once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale

a few weeks ago, my friend amanda married her wonderful husband, chuck.  i've been to half a dozen weddings or so, but this was the first wedding that i've been to that the couple just seemed so incredibly happy.  this was the first wedding that i went to that felt like, without a doubt, this couple would be happily married for the rest of their lives.  when i was living with amanda four years ago, she had met chuck.  after a bit of on-and-off dating, and finally really getting to know each other, they're now together forever.  it's been so fun watching them grow together.  

in april, my sister will marry patrick, another wonderful person, and what a truly perfect fit.  they're each other's favorite person, an absolute best friend.  meghan has been one person i've always looked up to, and i'm so excited to see her so happy.  my best friend alexa will get married in june to tom.  i couldn't be happier for alexa, she loves tom more than anything in this world, and they've dated now for seven years.  they've been through a lot, but the way they've both grown over the past years has shown that they'll be able to make this work for a lifetime.  then, in september, my friend, chris, will get married to stephanie, a girl i haven't met yet, but the first time chris told me about her, i knew they would get married.  it's funny, but i just knew, you can tell by the way a person talks about their person, and you just know.  when my friend dan met his girlfriend liz, i just knew as well, they'll definitely get married someday.

my closest friend in cincy, kreena, just got engaged to bobby.  another couple i knew would get married.  what an absolutely perfect couple.  they're so silly and fun together, always, despite both being in school, despite having a long distance relationship.  i hope that someday i have a relationship like theirs.  i read an e-mail bobby sent to our head of admissions, and couldn't help but cry, because of their fairy-tale story. bobby was kreena's student ambassador at kellogg.  now, two years later, they're engaged.  kreena is the person who made me realize there really are people out there who have genuinely good hearts, she is one of them, and since then, i've met two others who have genuinely good hearts as well.  one of these people is christine.  christine is dating kevin, and someday, they too will get married.

for all of these stories, it's been so special for me to watch my family and friends fall in love and grow together in each of these relationships.  the incredible amount of happiness that happens when they each found "their person" is something that is irreplaceable.  it's just the beginning of their fairy tale.  it'll be even more special to see them each continue to grow over the years as they start their families.  i hope i continue to get to be a part of their fairy tales every step of the way.