UPDATE 8/24/21: Due to the rapidly changing risks with covid, we have decided to CANCEL our anniversary celebration.

It all started like many great love stories--at an Alabama-Florida Tailgate in 2014. Nicki was post-call and wanted to "catch-up" with everyone, Courtney was celebrating his best friend's 30th birthday party. They struck up a conversation at a high top over beer and BBQ. Courtney was pouring his heart out about a recent breakup as Nicki, taken at the time, was falling asleep behind the guise of sunglasses but their friends kept the day going. They went to their separate seats at the game, had a group sushi dinner in T-town and subsequently went their separate ways. Fast forward to 2016, Nicki was on the search for a new job and city in Denver, remembered the stud muffin she met who happened to be living in Denver. She called him to "hang out" and here they are, 3 years later.

The morning started with a long list of "honey-dos" in preparation for Nicki's family to visit over the holidays. As many realize, it's never just ONE trip to Home Depot (HD). There were home repairs that needed to be done and on arrival to HD, they realized they brought none of measurements needed. After a frustrating trip, they returned home and Nicki was hell bent on getting it done. Courtney kept mentioning a walk he wanted to take at City Park before sunset (their favorite park) but Nicki wanted to get the repairs done. Finally, they came to the compromise that they would take a walk but only if they would go to HD after their walk. So naturally, Nicki made Courtney pull off the nail studded door frame to pack in the car along with their dog, Dakota. As they walked around the lake, Courtney was acting off and kept groaning about people sitting on benches around the lake. Nicki thought he was acting weird but didn’t think anything of it -- it’s Courtney after all. Courtney found a spot to sit by the lake, only after Nicki had initially refused due to all the geese droppings on the ground. He laid a blanket down and she was appeased. They had decided that they would not exchange gifts that year; however, as they sat Courtney brought out a book-shaped wrapped gift. It was a photo album. The album was a timeline of their relationship, including their first hike, family vacations, trips home and abroad and just times between the two of them. Still clueless, Nicki is flipping through the album and doesn’t hear Courtney say “Stand up before you flip the last page.” She turned the page and sees “Will you marry me?” on index cards in the photo slots. In shock, she looks up as Courtney yells, “Stand up!”. And here they are now.