How I Met My Husband

April 18, 2010. 

“Do you think I should really do it?” I excitedly asked my best friend. “Why not? You know what you are looking for, I think it’s a great idea, go for it!” Decision made. I had just landed my first nursing job and was about to graduate college, and was determined to find a seriously practicing-Catholic husband. (I was very specific with the Lord;) 

Later that Friday night, hidden behind the cubicle wall, I pulled the visa card from my wallet. With a racing heart and upright posture, I entered the numbers onto the screen. “Welcome to Catholic-Match, you’re in!” Oh my gosh, I really did it. As something like that popped on the screen, and I quickly uploaded what I thought was a modest looking photo, completed the basic bio information and hit the search button. It was almost 9pm on a Saturday night in college, and I appeared to be the only one on the second floor library. My heart skipped a beat as the closing librarian made her rounds. I couldn’t let anyone know what I had gotten into. “Omg, what am I doing?” Screen close. No one can see this. I relocated to the 24 hour café first floor. I opened the screen back up, and from what I can remember after a few profiles down, I saw Nicks. So handsome! I thought. I have a great devotion to our Blessed Mother, I love basketball, dancing, big families, conservative politics, woah this guy sounds too good to be true! In my sanguine nature, I composed an excited message something like, “HEY, you sound awesome! I am new to this, but I love your profile and wish you all the best! God Bless!”I was determined to marry a man who would lead me deeper in my faith, not belittle it as my recent past relationships did. I had heard of CatholicMatch from a woman in my moms prayer group,“This couple that met on CatholicMatch pray the rosary together and go to adoration together, they are getting married next month!”That planted the seed of determination in my mind. It was such a specific prayer Nick says after receiving my message, he was determined to get to know me more. We exchanged a few emails, and set up our first “chat.”The rest was history :) 

April 18, 2020 

Ten years later. Our three beautiful sons alternate between napping and loudly messing their rooms while he works at his temporary office amidst the current pandemic quarantine. In his gym shorts attire, peering through his glasses lenses to an open laptop on the kitchen table, he works. A man of little words, he won’t bother me or request anything. He will run to the crying baby, cook the dinner I’m too tired to make, pack the dishwasher, and still spray his cologne. He will forgive me again, read the Bible to our kids, and massage my feet. He will lead our family prayers, and ensure we don’t miss the sacraments. He will show me the face of Christ as he dies to himself daily. 

I will escape to our room and pull out my box of journals. March 2010, Lord, please give me a holy husband! I want a man who will lead me in my faith, Lord, that is all I want!He was the man I was searching for when I first logged onto a dating site ten years ago. 

How good is our God how he answers our prayers so specifically? Why do we forget His goodness? Why do we fail to see His hand in our every life’s detail? Why do we continue to doubt for our future? This is the Christian journey. We will never arrive here on earth, it will be a constant battle until we reach our heavenly home. But reflection and remembrance of our past answered prayers can be a help on our journey. 

I wonder what prayers He answered for you ten years ago today? 

In Joy, 

Alex