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.

Instructors Interview: How Did You Meet?

by Ryan and Sarah, 1st part

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Ryan:  It was March 12, 2004 – my birthday.  I ran to the mailbox expecting a thick envelope from Notre Dame accepting me into their Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) program.  Nothing.  Disappointed, I went into my apartment, hit play on my answering machine, and half listened to a series of birthday wishes.  The last one grabbed my attention:  “Happy Birthday, Ryan!  This is the principal at St. Marianne School.  Just calling to wish you a happy birthday and tell you how excited we are to welcome you to the City of Angels this fall.”  So I was accepted after all!  I would be quitting (what I once considered) my “dream job” as an internal auditor at the University of Notre Dame in order to answer God's call to the vocation of teaching.  After taking summer classes, my guardian angel would accompany me to the “City of Angels,” where 32 fourth graders awaited my arrival.  “This is big,” I thought.  But little did I know, God was orchestrating something even bigger.

4th grade in L.A. after soccer practice

Sarah:  I was preparing to graduate from college with a degree in education but felt the call to service.  Notre Dame's ACE program seemed to be a perfect fit.   

It would allow me to serve in an under-resourced Catholic school while still beginning my teaching career and, as an added bonus, I would be earning my Master's degree as well.  I had applied and interviewed and was simply waiting for notice.  Because I was not the typical candidate (I would already have a degree in education), I was a little concerned about my chances.  Spring break arrived.  I played on my university's tennis team and we were leaving for a trip to Hilton Head Island for a week of matches.  Just as I started to get in the shower, one of my roommates yelled that the mail had arrived and I had a packet.  I only had about 30 minutes to make the team van but I raced downstairs to see what awaited me.  I was accepted to the program and felt so grateful for the chance to fulfill my heart's desire of teaching and service.  What I didn't know was that letter would also be the start of another “call” from God. 

Ryan:  In late April, ACE hosted a weekend retreat for the new class and their principals.  After a weekend full of meetings and social events, I was sure I had met everyone.  The final event was a Sunday brunch in the North Dining Hall.  I got up from my table to head toward the buffet, when I spotted her.  She was sitting alone, waiting for the rest of her table to return with their food.  I thought, “Wait!  Who is that?!  Why haven't I met her?”  She was beautiful and had a mature, poised presence about her.  She seemed older than the other “ACErs”.  (Keep in mind, I was the “old guy”.  Most were right out of undergrad, while I had been out for 6 years.)  But that was the end of the weekend, and I would have to wait another month to find out the identity of this mystery girl.  The first day of classes, I made it a priority to figure it out.  Her name was Sarah, and she would be teaching in Biloxi, Mississippi.  Perfect!  My randomly assigned summer roomate was also headed to the Biloxi community.  There's my in!

Our whole "carpool" group

Sarah:  ACE Summer began and it was a full load.  As “first years” (it was a two year program) we not only had to take plenty of classes but also complete student teaching.  Besides having every single class together, Ryan and I were assigned the same school for our student teaching.  There were a total of five of us at the school and we would take turns driving each day so we could all carpool.  Naturally, when you spend required teaching and class time with people, you also start eating meals and socializing with them.  Meals would end and everyone would be outside the dining hall talking and suddenly Ryan and I would find ourselves alone, still chatting on the steps.  Ryan wanted to see how he matched up with a Division I tennis player and challenged me to a match (he lost and still does every time we play!).  I was also an avid runner.  He pretended to enjoy jogging as well and actually went with me one day (8 years later, that is still the ONLY time he has jogged with me!).  One night I had to go pick up my car from my parents house.  I asked Ryan to give me a ride half way there.  Halfway turned into having dinner at my parents house, meeting them for the first time, and a movie – our first date!  Surprisingly, after taking him to my parents house on our first date, Ryan asked me to “go out” again.  Eventually, we found ourselves spending some time near the gorgeous Our Lady of Lourdes replica grotto on campus.  It was here, under the watchful eye of our Blessed Mother, where we had our first kiss. (to be continued...)

Our first photo