We first started talking on January 25, 2025. At the time we lived about two hours apart, but distance never really stood a chance. Shawna was busy working in genetic testing for kidney transplants while also pursuing her master’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science. Around the same time, I had recently moved to Iowa to begin a fresh chapter and figure out my next steps.

We actually met on Facebook Dating… although Jacob prefers to say we met on Facebook Marketplace because she “had a really nice couch for sale.” Somehow that joke never gets old.

From the very beginning we talked constantly and ended every night on FaceTime. Before we ever met in person we already felt like we knew each other. When we finally did meet, everything just clicked. Conversation came easy, laughter came naturally, and neither of us ever had to pretend to be someone we weren’t.

We quickly realized how similar our childhoods and values were, and how comfortable we felt sharing absolutely anything with each other. What started as a simple conversation turned into hours, then days, and then a relationship neither of us could imagine life without.

Not long after, that same feeling led to one of the easiest questions ever asked and the happiest “yes” ever given. Getting engaged wasn’t a surprise to our hearts — we both already knew we had found our person.

Now we can’t wait to celebrate our wedding surrounded by the people we love most. What began with a simple message turned into a friendship, a partnership, and a forever — and we are so excited for this next chapter together.

The best part… our story is just getting started.