Joe and Dora Hunyor have been married for almost two years, and have a daughter, Naomi, and a baby due in August.
LISTEN to them on IGNITE RADIO LIVE:
Here’s their story.
Please share the short story of how you met and began dating.
We started hanging out with the same group of friends in high school and then lost touch with each other during college. A few years later, Dora randomly decided to invite Joe to a surprise birthday party for her sister, and we started hanging out again over that summer. A few months later, we were dating. God’s timing is perfect!
What are some favorite family activities?
Watching Naomi play, going to mass as a family, and spending time at Joe’s parents’ cabin in Jackson, OH.
Share a time you all really laughed as a family.
When Naomi was slap happy and we were fanning a sheet over her on our bed. She was laughing so hard and we couldn’t stop cracking up with her.
Share a “cute kid” story (or two).
Dora made a cake for Naomi to smash for her first birthday. After we sung “Happy Birthday” and put the cake on her tray, she picked all the raspberries off the top of the cake and ate them one at a time and didn’t even touch the cake.
Describe a dream family vacation.
An elk hunt in the Colorado mountains.
What do you love most about being married?
Each other. And the spiritual support that we receive from the sacrament and each other.
What is your greatest challenge as a married couple and how are you working at it?
Finding time in our busy lives to just be with each other. We’ve gotten better at asking other people for help when it gets too overwhelming.
What do you love most about your family?
The faith that unites us, the humor and crazy that we share, and the affection that everyone displays for each other.
What is your greatest challenge as parents and how are you working at it?
Figuring out how to raise our children in this world while not becoming of it. Having friends who share the same faith and values has helped a lot.
Share a time you saw Jesus fulfill a real need in your family?
As time and resources became tighter and tighter for us, we found that the more generous we were with the little we had left, the more God seems to provide for what we really need.
How does your family pray?
We pray every day as a family, but our favorite prayer time is after mass when we spend time together going through prayers, and then just sitting in the presence of Christ, thanking Him for the incredible gift He just gave us.
How do you measure success as a family, and what help do you need getting there?
Success, to us, means constant communication, constant sharing and growing in our faith and in our displays of affection for each other. It takes sacrifice and a sincere willingness to listen, putting the other first, and friends and family who we can confide in to help us stay honest – and of course, continual family prayer.
What are you moved to proclaim to other families?
Relationships with other families founded in the Truth can be a tremendous support. But the most important thing is always striving to go deeper into your faith, into that Truth, even on your own, and always, always being willing to make sacrifices for your family out of love for Christ.
How have Mass Impact and LIT Groups impacted your marriage and family life? Why do you think others should get involved?
LIT Groups have helped us to form friendships with other families that have truly been a blessing and a tremendous support in our faith journey.
We would love to feature your family story!