When people ask us how we met, we giggle and tell them that we live in a rom-com movie.
Cue opening scene.
Danalee moved to Tempe for graduate school. Nick moved to Tempe for work. They both moved into the same apartment complex without knowing how this would dramatically change their lives.
It’s essential to understand how this complex is set up… the fronts of all the two-story-four-plex style buildings face each other, with walking paths and park vibes in the middle. With me? Can you picture it? Good.
Enter the doggos.
Living in small apartments, walks are crucial. And since we didn’t have many options for quick potty breaks, the dog owners in this place either actively avoided each other, we’re talking full on stratagie meeting at the mailbox and a lot of window peeping, OR really got to know each other. Spoiler Alert: Nick and Danalee were the latter.
Surprisingly, Hiero was the only dog the minions didn’t mind having around, so we had a lot of opportunities to chit chat while the dogs were finding the perfect spot to do their business. Many dog walks later, we realized we had a lot in common and started hanging out at the local watering hole next door.
One slightly buzzed evening, we got to talking… and decided with a group of folks that mini-golf sounded like fun! So, Danalee being Danalee… she went for it and bought the tickets immediately. Not everyone else followed through. All said and done, three people kept their word: Nick, Danalee, and Carey (Nick’s sister). It all seemed innocent enough. Looking back on it, though, we both agree that was our first date.
Fast forward through some Haunted Houses, a few trips to Las Vegas, and whole days absolutely inseparable. We knew we had found our person. So when the opportunity presented itself for us to move in together, we decided it was now or never and gave it the old college try. Although our little family was happy as could be, three dogs and two adult humans in a tiny one-bathroom apartment was NOT ideal.
We got extremely lucky finding our current home with a big backyard, a pool, and just enough space, aka bathrooms. 
Although we’ve grown some deep roots in this home, we’ve also had some wild adventures. From Independence Day, Sand Lot style, in Iowa to many more trips to Las Vegas, beach stays on both coasts to mountain getaways. We are both so grateful for the opportunities we’ve had to adventure around with the pups, spend time with friends and family, and our many cozy nights snuggling at home.
It never matters if we stay in or go out. Laughter and love follow us wherever we roam.
Our story isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. We’ve also experienced sudden traumatic loss. In 2016 we had started discussing getting married, and we were over the moon when tragedy struck our family. In November, Annie, Nick’s mother, suddenly passed away. Rightfully so, this shook us to the core. She would have never wanted us to postpone our plans; however, it just never felt quite right. That’s when we made the very personal decision to do a handfasting.
We had a small spiritual ceremony at home, committing to our relationship and celebrating our love. We knew we’d return to the idea of a more traditional wedding ceremony at some point. Still, we wanted to wait until things felt right.
Fast forward to 2019, life was feeling good again, and although we still had a massive hole in our life, we began to think that this might be the time.
Sike!
I suppose you probably know what threw a wrench into our plans this time. The Pan-damn-it. As the world plunged deeply into survival mode, we holed up at home, eternally grateful for our privilege. Work went on without skipping a beat. The backyard and pool helped to maintain our sanity. And, we never knew how grateful we would feel for living in a massive city with all the creature comforts like grocery and beer delivery.
Now, as the world is slowly healing, amidst the chaos that still envelops some communities and countries, it’s time to make the move and let Love win. 
Now you’re all caught up! We’re aiming for a Summer 2023 celebration, so stay tuned for details as we figure things out. In the meantime, drink lots of water, get lots of sunshine, and don’t be afraid to love.