Everyone wants a butterflies-in-your-stomach still-in-love-50-years-later kind of love. We all dream of our Prince charming in a white horse and carriage, but real marriages are based on much more.
The year was 2014. In a rare encounter while out with friends on a Summer night, Amneris and Fernando (Fen, as his friends know him) crossed paths. Their relationship, however, didn't blossom overnight. Amneris confesses that initially she was not attracted to Fen but his charm and charisma was undeniable. After months of talking & getting to know each other, they became best of friends. Trials came early for this friendship as just a few months later, Fen got into a near-death automobile accident. After spending weeks in a Puerto Rico hospital through physical therapy, several procedures and countless upon countless of prayers from the church community, Fernando was back on St. Croix. This is when their tight friendship turned into an even tighter relationship. They officially became a couple on March 14, 2015 and have been inseparable since!
"All the best love stories have one thing in common, you have to go against odds to get there."
As a mother of three beautiful girls, Amneris' main focus has always been to raise her daughters with a man who would not just love her deeply but embrace and love her daughters even more. Needless to say, Fen has filled that position astonishingly well! He has become the Father Amneris always wanted for her girls. Now that is loving someone UNCONDITIONALLY!
Unconditional love is more intricate and complicated than simply loving your partner “no matter what.” Unconditional love requires stepping back and seeing the bigger picture of your partnership and how to maintain the health of the relationship so that love can continue to thrive and grow. Although Amneris says she is still surprised as to how her love for Fen quickly grew, when we surrender to God and let HIM take control of our lives, we can rest assured it will all fall into place.
Fast forward two years and three months to their wedding nuptials on June 11, 2016. Surrounded by many of their close family, friends and fellow church members, Amneris & Fernando vowed to be together forever--"To have and to hold, in sickness and in health".
Amneris is pictured here with her beautiful daughters Jaleisha (5), D'laisha (7) & Yaleidis (8).
"Keep God always close to your heart, make him the CENTER of your relationship and your union will last forever".... words of the very wise Minister, who is also Fen's father, Pastor Fernando Suarez, performed a very special ceremony for this son and welcomed his now daughter and new granddaughters into his family.
As if the ceremony was not already beautiful, Fernando surprised and wowed the bride and guests as he not only made a commitment to marry Amneris and love her forever but also made a commitment to his daughters as well. He gifted each girl with a "promise ring"--can we say tear-jerker!
Love is so beautiful to see when it grows between such amazing people like Amneris and Fernando. I know that although difficulties are inevitable in any relationship, they have proven that the saying "stuck together" isn't just for glue.
To Amneris and Fernando I say, you are two great people I have had the privilege of knowing and it’s nothing short of amazing to see that you two have fallen in love. May your marriage be a union of pure love for each other and may you continue to grow to bring out the very best in each other.
