Time to celebrate what God has joined!

Both of us had been praying for each other for years.. I know, how is that possible? We only met in July of 2025. Let us explain.. Both of us value Marriage, family, and our faith, an incredible amount. As we went through many potential dates, first dates that didn't last, or even long term relationships... one thing was clear... We both believed that there was someone out there for us. And because of God's grace, we were able to put our total faith in whatever it was that He had in store for us. So we prayed for God's Will, praying that our future spouse (where ever they were) would hurry up. Thank God for the patience we were given. Esther is from Brazil and came to the US over four years ago. God landed her in Northern/Central NJ, and then eventually in a youth ministry job which was with a few different parishes. One of which falls within the Diocese of Metuchen. Some time after Esther starts working for her youth ministry company, Jay makes a 180 degree career shift. He moved on from project management and decided to go into working for the Church. With almost no ministry experience, Jay gets a role as the director of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Metuchen. God uses this as an opportunity.. In July of 2025, there was a national youth conference in Steubenville, Ohio. Neither Jay nor Esther had ever been to this conference (or to Ohio). Esther, being a youth minister and having her youth ministry company running an annual bus to the conference, willingly went as a chaperone. Jay, being the director of youth ministry for the Diocese and only being on the job for less than a year, agreed to go.. *It is important to note* Jay was dreading this conference as the month approached, as it would involve staying up until midnight (crazy teens), a couple 6 hour bus rides, and a conference which is out of his element. But he felt deep down that God had something in store for him. As we met in the parking lot (next to the Cathedral where we are getting married - I know, amazing) Jay asked Esther if he could help her take box fans and snacks from her trunk to the bus. She said yes, (Esther will not deny help carrying things). And things were underway.. Jay figured he had better sit close to Esther on the bus ride down because it would be 6 hours in that same seat and it would be wise to be near her. We started talking on the bus ride down to Steubenville, which Esther felt comfortable doing because she had seen Jay texting someone early on the ride. It was actually Jay's Mom, but that lead Esther to let her guard down, thinking Jay was taken and there was no pressure to talk. Jay did not exactly know Esther's dating situation, but hopefully conversed on the bus ride down. We left the bus ride after landing in Ohio, very fond of each other. We spent the entire weekend going to Eucharistic Adoration together, Holy Mass together, at the concert together, and basically every chance we could get to be together. God is amazing. He knew that a couple of passionate Catholics like us would fall in love in an environment where He was present. He's our rock. The whole weekend was absolutely life-changing, filled with graces, and a plan that God had foreseen since before we were born. On the bus ride home we still had to discern what we were going to do. Do we start dating? Esther had questions and just wanted to do what The Lord was guiding her to do. We decided we were going to talk after we got off of the bus, alone. We got off of the bus and went to the garden at the Cathedral by the chapel. We were talking but very nervous, as we still barley knew each other. After Jay had asked Esther to go out on a date, she answered yes. We discerned that this was too perfect to be a coincidence. As we look to right, there is a statue of the Mary, with a date of June, 12th on it. June 12th is Valentine's Day in Brazil. We knew love was coming. God is Great! Ave Maria!