Ian and Shannon met like a lot of modern couples - on a dating app. Ian hit Shannon up with a cheesy pick-up line about Hobbits (since Shannon had a photo of herself standing in front of Frodo's Hobbit Hole in New Zealand). Turns out it worked, because they started talking and ended up on a first date at Midnight Sun Brewing Company.

As many people know, Ian enlisted in the Alaska Air National Guard. Many people might not know that he enlisted in January 2022, but didn't get shipped off until February 2023. About 6-months into their relationship, Ian packed and went to basic training and tech school, both out of state. Ian and Shannon navigated the ins and outs of taking their relationship long-distance, and celebrated their one-year anniversary (two days late) after Ian returned Virginia.

After Ian returned from his stint in the lower-48, the pair made the decision to move-in together. Apartment hunting and rentals explored, Shannon and Ian took the plunge and started living together. After about 6-months successfully navigating co-habitation, the couple decided that there just wasn't enough personality in their home. Enter Winston Menace Farr-Martin, the Pembroke-Welsh Corgi. Shannon and Ian went to meet little Winston in early January, and as soon as Shannon saw that little puppy? Ian knew their family had its newest member. Their little family became three when they went to bring Winston home in February.

Over the course of their relationship, Ian and Shannon have had many outdoor adventures - camping, fishing, hiking, snow-shoeing, etc. They didn't have any issues packing their cars up to travel around Alaska, but how would they fair taking a longer trip down to the lower-48? Well-planned and meticulously organized (thanks Shannon), the couple embarked on their first real travel test when they traveled all around the South-Eastern United States for the holidays. There were a few bumps, and some minor fibbing to TSA about a certain Corgi's weight, but the couple managed to survive their holiday tour.

Ian had been talking to friends and family (and Shannon) about proposing for a while. He had the ring, conspicuously hidden in an ammo box (where Shannon would never look), since his parents came to visit in July 2024. After a visit from Shannon's mom in September, Ian had one parent's permission. But what about Mr. Farr? Well, Ian managed to ask him for Shannon's hand on their whirlwind trip across the lower-48. Everything was set, all Ian needed was the perfect night out - with the Northern Lights. Unfortunately for Ian? Every time that the Northern Lights were bright and shining and beautiful? Anchorage and its surrounding areas had 100% cloud coverage. Eventually, Ian grew tired of waiting, and sat down with Shannon on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Ian shared how much he loved Shannon, declaring that he wanted to spend his life with her, and just as he was about to pop the question? A corgi hurled his body at the pair. While it didn't exactly go as planned, the corgi interruption was a perfect representation of their life together. Shannon immediately accepted, and the couple celebrated with their overly enthusiastic corgi.