Instructors Interview: How Did You Meet?

Ryan and Sarah, part II

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Shrimping off the coast of Biloxi

Ryan:  After a summer of falling in love, our future was uncertain as we faced a 2,000-mile-wide, long-distance relationship.  As we said our goodbyes on campus, I didn't have a good feeling.  Something was off.  Maybe she didn't feel the same way I did?  I headed to Illinois, where my friends and family had planned a going-away party.  I walked in to an awkward silence and very strange stares.  I eventually saw the reason.  I was shocked to see Sarah standing there!  She had gone to great lengths to surprise me!  This explained our awkward “goodbye,” and looking back at that snapshot in time when I saw her standing there, I can say this was the moment I knew I would marry her.  God had revealed my real dream job (teaching), but also threw in my dream girl while He was at it.

A quick side story:  On my journey to Los Angeles I stopped in Denver to meet Sarah's sister and brother-in-law.  We met at Coors Field for a Rockies game, after which I was to drive toward my next stop in Phoenix.  Plans changed.  After the game, I discovered that my guardian angel fell asleep on the job.  My car – packed with everything I owned – had been stolen!  I ended up staying with Sarah's family for a week.  When Sarah called after her first day of school, she was surprised to find out that I was not in Phoenix, but sitting on her sister's porch in Denver.  She was even more confused when informed that I was also wearing her brother-in-law's underwear!  There was no turning back now; I was officially part of the family!

In September, we both flew back to South Bend for a football game.

It was sitting at small table at O'Hare International Airport, waiting for our return flights, when Sarah looked at me with this quirky half-grin and said, “I think we are going to get married some day.”  The chills I get thinking about that moment are just as real now as they were then.

Sarah:  At one point, Ryan asked what kind of ring I liked.  So I gave him a not-so-subtle hint:  a picture torn from a magazine!  We planned to get engaged by early March of 2006, before “Basilica Monday.”  The first Monday in March, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus at Notre Dame opens up wedding reservations for the following calendar year.  I was sure a proposal would come at Christmas, since we had no plans to see each other again before March.  While finishing Christmas shopping at the mall, much to my dismay, Ryan suggested we go look at rings.  What?!  He hasn't even looked at rings yet?!  What happened to our plan? 

Ryan:  I was playing dumb.  I already had the ring, and the plans for proposal were in place.   I wanted to surprise her when she least expected it, as she had done for me.  On Christmas, I asked for her dad's blessing and told him of my plans for a surprise visit to Mississippi in late January.  I enlisted the help of a friend who travels a lot for work to get Sarah to the airport.  She  “had a layover  in Gulfport” and asked Sarah to meet her there for a cup of coffee.  Sarah's plans to show up wavered on and off several times, causing me much anxiety.  That week, her car broke down, and there were no rental cars available thanks to Hurricane Katrina.  Her parents and I encouraged her to borrow a house mate's car, but she “felt bad” doing so.  Through gritted teeth I said, “I don't think they'll mind.”  The night before, she told me how jealous she was that her roommate's boyfriend was coming to visit that weekend.  Little did she know, I was packing my bag as we spoke.  I flew overnight with a layover in Texas.  In the morning, Sarah expected our friend Meg to walk out, but was shocked to see me instead.  The look on her face was priceless!  I pulled out the ring – custom-made to match the picture (I wasn't taking any chances) – and dropped to one knee right there.  Thank the Lord for airports (and cell phones) during our long-distance relationship.  In the middle of one airport she had told me we would get married; in the middle of another, I made her prediction come true.

Sarah:  The night before our wedding, Ryan had one more surprise up his sleeve.  At our rehearsal dinner we exchanged presents.  Mine was large and flat.  I opened it up, a beautifully framed photo of the two of us – that I had never seen before.  It was from the moment of his proposal! Ryan had hired a “sniper” photographer to be at the airport and take (over 50) photos of our engagement.  He kept it secret for 18 months!  This was a surprise that would be hard to top!

Here is a link, which includes a video of me opening this surprise present.