It’s been so busy lately that I hardly have any time online to blog or catch up on my google reader. I had a few moments this morning and I saw that Hailey started a Heart of Gratitude 14-day challenge for your husband. I looked at the date to see when it started and I realized it was today, November 9th, which is a special date for me and Brian.
It was thirteen years ago on November 1 when a young man left the seminary after a year and a half stay. He had discerned that it wasn’t his vocation and felt God calling him to a new chapter of his life. He thought about marriage but he had dated before and it never really worked out. He recalled reading about a new Catholic online dating service (AMSCOL) and gave them a try, filling out their questionnaire that day. Later he knelt before God and humbly poured out his heart. He told God that if he was called to the vocation of marriage, then God would have to place the girl on his doorstep. With a resolved sigh, he began the first day of his novena trusting that it was all in the hands of Our Lord and Our Lady.
Meanwhile, a young girl (although she felt old at the time) was ready to give up on finding “the one.” A month earlier she took one last ditch effort and joined a new Catholic online dating service (AMSCOL) She wrote a few guys but it was just friendly. Then she saw a new post from a young guy that recently left the seminary. His profile answers made him sound like a funny, holy, incredible man of God. She knew it had to be a fake. She wanted to write him but felt he was way too holy and good for her. Instead she printed out 7 or 8 profiles of guys she considered writing. She took them to her sis and asked her which she should write. Her sis looked them over and handed back the profile of the young man and said, “Write him.”
So on November 9, 1998, the last day of the young man’s novena, the young girl wrote him her first email. God placed the young girl on the virtual doorstep of the young man. Thirteen years and four kids later, despite the ups and downs of married life and parenthood, they are still hopelessly in love. (To read the longer version of this story, you can go here.)
You know, when I was dating Brian, my mom would always half-jokingly say that “he has to be a saint to put up with Bobbi…” Like I was some kind of volatile, overly emotional crazy girl. (I can hear my sisters saying, “Shocker.”) Seriously, I’m not that bad but Brian does put up a lot with me. Let’s face it, girls in general are complicated and each brings their own brand of crazy into the mix. So I’m all for showing my hubby some gratitude for being the incredible man that he is. And I think it’s providential to begin on the anniversary of the email that started it all!
Let the gratitude begin!
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