We're Getting Married!

Sebastian and I were in the same Christian organization, FOCUS, for two years before we actually met. In February 2023, Sebastian decided to go to the UTD campus gym, where I was working out with my friends, Heidi and Tinbit. He felt a strong urge to talk to me but got nervous. Seeing on Instagram that I was already in a relationship, he decided to wait. Eventually, I became single again, and Sebastian took his shot by messaging me on Instagram, asking, "Is O-Chem as hard as they say?" Anyone who knows me knows I love science, and that's the only reason I responded at the time. Very quickly, though, I discovered Sebastian's true heart. We exchanged long messages until around 4 am every night, where he shared his love for God, family, music, basketball, and more. I remember him explaining why he chose to pursue engineering: he wanted to be a husband and eventually a father who could provide for his family. He told me he felt this was his purpose. It was hard to believe that someone so perfect could exist—I kept waiting for the catch, but it never came. A week later, we had our first date, which was amazing. A week after that, on our second date, he asked me to be his girlfriend while we lay on the grass in a park in downtown Dallas. It felt strange to be in a Christian relationship for the first time. We did Bible studies, prayed together, and went to church together. But more than the activities, it was Sebastian's character that mirrored God's character in every way: he loves beautifully, is patient, kind to everyone, thoughtful with details, and extremely emotionally aware. Over time, I realized that beyond his good qualities and character, we are so much alike. Our conversations flow effortlessly, we’ve had countless nights laughing uncontrollably, and many "WAIT, me too!" moments. Finding my husband also meant finding my best friend. We both knew within a month of dating that we were each other’s future. However, in August, Sebastian left to do his master's degree in Finland, and we faced a school year of long distance. Despite my initial nerves, this period only highlighted Sebastian's heart even more. He would make so many efforts to close the distance like rearranging his sleep schedule so he could wake up at 5 am just to make sure he could "put me to bed" and ask how my day was and tell me goodnight. I'll always look back on that year so fondly.

For us, first and foremost comes God. His presence has been evident in every part of our relationship, and we want nothing more than to honor Him for bringing us together. From around the second month of dating, we knew we wanted to marry each other. But in March 2024, our desire grew exponentially. We began to see each other as more than just boyfriend and girlfriend. Seeking pastoral guidance and consulting with close Christian friends and family, especially during Sandra’s visit to Finland, everyone seemed to encourage us to move forward. When Sandra returned home, we decided to do a 21-day Daniel fast to seek further confirmation from God. During that month, God revealed so much to us. Our first question was "when?" Initially, we were inclined to wait until December, but through many signs, we felt God leading us to marry in the summer. We were prepared for the challenge of a long-distance marriage, as Sebastian still had a year left of his Master's degree in Finland. Then, while job searching, Sebastian felt prompted by God to apply for a full-time job in Dallas. This was a shock to us both. How could God want him to leave his studies? But Sebastian obeyed and investigated whether he could continue his studies from Dallas. After a meeting with his advisor, he learned he could easily move home, complete his classes online, and finish his thesis with a partnering university in the US at no additional cost. This was a clear sign of God's blessing. Once back home, we devised a perfect plan to start our lives together, and recently, we found our dream venue. Time and again, God has perfectly aligned everything for our marriage to take place on August 24th!

Throughout our relationship, my confidence that Sandra was the love of my life grew stronger and stronger. After much anticipation, I was overjoyed when I felt that God had given me the green light to pursue our marriage. The next question was, "How am I going to propose to the most special woman on earth?" After months of brainstorming, I realized there would be no better place to ask her to be my wife than the very spot where we would one day exchange our vows. When we discovered the venue of our dreams, we were filled with excitement and joy. Seeing it with our own eyes, I knew it was the perfect moment. To keep the proposal a surprise, I decided to play it cool. When she asked what I thought of the place, I responded, "I don't know... I feel like it's missing something." She gasped in confusion, and as she turned around, there I was, down on one knee, asking her to make me the happiest man on earth by taking my last name.