Every girl dreams of marrying her best friend’s brother, and somehow, that's actually going to happen for me. Sam and I met on May 28th, 2022, when I came to Colorado with friends to stay with the Quintana family. From day one, I was smitten. I was so obsessed, I had my friend Annie pray a surrender novena with me because I didn’t know what to do with the feelings (I was/am also highly over dramatic). I left Colorado without saying anything to Sam. Back home in Wichita, life moved on, but he stayed on my mind. Eventually, I told Alli, my best friend and his sister, that I liked him. Her response? “I feel like he may like you too.” I almost peed my pants . Over the next year, I saw Sam a handful of times, and each time, my feelings stayed the same. I'm pretty certain Sam was completely oblivious to my longing glances and flirty comments every time. By spring 2024, I was discerning religious life and had just made a second visit to a convent in Nebraska. Then the weekend after I went, Sam came to Wichita to buy a car. We went dancing with friends, went to a track meet together, and I for sure thought sparks flew, and maybe I wasn't called to live a life of perpetual celibacy. This was the first time I thought Sam may have felt the same way I did. That Wednesday, Alli said, “I think you should call Sam and tell him how you feel.” That was the push I needed. That Friday, I called him and somehow managed to confess my feelings for him. To my surprise, he said he felt the same way—and asked me on a date! About a year and three months later, Sam proposed in Pilsen, Kansas, at the home parish of Venerable Fr. Emil Kapaun, the patron we chose for our relationship. Our wedding this June will be at the Cathedral where Fr. Kapaun's body lay to rest. Sam and I’s love story has felt ordained by Christ from the very beginning, and we are so excited to see what the Lord has in store for us as we begin our Vocation. Please pray for us as we near our wedding day!

To prepare for our wedding day, we will be praying this novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, whose feast day is also June 27th. We would love if you would pray this novena with us on the nine days leading up to our wedding, offering your prayers for our marriage. We will begin this novena on June 18th, 2026. In this novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, we pay tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary in asking for her assistance. This picture of the Blessed Mother with her Divine Son below has helped her provide strength, comfort and even miracles to the faithful for centuries! From June 18th to June 26th, say the following prayer, and follow with three "Hail Marys." Oh Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke your powerful name, the protection of the living and the salvation of the dying. Purest Mary, let your name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, Blessed Lady, to rescue me whenever I call on you. In my temptations, in my needs, I will never cease to call on you, ever repeating your sacred name, Mary, Mary. What a consolation, what sweetness, what confidence fills my soul when I utter your sacred name or even only think of you! I thank the Lord for having given you so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely uttering your name. Let my love for you prompt me ever to hail you Mother of Perpetual Help. Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for me and grant me the favor I confidently ask of you. (Then say three "Hail Marys"). More information about the image of "Our Lady of Perpetual Help": https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/novena-to-our-lady-of-perpetual-help.html