Adventure Couple's Love Story: That and More

How we met: 

I was born and raised near Saginaw, Michigan. After graduating from college, I was offered a job that would move me to Denver and I jumped at the offer. I didn’t know anyone, didn’t have any family or friends out here, but felt this pull to go to the mountains. It felt right. After finishing my MBA program in 2019, I had the same feeling — horses. I had always loved them and had done some trail rides in the past, but never took a lesson and had this sudden urge to do it. So I did. And I fell in love.

Victor was born and raised in Epenche Grande, Jalisco, Mexico. He came to the USA for work with horses in 2005. He was living near Chicago, IL until a horse show brought him out to Colorado. He said the first day being here, he had this feeling that he needed to stay. So he did. That was in 2016. He stayed for a few years, until work took him back to Chicago for a couple of years before he came back to Colorado in May 2021. 

This is where our paths finally crossed. 

May 2021, my trainer Shaun moved us into a new barn as we had outgrown our previous barn. Victor had just moved back to Colorado and was stepping into a role as facility manager there. 

I remember seeing Victor early on when we moved in and he has this smile that you can’t help but respond to with a smile of your own. We slowly started chatting and I remember thinking at one point, oh no, this guy is going to be trouble. I need to stay in my own lane over here. But, you met Victor, the man is charming as hell. 

There was one day when we were talking that he found out I loved books and he shared with me a book he had just finished reading… that meant so much to me. As the summer went on, we got closer and spent more time talking together and riding together in the evenings. It was lovely. The whole thing felt so easy and free and right. 

On Victor’s birthday in November of 2021, my horse, Sox, had an accident at the barn. He had broken his leg while outside in his turnout. When I pulled up to the barn, Victor was standing with my trainer and my horse - comforting him while we waited for the vet to deliver the news I think we all knew was coming. That night was the first night we reached out to each other outside of the barn and I thanked him for being there for one of the worst days of my life. 

A few days later, Victor was having his birthday party and he had invited me. We danced all night, sat cuddled up around the fire, and Victor sang this song to me (in Spanish of course) and I had NO IDEA what it was about (didn’t speak much Spanish at the time) but I knew it was romantic from the feelings and the fact that everyone was staring at us. I didn’t find out what that song was until nearly a year later… He sang it to me (in front of everyone) the night we got engaged. I sobbed when I realized what the song he was singing was. It’s called,

“Eso y Mas”… meaning “That and More.”

I’ll include the lyrics below.

 It’s beautiful. 

From there, we saw each other nearly every single day.

Our relationship grew into something so beautiful and radiant — my friends would make comments that they’ve never seen me be so happy and in love. They called it “Love at the Barn,” and would pretend that my stories were episodes of a reality TV show at the barn because all of it just felt so magical. Victor’s friends shared with me the same sentiment — they had never seen him like this with anyone. Everyone around us could feel the love. It is electric and bright and feels so inspiring.

We developed a routine — working out together in Castle Rock and on Wednesday’s we’d go to the Mexican restaurant across the street from the gym to have margaritas and dinner. This restaurant was where so many conversations about our future happened. One day, April 2022, we wrote down on a napkin what we wanted from this relationship. The list was only 4 items long — it read, “live together, ring, marriage, baby.” Then both of us numbered them based on importance. I still have that napkin today. 

He proposed in August 2022.

When I say I had no idea - I had NO idea it was coming.

We were camping with a few of our close friends and that morning we did a hike to Lake Haiyaka. The hike was beautiful. There were so many moments that I had teased Victor about being a Disney Princess. All of the animals seemed to want to come up to him. There was a moment (and I actually caught it on video) where this bird had been following us and chirping at us nearly the entire hike up, flew down into Victor’s open hand. He was holding his hand out, looking at the bird, and it came right over to him. Victor was beaming. 

When we got up to the lake, we saw there were a lot of people fishing and everyone was making comments about how they didn’t have much luck. I swear to you, on his 3rd cast, Victor caught a fish. We were laughing in disbelief because how are all of these animals so in tune with him!?!

We make our way back to the campsite to relax and nap before dinner. As we’re making dinner, Victor asked me to go with a couple of my friends to get more firewood — I said they didn’t need my help to carry a few logs, but Victor seemed very insistent that I help. I just listened because it was so out of the norm and Victor was being a little quiet that evening… He is usually so gregarious that his more serious and contemplative demeanor was definitely felt. I later learned he was showing one of my best friends (and the woman who is going to officiate our wedding ceremony) the ring and telling her his plan for the evening. 

