Young Couple Embraces Marriage, Family, and NFP
Sean and Grace Keiser may be young, but they weren’t afraid to renovate their 1930s house, or to get married and start a family. The couple met in junior year of high school, when a mutual friend set them up for a blind date. They went out for pizza, then to Target. “Which is very romantic,” Sean jokes. “But it worked out.” Married in 2022, the two had their first child, a baby girl, last year. Both see family life as at the heart of marriage and are open to a big family. For Grace, that love of large family life stems from growing up with 13 siblings and enjoying friendships with other large families at Church. One of five siblings and an uncle of nine, Sean says, “I thought my family was big— and then I met her.”
Better Equipped
Grace remembers hearing about NFP in family conversations growing up, but a course during engagement was her most in-depth introduction to NFP. For Sean, that information was brand new. Both found the class left them better equipped for marriage. “I tracked my cycle, but I had never learned how to tell the signs of ovulation.” Grace says, “So it was good to learn how to know exactly when peak day occurs and the different phases.”
“I learned a lot,” says Sean. “It’s helped us to connect better and realize what the marital act is for and what a great gift it is. I would also say it helps me understand Grace more.” Being attuned to her experiences each month helps their communication, he explains. “Knowing where she’s at in her cycle… I can’t imagine where we’d be without that.” Grace agrees. “Him knowing where my hormones are in each part of the cycle is helpful; knowing how that affects me each month and how it resets is very valuable.”
They say that talking about NFP openly in class with other couples also helped them feel more comfortable discussing sensitive subjects with each other. Beyond improving conversations, learning NFP has impacted their home in some surprising ways, like making them more organized, they say. Staying on top of charting Grace’s cycles has helped them prioritize planning and scheduling.
Staying the Course
That organizational discipline comes in handy since the two are busy, with school and now a newborn. Amid the busyness, they have a few non-negotiables for a healthy marriage. “We don’t go to bed without praying together.” they say. Additionally, they fit in adoration, daily mass, and dates whenever they can.
NFP may not be the norm among their peers, but Grace and Sean have support to stay the course, both from another practicing couple they know and their NFP teacher, with whom they are close. They say, “We know at the end of the day that we’re doing the right thing, so that makes us feel good.” They hope more couples learn NFP, too. “It’s extremely helpful, something we’d encourage all Catholic married couples to practice. It’s definitely beneficial to take a class and start out prepared.”
The Keisers found something powerful in Natural Family Planning that connects deeply with their Catholic values. NFP isn’t just about timing or achieving pregnancy; it’s about respecting God’s design for marriage and fertility. It encourages communication and understanding in ways that strengthen not only the marriage but also their relationship with God.
Discover how the PeakDay App can help you chart your period and cycle, and better understand your fertility and ovulation.
Find out more about the CCL STM Class and its many ways of learning and teaching in both english and spanish.
Written by S. J. Duca for Family Foundations magazine. Savanna is a writer and creative strategist with a special interest in art, film, and entrepreneurship. Her favorite authors currently include Evelyn Waugh, P. G. Wodehouse, and Marilynne Robinson.