Below is an honest and candid recollection of Cade and Rebel’s relationship from the early days to the here and now. It was an adventure, trust us. Fall 2019 - Met at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln after Cade changed his major. Rebel and Cade both ended up graduating with the same degree (Ag Communications) and had many classes together. August 2020 - Attended Weedstock, a red dirt music festival in Stillwater, Oklahoma with a group of mutual friends. At this point, Rebel began to enjoy Cade’s presence. As for Cade? He ended up asking one of Rebel’s friends on a date shortly after the trip. So there’s that. August 2021 - Cade volunteers out of the blue to be a designated driver for Rebel’s 21st birthday party and then takes her out to lunch the next day. Is he interested? Of course not! December 2021 - Cade and Rebel both graduate from UNL and do their own thing.
October 2022 - Cade and Rebel see each other again for the first time at bridesmaid Eva Oliver Sampson’s wedding. Rebel: “Are you going to ask me to dance or not?” Cade: Does as instructed. December 2022 - Rebel attends New Year’s Eve get together at Cade’s house. After said get together, Rebel writes off the possibility of there being anything between them and carries on with prep for year as Miss Rodeo Nebraska. January 2023 - Cade shows up by his lonesome at Rebel’s Miss Rodeo Nebraska coronation with flowers and a bottle of tequila in tow. Great in theory, but rodeo queen rules explicitly state no booze and no boys. Oops! Rebel interprets this as a peace offering for the New Years Eve party that went awry, not an expression of interest. Cade then proceeds to show up bright and early the following morning to help clean up the event space. January 2023 Continued - Cade asks Rebel on their first “official” date in Kearney. Rebel insists on driving herself so she could leave early if it didn’t go well. It went well. May 2023 - Rebel and Cade talk extensively on the phone and hang out a few times before Cade invites her to branding. On this trip, Cade told Rebel he loved her. Rebel’s response: “Do you really mean that?” He meant it. June 2023 - Cade visits Rebel at NEBRASKAland Days in North Platte. He asks Rebel to be his girlfriend. She responds with confusion as she thought she already was. Whoops! December 2023 - The pair continue through 2023 seeing each other about once a month as Rebel continues traveling as MRN. Cade attends Miss Rodeo America Pageant and becomes ruthlessly competitive. January 2024 - Rebel moves to the ranch. Things are getting serious! October 2024 - Cade and Rebel take salt to the Dahlgren pasture, Cade’s favorite spot on the ranch. Eventually he asks Rebel to marry him after rambling about native grasses and sod houses. Who knew pre-proposal nerves could spark such a history lesson? Spoiler alert: Rebel said yes.