I am such a sucker for a good “how did you guys get together story” and its one of my favourite questions to ask my couples.

 

Blurry engagement party photo of us babies

I love getting to hear both sides of the story, and seeing them react to each other’s versions.

Since I’m all about over sharing, I’ll go first and give you the coles notes version of our a little crazy love story.

Pascal and I met at a small bible school in the south of Germany in the Black Forest. He was arriving to the school a day after I had flown in and saw me walking along the road with a friend and made his mother pull over and ask for directions because he absolutely knew that we were not German and not from around there. I think our bare feet gave us away, Germans have an affinity for shoes that I never seemed to catch on to. Maybe it was my foreignness that drew him to me or my bohemian little bare foot spirit.

Our first time back in Switzerland together as a married couple

Most of the school we stayed friends and I just thought he was cute, apart from one long walk through town together and one game of hide and seek where we hid in the same dark basement room, I was very certain we were just friends.

Then as I arrived home, we began messaging more and more, everyday even. Then I received a package in the mail full of chocolate, tshirts, swiss souvenirs, and a letter that said we have to talk. I honestly was so blown away because I had just booked a trip back to Germany and Pascal had no clue I was coming back in two weeks for a visit. What could this gift mean? I had no idea.

Us at the Calgary zoo on the first leg of our road trip honeymoon to Vancouver Shenanagins at the Lacombe corn maze, probably about 3 years married.

When we set up a skype date I remember feeling so unsure about what his thoughts were and what he actually wanted. To his credit, Pascal is a no nonsense, say it like it is, straight up kinda guy. He basically said he loved me, he had been thinking about me since I left, he’d like to try dating online, and if it worked out he would MOVE TO CANADA TO BE WITH ME. Talk about taking on all the vulnerability and letting me feel safe and secure. I told him I’d be there in a week and a half and he should meet me in Nurnberg.

 

Pascal and I having gelato in Florence

I ran downstairs to tell my mom everything and she just told me to go there and kiss him and see if it feels right. Well, it felt right. We spent 1 week together in Germany and then dated online for a year before he moved here and we got married 6 months after that.

Were my friends and family so crazy nervous I was marrying a guy they had met once. Yes. But they trusted me, and lucky for me Pascal turned out to be the sweetest, kindest, most loyal and servant hearted man I know.

 

Okay, that was a lot of my love story, but I love it and I love sharing it and I hope it inspires you to wait for the person who puts you first, who values you enough to sacrifice for you, and who is willing to be vulnerable to make you feel safe.

 

That’s the story of how we began. I’d love to hear yours sometime.

Pascal and I at the zoo, close to five years married