Connect How did your love story begin?

Carl and Allee were both theater kids in the same circles, but it wasn't until Christmas break of their high school junior year, when a mutual friend invited them both to go ice skating, that they truly met. When Allee’s mom came to pick her up at the end of the day, she met everyone, and later, in the car, she said, “Who was that tall, skinny boy? He has a crush on you.” Two months later, Allee sent Carl a Valentine that told him to ask her out. Their first date was that evening.

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

In 2021, we dropped everything and moved from the Dallas suburbs to the middle of nowhere in East Texas. While visiting Carl's parents at their place nearby, his mom convinced us to just go look at houses in the area. We looked at two. The second felt like home from the moment we drove up. The property was beautiful, the house was big enough for us and the animals, and there was even a little outbuilding that looked like it was made to be Allee’s art studio! We put in an offer two days later.

What would you do with $20,000?

The money would go to many smaller projects. We foster animals: everything from cats to dogs to the occasional farm animal We fostered 28 new animals in 2024 alone! With $20000, we could transform the kitten room into one better suited to the needs of neonatal kittens. We also have a small homestead now. We donate our extra eggs and veggies to the local food bank. We would use the money for better irrigation systems and more garden beds so we could increase production for us and our community.