We took an oath never to separate

“I was a groomsman at a friend’s wedding and this is when I spotted her. She was dressed to kill and I could not help but stare,” Emma Ekeesit speaks of the day he met Patricia Nabilagala Ekeesit in June 2016.

“One of her friends, Agnes, is a close friend of mine. So, I expressed my interest in getting to know Patricia better. Agnes was the best messenger and after several attempts, Patricia accepted to meet,” he adds.

However, Patricia was not amused by Emma’s persistence and she found it irritating.

“For me, it was not love at first sight. For instance, he was annoyingly ‘happy’ and playful, qualities I hated the day we met. However, I have now grown to love them as they create a balance in our home (between the goofy one and the serious one (me),” she says.

“From the day we met, he made it his life’s mission to make sure we get to know each other better and our first date was the beginning of numerous others,” she adds.

Their friends also cheered them on and continue to do so. Also, both being members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made friendship easier. Theirs is a Christ and family-centred church that teaches families the values of strengthening their bonds. That also made the transition from friendship to marriage possible.

Proposal

Emma proposed to Patricia on his birthday, May 14, 2017. Patricia, who had planned a surprise birthday get-together had no idea that it would turn into an engagement dinner.

“She was dressed in white because I had earlier told her that we would be taking photographs. I am thankful she believed me. That day remains one of the happiest days of my life,” he says, adding that just like every man on such a day, he was nervous.

“I had written a poem for her but when she turned and saw me on one knee, I forgot all the words and just improvised,” he laughs.

Patricia says the proposal was perfect and intimate because they had a moment to themselves on the boat with just the boat man and their good friend Emma Funes who took the video, edited it and uploaded it on her YouTube page called Capture.

“We later joined close friends and family for dinner. That is how his birthday surprise turned into our engagement dinner,” she shares.

Emma says save for the boat cruise, he did not spend much on the proposal. “All I paid for was the ring. While I prefer to keep the cost anonymous, seeing that I was still in university then, it was a lot of money,” he says.

Wedding

On November 28, 2017, Patricia introduced Emma to her parents in Nsambya, Kirombe. The two were joined in holy matrimony on December 30, 2017 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kololo, Kampala.

“Watching her walk down the aisle, I was in awe that my father (RIP) and I cried. It was a beautiful moment that will forever be etched in my heart,” he says.

On the other hand, Patricia says her mind was just blank.

First year of marriage

Although many people will cite a number of challenges in their first year of marriage, for the Ekeesits, it was blissful.

“It was an adventure getting to learn more about each other. Additionally, our faith helped us cope,” he says.

In their faith (Latter Day Saints), they believe that marriage is meant to last forever and not even death can separate them. Therefore, in March 2018, the Ekeesits went to a temple in South Africa, because, in their faith, temples are holy places or buildings where couples go and partake in an ordinance called the temple sealing.

“That means we shall be together for time and eternity as husband and wife and the children born to us will also be with us if we stay faithful to the commandments of the Lord. That was really a huge step forward in our marriage,” Emma shares. He adds that every one who gets married in their church is supposed to visit the temple to partake in that ordinance as it is the highest form of marriage.

Challenges

Being that Emma was still at university when they got married, most people questioned their decision.

“They did not really understand how we operated. Of course, you must always expect some naysayers but my Pat and I never really paid attention to them. We loved each other and that was all that mattered. The rest was secondary,” he says.

The other issue was limited finances since Emma was unemployed. He says, they always figured it out. “We knew our marriage was our responsibility. So, we always looked for a solution together,” he adds.

The Ekeesits are blessed with twins; Ruvarashe Arengo Ekeesit and Sivuyile Etoori Ekeesit aged nine months.

Advice

Emma says couples must be intentional about working hard to make their marriage work. “Do something every day to make your partner happy. Learn their likes and dislikes as well their strengths and weaknesses. This way, you are able to help when they are drained. Make it easy for your partner to want to be with you,” he says

Alone time

The Ekeesits love going to the movies and when at home at the weekend, they watch a romantic movie on Netflix.