Our Story
Although messy, complicated and at times frustrating, our story is one that so clearly portrays the grace of God in its most real and authentic form.
The story according to Mary...
Beauty
Patrick and I officially met our senior year on an airplane going to Peru. Little did we know that it would be the start of something beautiful.
Starting freshman year of college, we both went to UGA. From the first day we got to campus, we hung out all the time, went to football games, random date-nights, and saw various concerts in Athens. We started dating in November after Patrick had taken a week to pray and fast about this decision. The year and a half to come was the most fun and exciting time of my life. We did all sorts of fun things together, like going to Perry, Georgia for the rodeo, and then to Vail, Colorado to go skiing for spring break. I always knew we would get married...how could we not? I had never had someone care for me, love me, respect me or talk to me the way Patrick did.
However, God's plan was a little bit different. I studied in Spain the summer after our sophmore year, and for the two months that I was there, I knew that God was building me up in Him for some reason. I had a feeling that Patrick and I were going to break up when I got home, and the Lord really prepared me to receive that news. So for the next year we were broken up. We saw each other with 505 on occasion but that was the extent of our relationship. I wasn't prepared for how much my heart would ache without him.
It wasn't until fall of our senior year that we started talking again. Patrick would come over to watch the Bachelor with me and a group of girls so I figured he had to like me again...what guy would watch the Bachelor with a group of girls by choice? We got to talking and eventually found our way back to being our old selves again around each other. Telling jokes. Playing. laughing. going out to eat. taking short weekend roadtrips, going hiking. talking on the phone really late. sitting in the back of his truck looking at stars. It was like we just picked up where we left off.
Throughout senior year we had a million challenges and obstacles. The Lord continued to teach us about what it meant to give one another grace, to fully forgive, and to love without limits. Never have we learned or grown so much, but it has been worth the fight. To be able to love more fearlessly and unconditionally has been a lesson with eternal significance.
The story according to Patrick...
Grace
Mary and I met our senior year in high school on a mission trip to Peru. Actually, I had known who Mary was since sophomore year, but she doesn't remember ever seeing me till that trip. It's fine, though. I was content to admire her from a distance.
When we both began college at the University of Georgia in the fall of 2003, we began hanging out a lot together. We enjoyed spending time together. I can still remember when she invited me to one of her sorority date nights. It was a last-minute decision, so last minute that I didn't even have time to get a tie for the My Tie date night. It was OK, though. I was so glad she chose me. I felt like the luckiest guy on Earth. I can still remember sitting on a bench by the fountain on North Campus after the date night and discussing the full moon.
It was in November of our freshman year that we made our relationship official. I was so nervous about making sure we entered into a relationship the right way. I wanted to be respectful of Mary and guard her heart and emotions. In the process I'm sure I freaked her out. I told her we should take a week of not talking to each other just to pray about our decision. That week seemed to last forever, but it was a good time for both of us to seek clarity from God. If nothing else, I think that week showed us that we could funtion without each other but that we'd rather not have to. That same sentiment continues today.
There was gap in our relationship during our junior year. That time brought with it its own unique challenges and struggles that have had intense and profound effects on us today both as individuals and as a couple. But most of all it was during that year that I realized that Mary was absolutely my best friend. I can still remember sitting with Mary outside Agua Linda, a Mexican restaurant in Athens, GA, near the end of that year-long hiatus and just enjoying being back spending time with her. It was like we hadn't missed a beat. We seemed to pick up right where we left off. We hadn't totally stopped communicating during the break (we were still involved in many of the same activities), but our time together had not been quite as engaging as when we were dating. I knew then and there that we couldn't be just friends.
We began dating again in November of our senior year and began the process of reconnecting with one another. I have found there are a few important things that bind our hearts and spirits together. The first is a belief in and commitment to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We desire to put Him first and in the center of our relationship. In addition to serving God here in the States, we are also both committed to serving Him overseas at some point in the future. God's heart is not just that every American would know Him but that every person from every nation would know Him. It is our desire to be servants together in that mission. Mary once mentioned to me when we were dating that she felt that God had placed her in my life to be a partner to me in missions. I can't think of a better partner.
