Still At the Beginning {2nd Anniversary}

p a x

On October 5th my husband and I celebrated our second wedding anniversary.  Two years... I can hardly believe that much time has passed.  We've learned and experienced a lot in these first two years of marriage, but I also realize that we are still very much at the beginning of a lot of new adventures. 

 

A couple in our parish recently celebrated 50 years of marriage.  Before their renewal of vows, the priest spoke about how when a couple walks down the aisle and stands at the foot of the altar on their wedding day they have no idea what they are saying "yes" to.   

Sure, God willing they completely intend every word that is spoken during the exchange of vows, but there's no way for a newlywed couple to anticipate all that will come in the decades ahead, no way to know what that "yes" will cost them.  And if we did somehow get a sneak peak of the crosses married life would bring with it, would we be as enthusiastic to say "yes"?

I can't imagine all that this couple has experienced in the last 50 years of marriage, all of the joys and the sufferings...   but I'm sure they would say that it has been completely worth it.

One of the most beautiful things about the sacrament of marriage is that we receive the grace that we need to say "yes".   There's no way we can live out God's free, total, faithful, and fruitful love by our own efforts.  There's no way we could love unconditionally without some Divine Intervention.  The vocation we embrace as married couples is to help our spouses and our children become saints.  We need all the extra help we can get!!

The day before our anniversary this song from the movie "Anastasia" got stuck in my head.  

We were strangers starting out on a journey
Never dreaming what we'd have to go through
Now here we are and I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you

No one told me I was going to find you
Unexpected, what you did to my heart
When I lost hope, you were there to remind me
This is the start...

Read more: Donna Lewis - At The Beginning Lyrics | MetroLyrics

In two years of marriage we've learned a lot about ourselves, one another... life... but I know there's still a lot of learning to do.  God willing there are still decades worth of new experiences and life lessons ahead of us.  The best part of all of this is that we aren't facing any of this on our own. 

In our second year we experienced one of the most exciting new beginnings of all:  the birth of our first child.  I think Michael would agree that becoming parents has been one of the most wonderful, happy, frustrating, sleep depriving, sometimes disgusting (did you know there's such a thing as projectile poop?! Neither did we, lesson learned.) and hilarious experiences of our entire lives.  And we are so grateful that God called us to this messy vocation :)

I am looking forward to other beginnings as we enter Year 3.  In fact, one "new beginning" is already underway.  The night before our anniversary we received a phone call that our offer had been accepted on a house.  Our first home!  As I'm sure you can imagine, this is a pretty major step for our family.  After a lot of prayer and discernment (and a lot of "Are you sure about that Lord?") we are putting down deeper roots.  We're excited, surprised, and doing our best to surrender our plans to God's hands. 

What continues to give me peace and joy in the midst of all of these new beginnings is that we aren't going through any of them on our own.  God has been part of our story from the very beginning and it is comforting to know that He will continue to be part of every step.  

be at peace
walk on water
be not afraid

d*

How I Met My Husband {part 2}

This is the story of how God used the internet to not only lead me to my husband, but how this adventure in online dating taught us the beauty of God's perfect timing and God's plan for our lives.

You can read {Part One} of our adventure here!  

{Part Two}

I'm sure you can understand the wave of relief that washed over the both of us as we walked towards each other confidently confirming that this was in fact the person we had spent the last six weeks speaking to.  

Michael wasn't a creepy old man and neither was I.

  

So far so good.

We said our excited hellos and hugged each other.  I remember it was one of those good bear hugs you get from a dear friend.  "Wow, You're real!  This is amazing!" he said.  

I think we both needed a moment to get over the shock that this was actually happening.  He was here.  I was here.  And now we got to spend the weekend figuring out what would happen next.

The original plan was ice cream, but due to a GPS failure we ended up at Starbucks instead.  The conversation was just as easy as before, only this time Michael got to witness my goofy smiles in person.  At one point Michael said, "The family that is hosting me and Sayf this weekend wanted to make sure that I told them where I was going and who you were, because you know... you could be an axe murderer or something..."

