As many stories begin, we met at a bar in 2016, set up by a friend and both unsure of going. It turned out to be a fun night, filled with drinks and conversation, followed by Joe asking their mutual friend to make sure to set up a date. Every now and then we visit that bar and reminisce on that night. We were both driven and passionate in working towards our goals, but still found time for each other. Joe took Joell flying on their second date (not approved by her mother), followed by hikes and dinners. We continued to fall for each other and enjoyed the time spent building a relationship. We built a bond with our love of dogs among many other things. Joell would often bring her dog Penny over to see Joe’s roommate, Ruger. Lots of laughter and play would solidify our love. From dates by ourselves to dates with dogs, we enjoyed every minute of it. The vision of a life together continued to build. We also formed a strong bond over our love of family. We introduced our large families and realized that sharing traditions was important to us. Both our families welcomed each other with open arms. The love continued to grow. We eventually got our first apartment together and started to build our life. That same year, Covid struck and changed so many things with our day to day work and routines, but we stuck together and supported each other no matter the hardships. We look back on that year and cherish the memories we got to make together within the small walls of our new apartment. Luckily, through that hardship the decision was made to get our dog, Callie. Our relationship had come full circle from our love of dogs to getting one together. Callie changed our life and continues to do so for the better. We have come a long way from late nights out, to now staying in with Callie. After 7 years of being together, Joe finally popped the question at their favorite spot in Tahoe. We both feel fulfilled and excited for what the future holds. Although we’ve been together 8 years now, there is a lifetime ahead of us. We can’t wait to continue our love, grow our family, and build our relationship. We are so blessed to have everyone come together and celebrate with us. Thank you for being a part of this special day!