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Siv Canedy Ricketts

@sivricketts

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Let’s pay attention to hope, beauty, & joy. Encouraging content in my newsletter! 👇

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Happy 35th reunion, Westmont College Class of 1991!

I’m not there. For now, it would be too tender.

Dave & I met on the first night of freshman orientation. We lived in Page Hall, guys on the 1st floor & gals on the 2nd. My roommate & I ping-ponged from one end of the guys’ floor to the other. Dave’s room was at the beginning.

2yrs later, he inadvertently invited himself along on my date with a local guy. We quickly knew who was into who.

Dave earned a Religious Studies degree while I double-majored in Communication & English.

We loved our Westmont years.

He went on Europe semester; we have a sizeable chunk of the Berlin Wall he crowbarred himself. I went on England semester & saw 40 plays.

He played laser tag & I played the fairy Cobweb in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I didn’t play laser tag, but he came to every performance.

We made lifelong friends. Our minds & hearts were challenged to seek the intersections of life & faith. We learned to think critically & love big.

We fell in love walking the campus trails, eating in the dining commons, studying & taking breaks; Dave’s playfulness taught me to take life less seriously.

Dave proposed 2yrs after graduation on top of the rock outside the library. He left this life 5wks before our 33rd wedding anniversary.

We visited Westmont 4yrs ago when Dave officiated a wedding for another Westmont couple. So much has changed, yet the fountain, the soft serve, the rock, are exactly the same.

I’m grateful for friends of ~40yrs & for others who have shared support. Westmont has been one of our greatest gifts. No institution is perfect, & I can’t imagine life without everything those 4yrs held, for then & forever.

#griefislove taken in Westmont College by @sivricketts

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5 hours ago

Only 23 more days…

For my sons & me, this trip to the Dominican Republic to serve with the 2 organizations Dave was with when he died suddenly will be a way to work out some of this awful grief.

Please understand, it will not be a vacation. For a few days, we will do what we can to make life a little brighter for some underserved children. We will bring tangible donations of sports & school supplies, we will do whatever needs doing, & we will play games & kick soccer balls & cheer & laugh.

We will learn, & love, & be changed by the people & our experiences together.

We will also go to the beach where Dave exhaled his final breath. We will cry & mourn. We will remember & share stories.

And I’m sure, even there, that we will laugh & play. Dave loves life so well that we will honor him best by also laughing, enjoying the beautiful place & the company of our family & friends.

In some ways, this will be the memorial service we most need. It will help us along in our healing journey.

If you have considered making a donation toward our trip costs, would you please do so now? Only 23 days & we still have quite a bit of money to raise.

Thank you 💙

https://hfkintl.gomethod.app/!/54866/pastor-dave-rickettss-legacy-trip/donate

@hereforkidsintl
@seedtosowerministries
@nabroc1
@rickettsreptiles
@pastordavericketts

#grief #griefjourney #griefislove by @sivricketts

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2 days ago

6 months 💔

6 months in which time no longer makes sense. 6 months of learning to be alone for the first time in my life. 6 months of deafening silence & an empty bed; even the puppy who slept with him every night has abandoned me for her brother (maybe because I’m restless). 6 months of trying to find a way forward. 6 months of “how is this my life?”

6 months of missing Dave. 6 months of the worst heartbreak I’ve ever known or could imagine.

A lifetime + 6 months of gratitude for the life we shared, for my family, for the peace of God that makes no sense, for the people who have shown up in every way.

So how am I? Truthfully, the better question for anyone grieving is “how are you today?” since grief can change at the speed of a hummingbird, perfectly still to a darting blur.

Today I am sad. Some days hold more weight.

In general, I am not okay & I am doing my best. I feel like I’ve been given a gift of time & space in which to grieve, to pray, & to build relationships with friends old & new. I’m writing & I’m learning about who I am in this new reality (that I never asked for & don’t want, but here it is) & how I want to move through the world.

I am strong, & because I’m honest I’ll also say that I feel anxious & vulnerable. I have no idea what’s ahead, & I have some impossible dreams. Grief is a lot, & I am noticing the dance of grief & joy. I appreciate life as a precious gift & I’m still seeking beauty like dandelions growing in sidewalk cracks.

You will see me out & about, smiling & showing up as I’m able. You might see tears; they’re unpredictable. You won’t see me pacing my home & yelling at Dave that I don’t want to be alone, even though I wouldn’t welcome company in those desperate hours. Don’t assume I’m fine because you’ve seen me smile.

I’m not okay, & I will be okay. I have hope.

#grief #griefjourney #griefislove by @sivricketts

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4 days ago

Friends from @stjohns_oakland got married in Santa Barbara & I made a quick reunion weekend out of it.

On the way I visited friends from the first church Dave & I served 30+ years ago. We caught up on big life stories yet it also felt so entirely normal, like no time had passed.

I stayed with my @westmontcollege friend & we talked until almost 2am. We both agreed we’re (not old but) too old for late nights, & it was such a treat to be together that we had to maximize the time.

The bride generously extended a +1 invitation & Tammy & I attended the wedding at the Hilton Beachfront Resort across from East Beach, formerly Fess Parker’s Red Lion, where we once attended Westmont formals. It was pure joy to celebrate the union of a couple with an epic love story & catch up with St. John’s friends.

The bride later whispered to me, “I know this is hard…” I appreciate her empathy, yet it wasn’t. The love Dave & I have is so secure that I will always rejoice in love. I felt at home & happy with good friends. I returned home exhausted & full, soothed by the sounds of falling rain, comforted by a break in the heat.

Oh, & friends at both stops checked & filled my tires (gonna have to get them looked at tomorrow, but they held steady for the drive), & Tammy’s husband gave my filthy car a good wash while we were at the wedding.

