Zach and I met through my sister Rachel, I was visiting her one day and within 5 minutes of me walking into her place, she says, "I have a friend and you have to marry him!" I just laughed. I ended up meeting him the next day and we didn't exactly hit it off but by the end of the night we were talking each other's ear off, and I didn't want to leave. I left for home the next morning and tried to forget the whole thing because he was in a different state, and I honestly didn't think he liked me. I worked a 12-hour day after I got home, and by the time I saw his text it had almost been 24 hours later, and I almost deleted it because it was an unknown number. After I replied we texted/called every day for about 3 weeks. On May 28th he drove 5 hours to come see me, I got off of work an hour late and he was waiting in the dining room for me. He asked me to be his girlfriend on May 29th and we were long distance for 3 months. At that point, I made my move to California and the rest is history!

At the most unexpecting time, as God often works, I met Shannon in a moment, unbeknownst to me, that would quite literally change my life. Cliché, I know. But, in my defense, love is a story told in every age dating (no pun intended) back to the first instance of time; before time, actually. Since May 5, 2021, God took my broken pieces, built a new foundation in Him, and filled that which was lacking with the unrelenting love of Shannon. Even if I told you the whole story of how I was given, not only the love of my quiet life, but also the courage and grace to learn (as I still am) how to give myself to another for the good of the other with the other reciprocating that sacrifice - back to my initial thought - Even if I could tell you our story, without experiencing it, you would never understand the loving way in which God worked through Shannon to mold me into the man whom I always wanted to be. For, on Cinco de Mayo of the year 2021, God decided to plop the greatest and most exciting adventure into my (once) quiet life. And, I am so excited to have you be part of the beginning of a new chapter of the great adventure.