I laughed and pointed out that the company car I was driving did have space for a body or two in the trunk... but then realized, "Oh.  I didn't tell anyone where I was going...."  We laughed and agreed that that probably hadn't been my smartest decision of the week...

a kinda sorta really important side note:  

Don't ever ever ever do that!!  I should have told the family I was living with where I was, because in all truth Michael could have been fifty shades of crazy from the darkest reaches of the internet.  I was confident he wasn't going to put me in the trunk of my car, but hey.. you can never be too careful, right?  So if I can offer any online dating advice just don't do what I did.  We laugh about it now, but seriously... what was I thinking?!?! Anyway, back to our story:  

Despite my failure to take the proper precautions, I really appreciated how comfortable I felt around Michael.  We stayed at Starbucks until it closed, and then I drove him back to his host family's home and we sat outside and talked some more.

Towards the end of the evening, Michael asked if he could hold my hand (he had been told about the forced hand holding experience with the other guy I met from CatholicMatch).  When my hand rested in his for the first time I remember thinking "It fits!"  I felt safe.  I felt like our friendship had the potential to evolve into something very special, and we had the entire weekend to figure that out.  

Now, it would be easy to say that from the moment we laid eyes on each other we knew that this was the ONE, but that just wouldn't be true.  As wonderful as our first "date" had been, the next day was a little different. 

It wasn't that Michael wasn't a perfect gentleman on our trips to dinner, the bookstore, and a walk through the park,  but something was just different.  Perhaps it was his rant umm, prolonged and passionate explanation of the evil of shows like American Idol, and how they reflect the lack of values in our society (something else we laugh about now). But by the end of the evening as I drove back home I started wondering if this had been a good idea. 

I remember calling my parents that evening and telling them "I don't know!  I just don't know what's going to happen!  I mean he's nice but.. but I just don't know!"  I think that I was waiting for that moment to know... to have that AHA! moment in which I knew exactly what was going to happen next...and it hadn't happened.  Then my Dad gave me some advice that changed the entire weekend for me: 

"Deanna, don't overthink this.  Enjoy the moment."

I really appreciated my Dad saying that.  It could have been just as easy for him to tell me that maybe I shouldn't hang out with Michael, or maybe this wasn't meant to be, but he didn't.  Don't overthink this.  Enjoy the moment.  This wasn't license to do whatever or to not care about the time I was spending with Michael.  But it was a solid reminder to be at peace, to have fun, and to put this in God's hands.  

I prayed about it again that night and decided that my Dad was right.  Perhaps this was just another opportunity to get out of the boat and trust God with the details.  

  

I picked Michael up early Saturday morning, and we drove to a park close to the San Antonio Zoo.  Since I was still in the middle of the 54-day rosary novena, we decided to pray the rosary together at the start of our day.  This was about the time that we made Mary the patroness of our discernment/relationship.  

And once again, the Blessed Mother must have done her thing because the rest of the day was absolutely wonderful. 

Matthias the Mutt, keeping me company at work for 4 yrs

We did all sorts of things around town: a museum, lunch, a movie, a ginormous bookstore, ice cream, and even a trip to the toy store.  Michael insisted that I needed a buddy for my office, so he bought me a puppy (which remains on my desk to this day).  

If I could name the "aha!" moment in which I knew I was falling in love with Michael, I would say it was after seeing "Prince of Persia".  I had gone to the restroom, texted my Mom something vague like "Oh my goodness Mommmmyy.....*smiley face*" and walked back out to Michael where my hand met his.  It was like a moment of clarity.  Yes, this is supposed to happen.

Sunday was just as fun as Saturday, and we spent the entire day together again, which included going to Mass, touring the Alamo, and lots more hand holding.  It had been a really good weekend. 

