Karissa and Kody met in 2016 while working an after-school program at Fireside Elementary. They quickly became fast friends, spending years laughing, talking, and very comfortably existing in the friend zone. According to Kody, somewhere along the way he asked Karissa out to a Rockies game—and she turned him down. Karissa has no memory of this event and is still waiting for the receipts. This alleged rejection lived rent-free in Kody’s mind for years and became his official reason why they would never be more than friends. In 2020, before they ever dated, Karissa unknowingly brought the families together when she adopted Kona—one of the puppies from Kody’s family dogs, Zoey and Groot. Kody's family also kept one of the puppies, Charlie, meaning their dogs (and now their humans) would forever be connected and still see each other regularly. Fast forward to 2024, when Karissa and Kody started playing volleyball together. As time went on, everyone—from Kody’s friends to his mom—kept saying what they already knew: Karissa and Kody would be great together. Kody tried to resist (because, Rockies), but then Karissa made him sourdough… and that sealed the deal. Their first official date was a nuggets game - fitting for two people who love sports and love watching them together. What started as one game turned into many nuggets and other sporting games year after year and has become one of their favorite traditions. Looking back, it’s hard not to believe there was an invisible string quietly pulling them together all along—through friendship, dogs, sports, and bread—leading them exactly where they were meant to be.