The Nuggets are playing pretty well so far this season, and even though last week’s loss to Portland still burns, things in the Mile High City are starting to get exciting. (For basketball anyway).

But for this week, let’s forget all the stats and analysis because there’s a much bigger picture to professional sports that applies to nearly everyone. The reason we all love to root for our favorite team is because it makes us feel like we belong, it gives us something to hope for, and most importantly, it brings us all together.

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At least that’s what it did for two of my dearest friends.

Two years ago this December, I was invited to a party at the Tavern in the Denver Tech Center where my friend Priscilla was slated to be the guest DJ for the evening. “Silla” as she is known, is a Las Vegas based DJ and she puts on an incredible party if you ever get the chance to see her spin. Check our her Instagram page HERE to see her weekly schedule, and be sure to look her up if you’re ever in Vegas.

It was the day after Christmas, and Silla was in town to see her family while mixing in some business. Her family is huge, and they are all so loving and supportive of one another. Naturally, the fam came out in force to support their girl, and me and some of my friends went to join in on the fun. I ran into Silla’s brother Robert, and it had been a while since I’d seen him so he and I spent some time catching up.

There happened to be a Nuggets game coming up that week, and I had tickets. Since everyone was in town for the holidays I invited Robert, and my girl friends Nicole and Laura to join me at the game.

The evening of the game, my friends and I were set to meet at the flagpoles just outside the Pepsi Center at 6:30 pm so we could make our way into the arena together. As fate would have it, Laura and I were running behind and poor Nicole was stuck out front in the cold waiting for everyone.

As she was waiting, Robert walked up, and said, “You must be Nicole.” I’m not quite sure how Robert knew Nicole was with our group, but something must have told him that she was the girl he would be spending the evening with. The two chatted for a few minutes until Laura and I arrived, and we all went in to enjoy a night of Nuggets basketball.

Maybe it was the home win that put magic in the air that night because Robert and Nicole totally hit it off while Laura and I watched the sparks fly. A few nights later Nicole mentioned that everyone was going to meet up at the Punch Bowl Social for New Year’s Eve, and I invited Robert and his friends to come along.

We spent the evening laughing and dancing to a local 80’s cover band, and at the end of the night Nicole and Robert shared their first kiss.

I’m happy to report that they’ve been inseparable ever since.

Ever the hard worker, Nicole has been making her way along the path to becoming a physician, and she was accepted into a residency program at a hospital in Michigan. Knowing that this relationship was something special, she and Robert made the decision to move to Michigan together. They’ve thrived together in a new city with new experiences, and their relationship has blossomed into something they both want to last a lifetime.

Just a few weeks ago, Robert announced to our group that he had intentions to propose to Nicole when everyone was in town for the week of Thanksgiving. His idea was to have just the girls meet up for, you guessed it, a Nuggets game.

From there, the master plan took shape.

Everyone flew into town yesterday, and we made a plan to meet up at the flagpoles as usual to head into Pepsi Center together. Like last time, everyone would plan to be “running late”, and poor Nicole would be stuck outside in the cold by herself once again.

When the meet-up time came, it wasn’t the girls who showed up to meet Nicole to her surprise, instead it was Robert, and as he walked up he said, “You must be Nicole.” Photographer in tow, Robert got down on one knee and asked Nicole to be his wife.

She said yes!

All of Nicole & Robert’s closest friends and family waited in anxious anticipation at a restaurant nearby, and when the newly engaged couple arrived we celebrated by dancing the night away.

Nicole & Robert are sure to live happily ever after, and I wish them nothing but the best life has to offer.

Congratulations you two!