The Beginning of Our Story

I have always been vehemently against the idea of "love at first sight." I believe that love is a choice you make every day... but when I look back at the beginning of our relationship, I can easily say that we basically did experience the fairytale "love at first sight"... Although I never would have said that when I was in the midst of choosing to love my husband.

Here is our story:

Our story begins in Rome where we were both studying abroad during the Fall 2010 semester. Our relationship was a slow progression, centered around God and encouraged by friends.

We began dating after we each attended respective discernment retreats. These retreats were meant to be silent retreats, which was handled better by Tim than me. Desperate to be able to talk with someone, I signed up for a meeting with one of the sisters at the retreat center. I did not really have anything that I wanted to talk about... I just wanted to not have to be quiet anymore. The sister began by asking me whether I felt a call to the married life or not. I explained that I did not feel a strong call either way, so she asked me about dating. I explained that I wanted a proactive man who would pursue me instead of visa versa. The sister proceeded to tell me that God could not act through me if I was just being passive, so I should put myself out there and let people know that I was open to dating. This was not the response I was expecting to hear. However, for the rest of the retreat, whenever I would think about this conversation I inevitably also thought about Tim.

After the women's retreat Tim and I began spending more and more time together, doing homework, talking, or playing frisbee. (Side note: I had brought a frisbee to Rome. After the retreat, Tim asked me if I wanted to play frisbee with him. After playing, I told Tim that he could keep my frisbee. In Tim's dorm, unbeknownst to me, the frisbee became known as "the promise frisbee," because if I ever wanted to play I would have to go ask Tim for my frisbee back... this was how TIm's friends became convinced that I liked him.)

A couple weeks later, Tim went on the men's retreat. After returning he gave me a letter he had written, which was sweet, spiritual, and assertive... all the qualities that I was looking for in my future husband. He asked me to go on a date with him in Venice, and we have been going on dates ever since.

A little over two years after that first date Tim proposed to me with the same qualities that he had exhibited in that letter. We had been planning to go to Confession after my softball practice finished. He picked me up and we drove to the church... I was still in my softball practice clothes. In the confession line, Tim was really fidgety, which was very uncharacteristic of him. After Confession we went to Adoration. Tim got up to leave and told me to meet him by the doors in a few minutes. This was when I thought something might be happening. I tried really hard to wait like he had said, but I just couldn't anymore. So I got up and went to the doors. Right when I was walking out he came walking up. He had changed into a suit while I was still in my softball clothes. He took me over to the Mary statue and proceeded to tell me that he loves to receive the Sacraments with me because that is when we are most like Jesus. He then asked if I would receive another Sacrament with him-- Marriage. Of course I said yes!

I am so blessed to have married a man who not only shares the same values and morals as I do, but also exhibits every quality and more that I have ever thought I wanted in my future husband. Tim's gentle strength and patience never ceases to amaze me. He has the biggest heart and allows God to work through him.