It was such a pleasure to spend the day with Jennifer and Dominik’s family and friends. They were so fun and welcoming I wanted to continue to spend time with them long after the wedding was over. It was a wonderful day full of laughter and love. I particularly enjoyed the unveiling of the gift from Dominik (a book of all of the emails they wrote to each other) the amazing band, and the boat rides. Literally their story should be made into a movie as it is one of the greatest love stories I have ever heard. God certinally willed them to be together as they were in the same places at the same time all around the world but finally met on a plane. This is Jennifer’s story (Dominik’s is in German so I used hers)
“It was December 2009 and I was giddy with excitement about the idea of meeting my parents and brother in the Addis Ababa airport in just a couple hours. I had been living in Ethiopia for just over a year and I was about to see my family for the first time since I left home. The plan was to meet each other on a connecting flight to Arusha, Tanzania for a weeklong safari followed by an Ethiopian Christmas holiday, and finally an Egyptian adventure for New Years. It was set to be quite the marathon family vacation in Africa!
Tears rolled down my cheeks as we hugged each other in the terminal of the Bole International Airport and waited to board the plane. I was elated to be with my family and have nearly a month of holidays in front of me! However, my joy and excitement didn’t stop me from noticing a handsome stranger a few rows in front of me on the airplane. He smiled at me; I smiled back. Sandwiched between my family members on the plane, it was hardly an opportune moment for flirting, but I couldn’t help but beam when I saw his smile.
Arriving in Tanzania I was more than flustered with the passport and vaccination control. I was preoccupied with paperwork but I do remember watching the guy who smiled at me walk out of the airport. I knew there was something special about him but I knew nothing else. I remember desperately just wanting to know his name.
That week was one of the best of my life; family, adventure, and luxurious treats I had not had access to for a year. I daydreamed once or twice about that special guy while we traveled through the national parks looking for wildlife. I imagined who he might be. However, it was just a fading memory of a kind stranger with an adorable smile, that is all, I thought.
One week of family time later, we were back in the Arusha airport lounging on hard plastic chairs and waiting for the airport’s lone counter to open. Our cameras were filled with pictures of lions, leopards and wildebeests, and we were looking forward to returning to Ethiopia to start Part II of our family vacation. My mind was dancing with memories of Tanzania and thoughts of all the things I wanted to show my family in Ethiopia. I was completely caught off guard when out of the corner of my eye I spotted that guy walking into the airport.
All other thoughts disappeared and my heart started pounding so hard I thought everyone could hear it. Stay calm, Jennifer. Be cool.
I nonchalantly went about my normal routine of waiting and conversing with my family. No one realized I was freaking out in my head. I played it cool and before I knew it we were checking in for the flight and boarding the plane. Oddly, my family did not get the seats we were originally assigned, and instead the tickets all read “A.” The back of the plane was fairly empty and we were each given our own window seat in a line with empty rows next to us. We remained in our separate row (besides my parents) to stretch out and rest up for the remainder of the marathon family vacation.
I had zoned out, starring out the window and likely listening to Taylor Swift when I spotted someone standing in the aisle. It was him.
“Do you mind if I sit next to you?”
My cheeks turned red and my palms got sweaty as he took a seat in my row. He stretched out his hand and said, “I’m Dominik.” As we talked and laughed (and as my brother listened from the seat in front of me) he changed my life forever.”