Our Love Story
Dr. Christopher Jahraus and Gina Faulkner Jahraus
As Told by Dr. Chris Jahraus
I’ll give you the quick version. It’ll help you understand what makes our love so special. Gina and I had both been previously married, and our spouses both filed for divorce. That was a huge blow to each of us, as we thought we knew what love was. God had better plans for us!
We first knew each other as couples. When Gina and her first husband relocated to Texas, we kept up with each other mostly with a “Happy Birthday” note via Facebook once a year.
After her divorce, Gina moved back and we reconnected. It took no time to realize that we were meant to be. God allowed us to experience our individual tragedies, so that we could see what a beautiful life He had in store for us together.
A co-worker told me about Diamonds Direct. Once there, we met Kimberly Powell, who helped us with the ring purchase. We wanted something unique, and we decided on a stunning Verragio setting. Nobody had created the exact combination we wanted, and I wasn’t sure that I could afford what I really wanted. Kimberly to the rescue!! She called to tell me that she had found an exceptional value on a high quality Asscher-cut diamond. I went to look, and it was nothing short of stunning. It was a superb value, and I actually COULD afford it! I took the plunge, and Kimberly sent-off to Verragio’s design studio in New York to make the perfect engagement ring for Gina. Getting the drawings back was exciting, and we accented it all with a pink sapphire on each face, because Gina loves the color pink!
For the engagement, I surprised Gina with an impromptu trip to Minneapolis to see (of all things) a ballet production of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.” At intermission, I pulled the ring out of my jacket, tied to a pink ribbon, got down on one knee, and asked her to be my forever beloved wife. The whole theater was watching, and when we got up and kissed, the crowd applauded!
After the engagement, Kimberly helped us again, working with Verragio to create an equally unique wedding ring for Gina. My ring came from Diamonds Direct too, and it actually has Gina’s nickname for me engraved inside it in Gina’s own handwriting!
We wanted our wedding to be equally unique. We found our perfect setting…the Sentinel Island Lighthouse on Lynn Canal in Juneau, Alaska.
The morning of the wedding, we passed sea lions and mountains that can only be imagined. As we traveled, clouds gave way to incredible sunshine, and Sentinel Island came into view. There, we pledged our love. My sister gave the message, my brother officiated, and each of our oldest two children were there as attendants. A raven crowed loudly throughout the ceremony; I’m told the native peoples of Alaska regard this as a sign of blessing. I am beyond blessed to be married to Gina. She is the the love of my life, and now I know what true love really is.
Photos by Meta Mesdag with Catchfly Photography
