Our story starts where you can still find us. Dog shows. It's rather difficult to say when and where we met. It was when we were about 7 years old. We would mostly see each other in passing as we were showing our respective breeds. Each show blurs together through the years. Whether it was Denver, Laramie, Greeley, or Greeley again. We were always there competing. Sometimes separately, and other times head to head. This led to many different interactions for the next 15 years. From competing in specialties head to head where we were the only two in the ring, to cobbling together how to groom a breed neither of us had shown before. This led to a friendship that was not based on distance or time. This continued for many years, then changed in college.

We did not go to the same college, or live relatively near. During this time though we started talking more often outside of the show and found out how much we had in common.. Music, reading books, Star Trek, board games, and of course dogs. We spent many nights after school on the phone talking for hours. Watching a new show that we both loved and became one of our favorite shows, Star Trek: Deep Space 9.

Eventually, we moved in together and moved to Garden City, KS. Mary got her first teaching job out in Garden City and Joe went with her. After getting out there Mary started teaching and Joe worked as a salesman for an appliance and furniture company. During this time we still were showing dogs, now though we started doing this professionally. After living in Garden City for a year Mary got offered a job at a charter school in Cheyenne.

Joe had gotten a ring from the local jeweler and needed to figure out how to propose. Too many people wanted to know and wanted to be there. Most of the people who wanted to be there though would not be out of place at the dog show. So for the Cheyenne dog show, Joe set out to do just that. After lots of talking between Joe and the Kennel Club, the plan was set. Kali, Mary's older Cocker Spaniel, had recently had to have surgery to remove both of her eyeballs. Afterward, Mary made sure that Kali would not get bored and depressed by working with her in Nose Work and had just a couple of weeks ago gotten Kali's Novice Container title. Joe and the Cheyenne Kennel club used this to have Mary write up a short announcement praising Kali about the title. Using this at the last minute Joe added one simple line to the end of the announcement, proposing to Mary. Below is the announcement:

"We wanted to honor a unique and fantastic team that we had heard about living in Cheyenne. The beginning of February, 8 yr old, Grand Champion Cocker Spaniel Kali (Kay-Lee) had rapid onset Glaucoma in both of her eyes, resulting in their removal. After surgery, Kali was still very active, so Mary and Joe wanted to give her something to do. Kali started scent work and really enjoyed it. Kali just recently earned her Scentwork Novice Interior title in June. Kali joins the ranks of dogs proving that they can still compete no matter the obstacles. We wanted to say congratulations to Kali, Mary, and Joe for achieving this new title. Speaking of new titles Joe would like to ask a question about Mary's title."

The fateful day arrived. Kali was present and Mary was excited to praise her dog. Everyone in our group was preparing for the show, grooming, setting up, and setting out leashes. All the people in the group knew that Joe was going to propose this morning. When the time came close it was Mary who was telling everyone to hurry up and come over to the table where the announcement was going to be happening. Everyone followed her slightly laughing at the inside joke. When Joe proposed Mary was completely surprised and stunned. Leading to the newest chapter in our lives which is still to be written.