Now the big question was, what happens next?  We had finally met in person, we enjoyed spending time together, and we knew that this was definitely worth continuing.  But now that our weekend had ended we realized that we still had the challenge of long-distance in our discernment.  And this really was a discernment.  We weren't playing around and this wasn't a summer fling.  If we were going to start dating it was because we were discerning the vocation of married life, which meant God needed to play an active role.

July 2010: Making Ice Cream at Casa Johnston

And He did.

Michael and his family invited me up to Henderson for the 4th of July holiday weekend, and on July 2nd Michael and I shared our first kiss and officially became a couple.  At the end of July, Michael came back to visit me in San Antonio and he met my family who was visiting from Memphis.


By the end of the summer we had officially become a couple and already met the families.  So really, things moved much faster than I think we originally thought when those first emails and phone calls were made. 

In the months that followed, I moved to Dodge City for a new job, and Michael got a job in the Diocese of Tyler, TX.  We had a long distance relationship for a little over two years, and then Michael moved to Dodge City in November of 2012.  We were engaged after the Easter Vigil Mass in 2013, got married October 5, 2013. 

And I can't help but see how God's hand was part of every single detail. 

When I look back on how God led us to one another I can't help but admit how perfect God's timing was.  Michael and I didn't meet each other a moment too soon, or a moment too late.  While my teens and early twenties may have had phases of frustration that I wasn't dating, or worrying that God was the only one who would ever love me, I can look at my journey and see how God was just preparing me for my husband.

Sure, I had to wait 24 years for my first date, my first boyfriend, and my first kiss. 

But it was totally, 100% worth the wait.

be at peace
walk on water
be not afraid

d*

How I Met My Husband {part one}

This is the story of how God used the internet (among other things) to teach me to trust in His perfect timing and perfect plan for my life.... and also why online dating no longer gives me the creeps.  

Photo by Tindall Farmer 

I had always imagined myself meeting my husband the “traditional” way.  And by traditional I mean the way it happens in all the good movies:  a coffee shop, the bookstore, the park…Or maybe I’d meet a good Catholic man at Mass or a conference or something.  These were all of the “normal” ways I figured I’d meet THE ONE, and we’d add our story to the adorable list of romantic comedies. 

Online dating?  Never. 

Meet someone on the internet?  Heck no!  Looking to the World Wide Web seemed like an act of desperation… only for folks who had completely given up hope of finding their soul mate and resolved to “settling” for an online match. 

But you know what they say… The best way to make God laugh is to tell Him your plans or give Him a list of “Never Will I Evers…”

Let’s rewind to 2010.

I was 24, living in San Antonio, and I had never dated.  This was not by my own choice, and it was f r u s t r a t i n g.  Sure, there had been the creepy guys at gas stations who would occasionally offer their best “Hey baby, what’s your name?”  But no one expressed any serious sort of interest. 

Where are all the good Catholic men?  Is there something wrong with me?

Sure, I knew that God was really the only One I needed.  
And yes, Jesus is the best spouse a gal could ask for.

 

I had wrestled with the vocation to religious life for a long time, and the desire for marriage and family just got bigger.  There seemed to be this constant war between “God you’re the only One I need!” & “GOD, are you the ONLY ONE who will love me?”

What I didn't realize at the time was that God was writing a better story than I ever could have imagined.  And it would happen in a way that I least expected. 

In February 2010 I decided I would attend the National Catholic Singles Conference in San Antonio.  It was a BLAST!  Not only did I get more exposure to the Theology of the Body, but it was like God was helping me to find the joy and peace of being single.  He was working on my heart and a lot of healing was taking place.  

One of the presentations was by Brian Barcaro, the co-founder of CatholicMatch.com.  He talked a little bit about the Catholic dating site, the benefits of online dating, and encouraged us to just give it a try. 

Fine. Maybe online dating wasn't so creepy/crazy.

By this point in time I had a friend who had met her husband on another Catholic dating site.  They were normal.  They certainly weren’t “settling”.  And it was obvious God was part of their love story.  So maybe, just maaaaaybe I’d give it a try.  But not yet.

