OUR BEGINNING Shannon and Steve first met on the dating app Dil Mil. Since they lived 2 hours away from each other, they decided to have their first date on a Friday night over Facetime. And boy, was it a disaster! After a long day of work, Shannon was noticeably tired, except Steve didn't read the room. Instead, he was his high-energy self. Shannon was almost going to call it quits then, but she decided to give Steve a second chance with an in-person first date in Madison. She was very thankful she did :) On October 17, 2021, Steve gave Shannon a tour of the city, including a romantic visit to the UW-Madison Arboretum. Shannon felt butterflies all day in a way she never experienced before, and had a feeling this might be her last first date ever. OUR PROPOSAL Shannon gave multiple hints throughout the years that she wanted the proposal to recreate their first date at the UW-Madison Arboretum. Steve acted completely aloof to the idea, but little did Shannon know that he was planning in the background, all while preparing for his defense! Steve secretly got the ring, and planned to propose to Shannon just two days after his defense- incredible! He thoughtfully planned out for both families to be present on their special day, and included Shannon’s best friends in the surprise as well! What Shannon initially thought was a simple visit to the Arboretum ended up becoming the beginning of a happy ever after. OUR FUTURE There is a saying: It takes a village to raise a child. We are so thankful that you are a part of our village! Please pray for us as we embark on this next journey together. We are incredibly excited for you all to celebrate with us! "We love because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:19