Angela had come through some bad relationships when she came to CatholicMatch, and that past experienced left her a little jaded as she viewed profiles. The 27-year-old resident of the Denver suburbs like what she saw with Joe, but tried to dismiss it, telling CatholicMatch, “I was thinking that there was something wrong with him, like all others…”
Those reactions are a part of being human, but Angela chose not to let them dictate her actions. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and send him a message. He responded, and after a month of electronic communication they decided to get together in person.
An evening hitting the town in Denver led them both to believe something special could be in the works. They still took their time in getting to know each other. “It took him three weeks to kiss me,” Angela recalled. “And four weeks to say that he loved me.”
Joe’s in the military and that resulted in extended absences. It was this past September and October that they’d gotten started together, but in late October he had to spend several weeks at Fort Polk in Louisiana for training.
Distance made the heart grow fonder and when he returned, the couple knew they didn’t want to be apart any more. But the U.S. Army had other ideas and they soon found out that Joe would do a nine-month tour of duty in Afghanistan, beginning later this year.
Joe and Angela had spent their time together wisely, attending Mass together at Colorado Spring’s beautiful St. Mary’s Cathedral and they were as prepared as any young couple just getting started could be for such a development. “Joe was a very gracious and caring man,” Angela recalled. “He would always remind me of what I mean to him, and he would also remind me of my and our relationship with God.”
Shortly after the New Year, Joe returned to the area after spending a couple weeks with his own family back in Chicago for Christmas. Angela was expecting him at her place for dinner the night of the 4th. He caught her off guard by coming to the AT&T outlet where she worked.
“We chatted and small-talked for about 15-20 minutes before he realized that I had a few receipts in my hand," Angela said. “He politely asked that I move them from my hand, of which I questioned why. And there was, on one knee, asking me to do him the honor of making him my husband.”
The ring Joe put on Angela’s finger was personally designed by him and including the center diamond of his own mother’s engagement ring. She was thrilled to say yes, and Joe’s tour of duty will be just one little stop on the road to happiness.