Over the next month some things happened that, well, let's just say that peace and contentment with being single was long gone.  Long story short, I had hit my limit, and I was frustrated with God.  

“OK GOD…if you’re not going to send anyone to me, I’m going to take matters into MY OWN HANDS.”

Defiant Deanna's
Catholic Match Profile Picture.

And convinced that God just wasn't going to help me in the dating department, I signed up for CatholicMatch.com and paid for a two month membership.

So there I was… Defiant Deanna with her CM profile. 

Two or three weeks into my membership I was in contact with a few guys from the area.  In fact, one of them took me out on a lunch date followed by a walk in the park… but then he forced me to hold his hand (really) and rattled off all the names of his future children…and somehow I knew it wasn't meant to be. 

By the beginning of April I was back to being skeptical about this online dating thing.  Sure, it had connected me with a few guys in my area.  It had even provided an entertaining and awkward date.  But this really didn't seem like it was going anywhere.  I decided that once my subscription ran out, I wouldn't renew it.  Why did I think I could try to do this without God’s help?  I didn't realize it at the time, but God was doing more heart and soul surgery on me.  I may have thought I was "gonna show Him,"  but really God was leading me into something deeper and more perfect.

Because He's just good like that.

On April 16^th I “cast the net wide” one last time before the subscription ran out.  I did another search, and sent a couple of “Hi, how are you? This isn’t awkward at all!” type messages. 

Before logging off I noticed the “Welcome to Our New Members!” box. 

And there he was.  

He had a really nice smile and the baby leopard was a nice touch.  According to his profile he was a lover of Promised Land chocolate milk (and chocolate in general) and Haribo gummy bears (the specificity of Haribo was important.  There are no other true gummies).  

I decided I would send him a message, which simply said something like: 

Note: Never underestimate the power of a smiley face :)

To be honest, I didn't expect a reply.  I can't even tell you for sure why I sent him the message.  I certainly didn't think that this email would be the beginning of something life-changing.  But God did.  


Within a day or so, Michael actually responded. Before I knew it we were instant messaging and emailing almost every single day.  I think what stood out the most over those first few emails and online conversations was Michael's ability to make me laugh, and the sincerity in which he said he would pray for me.  

On May 4^th he finally asked for my phone number, and we talked for the first time.  I don’t remember what we said that first night, but I do remember smiling and laughing a lot.  The conversation was natural.  Phone conversations became the new daily ritual, lasting anywhere from 1-4 hours.  


Stuff was getting real. 

By this point, Michael and I were becoming fast friends, and we started thinking about where do we go from here?  We figured we would eventually need to meet in person, maybe later in the summer, and we could see where things would go. 

I should mention that one of the things we love most about our experience with online dating is that it really helped us to develop a friendship before anything else.  Even if this didn't turn into a romantic relationship, we had talked so much that we knew we would at least be very good friends.  

It also forced us to pray about this relationship.  A lot. So that’s what we did.  I started the 54 day rosary novena, asking the Blessed Mother to help us discern our relationship, and prayed that God could help us meet in person sooner than later.  

Towards the end of May, Michael told me that his seminarian friend, Sayf, (the man who would eventually celebrate our Nuptial Mass) agreed to drive him to San Antonio the first weekend of June. 

The Blessed Mother is fast. :)


Friday, June 4th was going to be the big day.  Michael and Sayf would be in town until Monday morning, giving Michael and I the weekend to get to know one another.  As the day got closer, I got more nervous and excited, and prayed that this would be exactly what God wanted it to be.  

Thursday evening, however, I got a bit of a surprise.  I was walking out of my evening Zumba class, covered in sweat when Michael texted me.  He said that they had gotten into town earlier and wanted to know how I felt about meeting that night..in oh, an hour or so. 

I don't think I've ever driven home, showered, dressed, and done make-up that fast in my life.

I got the address to where Michael was staying, and headed out... but before picking him up I stopped by perpetual adoration and prayed.  I didn't know what was going to happen, but I really just wanted God's will to be done... I prayed the rosary on the drive over to pick up Michael, and with nervous excitement I pulled up to the house.