Besides a mutual commitment to Christ, we also enjoy hiking, camping, road trips, traveling and anything else that allows to get away from the rythym of life and enjoy time together. Fortunately for me, she also has a slight affinity for baseball (my favorite sport) and football. And we can't forget the most obvious bond between us: the Georgia Bulldogs! Thank goodness I never have to have a "House Divided" lisence plate!
I look forward to a life of happiness together where we can continue to explore not just this world but also each other's heart, soul, and mind as we grow old together. I love you, Mary.
The Proposal
From the bride-to-be's perspective
Our freshman year of college, Patrick told me that if I could find a four-leaf clover, we could get married. He thought that would be a safe bet because he has still never found a four-leaf clover. I however, find them all the time. So over the years I would find them and save them, and put them in Patrick's Bible, journal, or in his truck.
The morning of August 21, 2007, I woke up to two dozen red roses on my doorstep. Tucked inside the vase of roses was a laminated card. The card had one of the clovers I had given Patrick on it, and a memory written down of him and I. It said "Memory 1 of 6," so I knew there would be six throughout the day. The second card was put on my car. It also had a four-leaf clover, and another memory.
Now the third card was special. Patrick had worked out with one of my best friends (Cameron-the maid of honor) to take me to the Foundry Spa for a massage and manicure (I didn't know until we got there!). Cameron lucked out because he paid for her to get a massage and manicure with me! While I was at the Foundry, I received my third card with the third memory.
I had class from 5-8, so after my spa appointment I had to run home and shower really fast to get ready for class. Patrick was out of town, but was coming in around dinner time to pick me up from class and take me to eat downtown. So needless to say, I was very antsy in my three hour class.
At 8:00 on the dot he picked me up (in a different car which I thought was weird) and took me to Last Resort for a really nice and romantic dinner. I got my fourth card at dinner with our cheesecake dessert. :) After dinner he asked if we could walk around North Campus for a little bit. The unfortunate thing was that it was 95 degrees outside, which made our stroll around campus somewhat miserable. I kept asking why we were still walking around because I was getting so sweaty. He kept telling me, "Mary, I haven't been back to campus really since I graduated. I just really want to take it all in." So of course I bought that. :)
We made our way over to this gated off area of the Founder's Garden. Tied to the gate was card number 5. Patrick took my hand and walked me into the garden a little bit. At the other end of the small courtyard there was a table set up with a white table cloth, two candles, two glasses and a bottle of champagne. He had a blank card set up between the candles. Patrick took two small flashlights out of his pocket and gave me one of them. He told me that there had been a theme today with clovers and memories, but I had to find the sixth clover. So I wandered around for a few minutes in the dark with my flashlight, and wasn't sure what in the world I was looking for. After a few minutes Patrick told me, "You don't have to look anymore, you won't find one because you don't need them anymore." He followed that line with a bunch of other really nice things, and in the process took the ring out of his pocket, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was so amazing.
I said yes and we hugged for a long time. He went over and lit the candles, and the lighter he used he had had my new name engraved on it with the date. Then on the otherside it said "Our flame will never die." He poured two glasses of champagne and we had a toast to the beginning of our lives together. Then Patrick turned the blank card around, and he had typed up the "memory" for that moment. It said something to the effect of "We'll always remember this moment. Now we can really start planning our lives together."
We were sweating so much it was hard to just stand there...so we gathered all our stuff and went to the car where we prayed over our marriage and our future family and our life together. We called all of our family and just had some sweet moments together.
So we drove back to my apartment and the whole time i was looking at my stunningly beautiful ring, and trying to figure out how i was going to tell all of my friends. So we got to my apartment, and I really just counted every step because I just loved walking next to Patrick, knowing that we finally get to really start planning our lives together. I got up to the front door and opened it, and there were a million of my friends standing around waiting on us to walk in! Ok, not a million, but twenty or thirty...and people kept coming in from all over athens and atlanta. My roommates and Patrick had made cookies and they had champage ready with rasberries in the glasses. There was fruit and chips and dip and other good snacks for everyone to enjoy. Melanie was on iChat so she got to be a part of everything. The first thing I did after I was done crying because I was so surprised, was I got to share the story of the day, and then Melanie gave the toast because she had known us the longest. Everything was just so perfect and in its right place. If you're familiar with Rob Bell, my thought was "This is sacred ground." Everything was where it was supposed to be. Life is good. Finally.
