Cade & McKenna
Cade & McKenna
Our Stories
Our Story
It all started back in September of 1995 during the Milk River Wagon Train. Cade and McKenna were both only a year old when Cade tottled over and bit McKenna on the forehead, she screamed and he cried. They didn't know it for 27 years, but this was the start of something, thankfully Cade is much nicer.
The two reconnected while down at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas on December 6, 2021. McKenna was there on a girls’ trip with Cheyenne to take in the rodeo, shopping and cowboys. Cade was down there for work and to take in the rodeo scene at night. He messaged McKenna the night they were both at the NFR, McKenna didn’t leave him on ‘read’ again and they met at the beer stand for a quick hello. The two decided to meet at South Point after the rodeo for the Gold Buckle Ceremony. They visited, danced and drank the night away... well until the girls had to get on a plane and Cade went to work. They continued to stay in touch after that night.
With Cade working in Boise, ID and McKenna at her family practice in Malta, MT they made long distance work spending hours every night on Facetime, texting and traveling back and forth. Cade made it back home a few more times than his usual calving and shipping vacations. Papa Bill would tease Cade about having to 'take the garbage to town' every night. Their first holiday together was Easter of 2022 and they have spent every holiday together since, even successfully working cattle together.
After a failed first attempt to ask for his blessing (due to an incident testing bulls at the Murdock Ranch), Cade once again got the chance on July 1, 2023 after some fishing in the early morning. He was finally able to ask for Rick’s blessing, Rick responding with “its about time” and ‘good luck’ (in another phrase). He was so excited he couldn’t keep it a secret for very long as the rest of the family and friends had shown up at the cabin. Luckily Cade got down on one knee later that morning (while Rick was telling everyone) and asked her to spend the rest of their lives together. It was a quick and easy YES!
Cade completed his Warrant Officer Candidate School in September 2023 and transferred back to the Montana National Guard shortly after. Exactly two years after reconnecting, McKenna flew down to Boise for her final time on December 6, 2023. She helped Cade pack up his house and they made the 12 hour drive back to Malta for the last time, together.
McKenna's Story
For those of you that don't know me, Hi I'm McKenna - Dr. Murdock to be. <3
I was born and raised in Malta. My dad, Rick, is a mixed animal Veterinarian and my mom, Rebel, runs our practice. As my dad would say, the clinic wouldn't run without her! I have one younger brother, McCall, he's the muscle behind the clinic in the afternoons. Growing up I spent all of my spare time in the clinic, I couldn't get enough of the animals. So much so I decided to become a Veterinarian myself. I went to undergrad at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, then continued my education in Fort Collins CO at the Colorado State University - College of Veterinary Medicine. 8 full years of schooling later and I was officially a doctor and threw a DVM behind my name in May of 2021. I moved back to Malta and joined my dad in practice where I still take care of all the creatures large & small around Phillips County.
I knew Cade growing up because of how small our community is. My great grandma & his grandma actually lived across the street from each other, and my mom and his Aunt Zelda were best friends growing up. One of the first things I remember about Cade is seeing him at our local Phillips County Fair where I always thought he was way too cool for me, but none the less I would give him crap about biting me as a toddler. From there we always said our hellos and asked about families when we would run into each other. Or he would let me use his phone when we happened to be at the same college party and I had lost mine..whoops, not my proudest moment. I have always considered us friends.
So in December of 2021, while down at the NFR, I received a message from him. I was surprised but excited to see him as it had been at least 5 years. With hellos at the beer stand and a night full of drinks & dancing.. the rest is history <3
Cade's Story
I'm Cade, the lucky man that gets to marry McKenna.
I grew up on the family ranch, 32 miles northwest of Malta, MT and about half that southwest of Loring, MT. My dad, Kennedy Walsh, owns his own construction and excavating company around Billings, MT. He was raised south of Malta at the family ranch near Zortman, MT. My mom, Brenda Murdock, is ranching on the same family ranch I was raised on after a few years away as a police officer. I have one sister and three brothers: Brandy, Clay, Cole and Colt.
I attended school in Whitewater through eighth grade, then I moved in with my Grandma Jeannette for my freshman year at Malta. After one year here, I moved in with my Dad in Ballantine, MT and I graduated from Huntley Project. I wasn’t interested in college, what I was interested in was joining the military. I chose to join the Montana Army National Guard working with computers. I attended my basic and advanced training within a year of graduating high school. Always coming back home between the two. My temporary full-time Army career started in Belgrade, MT with a more permanent position being found in Boise, ID. I would spend the next several years nearly 13 hours away from home. I made it a point to be back for my biannual “Ranch Vacation” which was during calving season in the spring and shipping season in the fall. During these last couple of years, I started the transition to become an Army Warrant Officer.
Just a few weeks before his passing, I asked Papa for my Grandma Jeannette’s ring. He simply said, “well I already paid for it”. I just needed to ask Rick, my person’s dad, for his permission and decided it would be a good way to end a day of testing bulls. I thought my dad was scary, but he took a headshot from a bull and still finished his day out. I decided to ask him at a later date in his boat at the lake, luckily the same day as I proposed since it wasn’t a secret for very long to the rest of the family.
I asked my person, McKenna, at her favorite place, surrounded by her favorite people with my Grandma’s ring. I told her my grandma wore it for 51 years and I just thought that we should do the same.