OUR STORY

I met Elizabeth in the Emergency Room. She brought Josie in with a dislocated shoulder. I treated Josie and Elizabeth thanked me, and that was it…until the next day. I was running a little late to 4:30 Mass and the church was full. There was only one seat available in my section, so I sat there. Guess who was sitting next to me. Elizabeth. We laughed and talked a little.

Every Saturday at 4:30 we would see each other. We talked a little, but Elizabeth was not one to stay late after Mass was over- sometimes, I had to chase her down. One Saturday, I wished her a Happy Mother’s Day, and she almost wished me a Happy Mother’s Day back. Another Saturday I “chased her down” to share the news about my daughter, Megan, getting engaged. We had a great conversation, and I felt like I could tell her anything. Finally, one Saturday after Mass I got up the courage to ask her to dinner. Amazingly, she said yes. I picked her up and we went to an Italian restaurant, Bella Milano. We had a great conversation. Again, I felt like I could tell her anything. On the drive home we decided we were just going to be friends; however, we kept texting each other.

We went on another “friendship date” this time a hike in Pere Marquette Park. I left a birthday card for her in her mailbox, which she didn’t find for almost a week. We decided to go out to dinner again and this time it was clear that we were more than just friends.

We started dating and we realized how much we had in common. We both love hiking and traveling, sitting at home and watching old episodes of The Office and Friends, we both have awesome daughters, we both value our Catholic faith, and we both come from loving families.

In a very short time, I introduced her to my daughters, and it wasn’t long before I was flying up to North Dakota to meet her family. Everyone around us knew that we were committed to each other. I made more trips to North Dakota to meet her large family.

We enjoyed baseball games, musicals, more hiking, cooking class, dinners out, and time with friends and family. She accompanied me to all three of my daughters’ weddings. Last year we planned a trip to Montana to meet her brother. We decided to go hiking in the mountains near Red Lodge. As we were hiking, I told her I had something for her in my backpack. She thought it was Nerd Clusters candy. It turned out to be an engagement ring. She said yes. We coyly told her whole family the great news, and I phoned my family to tell them the news.

What a story! Two people who were going to be single the rest of their lives meet and fall in love. Now we are planning a wedding. We bought a condo. We are making plans for the future. We want to enjoy our children and grandchildren. We want to travel to lots of National Parks. We want to continue watching old comedies and going to musicals. And we are so looking forward to seeing all of you at our Wedding on July 11 in Bismarck, ND.