We Are Getting Married!

"This is the most precious answer God can give us: wait. It makes us cling to Him rather than to an outcome. God knows what I need; I do not. He sees the future; I cannot. His perspective is eternal; mine is not. He will give me what is best for me when it is best for me." - Vaneetha Rendall Risner Adam: After a wonderfully exhausting day in the world of real estate lending and setting new PRs at the local rec center, I returned home ready to feast on a delicious nutrient packed dinner. I had been getting back into the dating world recently, but was discouraged by the lack of eligible women serious about their faith and ready for a true partnership. I knew if a relationship was going to thrive long term, God had to be at the center of both of our lives. Sipping on a cold bottle of Fat Tire, I scrolled through my Catholic Match app. When Danielle's picture popped up, I did a double take. Single...obviously, Catholic...check, family oriented...check, well written.... check and beautiful...check, check!! The only hiccup was that she lived a thousand miles away. I believe that great rewards are often proceeded by great risks, so why not take a shot?! "Hi Danielle...", I typed while thinking a trip to Chicago this time of year sounded pretty fun. Danielle: It was early October 2021 and I had just returned home from a wonderfully exhausting day of teaching. I promptly put on my favorite sweatpants and poured a glass of wine before settling into the evening. In many ways I was perfectly content with the single life, but the persistent thought that God was calling me to marriage was never far from my mind. At the encouragement of a dear friend, I had recently given Catholic Match another chance. I cozied up on the couch with a less than nutritious dinner and opened the app to scroll through various messages. A new message from Adam in Denver, CO read, "Hi Danielle! I enjoyed reading through your profile. You look genuinely happy in all your pics. I really like your vibe." Ok Adam from CO, I thought, let's see what you are about. Single...obviously, Catholic...check, agrees with the church's teachings...check, family oriented...check, looks like he could protect me in a dark alley...check, check! Adam's sincere love of faith, family and his passion for building his business came through so clearly in his bio. With little hesitation and a tiny spark of hope, I replied to his message. A little online flirting never hurt. Now on to that second glass of wine and a little reality TV watching (a single girl's guilty pleasure!) One month later we were sharing a Lou Malnati's deep dish pizza and our best first date stories in Naperville, IL. Thanks to Adam's unwavering pursuit and consistent low airfare due to Covid, our long-distance relationship progressed pretty quickly. After months of countless facetime dates, long phone conversations, sitting on airplanes that seemed to take forever, weekend visits that ended too soon and SO MUCH PRAYER, we both knew this was IT! Adam didn't want to attend another mass without my angelic singing in his ear ;) and I finally found a man who I couldn't get enough of. It was (and is) LOVE. We often say to each other, "You are not perfect, but you are perfect for me." It truly is a small miracle to find a partner who inspires you to be the best version of yourself. A friend who laughs with you at the silly, small things and can simultaneously be trusted with the most intimate aspects of your heart. A love who's daily happiness is intertwined with your own and who's eternal happiness drives your life's decisions. To give and receive this kind of love after many years of praying for it is a blessing that we both are still surprised and delighted by. We are so excited and hopeful for our future and look forward to celebrating with you on March 4th, 2023. LET'S GET MARRIED!!