Shannon & Zoe
Our Story
2015
The Call to Adventure
"Pretend, for example, that you were born in Chicago and have never had the remotest desire to visit Hong Kong, which is only a name on a map for you; pretend that some convulsion, sometimes called accident, throws you into connection with a man or a woman who lives in Hong Kong; and that you fall in love." It was the winter of 2015 and a little indie movie you've probably never heard of came out, called "Star Wars the Force Awakens". A thousand miles apart, Shannon and Zoe would see this movie and start passion projects inspired by a galaxy far far away. It would take another six months, but come July 2016, Zoe would stumble upon Shannon's Star Wars art and leave a comment that put everything in motion. Over the next two years, Shannon and Zoe sent postcards, had virtual movie nights, and fell asleep on the phone together.
2019
The Crossing of the Threshold
"What a journey this life is! Dependent, entirely, on things unseen. If your lover lives in Hong Kong and cannot get to Chicago, it will be necessary for you to go to Hong Kong. Perhaps you will spend your life there, and never see Chicago again." Finally, in 2018, Shannon made the leap and booked a plane ticket to visit Des Moines for Zoe's annual New Year's Eve Party. Shannon and Zoe rang in 2019 together for the first time. 2019 continued to be a year of firsts, Zoe made her first visit to Connecticut, and Shannon and Zoe attended their first Star Wars Celebration in Chicago, surrounded by many friends they had made together along the way. In no time at all, it was New Year's Eve again, and Shannon was in Des Moines for what had already become a well-loved tradition. They celebrated the New Year, 2020, unaware that this would be the last time they would see each other in person for over a year.
2020
Various Tests, Trials and Allies
"And you will, I assure you, as long as space and time divide you from anyone you love, discover a great deal about shipping routes, airlines, earth quake, famine, disease, and war. And you will always know what time it is in Hong Kong, for you love someone who lives there. " The year of separation was hard, but it also put things in perspective. They knew they never wanted to be apart like this again. In a teary-eyed phone call on Christmas morning, Zoe told Shannon she wanted to be life-partners. Freshly vaccinated and ready to see Iowa in the summer (and not January), Shannon flew out in July 2021, ready to make up for lost time. It was a whirlwind vacation which culminated in a trip to Adventureland, where Shannon and Zoe finally kissed for the first time at the top of the Ferris wheel. Near exactly five years to the day they first met online.
2021
The Return Home
"And love will simply have no choice but to go into battle with space and time and, furthermore, to win." - James Baldwin 2021 was full of more trips to Connecticut and Iowa, culminating in New Year's Eve 2022. Unfortunately, it was celebrated from bed with Covid- but Shannon and Zoe were together again for New Years at last! It wasn't long after returning home from this trip, that Shannon made the choice to move to Des Moines for good. Zoe made one final trip to Connecticut that Spring, before Shannon booked her one-way ticket to Iowa for the final time. And the rest is history!