Where do we begin...? Or, what variation of the story do we tell? Dorothy's? Matt's? Maybe we'll go with a friend's perspective. Actually, we are going to try and tell it together. Let's start with an analogy. You know those cars that are a little challenging to start at first? You may have to turn the key a few times... hear the engine roar... think this might be the time it's actually going to start? Well, that is kinda Dorothy and Matt's relationship. Let us explain.

Dorothy and Matt met back in 2019 at Catholic Youth Summer Camp. Initially, they were part of similar friend groups, but really didn't get a chance to become close friends until the fall when they were in Damascus' full-time missionary program. Over the course of the year, they got to know each other decently well, seeing that they had many mutual friends who hung out regularly. After being around one another more and more, it didn’t take long, by the Spring of 2020 they began to fall for each other. Was it the real deal? While both serving at an intensive summer camp all day, everyday, with very little time to communicate, the relationship came to a halting stop right as the Summer was wrapping up. It wasn't meant to be, so they thought.

Our attraction towards each-other never left. Time and time again I saw Dorothy love when it was hard, sacrifice her own preference for another, or do the hard thing. Matt always had such a pure heart, and always tried to navigate through a clear and honest lens. Through the ups and downs of our first "fling," we both realized that it was really the interior work that we had to do with Jesus. We entered into a season of purification and pruning!

Fast forward to the Spring of 2021. Woah look at this, Matt and Dorothy are talking again! Who knew this would happen? Literally everyone but us. Those special butterfly feelings started to come back, the attraction became stronger and Matt and Dorothy were once again on a roll. They began to see one another in a different light. They started to notice qualities in one another that they were unable to see before. However, although they had once again expressed interest in dating, Matt wanted to hold off until after the summer. Va, va… the starter makes its mighty attempt to get that engine roaring. Hopes were high. But alas, the summer ended and Matt decided that he didn't want to move forward.

Shoot. The crowd was for sure scratching its head after that one. Boys will be boys, they said.

But wait, what is this, a few months later in the Fall Matt is interested again? He even takes her out on a date... one, two, three dates?! Things were a bit different this time, Hopes are back alive! Higher than they ever had been in the past. Va Va Va, Vroom, the engine starts! Wait, did it, oh no! It just died out again. Palm straight into the face. Once again, Matt decides not to move forward. What's up with this guy? Is he really that blind they say? How could he be so foolish? Don't they know how much money she has? I mean who wouldn't want to pay for all those clothes and shoes. That's every man's dream. And on Dorothy’s end, how could she still have a crush on him? Two years and she is still stuck.

Well, at this point, it seems all hope is lost. That was the third time and it surely wasn't the charm. In our little analogy, Matt and Dorothy began to walk away from the car, for the last time. But wait, something happens. Not again, the crowd says. The emotional whiplash is too much! And Dorothy’s little heart, who will care for that?

Matt forgot his water bottle in the car and has to go back for it. As he reaches for the water bottle, a drip of sweat rolls down his forehead and drops onto the steering wheel. The drop was like a 500-pound block of lead making contact with fresh concrete. It was as if the earth shook. As his eyes draw to the microscopic puddle he sees in the background those keys. O the keys. They sit in the ignition as a taunt. Matt stares at them, frozen, paralyzed by a mixture of hope and fear. Should he turn them once more? What if it doesn't work…? The humiliation. What if it does. The bliss. Slowly his hand moves to the keys... On its way, it is met by the literal hand of God who guides it at the perfect time. He grabs hold of the key. The moisture from the sweat on his hand almost causes his grip to slip. He turns the key, slowly, as if the world had stopped for a moment. A noise resounds... Va, va, va... VROOM.

The engine starts with a powerful roar. Dorothy hears it. Startled by the noise, she sees Matt in the car turning it on... A nervous smile is seen on her face. A mixture of emotion. Hope has been restored. On Monday, April 10th, Matt Mirabello asks Dorothy Allwein on a final first date. The fourth attempt. Dorothy nervously says yes and gives Matt one more try. After a few dates, they became official. It was not all moonlight and roses, but they were taking steps forward and this time, Matt was truly all in. He wasn’t afraid of not having everything together. Dating isn't for the completely healed person or the person that has it all together but the beautiful imperfections of two people choosing one another.

That Summer of dating brought a lot of healing that needed to be had and trust that needed to be built from the previous years. It was only by the grace of God that they were able to keep moving forward. Little baby crawls turned into steps, and steps into strides. They started to fall deeply in love. After about 5 months, Matt began to consider engagement. After talking to friends and family, he bought the ring. The ring was in his hand by month 7 and on her finger Saturday, December 9th, month 8. The rest is history.

Both Dorothy and Matt give all the credit of their love to Jesus. Because of His grace, they are both deeply in love, not a surface type of love, but a real and true love. They have been through thick and thin, hills and valleys, and because of it they know their love will change the world. We still have a long way to go, but every day it just gets better and better!

M&D