"OK Lord, Your will be done."

A handsome young man in jeans and a black T-shirt came out of the house.  I got out of  my car, and with a smile and a crazy bunch of butterflies in my stomach, walked towards the man I'd met on online.

To be continued...

7QT #9 On the First 6 Months of Marriage

As of April 5th we've been married for SIX MONTHS!  Time flies by when you're having fun (and trying to make a thesis deadline...).  So here's #7QT on the first 6 months of married life :)

--- 1 ---

NFP ain't no daisies and roses all the time 
but it sure is awesome.

I have mentioned before that I've been teaching Theology of the Body and promoting Natural Family Planning for the past three years, but it's like a whole new ball game now that we are living it.  Call it "street cred", call it "life experience", but being able to share our journey with others while also continuing to learn has been incredible.  We started teaching NFP together back in January, and it is awesome to not only share the science of NFP, but also witness how it strengthens our marriage.  Plus, let's face it: NFP can be challenging sometimes.  And once we start having little baby Johnstons running around, I'm sure our challenges with NFP will be different than they are right now.  But at the end of the day NFP is really helping us to keep God as part of the conversation and discernment about our family plans.  

Thank you Jesus for all 'dem baby stickers.

--- 2 ---

Double Beds Are NOT for Married Couples... 
and other life lessons.

Seriously though.  Learning to sleep next to another person is hard enough, but when both tend to sprawl out (OK maybe it's just me..), ain't nobody getting sleep in a double bed.  Thankfully, we were able to upgrade to a Queen at the end of November.  But more than sleeping arrangements, I'm realizing that marriage is a great way to grow in humility and charity...even if I'm reluctant to do so. 

--- 3 ---

Sometimes we won't like each other.  
And that's OK.

I love this clip from Pope Francis' General Audience.  "Sometimes plates fly!  Seriously!... But there's no need to call in the United Nations..."  :)  Plates don't fly in our casa (maybe a few pillows...) but there are definitely moments where, like any normal couple, we just don't like each other very much.  But that's OK as long as we continue to get real comfortable with the words "I'm sorry," and "I was wrong," and of course, "I love you."

Nerf guns are also helpful.

--- 4 ---

Laughter is a must.

My Valentine's Day gift from Michael:
A homemade cake in honor of St. Valentine's martyrdom.

Marriage is hilarious. Sometimes we just have to laugh at ourselves (or each other... lovingly).  Laughter is a must in married life.  I'm very grateful we have this in our home.  

--- 5 ---

It really does take Three to Get Married

It doesn't matter how many JPII quotes we know.  It doesn't matter how many books we've read, or even how great we are at NFP.  If Christ is not at the center of our family then there's no point.  Lord knows we aren't perfect, and we could certainly be better at prayer... but we're getting there.  God has given us a great gift in this Sacrament, and as a priest told me during confession, "Your husband's soul has been entrusted to you, and yours to his."  Whoa.  No joke.  Our main job is to help one another become saints, and we're going to need God's help (and the intercession of all the Saints!) to help us do this :).  

--- 6 ---

Complementarity is a Beautiful Thing

Honeymooning in Rome: Oct 2013

And I'm not just talking about the male/female dynamic.  We balance each other out and we learn from one another.  I have a tendency to worry, Michael knows how to stay cool and reassure me that everything will work out.  Michael's extremely talented in the "Fix-It" department, and I'm... really good at cheering him on :).  I don't want to sound like I don't have anything to contribute to the relationship; I'm just more and more aware of the fact that there are plenty of situations where, if it were just me, I would have hit level 10 crisis mode, but Michael has been there to help us work through it together.  We're a team.  I look forward to seeing how this teamwork plays out when we become parents :)

--- 7 ---

This is only the beginning.

