Amazing

That's the best word to describe my fiancée. He has an amazing ability to make me feel comfortable, safe, loved, and appreciated every day. I know the statistics. Some people will never marry, and even among those who do, a true lifetime of bliss doesn't happen for everyone. Yet, Emmett is so amazing that I know our happiness will last, and we can overcome anything life throws at us.

I wasn't the gal that sits around whining about becoming an old maid, but I was fairly certain I would never get married. Not because I didn't want to, nor that the opportunity never presented itself. I just thought for me that it wasn't in the cards. But you know what they say, it happens when you least expect it.

When I met Emmet on November 30, 2007, I had a great social life. I was a confident, independent woman with a great career. I never felt something was missing just because I wasn't married. But Emmett changed everything! I found myself behaving differently. Thoughts about him that I normally would've divulged to my friends about a man were suddenly special and private--only for him and me. I came to appreciate the intimacy that privacy with the one you love can create. Even my physical being changed as my heart filled with joy. I found that I was energized enough to be productive and successful without getting more than a couple hours of sleep each night. I made more "me time" as I began wistfully daydreaming about the conversations Emmett and I had, rehashing them in my mind and finding a great sense of joy in the recall. I gave a part of me, and I gained the love of my life.

We met at the R-Kelly concert in New Orleans, not the most likely place to find the man of your dreams, but I knew I'd marry him the first day I met him. I never imagined I would meet my future husband the way I did, but I wouldn't change a thing. (We will definitely have a story to tell our children!) He turned my necklace around and granted me a wish! Yet, despite my immediate attraction to him, I was cautious. The most difficult part about falling in love with Emmett was allowing myself to do so. No one likes to feel vulnerable because that can lead to rejection. But something made me feel different about him, and I just knew that it was going to work out fine. It sounds incredibly cliché, but it's true: you just know. If you've found true love, you know exactly what I mean--it's impossible to explain.

Choosing the wedding date was very easy because my grandparents were married on July 2, 1949 and have been happily married for 60 years this July 2, 2009.

They are a shining example of true love and commitment from which any young couple could learn. Emmett and I are inspired by their marriage and look forward to continuing our family's story of lifelong love.

Real love is rare. And I'm lucky I found mine.