On our first date, we met at Big Dipper Ice Cream in Missoula. This was towards the end of Covid times, so really nothing was open, and we had to share a pint of ice cream as they weren't serving cones.

In case our date didn't go well and I needed an escape, I told him I needed to be back to make dinner with Kennedy. Within the first few minutes of meeting Ken, that plan went out the window.

We ended up hanging out the whole day; he took me to Cabela's and told me all about his archery tournament days and his hunting travels with his dad. We went to Straight 6 Archery where I shot a bow for the first time. The string hit my arm and gave me quite the bruise, but I turned to Ken and said I was addicted!

We then walked around downtown Missoula to see what little shops might be open. The only thing we could find was a pawn shop. When I found an antique camera I didn't yet have in my collection and Ken bartered with the gentleman to buy it for me, I knew he was the one! He bought me dinner- Bridge Pizza which we ate in the car with a beautiful view of Missoula.

Driving back to Kennedy's place after he dropped me off at my car, I was so head over heels that I forgot to turn my headlights on and got pulled over! The cop was super nice, gave me directions and let me go on my way, and I had no idea that Ken saw me get pulled over! For years he didn't say anything because he didn't want me to be embarrassed!

If you thought our first date was one for the story books, our second date was when everything started to seem as if we'd known each other for years rather than days.

Ken picked me up at 1:00 am at Kennedy's house and we drove in his Mazda two-seater truck for a shed hunt in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It took us 8 hours to drive there and we talked the entire way. I learned more about his dad, his friends, and his hunting experiences and I told him all about my family, school, and dreams for the future.

When we arrived in Jackson Hole, we went straight to the gates so we'd be there when they opened. Apparently, FWP opens up this area so people can go collect the elk antlers after the elk leave. It's illegal to do so before, because you may disturb the cow elk when they are calving.

Ken offered to buy me hunting boots but no way was I having him spend that much on our second date so we both wore tennis shoes.

When it officially began, I followed Ken up the first steep hill. I wasn't going to let him show me up, so I kept his pace and stayed right behind him the whole time. Every once in a while he would look back and seem shocked- I didn't know it at the time, but he was testing me! What a punk.

We hiked 10 miles that day, only stopping a few times to rest and didn't find a single shed except for an ancient, tiny, broken one.

When we got back to the truck, Ken panicked and said he hadn't fed me all day except for a little bit of jerky. He felt horrible, but I honestly wasn't hungry! That is, until we made it back to town and ate the most delicious burgers I've ever had!

This adventure was just the first of many, and looking back at those early days together makes me incredibly thankful for where our story has taken us.

-Shayla

S&K

Wedding Day