Alicia had tried online dating before...
In her previous experiences, she discovered that people were often not who they said they were online. She always tried to meet them in public places, for safety, but, she did not have very good experiences. What’s a girl to do?
Listen to their brother, at least, in Alicia’s case! In the midst of her dating blues, her brother convinced Alicia to return to the Church and get back into her faith. It was there she saw a CatholicMatch advertisement in the bulletin. This was in 2009, and she was 24 years old.
“I was tired of meeting guys who differed in their lifestyles than mine and I wanted to find a good man to hopefully marry,” Alicia said. So, she signed up. About two months later, she saw Brett’s profile. Then 27, he seemed to be a kind and caring individual, so she sent him a message. He replied, and they chatted for about a month before deciding to meet in person.
As always, Alicia suggested a public place to meet, but she still found herself with butterflies in her stomach.
The Buffalo Wild Wings provided a comfortable place to have supper together. Alicia was pleased with Brett’s lovely company and good conversation. They parted ways, but without having planned a second date.
Brett didn’t let that slide, though. Soon, he called Alicia to tell her how much fun he had on their first date and to see if she wanted to do it again sometime. Of course, Alicia said yes, and they began dating regularly. Because they lived an hour apart, they often met in the middle. They frequented restaurants, bowling alleys, and anything else that was convenient.
Fast forward eleven months, and Alicia was working on her masters’ degree in nursing.
That, work, and her new romantic relationship kept her life very busy! During one of her homework breaks that October, Brett decided to give her something to smile about. He dropped to one knee and popped the question, just like that! Alicia was completely surprised, thinking he was waiting for the more traditional Christmas proposal. Brett had been hiding the ring under his coat the entire time, wanting to be spontaneous.
Just over a year later, they were married in November 2010.
“It was a great experience with lots of planning!” Alicia reports. Her ailing grandfather was even able to attend the wedding, which made a wonderful memory.
Ten years later, Alicia and Brett have three little girls. “Children are wonderful and I love them so much!” Alicia says. As a family, their favorite things to do are go to the zoo, visit grandparents, and go to amusement parks.
She also notes how sometimes, children can cause stress in a marriage.
Their third child was a surprise, and Alicia also struggled with postpartum depression. Though it was difficult to navigate, that struggle brought them closer together. Brett was amazingly supportive and kind. “He was my rock and still is,” Alicia says.
To keep their marriage strong amid raising children, the couple is sure to go on date nights once a month. With the pandemic going on, they enjoy simple things like dinner and a movie to reconnect. After ten years of marriage, Alicia’s favorite things about Brett are his honesty and integrity. Brett says he prizes his wife’s heart, generosity, and fighting spirit.
“We are so grateful to CatholicMatch to help us find each other!” the couple says.
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