My sister-in-law made us a DVD with pictures from the last 4 years of our relationship with this song in the background.  The song is beautiful, and seeing our journey summed up in 4 minutes was definitely something to warm the heart.  The best part of the last six months?  It's only the beginning.  God led us to one another, and His hand continues to move in our lives in a really beautiful way.  We might not understand the timing of everything at the time, but God continues to prove His faithfulness in our lives.  If God can do all that He has in the past 4 years... I can't imagine what excellent adventures are ahead for us!

And of course, we continue to ask for your prayers :)  6 months down, many many decades to go!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

7QT #4: Good & Great Things

--- 1 ---

My husband and I are celebrating our first Christmas together in Dodge City.  Christmas will be a little different this year, because it is the first time either of us has been away from our families on Christmas day.  Not gonna lie, I'm sad that we can't make a trip to TN or TX to be with our loved ones... but at the same time I'm looking forward to being with my husband and beginning our own traditions as a new family. 

--- 2 ---

Dad shares a birthday with Pope Francis.  It's like a double rainbow... I don't know what it means but I'm sure it's something good.    

--- 3 ---

Every now and then the culture gets it right

I'm not a parent yet, but this commercial melted my heart and made my day.  Way to go Coca Cola!  We think babies are pretty awesome too :)

--- 4 ---

Speaking of babies... 

I'm an NFP Teacher-in-Training with BOMA!  I found out a few weeks ago that I passed the test and can officially start working on becoming fully certified.  Honestly, I'm freaking out on the inside a little nervous... but I'm looking forward to teaching Theology of the Body AND Natural Family Planning.   I'm a married TOB fanatic who is going to be teaching NFP (Catholic triple threat?).  I'm suddenly feeling dangerously awesome.... :-p But seriously, please pray for me because this is new territory and another lesson in stepping out of the boat!  :) 

  --- 5 ---

Whyyyyy M C A?

My husband and I joined the YMCA this month, and kicking off a 12-week fitness program this week.  Going to the gym is always a humbling experience... and my husband is one of those natural athletes that will have a six pack after a week of doing pushups and crunches.  Me on the other hand... I need some work.  But I'm really excited about doing this as a couple.  Maybe I should buy some matching sweatbands for Christmas?  #TEAMJOHNSTON

--- 6 ---

New year. New Adventures.

2013 was awesome.  Between getting engaged and getting Pope-Handed by the new Pontiff, this year had more surprises and blessings than I ever could have imagined.  The best part?  This is only the beginning.  Like most folks there's a lot of things that I'd like to see happen and a lot of goals I would like to accomplish before December rolls around again.  But before getting caught up in resolutions and weight-loss plans, or even dreaming up a magnificent "Things to Do" list... I really feel like I need step back and reflect on what it means to be a child of God and how this should impact my daily life.  It can be so easy to forget this, and I really think that God is inviting me to embrace this.  period.  Lead me Lord.

--- 7 ---

And finally... 

wedding picture o v e r l o a d....

We are very grateful to Tindall Farmer Photography for capturing some truly beautiful moments on our wedding day!  Just had to share a bunch few of my favorites!

7 Quick Takes #3: On the First Month of Marriage

--- 1 ---

Learning to Live (and sleep) Together

It's hard to believe we've been married one month already!  The first month has brought with it many blessings, a lot of change, and things I didn't really expect... like learning how to sleep with my husband.  No really, we are trying to figure out how to sleep in the same bed.  We've both been used to sleeping in a full size bed alone, and we are quickly discovering that's not enough space for the both of us. Blanket Hog is not something I expected to hear in married life, but alas, I am a robber of covers, causing my husband to lose sleep :-p.  Oh the drama.

Solution?  Queen air mattress in the living room.  A temporary solution until we make it over to the mattress store.  Oh the adventurous life of newlyweds :-p

--- 2 ---

NFP.  Stuff just got real.  

I've been using Natural Family Planning for the past three years.  I started charting before I even met Michael, and now that we're married NFP is even more awesome.