That evening comes around and Victor gets out a bottle of Don Julio 1942. I had seen him pack this and made a comment that it was a very nice bottle to bring camping and he told me it was so our friends husband could experience good tequila. Victor is very generous, so I didn’t think twice. He pours everyone a shot as we sit around the campfire and one of our friends jokingly tells him to make a speech/toast since he brought the bottle. Victor begins his toast, and he’s talking about what a lovely weekend it had been, etc. and it keeps going on… I remember being like “is he ok? Does he not know how to end the toast? Do I need to help him??” And he gets to this part where he says, “we will all look back on this weekend in 25-years and remember how special it was.” I’m thinking… it was a nice weekend, but it wasn’t THAT nice??? And then Victor turns to me, gets down on one knee and asks, “Kaylee, will you marry me?”

After the initial tears and the YES, Victor shared with me that in the morning he took a walk with my mom and had asked her for her blessing. My mom passed away when I was 11-years old. She loved animals more than anyone I’ve ever met, and I see so much of her spirit in Victor. He asked her to send him a sign, and felt like all the animals coming up to him and following us on our hike were her telling him, enthusiastically, that he had her blessing. 

That quote, “I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you,” from the book “The Alchemist,” really hits home for us. How this boy from Jalisco, Mexico and girl from Michigan, USA, were able to meet through their mutual love of horses in Parker, Colorado… it’s pretty freaking cool. Funny how life works out. 

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The Stables at The couples connection shoot —

When we started thinking about what we wanted to wear for this shoot and where we wanted to have it, etc. we automatically knew it had to be at the barn. That place will forever be special to us. It’s where we met, had our first kiss, spent so many hours together with our horses and it is both of our happy places. Victor knew he wanted to wear a Charro inspired outfit and we shopped for each piece of his outfit individually - I am still amazed by how nicely it all came together. It is SO Victor. 

I didn’t know what to expect from the shoot — we hadn’t really done a shoot with the two of us and our horses before, but Justyna made us feel SO at home and comfortable — I honestly forgot she was even there half the time! The light, the sky, the rain we had in the days before, the horses, our love, all of it. All of it came together and I really feel like she captured our spirit. 

Victor and I are two whole individuals. We have different backgrounds, different experiences, but when we came together as a couple, we were able to make all of those differences work together and form something so beautiful. It’s harmony. I truly feel you can feel that through these photos.

Kaylee & Victor

Eso y más

Song by Joan Sebastian

Me contaron de Romeo y Julieta
Y pensé, que hermoso cuento
Y ahora resulta que es más grande
Y que es más bello
Esto, esto que por ti yo siento

Cruzare los montes, los ríos, los valles
Por irte a encontrar
Salvaría tormentas, ciclones, dragones
Sin exagerar
Por poder mirarme en tus ojos bonitos
Y vivir la gloria de estar a tu lado
Porque en mi ya siento que te necesito
Que me he enamorado
Por poder mirarme en tus ojos bonitos
Y vivir la gloria de estar a tu lado
Porque en mi ya siento que te necesito
Eso y más haré

Por asegurar la sonrisa de tu alma
Buscando equidad
Yo podría empeñar lo más caro
Que tengo que es mi libertad
Y seria un honor hay amor ser tu esclavo
Seria tu juguete por mi voluntad
Y si un día glorioso en tus brazos acabo
Que felicidad
Si seria un honor hay amor ser tu esclavo
Seria tu juguete por mi voluntad
Y si un día glorioso en tus brazos acabo
Que felicidad

That and more 

I was told about Romeo and Juliet

And I thought "What a beautiful story!"

And now it seems

That it is bigger

That it is more beautiful

This, this I feel for you

I will go across the mounts

The rivers and valleys

In order to meet with you

I would face storms, cyclones and dragons

It's not an overstatement

Just so I could see myself reflected on your pretty eyes

And bask in the glory of living by your side

Because within me, I feel that I need you

That I have fallen in love

Just so I could see myself reflected on your pretty eyes

And bask in the glory of living by your side

Because within me, I feel that I need you

That and more I will do

So that I can guarantee your soul's smile

While seeking equity

I can even sacrifice the most valuable thing I have,

That being my freedom

And it would be an honor, oh love, to be your slave

I would become your toy by my own will

And if a glorious day I end up in your arms

That would be happiness

Yes, it would be an honor, oh love, to be your slave

I would become your toy by my own will

And if a glorious day I end up in your arms

That would be happiness