Lifelong love: Tanya and Brandon

newlyweds

Tanya and Brandon "met" on a blogging site several years ago, and began an online acquaintanceship. After losing touch for a time, they accidentally found each other again on facebook! (Gotta love Friend Finder!) They picked up right where they left off, and then began to pursue a long-distance relationship: they lived more than 800 miles from each other.

They met face-to-face for the first time on Valentine's Day, 2008, when Brandon braved a Minnesota winter and a Greyhound bus to see the woman who had stolen his heart. (No worries; they met in a very public place! Safety first!)    

Brandon and Tanya married later that year. At 19 and 20, a lot of people didn't believe that they had what it would take to make love last; but here they are, four years later, and going strong.

They have endured the indescribably painful trial of losing their first child to miscarriage, not long after they married. They had not yet had much time to just be newlyweds, and enjoy and study each other, when they were faced with heartbreaking reality. Their fledgling marriage was shaken to its core. They were unable to cope. For a while it seemed their story was over before it had even begun.

Brandon and Tanya made the decision to fight for their love. They sought counseling from their church family.  They began to work through some problems. They made a little progress.

Current photo,
complete with a brand-new blessing!

Used with permission from
  http://www.jodilynnephotography.com/ 

They reached a turning point at a Family Life Weekend to Remember marriage conference. Tanya says that they learned so much, and whatever was discussed among the men's group really seemed to make an impact on her husband in a positive way. They are falling deeper in love every day. Tanya believes that it is God that kept them together.

"Always put God first. The rest will fall together."

They have since been blessed again with a healthy baby boy! I wish them many, many more years of happiness and love. This is only the beginning!


If you'd like to share your lifelong love story, please email me at foreversweetheartsbridal@gmail.com