On August 7, 2014, Trace received an invite to take a temperament test from a beautiful member named Nash, then 47, from Quebec, Canada. “What attracted me to Nash was both physical and spiritual. Her photos were beautiful, her profile was genuine, and she was a devout Catholic,” Trace, 48, from California, says.
They lived 3000 miles apart and in different countries, so they were prepared for their relationship to be unconventional. A week after that first message, they started seeing each other on Skype every day, and by day 22 of their relationship, they knew they were falling in love. “I believe at our age we just knew what we liked and wanted. We were both in places in our lives where we were ready,” he says.
Thanks to Skype they were able to get to know one another while apart. They talked about everything—leaving no stones unturned. “She had everything I was looking for. Despite the challenge of living far away from each other, we believe the Holy Spirit brought us together because everything went so smoothly and so quickly.”
They were able to see each other around every six weeks; Trace traveled to Canada four times and Nash visited him in California once. It was during those trips that they discovered that they enjoyed doing outdoor activities together, taking road trips, and exploring places they had never seen. “But it’s not so much that we have a lot in common, rather it’s that we both have a lot to offer,” he explains.
Proposal Not As Planned
In October 2014, Trace had plans to propose, but Nash misinterpreted his nervous demeanor, and she thought that he was going to break up with her! “I was not able to propose the way I wanted to—while hiking at a beautiful ski resort north of where she lives. We never made it there; I ended up proposing at the church instead. I was in a weird mood that morning on our way out. I was nervous and asking God if I was doing the right thing because this was a big decision, and I had made it very quickly. She noticed I was quiet and distant, so she thought I was going to break up with her. She didn't understand that I just had a lot on my mind. After Mass, we were eating
lunch in her car in the church parking lot and she began to cry, so I felt my proposal couldn't wait. Her tears of sadness turned to tears of joy.”
Nash, whose previous marriage was annulled, says, “Given the circumstances, it was the perfect time to propose to her.”
Wedding Poem
On August 1 of 2015, they were married at St. Anthony's Parish in Longueuil, Quebec. “I flew my parish priest from California to preside over the ceremony. The most memorable moment of the day was the Mass—especially receiving the Precious Body and Blood of our Lord while kneeling. I imagined my deceased parents were watching me as I was kneeling. It was so surreal. The second best moment might have been after I surprised Nash by reading a poem at the reception:
My Miracle
Life is difficult and lonely, I thought. I’m getting older; skies always seem gray,
So I knelt one morning to appeal to God with a prayer I’d rarely pray,
Am I to serve You alone my Lord? I am willing but You know I’m weak,
If it be your will, please bless me with the one whom I seek,
She'd be beautiful with a radiant smile and a sense of humor all the while,
Sensitive with a positive attitude to go with her grin,
She'd compliment me and encourage me, and lift me up again and again,
But most importantly, her love for You must be strong,
And her faith and hope would be steady all day long,
I'll help her get to heaven with my love by your grace,
I'll cherish her and protect her and always keep her safe,
So Lord, could you by chance send a miracle my way?
I know I don't deserve it, I just hope you might say....
“I hear your prayer, my child, your time is near, angels are flying so soon you’ll hear,”
Well, one month later I received a note. "Take a temperament test," was all she wrote,
I couldn't refuse her request. She seemed like such a great catch,
Her profile was genuine, and she was the most beautiful woman on CatholicMatch,
It wasn't long before I had to see this ravishing beauty who had contacted me,
We Skyped for hours, every day and every night,
Describing our past and its struggles, and our dreams for a happy life,
She was delightfully charming, wonderfully silly, and deliciously sweet,
"I have to take the next step," I thought, "I think it’s time we meet."
So thousands of miles eastbound I flew, anxious and nervous but excited because I knew....
I was about to meet someone very special,
I sent her a text after I deboarded the plane, she met me outside baggage claim,
And there she was with a radiant smile and cheeks aglow,
Our eyes pierced each others like arrows shot from a bow,
It confirmed what I was already feeling, that she could be the one to be my life's healing.
And when I got to know you, Nash, there was no turning back,
You are everything I've ever wanted and more, but I knew I had to act to constantly reassure you that I was for real,
To open your heart so you would feel that my love was true,
But little did you know that it was a love that was strengthened by you,
Because as we got to know each other, you began to open up to me,
Aspects of you I had longed to see,
And so I quickly fell in love with the woman of my dreams,
But how did all this happen? I asked. How surreal it seems,
If I were so blessed as to receive a heavenly reply,
I'd imagine the voices of my angel and the Lord from On High:
"Thank the Holy Spirit," my guardian angel would say,
“Just as He knew you before you were in the womb,
He knew your prayer long before you prayed that day,
So He brought her guarding angel to me years ago and we made a plan
to preserve the both of you until here you stand,”
"Your prayer has been answered my child,” I would hear the Lord say. “She's now at your side,
She'll make the most wonderful, faithful, and loving bride,
She is everything you wanted and more, I gave you the very best,
But don't forget, marriage is forever, and remember, always pray for a marriage so blessed,”
Yes, Lord, I'll remember,” I’d say. And thank you! Thank you all!
She'll be mine forever. She's my miracle."
Enjoying Marriage
After several months of marriage, Trace says the best aspect of being married is that he feels like
his future is set, and this gives him a sense of peace. As a single person, his future seemed more uncertain. When he was single, he worried that he wouldn't find somebody or if he did fall for someone, that they wouldn’t share his faith. “I feel secure and at peace now knowing that God brought me the ‘good Catholic girl’ I was looking for. I have a sense of peace knowing that this is where God has led me and this is where He wants me to be.”
He also says that his prayer life has improved after marrying Nash. “She’s a part of several prayer groups and we remind each other to pray throughout the day. This too brings peace to my life.”
Not to mention, Nash being a wonderful cook has made life so much more enjoyable for him.
Regarding the challenges every married person face, Trace says, “I think we are very mature in the way we handle problems. We speak softly (usually), keep our pride checked at the door, and admit when we are wrong.”
