We're getting married!

For those of you who don’t know, Adam and I “officially” met at a church we were both attending in Brookings. I say “officially” because I knew exactly who he was—he just had no clue who I was. Typical. 😂 We actually went to the same middle and high school, but he was two years older and a cool football player. You know, one of those guys that every girl in my grade had a crush on. Myself absolutely included. Never in a million years did I think I’d end up dating—let alone MARRYING—a Kusler twin! Anyway, after that “official” church intro, we kept running into each other at church events and were strictly “church friends.” You know, the kind that smile, wave, and maybe talk about Jesus and coffee… but mostly coffee. Fast forward a few months—I decided I wanted another job (very on brand for me). I had loved working at Josiah’s in high school, so I figured, why not jump back into the coffee world? In November 2024, I applied to work at Cottonwood Coffee (a Brookings treasure and home of the best lattes on earth). And guess who was behind the bar during my interview? You got it—Adam Kusler himself. The next few months were filled with coffee orders, inside jokes, caffeine-fueled banter, and some truly beautiful conversations about life and Jesus. I think it was about a month in when I called my mom all giddy and said, “I think I met my husband.” Spoiler alert: I was right. 😏 The past two years have been filled with so much joy, laughter, adventure, and a whole lot of Jesus. Truly, we wouldn’t be where we are without Him, and for that, we give Him all the glory.

Kaitlyn and I technically “met” years before we ever dated at a high school ministry called Collision—a place where students grew in community… and apparently where we specialized in not noticing each other at all. We also went to the same middle school—she was even cheering on the sidelines at games—yet somehow, I still had no clue who she was. You can blame a combination of being a meathead athlete and some elite-level social obliviousness on my part. So while all these connections were quietly in place, we still managed to completely miss each other… which, looking back, feels almost impressive. Life did its thing, and our paths didn’t really cross again until college, when I got invited by a friend to a church worship night. That night, after the worship night, Kaitlyn walked straight up to me and said, “I think you’re going to be called into ministry.” Bold move, that definitely got my attention, considering we had just met (again). Even funnier, she had no idea that people had been telling me that same thing for years. Looking back, it’s one of those moments that makes you laugh and think, “Yeah… God might’ve been up to something.” Not long after, we both ended up at a college young adult fall retreat, where I casually sat down at her table like I totally belonged there (I didn’t). Somewhere between that and a few casual church run-ins, Kaitlyn came into Cottonwood Coffee for an interview—which just so happened to be where I worked. She applied for a job, and got it… because of course she did. (At this point, we’re pretty sure her hiring rate is sitting at a solid 100%.) From there, we spent about eight months working together every day, which eventually led us here. The last year has been full of funny memories, small moments, and even life-altering events, it’s been clear to us that the Lord is faithful to His word and His promises—and that His timing is better than anything we could have planned ourselves.