I'll never forget the moment I proposed to her, surrounded by the serene beauty of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Alabama on March 18th. The very next day, we sealed our commitment with the Solemn rite of Betrothal. What made it even more special was the significance of the statue of St. Joseph overlooking us; a statue that held a profound meaning in our journey.

You see, the day before she found me on CatholicCourtship, she stood in front of that same statue, pouring her heart out in prayer to St. Joseph, asking for guidance in finding a husband. Little did she know, her prayers were already being answered. Just a week after the platform went live, we connected, and from that moment on, our conversations flowed effortlessly.

Our paths crossed on August 17th last year, and as fate would have it, our wedding day is set for the same date this year. But amidst the joy and laughter, there's a delightful twist to our story. Early on, she jokingly asked if I'd been 'ducked' lately, referring to my Jeep. So, when I proposed, I presented her with a duck, a playful nod to our shared humor and the beginning of our inside joke.

Throughout our journey, we've been blessed with a similar upbringing and a profound sense of humor, but above all, it's been God's guiding hand that has brought us together. With a bit of romantic planning and a touch of humor, I managed to make the proposal day truly special, all thanks to the intercession of Our Lady and St. Joseph.

After a moving sermon by my Parish Priest that our prayers should be specific, I decided to pray the miraculous 54-Day Rosary Novena to Our Lady to meet my future husband. One month into the novena, I visited the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament to pray. In the side courtyard of the church is a statue of St. Joseph, who is dear to me as the protector of the Holy Family and the Church. As I stood praying by this statue, I begged that if it's God's will that I marry, that my future husband has a devotion to St. Joseph. I wondered if my future husband even existed, although I have always felt called to the vocation of marriage.

The next afternoon, I saw Jack's profile and scrolled down to see that his favorite saints are St. Michael and St. Joseph! That was a clear sign for me, and immediately sent Jack a message about his Jeep. Since then, I found all my prayers, hopes, and dreams in Jack. Every day we have known each other, I know that Our Lady and St. Joseph brought us together and have guided us through every step of our relationship. From our first meeting when Jack surprised me with a bouquet of the most beautiful roses I have ever seen, I knew God was guiding us together.

Leading up to the proposal, Jack dropped many obscure hints but I couldn't imagine how he could propose with starting a new job and moving states. My sister convinced me to take off work to visit the Shrine and as I prayed by the same statue of St. Joseph, a hat drops at my feet! I turn to find Jack standing beside me and he waits until I pick up and accept his hat in commemoration of an old Irish traditional before he drops to one knee. At that moment, the bells of the Shrine rang and I will never forget how Jack asked me to marry him and the overwhelming joy I felt when accepting Jack's proposal.

We will be married exactly 12 months after that first message, to the day! We cannot wait to count down the hours until the wedding and celebrate our new life together!