We met later in life, when we both knew what truly mattered. From our very first conversations, we realized we shared the same values, faith, sense of humor, and desire to build something lasting. What started as friendship quickly became a partnership built on trust, encouragement, and adventure. Whether we’re exploring new places, volunteering together, or dressing up for conventions, we’ve learned that the best part of every journey is simply experiencing it side by side.

It’s hard to choose just one because we’ve filled our marriage with adventures, but traveling together has become our favorite tradition. Standing together at Star Wars Celebration in Japan, sharing a dream we’d talked about for years, reminded us that life is about creating memories—not collecting things. Every trip, every laugh, every costume, and every unexpected moment has strengthened our friendship, which is still the foundation of our marriage.

We’d use it to create even more meaningful experiences together while giving back along the way. We’d take a dream trip we’ve been planning, continue documenting our adventures to encourage others that life doesn’t stop after finding love later in life, and use part of the money to help care for our aging parents. The greatest gift wouldn’t be the vacation—it would be the time together and the memories we’d continue building with the people we love.