Augie Sweethearts: Shannon and Lucas Westblade, Class of 2011

Submitted by Shannon Westblade of Big Sky, Mont.

Lucas and I met in Seminary Hall freshman year. We were both the loudest and silliest Seminary, so naturally became friends fast. In fact, at the end of the year, I was voted "Most over the top" and Lucas was runner up, and Lucas was voted "Most likely to live in a tree house," and I was runner up. I was attracted to his mohawk and his cross-country runner short-shorts.

We bonded over going to chapel together, leading Young Life together, and arguing about what we talked about in History or English classes. In the middle of freshman year, after some drama involving some Delta-Chi pledges and I, I approached Lucas and told him I wanted to date him, only to be rejected! The small-town Michigan kid had never dated before, and still, freshman year of college, wasn't ready.

After two other Augie boyfriends and two years at Augustana, Lucas and I were still friends at the end of Junior year when things got interesting again. I had invited him to be my date to my Augie Women's Lacrosse Team formal, but he was being flirtatious with another girl. I approached him again, told him he couldn't come to formal with me because I liked him again. This time he said, "Well, what if I like you too?"

We got engaged a few months after graduating while traveling through Yellowstone National Park, and married a year later in the Chapel at Augustana. Now we live in Montana, have a 1.5 year old son, Gideon, and have Augustana and Seminary Hall to thank for starting our little family.