How We Met...

It's funny because they say that some things happen for a reason. I've come to be a strong believer of this and Manny and I's story illustrates exactly why people like me believe. When I left Italy, my mission president was very insistent on the advice that I should, and I quote, "bloom where I was planted." The thought of returning to and living in Clear Lake, my childhood stomping grounds, was completely unappealing. I had been planning for 4 years on grad school and though I applied to a school in Houston, it was always more of a back-up/joke. After spending a few months at home trying to return to American and normal life, I quickly became anxious to get a job, make new friends, be involved in church and the community, etc.. Before I knew it, I was in too deep to be uprooted. The thought of leaving Clear Lake soon became impossible, impractical and ridiculous to me. Despite the fact that Houston had always been a place to me where I felt out-of-place in more ways than one, I felt good about my new situation.

Making new friends always includes new boy friends. I cannot complain because in this department I made some great friends. However, date after date, I felt more alone and out of place and in the end, they were exactly that- just Boy Friends. In May, I met a move-in. At first, I thought that he was just another one of those bug-boys who stop in for the summer. However, when I heard that he was getting an apartment, I decided I might as well fellowship him. At activities I would strike up a conversation. I could tell he was getting interested in me, but I kept my distance, wary of breaking his heart. Despite my defenses, I quickly discovered that I preferred his company to any other's. The more I talked to him, the more I realized we had in common. His comments fascinated me and about one month, one "official" date, and several conversations later, we were exclusive.

The rest you know. We fell in love, we got engaged, and now we are getting married. It hasn't been easy, as nothing is, but it sure has been the ride of a lifetime! With all the bad things happening in the world today, there are a lot of skeptics, but of this one thing I am sure: that some things always happen for a reason.