It all started in 2018 at one of Missoula's finest establishments: Stockman's Bar. It's the kind of place where great love stories and questionable dance moves are born. After those questionable dance moves Ben said "I'm definitely going to call you." He did do that, but he hasn't danced since. It took Ben over one full year later to officially ask Kellen to date - she wasn't even in the country, so the date in October 2019 has been debated ever since. In 2021, Kellen took a job in Butte, Montana, effectively forcing Ben to move in with her to take care of her cat, Wesley. He stayed even after she returned to Missoula full time. To be clear, the cat is still hers, no matter what Ben may try to tell you. Since then, they've hiked and traveled their way though the years, from Goldbug Hot Springs, to the coast of Maine, Iceland, and beyond. Ben is the laid-back, go-with-the-flow type, and Kellen is the planner who needs to know when the flow starts and where it is going. He is the loudest, most social introvert you've ever met, she is more of the selectively social type. After six years, countless miles traveled, and one patient orange cat, Ben proposed in 2024.

By the time Kellen and Ben went to Scotland in 2024, everyone had been guessing and predicting when the engagement would happen. Some thought it would be in Maine, some thought for sure in Iceland, some even thought in Mexico while there for his brother's wedding (never in a million years!). Kellen thought perhaps after her first marathon, then once again after running Dopey (48 miles surely deserves a ring, right?). All wrong. Kellen does not like surprises. So she possibly knew that the proposal would for sure happen on the Scotland trip, when she discovered that her mother no longer had the ring she had been holding onto for this occasion. Kellen was wrong one more time about the location though, it did not happen in her favorite city, York, England where she thought once again for sure it was going to happen. Finally, on a very (VERY) windy day in the Isle of Skye, on a hike to the Old Man of Storr, the weather almost ruined his plan. Kellen ran the risk of getting blown off the side of the mountain, and wouldn't go to the top. But Ben found a suitable replacement stop (even better spot than the top in Kellen's opinion) and asked. Somehow the ring didn't blow away, and she said yes! The rest of the day was spent exploring more of Skye, ordering a local wood fired pizza from Pizza in the Skye, settling back into Bracken Hide hotel, and watching a few episodes of the Office. Simple and full of joy.