Connect How did your love story begin?

We met at a beach party, I only went to support a friend. Jim was shy and we spoke for a bit. I casually invited him to a friend's beach house for a weekend, to my surprise he showed! That summer turned into something undeniable. Jim asked if I would "help" paint, turned out I wasn't trusted with a paintbrush and the VanHalen stripes going up so we went for coffee and talked for hours. After grad, Jim joined the USMC, I started college. Jim proposed on his 1st leave and we married 8 mths later.

What is your favorite memory you've shared as a couple?

So many favorite memories we have shared: crossing the stage at graduation together, Jim's Easter proposal on his first USMC leave in the car at the corner of Borden and French, getting married on his Christmas leave at City Hall in Buffalo, the births of our 3 children, and our travel opportunities especially Ireland. But I think we'd have to say our favorite memory is our beginning because without that we wouldn't have all the rest and we cannot imagine life apart.

What would you do with $20,000?

$20,000 would be used to enjoy more adventures together, living a life full of loving chaos with our “Little Schmidts”as we like to call them. We share a journey full of laughter, long talks and love -- and to think it all started with a beach house invite and a paintbrush I never got to use. — Amanda