Love wins.

Denise & Bryan, may you always love each other more tomorrow than you do today. Congratulations! ♥️

@quxotik22 taken in Santa Barbara, California by @sivricketts

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5 days ago

Meet my friend @jsdavidson

He came over today carrying lunch for both of us. He then checked my air filter & my gutters, got down a box of fall decor from a high shelf in the garage, answered a boatload of home maintenance & improvement questions, & is coming back next week to look at the irrigation system. We also enjoyed some good conversation.

He’s the kind of friend you want to have in life. He’s also a great realtor- I know from experience 💛 taken in Laguna Niguel, California by @sivricketts

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8 days ago

Dave was ordained 20yrs ago today 💙

I put it on our calendar last year because I wanted to have a big celebration. Instead, we’ve had celebrations of an entirely different sort… by @sivricketts

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9 days ago

The puppy interrupts my otherwise scheduled afternoon to remind me that it will soon be dinner time 🤣 taken in Laguna Niguel, California by @sivricketts

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10 days ago

What a weekend!

My friend @cherylmejia came to visit Friday- long conversations & yummy fish tacos

I spent Saturday in San Diego - maybe the hottest place on the planet! - At San Diego State’s parents’ weekend, playing bonus mom to Olivia, @tmeuret ‘s daughter

Sunday my friend Jen joined me @sanclementepres to rep @hereforkidsintl - she has been on the board with @pastordavericketts - while I chatted with folks about our upcoming DR trip to serve in Dave’s memory with @seedtosowerministries

Bible Sunday! 3yo’s, 3rd, & 6th graders all received age-appropriate Bibles. The tiniest got @jesus_storybook_bible - the same Bible we bought for 3yo Quinn 19yrs ago

Grateful for so much love, & that I have some slower days ahead this week 💛 taken in San Clemente, California by @sivricketts

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12 days ago

These 2 lovebirds got engaged 2yrs ago today.

They began with a date in Carmel, hitting some favorite spots as they strolled downtown. They drove up the coast a short way to Pacific Grove, specifically Lovers’ Point Park. She didn’t know both families + her best friend were all hiding in the bushes as he directed her to a bench where a dozen red roses were waiting & he would drop to his knee.

(Friends, she didn’t know but she did suspect, & then she figured it out - she spotted our cars & then did a great job pretending she didn’t see all of us huddled between ginormous, pokey agave bushes…)

After 7yrs of dating & 4yrs of friendship before that, we were all delighted to celebrate this next step in their love.

Our family vacationed in Pacific Grove for a week each summer from 2000-2019, from the time Corban was 2 until he was 21. Although we’ve always lived near the coast of California, we’ve spent more time at Lovers’ Point than any other beach. The site of their engagement represented both a welcome & a continuation of our family traditions. They plan to be married (someday, still no date) in Tahoe, where her family vacations.

I miss Dave every day all day, & somedays feel especially tender. We had so much fun planning for this special event in their lives, & I’m sure we’d call them & raise a glass in their honor tonight.

C&H, I hope you feel Dave’s hugs & hear his enthusiasm as he celebrates you with a hearty “CHEERS!”

(Pic of Dave & me from a recon trip the week prior bc in all the excitement we forgot to get a pic of just the 2 of us that day)

#celebratelove #lovewins #family #griefjourney #grief taken in Lovers Point, Pacific Grove CA by @sivricketts

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18 days ago

Hey friends, I have BIG news:

My sons, Corban & Quinn, are stepping into their dad’s legacy of love & service to lead a team of family & friends to the Dominican Republic to serve in Dave’s memory.

We will travel Nov. 7-14 with Here for Kids International to serve with Seed to Sower Ministries, the organizations Dave was with when he had a heart attack & died suddenly on April 12.

We will conclude our trip with time at the beach where Dave died. We anticipate that the whole trip, & particularly our time at the beach, will be a significant event in our healing journey. It’s hard to put into words what it will mean to us to be together with family & dear friends, including those who were with Dave on his final morning, at the place where he exhaled his last breath.

I invite you to participate with us in prayer &/or financial donations (tax deductible). Any donations in excess of what our team needs will support these fantastic organizations Dave championed.

Thank you for considering supporting us in this meaningful experience in memory of Dave.

https://hfkintl.gomethod.app/!/54866/pastor-dave-rickettss-legacy-trip/donate

All pictures taken in the DR-
Quinn & Corban, July 2025
Our family’s first trip, Nov 2011
The last pictures Dave sent us, April 2026 taken in Dominican Republic by @sivricketts

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25 days ago

I received the unexpected gift of a cold saltwater treatment today!

After a nice walk, we sat to chat on the rocks above the shoreline. The waves broke below us, the occasional drops of spray landing on our arms & legs.

And then, suddenly, one big wave broke & landed on my head with a soaking splash. My friend got the spray; I got drenched.

We jumped up & whooped in laughter. The fifteen or so people who had been standing or sitting behind us all laughed. I threw my arms up in a big TA-DA & then took a bow, as if I had the power to bring forth that particular wave for everyone’s lunchtime entertainment.

It felt like a gift from the ocean, & I’m giggling still.

We also saw these hibiscus with the palest pink blush. Aren’t they gorgeous? Nature is amazing. taken in Dana Point, California by @sivricketts

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a month ago

A week ago I commenced a 9mo adventure with the Ignatian spiritual exercises. Today begins Week 2.

Someone asked me, “This…is what you do for fun?” Well, yes! And for deepening & growing, leaning in & listening. For healing.

Love is the whole point 💙

#ignatianadventure #ignatianexercises taken in Orange County, California by @sivricketts

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a month ago