Our Story
How We Met
Brian kept glancing just past Shauna, clearly distracted by something behind her. Trying not to make it obvious, he watched as a rat darted out from beneath a storage shed, ran the fence line, and disappeared. Moments later, it ran back. Then, a second one joined.
Finally, he laughed and came clean. Partly because honesty felt easier than pretending, and partly because he already liked this woman and didn’t want to seem strange.
“I should probably tell you what I keep looking at.”
Shauna turned, curious rather than alarmed, just in time to see the two rats become three, marching back and forth with surprising purpose, as if they had somewhere important to be.
But the rats were hardly the headline of the evening.
Earlier that afternoon, it was a bright, cool day in April 2024. The Masters played on the TVs at Tap Yard in Raleigh, and Shauna had already fought off her friends who were tempted to tag along to her first date. After a short chat on Hinge, she agreed to meet a rock-climbing guy for what was supposed to be a quick drink.
Truthfully, she almost didn’t go. The tournament was compelling, and first dates are always a gamble.
But she went, and that small decision would quietly change both of their lives.
They ordered drinks, her signature vodka water with lemon, his bourbon and Coke, and settled into Adirondack chairs. Conversation came easily, without effort or performance. As the sun lowered and the air cooled, Brian disappeared briefly and returned with an armful of firewood. Soon a fire crackled beside them, warm and steady, giving the night permission to stretch.
One drink became another. Stories became laughter.
What began as a simple 45-minute meeting unfolded into a three-and-a-half-hour session that neither of them tried to end.
And the laughter, easy, sincere, unmistakable, told them something important long before either could have said it out loud.
Yes, there were rats.
But what Brian remembers most is how naturally Shauna laughed.
What Shauna remembers is how comfortable everything felt.
From the outside, it looked like an ordinary first date.
Somewhere between the firelight, the conversation, and the laughter neither could hold back, something steady began to take shape, the kind of connection you don’t have to force, question, or chase.
The kind you simply recognize.
Their relationship wasn’t built on perfect planning or cinematic moments.
It was built on showing up… staying longer than expected… laughing without reservation… and realizing, almost at the same time, that this might be something rare.
And as it turns out, it was.
The Proposal
There’s a rock climb in North Carolina called the Great Arch, stunning, adventurous, and the kind of place that practically begs for a life-changing moment. My original plan was to climb it together and propose at the top. Just imagine the analogies I could have used! While we climbed, some of our friends were going to hike up and meet us at the top to celebrate.
But the weather had other ideas, so I pivoted and bought tickets to the Chinese Lantern Festival instead. Neither of us had been before, and we were both excited. Bundled in our warmest jackets to battle the bitter cold, we headed out, and tucked in my pocket was a small box with a very important ring inside.
The festival was beautiful… and very crowded. Every time I thought I spotted the perfect place, another wave of people appeared. It just didn’t feel like the right moment.
On the drive out, I remembered a picturesque footbridge over the water at a nearby lake and confidently suggested we go see the Christmas lights from there (which was a bit of a lie). Turns out my memory was a little too confident, wrong bridge, wrong lake, wrong plan.
We already had plans to meet friends at one of our favorite pubs afterward (the same friends who were supposed to celebrate with us on the hike), so I decided to do what I apparently do best: wing it.
When we pulled into the parking area, I walked around to help Shauna out of the car and gently led her into a quiet grassy field. We wrapped our arms around each other, whispering about how much we love this life we’ve built and the one we’re still dreaming about.
Then I got down on one knee.
I told her I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her and asked her to marry me.
She didn’t immediately say yes.
Instead, with the sweetest seriousness, because this is exactly who she is, she asked, “Did you speak to my father?”
(I’m still on one knee. Ring out. Heart pounding.)
“Yes, hun.”
Her eyes lit up. “Really?!”
“Yes, I did… so, do you want to say yes?”
With a smile that I will never forget, she said, “Yes, yes, I do. I want to be with you, too.”
And just like that, she held out her hand and let me place the ring on her finger, calm, radiant, and completely adorable.
Not embarrassed. Not flustered. Just beautifully, authentically Shauna.
Looking Forward
Our future is bright. We plan to keep adventuring, traveling to new places, playing golf, climbing high things, and, of course, laughing every step of the way. Surrounded by the love of both our given and chosen families, and grounded in the care and commitment we share, we’re deeply excited about the life we’re building together as husband and wife.
Shauna & Brian