They met at St. Joseph’s College. They fell in love. And now they’re married with two kids.
Previously featured in February 2016 after their engagement, SJC Sweethearts Natalie Higbee-Aguila ’11 and Joseph Aguila ’12, both 31, reconnected with us to share what life is like for them now.
OnCampus: Why do you think college is a great place for people to meet their significant others?
The Aguilas: For us, the truth is that neither of us were ready to be in a serious relationship before college, but we were both in a place in our individual lives where we felt ready to take life more seriously.
OC: Was there a moment in your relationship when it clicked and you knew you were with the person you wanted to spend your life with?
A: What made our relationship so strong was our shared desire to grow in our faith. Even before we started officially dating, we had been attending church services together at Living Word Church, along with many of our St. Joe’s friends. Although the “aha” moment wasn’t immediate for either one of us, we felt our relationship growing deeper throughout the first year, and we attribute this growth to our continued growth in our faith.
OC: How has your relationship evolved from when you were dating to now that you’re married with children?
A: When we first started dating, it was important for us to spend quality time together, not only to get to know each other more, but also to maintain the excitement and sense of adventure. We also placed a lot of value on communication; we always strive to understand each other’s perspective and to support each other.
Now that we are approaching five years of marriage and three years of being parents, we now see how valuable this foundation is to our family’s relationship. We are intentional about the quality time we spend together as a family, and we always communicate openly and freely with each other.
OC: Any relationship advice for current SJC students?
A: We have three pieces of advice:
- Learn about the Five Love Languages, and be as clear as possible with your partner on how you not only receive love but also how you give it.
- Don’t let the sun go down on your anger; life might not always be perfect, but you have an opportunity every morning to start the day with a clean slate. Be quicker to forgive than to seek forgiveness. Place more value on listening, than to be listened to.
- Go on a date. Put your phone away. Make out for the joy of making out. Don’t stop flirting.
OC: Your message for the SJC community this Valentine’s Day?
A: We want to thank the SJC community for always thinking of us and continuing to find ways to make us feel like we are a part of the SJC family.
Their Love: A Timeline
Met Aug. 29, 2010 ⇒ Started Dating Oct. 4, 2010 ⇒ Engaged Oct. 2, 2015 ⇒ Married April 16, 2016 ⇒ Son Elijah Holden Aguila Born Jan. 24, 2018 ⇒ Daughter Liliana Shea Aguila Born Jan. 16 2020
