Couple's faith deepens as their family grows

Intermountain Catholic

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Dyson and Rosie Ellis say their first child has made them take their faith more seriously. IC photo/Jenn Sparks

SALT LAKE CITY — Dyson and Rosie Ellis have many interests in common, including faith, music and their college major, history.

They were married Aug. 30, 2008, at Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish in Park City and are now the parents of an 8-month-old son, Patrick. They are members of Saint Vincent de Paul Parish.

Rosie grew up in Utah and graduated from Juan Diego Catholic High School in 2004. Dyson has lived in many places throughout the United States and moved to Utah in 1999 from the Boston area. He graduated from East High School in 2002.

The couple met at the University of Utah during the winter semester of 2005. "My best friend went to Juan Diego with Rosie and introduced us," said Dyson. "I was attracted to Rosie's intelligence and she is beautiful."

Rosie agreed intelligence was an attraction and added that Dyson "is handsome," she said. "We were both studying history and have music in common. We both play the piano and we used to like to go to the practice rooms and show off for each other. We had a lot of the same friends without realizing it; after we met, we kept running into each other."

"We challenge each other," said Dyson. "I think both of us want to be better for the other person."

The couple dated for just over three years before becoming engaged. They were impressed with the sessions and the Focus surveys the Diocese of Salt Lake City requires for marriage in the Catholic Church.

"I thought the sessions were really important because we covered many topics and there were things like children, money, debt and how you deal with x,y,z situations that we hadn't talked about," said Rosie. "It was good to have another adult there as a mediator for our discussions, and our talks turned out really well. We discussed finances, family life and the expectations that we had for each other as a spouse, as a co-parent and as a partner. I think if you don't lay out exactly what you are expecting from somebody then they have no idea what you expect and that is where a lot of grief comes from. If someone is not meeting your expectations, it's hard to tell them after you've become frustrated."

The couple wanted to finish college before they were married.

"We graduated in 2008 and the job market wasn't very good at the time so we both continued working at Starbucks, which we had both done all through college," said Dyson. "Then I decided to return to college for a master's degree in teaching at Westminster College and graduated in 2010."

Dyson now teaches history and debate at Alta High School. "Teaching at the high school level is so rewarding and debate is something I did in high school," he said.

Not to be outdone, Rosie also received a master's degree this May in political science from the University of Utah.

Faith is also something the couple has in common and now that Patrick is a part of their lives, they take their faith more seriously.

"We are no longer just responsible for ourselves, we are responsible for his upbringing in the Church," said Dyson.

Patrick was baptized in January. "We work very hard to attend Mass every Sunday with him and to sit in the congregation so he understands the solemnity of the service," Rosie said. "I understand that my role is to teach him and to help him grow to become a good young man."