John and I (Kelly) met on Catholic Match back in 2003. At the time
that I received his first letter, I wasn't actively searching for new
correspondees, and was actually hoping to take a break from the site
for a while. But something in his letter caught my attention, and
made me want to write him back.
He recognized the parish in one of my scrapbook pictures and
mentioned his appreciation for that church, and for the priest who
celebrates the Mass there. His interest in my parish was an immediate
connection between the two of us, and so we carried on a very brief
correspondence. We were fortunate enough to live in the same city, so
finding a mutual meeting place and time was easy.
We decided to meet at my parish (the same one in the picture) after
the Tridentine Mass one Sunday. My family had gathered in the church
garden outside for breakfast, so I invited John back to join us.
Although it seemed odd having him meet my entire family upon our first
meeting, John showed no signs of being nervous or uncomfortable...his
confidence in himself was (and still is) a very attractive quality to
me. He sat with me for two hours until it was finally time for him to
leave. We made no plans to meet up again, and so I was left to depend
on God's will that we would see each other again.
One week later, after the same Mass, John showed up again in the garden
and visited with my family and me for a few hours. After that meeting
we made plans for our first date. Our first date was simple and
perfect! We had a nice dinner followed up by a few hours of talking
over a nice cup of coffee. Coffee dates became a usual thing for the
two of us and we would spend hours sipping on coffee getting to know
one another. It was during these dates that I saw how well John
complemented me...where I was weak he was strong and vice versa. I had
never met a man who fit me so well.
After dating for ten months, John made a trip with me to visit my
parents up in northeast Texas. While there, and unbeknownst to me, John
asked my father for his permission to marry me. Two weeks later, on
June 12, 2004, we made a short drive down to an island just south of us
for a summer day at the beach. We walked the harborside, had a nice
dinner by the water, and walked down the seawall. At one point during
our walk John asked if we could sit and talk for a while. I could tell
that he was acting a little different, but he had been a little sick
that day so I blew if off as not feeling well. Finally, John said he
had something he needed to ask me. He put his hand on my shoulder and I
turned around to see him on one knee with a ring box in his hand. It
was then that he asked me to marry him. Of course the answer was yes,
and we were married on November 27, 2004.
During the course of our relationship, I always prayed to St.
Therese for her intercession. My priest had recommended her to me four
years earlier, after a relationship of mine had failed. Shortly after I
began my devotion to her, her relics came to a church just down the
street from me. I spent all day with her, taking her visit to be a sign
that she heard and received my prayers. I continued my prayers to her
for the next four years and found comfort in knowing she was watching
out for me. After John and I were engaged I told him the story of my
devotion to the Little Flower and how I had spent all day at that
church visiting with St. Therese during her tour of the United States.
I was shocked to learn that on that same day John and his brother had
also come down to see her relics. I had no idea that the man I would
one day marry was there in that church at the same time I was asking
St. Therese to intercede for me and help me find a good Catholic
husband. In thanksgiving to St. Therese for her intercession on our
behalfs, John and I have decided that should we be blessed with
children...our first born daughter will bear the name Therese.
Have faith...and practice patience. God answers prayers in His time, not ours!
UPDATE--12-09-05--
Hi! Just wanted to update our success story with our latest news...2
months after our marriage, John and I got the greatest news...I was
pregnant with our first child. On October 6, 2005 we were blessed with
our daughter, Alexis Therese. What a beautiful blessing she has been in
our lives, and we have Catholic Match to thank for helping to make all
of this possible! There are no words that can express our gratitude to
you for helping to make our lives so complete! Thank you!!!
John, Kelly and Alexis
