Dotti and Kim met in March of 2018 at the Shamrock, an iconic gay bar in Madison. They were introduced by mutual friends within the Madison Roller Derby community where they both skated. Kim was immediately hooked, Dotti on the other hand was a bit slower but not far behind. After discovering a shared love of Zelda and getting encouragement from her good friend, her interest was piqued…but just in time for Kim to leave the country for a two-week vacation in Paris. They began messaging, and as Kim was heading home Dotti was off to Costa Rica. It was over a month of messaging before they found themselves in the same country and able to go on their first date. When their date turned into an eight-hour affair, it was safe to say they had something special.

Fast forward two or so years, and we are back at the Shamrock this time it was Kim who would need a little help from a friend, several in fact. A fake excuse to get to the Shamrock, a flight that just could not be cancelled, and friends who lied so very well. It was the perfect quarantine proposal, well almost. Kim got into the bar and noticed a lot of familiar faces but walked right past the surprise without noticing a thing. After realizing Dotti was no longer following closely behind her, she turned around to find her and then noticed the elaborate decorations and, “Marry Me” in lights. Dotti had everything planned from a curated playlist to pixie lights with dozens of photographs finished off with tulle and an amazing photographer to capture the moment.

This pandemic and subsequent quarantine has shown us that we are meant for each other, not because it has always been easy but because when it gets hard, we work harder. Kim is a nurse who has worked directly with COVID+ patients off and on since the very beginning. Dotti, an Automation Engineer, was one of the many people affected by temporary layoffs when the pandemic first began. The loss of social activities and their shared love of roller derby with the addition of helping facilitate a middle schooler transition to online education has been challenging. Each step has brought us closer together, and we look forward to the day that we can get married.

2021 Love List

1. Staying is an Act of Defiance: Malik & Whryne Rasheed
2. The Dreamer & the Realist: Daniel Beechler & Michael Lynn
3. Our Life is Now: Stella & Vica Steel
4. Quarantine Engagement: Dotti Jacob & Kimberly Rose
5. The Love They Share: TeKema Balentine & Megan Bentley
6. A Lifetime Together: Erv Uecker & Ross Walker
7. Dreams Come True: Patrick & Ryan Platta