Thank you iusenfp.com :)

It's one thing to talk about NFP as an abstinent single woman before marriage, it's a whole other thing to start charting as a couple and really trying to be open to whatever God has planned for us.  "NFP-ing" together has been a great gift in our first month of marriage.  It has given me an even deeper appreciation for my husband and my fertility.  This has also been an opportunity to practice what I preach.  As spouses we are called to openness to life.  We said "yes" when my Deacon Daddy asked us "Will you accept children lovingly from God..." and we meant it.  And as we continue to chart, I think we are realizing that this is so much more than a way to "postpone or achieve pregnancy"; it is an invitation to pray about God's plan for our family on a regular basis. I know that NFP-ing isn't always going to be easy, but that's why we need the grace of the sacrament!

--- 3 ---

Marriage is not for me or my husband...

I was one of the millions of people who liked and shared the "Marriage Isn't for You" blog post by Seth Adam Smith that went viral this week.  I really liked what Seth had to say, and it was a wonderful reminder of what Michael and I signed up for a month ago.  But I also really liked Jeremy's blog Response which brought it all together:  Marriage isn't about you, OR your spouse... it's for God. 

In my Theology of the Body presentations for engaged couples over the years we spend a lot of time discussing why marriage is a sacrament and what that actually means.  God's love is free, total, faithful, and fruitful and as spouses we are called to witness that love to each other and to the world.  This is not about spending the rest of our lives trying to satisfy the deepest longings of our spouse's heart and make them happy all the time.  That's impossible.  God alone can satisfy the soul's ache, and our job as spouses is to lead one another closer to him.  This is one of my favorite Catechism quotes that seems to capture this well:

"The 'natural desire' for happiness...is of divine origin: God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it."- CCC no. 1718

--- 4 ---

Humility.

Honestly, amongst all of the wonderful things that comes with being a newlywed, humility is one of those things God is helping me learn whether I like it or not.  I've talked and taught about marriage/TOB/NFP/etc... for the past three years as part of my job.  I think God had me in marriage preparation long before we were engaged because He knows how stubborn and hard headed Deanna can be.  The best way to learn is to teach... but it is one thing to teach it, it's another thing to live it on a daily basis.  That's where that grace kicks in. I've got a long way to go, but it's so nice to know that both God and my husband are going to love me unconditionally :)

--- 5 ---

She cooks!

Michael is the real cook in this relationship, but this past week I stepped up my game and made dinner and a dessert (for those who know me, this is kind of a big deal :) ).  We had a wedding reception at our parish last weekend and so I made Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes.  Yum.  The first couple of batches weren't so pretty, but by round 3 I was baking like a boss.  

Last night I tried my hand at this Roasted Garlic Chicken Penne recipe minus the roasted bell peppers.  It actually turned out really well and I'm surprised at how much I enjoy cooking.  My next goal is to start cooking healthier and to also put our brand new crockpot to work.  The only thing I made in it so far is a bean casserole soup, but I'm ready to step out of my comfort zone and try something new!  If you have any favorite (easy) crockpot recipes please share!!

--- 6 ---

This is a picture of us making our way back to our group after getting Pope-handed.  I'd just like to note that my husband is a stud.  That is all :)

--- 7 ---

I love my husband.  No Really.  I love him.   

In my single days I remember seeing Facebook posts from friends that said cheesy things like "I love my husband!"  or "I have the best husband everrrr!" and think Ok we got it... Thanks for sharing... But I have to admit that there are days when I just want to burst in the room like:

Sure, I realize we've only been married a month, and this "honeymoon phase" will end.  And yes, there have been moments when he is not my favorite person to be around... but I love him!  It's not just that he is super smart, funny, a great cook and handyman, etc... but he is helping me get to heaven.  This is the start of a great adventure. :)

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

A Few Moments with Francis

p a x

To be honest it is hard to know where to begin this story.  I feel like the important details are not so much how my husband and I got to shake Pope Francis' hand (although having a Pope Hand is pretty awesome), but more so the lesson the Holy Father taught us in brief moments we shared with him.   

