Our God really is the best matchmaker! Round 1: March 2006 Alex attended a Catholic youth conference as a junior in high school. Sarah attended the last 30 minutes of the same youth conference following a softball tournament. Noticing Sarah in her athletic uniform, Alex approached her and asked if she played soccer. After an exchange in which Sarah made clear that Alex needed to get his sports straight, they parted ways. The next morning, Alex was preparing to run the 3200m at a big track meet...and walked directly past Sarah as she finished throwing the javelin. They both looked back at each other and realized they had just met the night before! September 23, 2006 (Officially official!) Alex asked Sarah out in the picture line at Rummel's Ring Dance. Happily, Sarah accepted, and they dated for the rest of senior year. They had a blast that year with their amazing group of friends (especially with the incredible opportunity of going to Medugorje), but eventually their relationship went the way of most high school seniors--they broke up the week before college started. They remained friends but moved in increasingly different directions and circles as the years passed. Eventually, they were living very separate lives, growing and being faithful to very different realities. Alex was called to steadiness. He built a home and a life of quiet service as he continued to prepare for his vocation, even when he wasn’t sure when that might take place. He taught and coached at Rummel High School, where he still teaches and serves as campus minister today. Sarah was called to continually say “yes.” "Yes" to traveling and to speaking, "yes" to getting her PhD in Rome and moving to Baton Rouge for work and then moving back to New Orleans again to teach at Chapelle. She trusted what was being prepared for her as she took one step at a time, even when it did not always make sense. Round 2: September 2021 God knew the perfect timing to bring Alex and Sarah back together. On the cross-country course in the Fall of 2021, they literally ran into each other, 15 years after their story originally began. Alex was teaching seniors and sophomores at Rummel while coaching cross country and track. As she finished her last touches on her dissertation, Sarah was teaching seniors and sophomores at Chapelle…and coaching cross country and track. On October 22, 2021, they went on their second first date...and here we are! After having been blessed to travel to many countries and places, I, Sarah, can honestly say that there is no place like home, especially when that home is the heart of such a good man. On the feast of St. Joseph--right after visiting a St. Joseph's Altar--Alex got down on one knee in front of a statue of Our Lady, whose prayers have sustained us and brought us here, and he asked me to marry him. As Alex and I travel together through life, we will always find home in each other. And we are so grateful to have each of you be part of our story as it continues to grow and deepen. Our cups runneth over!