Madeline was reluctant to try online dating, but when her mom encouraged her, she remembered that "Moms are always right."
“I was a senior at the University
of Colorado Boulder when my mom suggested that I should make a CatholicMatch account. At first, I didn’t want to, because I wasn’t sure about online dating,” says Madeline, 23, who was living in Denver at the time. “But moms are always right, and eventually I thought I would give it a try.”
Madeline joined CatholicMatch on October 8th, 2016, and she connected with Daniel, a Junior at the University of Colorado, the very next day.
Not only did they attend the same college, they also realized that they both went to the same parish in Boulder. “Our paths had never crossed because it is such a big church!” Madeline exclaims.
Six days after connecting, they went on their first date.
On the day of the date, Madeline felt nervous anticipation to meet Daniel face-to-face. From his profile and their conversations, she knew that she was very attracted to him—she liked his looks and what she knew of his personality.
Daniel was also nervous and excited about their first date. “When I picked up Madeline, I didn't think it was possible, but she was even more beautiful in person,” he remembers.
She adds, “Once he picked me up and we started talking, I immediately felt a lot more relaxed. He was so funny and easy to talk to, so it felt like I had already known him for a long time and that this wasn't our first date.”
Daniel took Madeline putt-putt golfing and then they ended up sitting and talking for hours. They both were amazed at how much they had in common.
Daniel knew right off the bat that he wanted to date Madeline. “I was hoping she felt the same way because I knew I was going to date her and eventually marry her.” Madeline left the first date thinking, “This is the man I have been praying for.”
Daniel challenged Madeline to be the best version of herself, spiritually and physically, even helping her climb a mountain!
Their second date was a church date—a date that undoubtedly confirmed to Madeline that Daniel was the man for her.
“One of
my favorite things about our relationship is how we both pursue God together. We put God first and each other second.”
The couple could see God’s hand in their relationship. Madeline appreciated that Daniel challenged her to become the best version of herself spiritually and physically.
Madeline recalls one of her favorite dates was when Daniel took her on her first fourteener—a mountain peak with an elevation of 14,000 feet or more—in Colorado. “I was very nervous and not sure if I would be able to make it all the way to the top. Daniel was nothing but patient and encouraging the entire time. The view at the top was worth it, and it was cool to be able to go on that big of a hike together.”
Going back to where it all started, the proposal was a complete surprise.
Boulder was a special place for the couple. “We met each other there, went to school there, and grew in our faith there,” Madeline says. “We both weren’t living there anymore, so I suggested we go up there sometime soon just to go back to our church and our favorite lookout spot.”
Little did she know Daniel was planning to propose to her at that lookout spot, on their 21-month anniversary, July 14, 2018, when they went back to Boulder to visit.
Since Madeline was the one to suggest the visit, she never imagined that Daniel had plans to propose. Unbeknownst to her, Daniel was secretly coordinating with her family and his. Both families had plans to hide at lookout spot so that they could share in the proposal.
“I thought it was just another date as we drove up to Boulder to go to church. I didn’t think he would propose to me then since I was so sure he hadn't talked to my dad yet.”
After church, they drove up to the lookout spot and walked out to where you can see all of Boulder and Denver. Oddly, a random lady asked the couple if they wanted her to take their picture.
While the stranger was taking their photo, Madeline could feel Daniel’s heart racing. “I started to get a little suspicious, but before I could think too much about it, he started to get down on one knee and ask me to marry him!”
The lady taking their picture was just as surprised as Madeline.
“I had never felt so much happiness all at once. I cried happy tears and said yes and then both of our families came out
from behind the trees where they were hiding. We all went out to dinner together, and it was the perfect day to celebrate this next chapter in our lives.”
Later, Madeline shared with Daniel that she had been praying for him since she was 14.
After they got engaged, Madeline shared with Daniel a prayer box that she had started when she was 14 years old. “Although I had no idea who my future husband was when I was 14, I began filling this box with prayers and letters to him. I knew that I would share them with him one day when we were engaged. It was so special to share these prayers with him, and to see how some of the dates on the prayers were on days or during a time in his life that was significant to him.”
Daniel and Madeline have plans to wed on July 5th, 2019. “We are both so excited to see God's plans for us as husband and wife,” they say.
Continue Reading
