Lauren and I (Jaris) cannot thank you enough for the opportunity you’ve
provided for us and for so many other Catholics looking for their
"needle in a haystack." I first browsed her profile and emailed her on
January 1, 2005. She wrote back the next day and, after a little over a
week of emailing, I asked her if I could call her.
Our
relationship has been magic ever since. She made the four-hour drive up
to Enid, OK for our first date the night before I graduated flight
school, February 17. Although the thought of meeting my family so soon
after our first date was a bit intimidating, it turned out to be a
wonderful weekend. After that, despite the 200-mile distance between us
and both of our busy work schedules, we could not wait to see each
other on every available weekend. It only took a few months to know she
was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
Lauren
decided to move closer during her break from teaching in June and July,
so that we could spend more time together and continue to discern God’s
will for us. His resounding “Yes!” only became more clear and strong as
our courtship continued more wonderfully than either of us could have
ever imagined. On July 25th, after I was sure we both knew, I asked her
to marry me in a small chapel at my parish where we attended mass
together during the summer. We will be married there on June 10, 2006.
Just after the first meeting with my pastor I asked Lauren if she
thought we ever would have met had it not been for Catholic Match, and
we agreed that the chances would have been slim to none. Both of us had
begun to wonder if we would have to compromise some of what we were
looking for in our partner, particularly the quality of being active in
and excited about sharing the Catholic faith. However, thanks to the
wonderful ministry you provide, we could not be happier with each other
and with the unbelievably strong bond of faith and love in each other,
and in our Lord Jesus Christ that continues to grow between us. Thank
you for helping us to find our best friend and begin our life together.
