Our story begins on a Sunday morning in August, in the prayer garden at St. Thomas Aquinas, the Catholic church at Iowa State University. Mass had just ended and I (Seamus) had gone to the prayer garden out the back of the church to help passing students scan a QR code to sign up for Bible studies. This happened to be on the way to the parking lot, so it was mostly families and older residents passing by.

After the sun had thoroughly warmed my back, out comes a lovely blonde girl, clearly a student. [It was only after we had started dating that I learned she had no reason for being there. She had no car in the parking lot and had only followed the mass of people leaving this way.] Though I was taken aback by her looks, my sense of duty prevailed and I was able to hold a suitable conversation with her. I directed it towards having her sign up for a small group, but her phone would not scan the code. No worries, as I had the short URL memorized and was able to direct her appropriately. Given both this girl’s beauty and the nature of getting her signed up, it was a rather memorable encounter. However, I was so absorbed in my duty that I had no way of contacting her. I was only left with her name, Laura.

Then we didn’t speak for two years.

It wasn’t until the summer of 2022 that I had the great fortune of seeing her again. I was working in Ames for the summer and she was living in the student apartment at the church then as well. On my days off, I would hang out in the student lounge, and she would be there, working on summer classwork and waiting to give visitors tours. We got to see each other more consistently there and talk with one another and whoever else was in the lounge. One day, I was sitting across from her and she looked at me. The light through the windows hit her eyes and made them bluer than the summer sky. I wanted to look at those eyes every day for the rest of my life. I even told my friends that I wanted to take her on a date, and that this girl would be the one that I would marry.

However, this is not a fairytale. While talking about our friends’ summer weddings, Laura said that she couldn’t see herself getting married. I did not see this as a challenge, like some men might. It was disheartening, and it was something I dwelt on. Perhaps, even longer than she did, but I was not going to give up without trying.

Evidently, during this time, Laura had caught on to the fact that I was interested in her. She had apparently asked her two roommates not to leave her alone with me for fear I might ask her out. I guess she’s known me rather well from the beginning.

As luck would have it, her roommates must have forgotten her request and did in fact leave her alone with me. I took this opportunity to ask her to climb a building with me that night (it had become something of a hobby during my time at Iowa State). Nothing difficult or tall, just somewhere to talk, and hopefully a memorable experience for her. She was clearly going back and forth about this, as she pushed the time to meet back about 4 times. Eventually, she gave in and I picked her up rather late. Looking back on it, I can’t really imagine her saying no, and I am truly fortunate that she didn’t. We sat atop a nearby strip of business and talked for hours, well into the night. I only remember about half of what was said, because the other half of me couldn’t believe I was there with her.

A week later, I was leaving the church as she was coming back from work and we bumped into each other in the same prayer garden we had first met. I was ready. I wanted nothing more than to ask Laura on a date, so that’s what I did. I tried to ease any concerns she might have. I guess that worked because at the end of that week, we had dinner and a walk in a park. It was almost the perfect first date (mosquitoes, don’t ask). One year later, I surprised Laura and recreated that first date, asking her to marry me at that very same park.

She said yes.

Things to Do

Sunday Mass

The District: Czech Village & New Bohemia

Cafe Saint Pio

Jones Disc Golf Course