While it might look like I'm blocking my husband from shaking the pope's hand,
this is actually my husband placing the Holy Father's hand into mine :)

My husband and I were married on October 5^th in my hometown of Memphis, TN.  It sounds cliché to say this, but it really was the happiest day of my life.   After 3 years of working with engaged couples at my parish and teaching the Theology of the Body, it was wonderful to enter into the Sacrament of Marriage with my best friend, surrounded by our family and friends.  God is so good!  

Before we were even engaged, Michael and I knew that we would be going to Rome in October for our last Graduate Theology course.   Rome itself is an overwhelming experience.  Standing in basilicas that were built more than a thousand years before our country was founded gave me a deeper appreciation for our faith.  

From the very top of St. Peter's Basilica

One of my favorite places was St. Peter’s Basilica.   The moment we stepped into the building it felt like home.  The artwork was breathtaking, and the architecture impressive; but what made that basilica feel like I was standing in my home parish was the realization that this is where the foundations of our Catholic faith were laid.  It gave a whole new meaning to “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18).  

On October 16^th my husband and I attended the papal audience in St. Peter’s Square.  We were able to obtain Sposi Novelli  (Newlywed) tickets, which meant that we were invited to wear our wedding attire to the audience and sit in a special section that was a little bit closer to the Holy Father.  

Our seats were surrounded by barricades and we were several rows back in our section, so we assumed that we might get to see the Pope from 100 feet away, or if we were really lucky he might come down our side of the barricade to wave hello.  No matter what happened we were grateful for this experience.  

After the Holy Father’s address, the Vatican security guards instructed us to file out of the section.  I assumed that meant everything was over now and it was time to go home.  And then we realized they are taking us to Pope Francis!  They looked at each couple, making sure the men had their jackets buttoned up appropriately, and that the women had the proper attire.  It was one of those moments where we could not help but see how God placed us in the right place, at the right time, and before we knew it we were standing at the center of the platform waiting for the Holy Father to come and greet us.  

It is hard to put into words the thoughts and emotions we experienced when we saw the Successor of Peter standing right in front of us.   

Handing Pope Francis a prayer card from our wedding

As the Holy Father shook Michael’s hand I said (in Spanish) “Holy Father, we are from the United States.  We are praying for you.”  Pope Francis shook my hand, and then Michael handed him a holy card that we had given to our wedding guests which has a picture of the Divine Mercy.  I told the Holy Father, “This is a gift from our wedding.  We were married on October 5^th, the feast of St. Faustina.”  Pope Francis looked at both sides and smiled, and then he made his way to the next couple in line.  Michael and I stood there for a moment a bit awestruck at what had just happened. 

There’s one thing that struck me more than anything else about our brief moment with the Holy Father: He knows the gift of presence.  

When I think about our wedding reception and brief moments I was able to spend personally greeting our guests, I have to admit that I probably was not as focused on each person as I should have been.  Sometimes all I could do is blurt out a quick “Thanks for coming!  It’s great to see you!” before running back to the floor for another favorite song. 

 

And then I think about our moment with Pope Francis.  The Pope had to have greeted hundreds of people before he came to us.  He wasn’t just shaking hands and kissing babies because of some kind of obligatory Papal Duty; rather, he greeted each person, he looked at each one of us like a father lovingly looks at his children.    Even though he didn’t say a word, he listened to us.  He looked at us.  He smiled at us.  In that moment he was present to each person, sharing the love and joy of Christ even if it was only with a smile.  

Looking back at the pictures that were taken of us with Pope Francis it is still hard to believe that we were able to experience something so special.  The Holy Father gave us just a few seconds of his time, but he taught us that sharing the joy of our faith can be as simple as being joyful and fully present to each person we encounter.  That is probably one of the best gifts that we could ever receive as we begin our life as a married couple.   

Lord teach us how to be present to every person we encounter, and teach us how to be see the gift of each and every person we meet. 

be at peace
walk on water
be not afraid

d*