6.6.26

Some love stories begin with grand gestures — ours started with coffee. I was working at a drive-thru coffee stand when Tyler first pulled up one morning. I didn’t even know his name yet, but something about him stood out — the quiet smile, the calm energy. Before long, I was telling all my coworkers he was my boyfriend… even though I barely knew anything about him. Every day, he’d come through for his usual order, and I’d ask little questions, trying to piece together who this mysterious guy was. He didn’t give much away (very typical Tyler), but I made it my personal mission to learn everything I could about him. When I started working at different locations, he somehow always knew where to find me. That’s when I felt the first real spark of hope — maybe I wasn’t the only one feeling this connection. Eventually, I decided to leave the company. I told him, secretly hoping he’d ask for my number or say something — anything — that showed he cared. But he didn’t. And just like that, we lost touch. But love has a funny way of circling back. Later, through a friend of his, I was invited to hang out with them one night. I chickened out the first time. Thankfully, with a little push from one of my friends, I said yes to the second invitation. When I arrived, Tyler did everything he could to avoid me… until my friend finally talked some sense into him. Toward the end of the night, we started talking. Nothing big — just small things — but enough to make up for all the missed moments we never got to have. And this time, we exchanged numbers.

The very next weekend was a holiday, and by coincidence, we were both out of town — only about an hour apart. Tyler ended up getting hurt on his trip, so jokingly I said, “Well, since you can’t ride your dirt bike anymore, you should just come spend the day with me and my family.” To my surprise… he actually did. He showed up and met my brother and several of my family members the second time we had ever hung out. What was supposed to be just a few hours together somehow turned into an entire weekend. From that moment on, we were inseparable. Even though we lived in different cities, we found every excuse to see each other. Two weeks later, Tyler invited me to dinner with his mom and siblings. I was so nervous — I already knew this was someone I wanted to hold onto forever — but the night went beautifully (even with his little sister’s 101 questions). Before long, I was spending most afternoons there, waiting for Tyler to get home from work, feeling more and more like I already belonged. A few weeks later, I met Marc and Lindsay, and soon after, even more of Tyler’s family. With every introduction, every shared meal, and every laugh around the table, my place in his world grew stronger. As I met more of his loved ones, he met mine too — meshing in so naturally, cracking jokes with the jokesters in my life and even winning over the hardheaded ones. On June 6th, 2020, we made it official. Since then, we’ve built a life full of adventure, laughter, and a love that feels both effortless and unshakable. Within our first year of dating, on May 15th, 2021, we brought home our first dog, Cedar — our sweet, goofy girl who quickly became the center of our little world. She was the very first piece of “home” we built together. Thanks to Jeannie (Tyler’s mom), who graciously opened her home to us while we saved, we bought our first house in July 2022 — a place that quickly became the heart of our story. And as if that wasn’t exciting enough, our family grew again. In September 2022, we brought home our boys, Rocky and Bear — perfect partners-in-crime for Cedar and instant best friends to us both. In October 2024, in Helena, Montana, the man who once barely said a word to me at a coffee stand completely surprised me. I had absolutely no idea he had the big question planned — not that day, not that weekend, not even that month. So when he got down on one knee and asked me to be his forever, there may have been a few shocked “no’s” before it became the easiest “yes” of my life. Most recently, in November 2025, we welcomed our sweet kitten, Willow, who instantly stole all of our hearts. What I love most about Tyler is his steadiness. He is supportive, patient, and calm in every season. He’s my peace when life feels chaotic, the reason I laugh on hard days, and the one who constantly reminds me to believe in myself. He might say “no” when I try to bring home another animal (though I usually find a way), but when it comes to the big things, he is unwavering — encouraging me, grounding me, and pushing me to be the best version of myself. Tyler says his favorite thing about me is my persistence — and it’s that very persistence that turned a simple coffee stand crush into a forever kind of love. Our story is one of timing, patience, and the quiet way love finds you when it’s meant to. From coffee runs to building a home, growing our little family, and saying “yes” to forever, every chapter has led us here. Now, surrounded by the people we love most, we can’t wait to begin our greatest chapter yet — as husband and wife.