The First Date - 9/25/2021

We connected on a dating app, as 99% of people do these days. Being two people who don't love making small talk, we quickly made a deep connection and wanted to meet in person. Kathrine found a sitter for Jameson just a few days after matching and ventured to Fargo to meet Kelsey for the first time.

Kelsey watched the Fargo Marathon the morning of our first date, which meant she had an early morning wake up call and a well deserved nap before our evening plans.

Kathrine spent the day panic shopping for an outfit to wear and then headed to Fargo - texting Kelsey her ETA. The panic really started to set in as she was pulling into Moorhead and still hadn't heard from Kelsey.

Kathrine pulled up to Vinyl Taco and sent one last 'I hope I'm not being stood up' text, and Kelsey responded with a wave of panic, realizing she'd overslept her nap.

Feeling relief, Kathrine went into Vinyl Taco and proceeded to sample the libations to help diffuse her nerves of waiting for Kelsey. (The irony of this situation - from then on, Kelsey spent much more time waiting on Kathrine and her questionable time management).

Once Kelsey arrived, the date was a whirlwind. What was supposed to be tacos and axe throwing turned into late night video games and ice cream (even though we weren't hungry) just because we truly were enjoying our time together.

The Second Date 9/28/2021

Kathrine got the home court advantage for this date, and really thought she had a perfect night planned: a sunset drive through Tamarac Wildlife Refuge and a charcuterie tray picnic with a homemade sparkling apple cider.

Kelsey met Kathrine at her house in Detroit Lakes with a bouquet of flowers, after many reassurances that Kathrine had no prior history of kidnapping or unaliving any prior romantic interests and hopped in the truck with her for this 'secret adventure'.

Kathrine had perfectly planned the route through Tamarac, planning to end up at a picnic area right at sunset. What Kathrine did not realize is that the roads she planned to travel were one-way roads, and they did not go in the direction that would allow for optimal picnicking by the sunset. They proceeded to drive in circles on the same roads in both directions and Kelsey discreetly gripped the oh-shit handle, only slightly fearing for her life. Was she being kidnapped? Were they going to be spending the night in the woods?

Realizing her perfect plan had been destroyed, Kathrine quickly went to plan B: going to a nearby park by the river to eat in the almost dark.

While we were eating the charcuterie tray of foods that Kathrine prepared (all foods that Kathrine would not eat, by the way) there were two feral cats that decided that they wanted to join in the awkwardness of this date. Kathrine, being a lover of animals tried to befriend the cats with salami roses and cheese, to no avail.

In an attempt to recover the date, Kathrine decided to bring Kelsey to a local spot for a nightcap and some food (because she was starving from not eating the charcuterie tray). Kelsey had to drive home so decided to just have a water, and Kathrine shotgunned a lavender cocktail of some sort faster than previously thought possible. Some uncomfortable conversation was held over a dish of spinach artichoke dip, and Kathrine decided it was time to call it- clearly she had blown whatever magic was going on their first date.

When they got back to Kathrine's house, Kathrine quickly waved bye and RAN into the house to hide.

But that wasn't the end...

Against all odds, Kelsey didn't drive away forever. She called Kathrine when she got home, and it was a whirlwind adventure from there.

Kelsey got to meet Jameson just before Halloween and Kathrine knew that Kelsey was going to be the perfect addition to our family.

Photos

Our Family

Well Traveled & Well Loved