We love our story. One often asks how it all began and I would love to tell you. In my world our story began in May of 2025 when I, Cassie, saw the back of Colton Christmann’s head. For years we both attended Vertical Church, but quite truthfully I never felt the need to give him the time of day. He was that guy who sat a row or two behind my close friends and I didn’t see any reason why that should change. I knew his name, that his family had cows, and that he held his coffee cup differently than most people. That was enough for me. Well that all changed one prayer Sunday in May when I saw the back of Colton’s curly head. There was a spark of curiosity followed by a wondering of, “who is this guy?” The next week we served on the Sunday school team. I was teaching and it was Colton’s first Sunday serving. He signed up to help in the preschool classroom where I taught, but when they asked for volunteers to support elementary, much to my disappointment he volunteered. My journal from that day read like this: “Sunday with Colton in Kids amounted to nothing at all. God’s plans cannot be thwarted. That’s what I reminded myself of.” Colton, on the other hand, had his attention sparked. As a way to get to know him, my question of choice was if he knew of anywhere near the cities where I could go to a livestock auction. I've had the dream of a farm one day and figured I needed to get my feet wet somehow. That afternoon I asked Anna Huffman what she knew about this guy with a firm emphasis that I wasn’t interested, just curious. So she asked if she could talk to her husband David who was in a church small group with him. That was fine with me as a little bit of information never hurt anything. The next day, Anna provided more info about Colton and asked if I would like David to reach out and set something up. My response was, if Colton Christmann was interested, he would ask. So as glad as I was for supportive friends, I was not interested, just curious and I would rather leave that to the man himself. Well, David misheard Anna and asked Colton if he would ever be willing to be set up. Colton gave a hearty yes. Weeks later (I had to once again learn patience), we went on our first date to Oliver’s in Shoreview and then an evening walk on the railroad tracks. That was June 27th. On date #4, Colton came to the house and presented me with flowers and a pound of beef from his family farm. I truly do not think I could have asked for a better gift. Colton may mark this day as the first time I actually touched him (gave him a hug in thanks). Since then, I have not gone a day without a bouquet of flowers on the kitchen table and I love his embrace more & more. So with our time & intention and the support & prayer from all who love us, a friendship grew and a romance blossomed. We have learned the aim of a relationship is not perfection, but a deepening grace and love for one another. Leading up to now, dates have been filled with morning devotionals, trips to Green Bay and North Dakota, lake days, lots of dinners, walks, runs, afternoons at Gram’s, 8am church, time with community, Wild and Seahawks win’s, games of Monopoly deal and SO much more…especially prayer! And then… One day shy of 10 months of dating, Colton got on one knee. He knocked the proposal out of the park. Colton beamed and my love for him grew by leaps and bounds. Getting married is no longer an if. Soon, so so soon, we will be married! Now we are on the roller coaster of wedding planning and preparing to enter into the profound covenant of marriage. We can both say with confidence that meeting one another was so worth the wait. We were both happily single, but had it in our hearts that it was not the long term plan that God would have for either one of us. On August 23rd, we cannot wait to celebrate with you. All your fingerprints are on our lives. Thank you for your investment in the man and woman we are today. To God be the glory in all of it!