Brian and Celeste: the love story

I have had fun reading a few other's stories of their dating and engagements. So here is ours.

Eleven years ago this past December, I sort of met this guy named Brian at a friend's annual Christmas get together. There weren't many people there. I say "sort of met" because I really didn't remember him too well after that evening. Come to find out though, he remembered me very well. He had liked me, but thought I had to have been dating one of the other guys that were there. Nope.

About a month and a half later, I decided to attend my first Catholic Campus Ministry retreat. I was a Junior. My friend who had hosted the Christmas party told me, "Oh, yeah, remember that friend of mine, Brian, who was at my Christmas party? (uh, not really). Well, he's on the Campus Ministry Team and will be leading the retreat." I was glad I might vaguely know someone. From what I understand, Brian had been told that I was coming and made a point to look handsome that day. I rode with him and some other girls to the retreat. Over the course of the retreat, I decided I REALLY liked him and even thought he must be a little too good to be true. But then I thought he was interested in this other girl who was on the retreat. Wrong.

Not too long after the retreat, we bumped into each other here and there on campus and at some point I gave him my phone number. I am not sure what my reasoning was and now that I look back on it, I think "How awful of me!!!!" But soon I got a phone call on a Friday during Lent inviting me out on a date for that Saturday. I was beside myself - a little excited - no, A LOT!!!! You see, I was not dating material, as some might be considered. I never had many dates or guys interested in me. I was considered a little too smart and I made good grades. Oh, well. So to think he was actually maybe sort of kind of interested - WOW!!!!!!!

The evening arrived - March 2, 1996. He met my parents and we were off. Had a great time eating out and going to a movie. After the date, he took me home and we stood out front saying goodbye. I said, "Maybe we could do something again sometime." His response????? A lackluster "Um, yeah." I went in. I cried to my mother. I knew he'd never ask me out again. Come to find out it was all part of his plan. What plan was that? I'm not real sure. But it must have worked because we're married. Soon after that date, on a group evening out country dancing, we wanted to spend all our time together. Every dance. But it was hard because the others didn't really know we'd started dating.

We dated for a little over a year before getting engaged. But we KNEW very early on that this was it. By our four month dating anniversary we were sure. I had to finish up school, but we began preparing and planning and dreaming and spending every minute of our spare time together. He proposed to me on a Sunday afternoon in July (July 6th). I had thought it was going to be a night or two earlier and I was wrong - and a little bummed. We went to eat in Galveston. Then he took me to an Adoration Chapel at a retreat center nearby. He had gone there beforehand and stashed a scrapbook he'd prepared with all kinds of little memories and mementos collected over the course of that year. Let me deviate one moment. We had this little habit of leaving messages in a sort of code - for instance, HG = Handsome Guy. We were really good at it. So anyway, after looking at the scrapbook, he got down on his knee and said.........

"WYMM?"

And I oh, so cleverly said, "Y."

And then he said in a dumbfounded tone, "What do you mean, "Why"?????? I just told you why!"

Giggling to myself, "No, Brian. Y."

Brian gasped, "What do you mean?"

"BRIAN, the letter Y!!!!!!!! As in 'Yes'."

And so it began. What a memory!

And just a couple of days over a year after our engagement, we were married. July 11, 1998. Eight and a half years and almost four children later, I'd say we were right about those feelings so early on. I am so glad we knew. I am so glad God made it clear in so many ways. This incredibly Catholic, handsome, sensitive, funny and loving man was NOT too good to be true! He was real. He was wonderful. And he was/is mine.

Happy Valentine's Day, dear husband! APGLHHG


Anniversary, 2006