Let Freedom “Ring:” A 4th Of July Proposal!
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Chris had dated mostly non-Catholics for most of his forty years. He joined CatholicMatch back in 2018 in order to prioritize his faith and especially find a woman who shared his convictions. He had trouble finding women who agreed with all the faith questions and decided to let his subscription run out at the end of 2018.
Thank goodness for auto-renew!
Right when he thought his subscription would cancel, Chris noticed that he’d signed up for another six months on CatholicMatch. The “auto-renew” feature was turned on in his account, which he had forgotten about! Little did he know, that tiny missed detail would lead him to his future spouse.
Late in December of 2018, he got matched with a lady named Kerri. Since they both lived in North Carolina, Chris sent a smiling face emoji followed by a message. . . which Kerri couldn’t see, because she hadn’t upgraded from the free profile account!
“You meet your future spouse in God’s timing and not a minute sooner!” Kerri, then 38, reflects. She had spent the past three years with full-time work, graduate school, and being a religious education teacher at her parish. She’d tried CatholicMatch in her twenties and early thirties, and hadn’t been terribly impressed. So after her graduation in the spring of 2018, she widened her net by trying a few other dating websites and apps. Though she went out on more dates and even had a brief relationship, she noticed how few people shared her Catholic faith.
So, back to CatholicMatch she went!
That’s when she saw Chris’s profile and message, and she upgraded her subscription in order to talk to him. The two communicated online for about a month before Chris asked for a first date.
They met for the first time on February 9 of 2019. First, they hit the Charlotte greenway for a walk and luncheoned at a local restaurant. They had a lovely time, but Kerri was discouraged by how Chris didn’t ask for a second date right away.
“Chris and I didn’t plan the second date until almost three weeks after the first, and I was nervous he might not be into me!” she remembers. But it turned out, Chris’s work as a correctional lieutenant kept him working twelve-hour shifts, sometimes seven days a week. (Though it kept his dating life rather bleak, he credits putting in so many working hours with his comfortable finances when it came time to wed!) When that small confusion was out of the way, they planned a second date out for dinner. Kerri found Chris very handsome, and found herself a bundle of nerves!
Luckily, their nervousness didn't hold them back.
“I was so nervous I kept spilling my drinks on my shirt . . . I felt like such an idiot!” Kerry laughs. But Chris found her clumsiness endearing, and they discovered great chemistry in their conversation. Not one to make the same mistake twice, by the end of the date, Chris was sure to ask Kerri to come to Mass with him on Sunday. And just in case she still doubted his interest, he held her hand and kissed her goodnight as he walked her back to her car.
“It was the best kiss ever and the rest is history,” Kerry says.
As their relationship grew and the two continued dating, they both came to realize they were meant for each other. Neither had been married before, and both were on the same page with openness to life, faith, and financial goals. Not only that, both wanted to be intentional about dating and not waste time with relationships that wouldn’t lead towards marriage.
Prayer alleviated all of their concerns.
“But we still had our insecurities and struggles,” they recall. Kerri worried a bit about not having as much dating experience as Chris. Chris, who converted to Catholicism when he was 30, struggled with comparing his spiritual life to Kerri’s. But time, communication, and prayer alleviated any serious concerns. Another challenge they discovered was trying to be flexible around their long-standing habits. Single lifestyles built over years can be difficult to revamp!
Fast forward five months and Chris and Kerri were talking about marriage. They met each other’s families over the summer, during which time Chris was secretly designing a ring engraved with their initials. He met with Kerri’s dad on July 3rd to ask for his blessing and planned a proposal for July 4th.
Why that day, you ask?
Kerri’s family always had a traditional celebration for Independence day–what better time to celebrate an engagement? He also knew that Kerri LOVED fireworks. So, on the day of the big party, Chris brought Kerri to watch the town fireworks show along with some of their relatives and friends. During the grand finale, he got down on one knee and proposed. Of course, Kerri said yes–and their family and friends got the moment on film, too!
The two opted for a short engagement and were married on December 7th, 2019–the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. All of their family and friends were able to be present for the ceremony. As newlyweds, they make it a priority to pray daily and focus on growing out of their old habits and into new self-sacrificial habits together. They also participate in the 40 Days For Life ministry, as well as other pro-life events.
They live in Albemarle, North Carolina . . . and yes, will be hosting the Fourth of July barbeque at their house this year.
“Our party theme is Let Freedom ‘Ring!’” Kerri laughs.