Our Story~Shared at Our Reception Family Dinner

I am just going over in my mind what to say, and where to start, "Our Story,"

Honestly, I think I was Ron's first choice when he started looking around to date.

The funny thing is that I was a little slow to respond to him, and he took it as 'not interested." However, when I was back from out of town from Seattle I jumped on board to find he had some interest. I shot an apologetic message and explained the delay to respond.

He scolded me at first until he realized it was unavoidable. He was first attracted to my "roots." I was also attracted to his upbringing in Mexico, speaking Spanish all his life, his dedication to the Lord and education. He came across as a gentleman and a very hard worker. He and I started talking on the phone and that first conversation was like a bishop's interview! He was very thorough in what he wanted to know, like where I was from, and how did I have a Latina background with my name, which was a very common name in that culture. I spelled out my last name in one of our first emails, R-O-D-R-I-G-U-E-Z, when he hypothethically cornered me into confessing my heritage!

Be a bachelor, he had the upper hand in choosing his lady friends and when to seek out the one to make his final choice. I supported him all through his ups and downs, and was quite persistent and he would tell you himself. I felt a strong divine intervention along the way, and even asked for a fair chance in the beginning to "tug at his heartstrings.

We have had a lot of fun teasing with each others' sense of humor and have had a Bilingual courtship! Sometimes an expression would fit better to say it in Spanish and laugh ourselves silly about it. We have had a beautiful experience getting to know what the other is like. We like a lot of the same things . . . eating chorizo for breakfast, along with Mexican hot chocolate and Pan Dulce, (sweet bread). Pure Mexican style if you ask, me. we like to eat simple things together--like a warm bowl of just cooked buttered pinto beans, fresh cut and slice Mangos, or a sweet treat of chocolate turtles or chocolate covered almonds. I think I had him early on when I told him I fixed homemade tamales for my family here at home. He could hardly resist once he figured out I "was out to get him." LOL.

He occasionally gave me mixed messages when he talked to me on the phone or sent a text, On one hand he would say I was such a good woman and the Lord would bless me,then in the next breath tell me to not give up or send me sweet texts with lots or affection in his salutations. However, I never gave up or became insecure about him. He may have had to go through the process of elimination but I always had peaceful feelings about him. I am grateful he worked through some of his challenges with his selection process. I was always very supportive and had the thoughts, that "if it was meant to be for US, it would not matter if he had to go and find out on his own, which one was right for him.

As we talk about this and how things came together for us, I tease him to say, I was like the fable, The Tortoise and the Hare, but me being the tortoise. I may have been slow, (and steady) but I was the one and only one who crossed the finish line!

There was so much of a spiritual connection than one could even imagine. I had prayed (for years) for someone who could go on a Spanish speaking mission with me.
I knew I was not going alone, but still longed for the day for that desire to be fulfilled with an eternal companion. I made it a matter of many prayers to bless and keep that special man who was out there waiting to be found, and find me. Then, I prayed as if I already had a husband and thanked the Lord, for the most wonderful husband and companion. It worked. My faith was so strong that I knew God would keep his promises to me, and remember what he had told me over the years of what to expect and be happy forever.

I also put it in my thoughts for God to please allow my own father and mother to find him and "bring him to me." I knew my father would want the best for me, both my Heavenly and earthly father. I trusted completely that it would happen some day, in the Lord's own due time. [Sometimes that could mean a couple of decades]
Earlier this year, I put it out there to Heavenly Father, that I WAS READY, and to please bring me my Prince Charming. I claimed my blessings and persisted to prepare myself and keep worthy of that.

My ideal was to someday find a good man who, like Captain Moroni was so good that the very jaws of hell would shake at his presence. A few years ago, I told one of my sons that maybe I would have wait until the millennium to find a worthy companion. He told me that could mean he would be 700 years old. I replied, "I will take Captain Moroni then. “ So, that became my standard. Some would say those hopes and expectations were too high. But, not too high for me, nor for God.

There were a handful of men whom I dated at least once. That is really all I needed to know about them. I moved forward, and did not want to date just to have fun, or go nice places. I know I was guided to know how and what to do to make Ron my Sweetheart.


He truly is my Sweetheart. I am so very blessed and feel honored, as he asked me once, (in that interview) how I would feel coming into an already established family. My response was, "I would be honored." He then asked, "how would my family accept him?" I said, "They would LOVE YOU!" and they do, and I DO TOO!

There is so much more that could be said, but for now, this is sufficient. We will be making a record of all of this as we go.

God bless you all as we come together to blend families and go forward with faith, joy and happiness.

Anna


Post Script

A few comments about Connie:

It has been a spiritual experience to feel Connie's presence from time to time. I am thankful to her for all the things she helped Ron become who is he today. Even from the beginning of Ron and me getting to know one another, we talked about the contribution that she made to him too. We recognize the eternal partnership there and the future one as well. It feels like I know her too and know she is like a sister to me too. Getting know her children also gives me much to know about who she was in life as well. It is hard to separate the child from the parent. They are so much a part of us. I know I cannot help but to know Connie through her posterity.

I cherish those thoughts as I am getting to know each of you and appreciate the acceptance you give to me as being a part of it into the family. I know without exception that is how my children are comfortable about Ron, their "new" dad.