get to know Gerardo to make sure he was good enough for his brother’s daughter? Perhaps. I can assure you that James & I, my mom & dad, my Aunt Janice & Uncle Dennis DO approve of Gerardo & have embraced him with loving hearts into our crazy family . I will continue Laura & Gerardo’s story after this video from the day our family spent with him on Ixtapa Island, when they met him for the first time:
In the months following her father’s death Laura patiently waited for her daughters arrival. She was living with Donna & Mike when her friends & family gave her a baby shower so she was prepared to begin this new chapter of life. The day arrived on July 21st when Mila Andrade Keller was born via C-Section. Her precious little daughter had arrived but it would be over two months before Mila would meet her father. The joy she brought to our family was indescribable. We all missed Rick so terribly much but when Mila smiled she filled our grieving hearts with light & joy! As our pain eased, It seemed a very harsh & unfair world when our family endured yet another loss. The matriarch of the Keller family, mine & Laura’s grandmother Lena passed away on Sept 25th, 2016.
Laura & Mila left in October for brighter days in Mexico. It had been over six months since she had last seen her fiancé Gerardo so it was a happy homecoming introducing Mila to him. However home was about to change… Gerardo’s wood working is mainly nautical so he needs to live near marinas where private boat owners need craftsmanship work. He left Zihua’ for La Paz & Laura with Mila soon followed.
She didn’t realize they weren’t coming back & didn’t bring everything with her so as a result left behind some of her most treasured keepsakes. “STUFF was all it was, but it was stuff I had held on to when I had let everything else go to move down here” she said. Her stuff was never recovered, and she was sad to lose it but again “it was just stuff” she resigned with a sigh.
The newly united family spent six months together in La Paz during which time Donna & Mike were able to travel down for a visit. They all treasured moments together on the beach, touring museums & seeing the sights. It was exciting to introduce them to Gerardo, the man she planned to marry. The plans for which had been postponed as they needed to collect the necessary documents for their international wedding.
The emotional rollercoaster was not over yet. Sadly on March 22nd 2017 Laura received another call from her sister letting her know that their Uncle Eric, Donna’s brother, had committed suicide. Laura & Mila packed up to fly back to Spokane where her family needed her. She stayed with her grandparents to help Donna who was caring for them until it became obvious that Mila’s excited screams of joy seemed to trigger side effects of her grandpa’s parkinson’s disease. So they moved back to Donna’s & helped when they could, staying this time for 11 months.
On May 5th, 2018 they returned Zihuatanejo where Gerardo was working again. Laura admits there is a challenge to this type of relationship… each time they are apart so long it is like starting all over when united again. Their love prevailed through these storms of life & on November 5th 2018 they were finally married!!!
It was a joyous event but overshadowed by the fact they were still two citizens from separate countries. Laura’s six month visa expired the next day. After their wedding, Gerardo travelled on a bus with Laura & Mila to Mexico City where they spent one last night together. The next morning he put them on a plane back to Spokane where they now wait for his visa application to be accepted to join them there.
It is a long expensive process & our family eagerly awaits for his arrival. We are all so happy to have Laura & Mila here with us as we love them so much but this little family needs to be united again soon, hopefully this year!!!
We never know what life has in store for us. I applaud Laura for the courage she had & the choices she made on this incredible adventure. It may not have seemed like such a big deal to her as to us perhaps, to move to a foreign country… because as a child her mom & dad took her & Jill to live in the Philippines for two years as missionaries. What an incredible adventure that must have been! Laura mentioned how Mexico reminded her of that time in her life.
Not every adventure is going to be this exotic & extreme but I encourage everyone to take the opportunity when it arises, make the opportunity when you can & plan your next adventure soon! #JACTVentures GO DO IT!
Andrade Family Photo Gallery:
