How did your love story begin?

Mark and I laugh about our meeting, because it was straight out of a lifetime movie. I was 13 years old at a Friday night football game, it was cold and he gave me his sweatshirt. From that point we were never far from each other. He was even my first kiss... isn't that just sickly sweet. 😂 I joke, but we truly have spent over half our lives together at this point. Up, downs, losses, children. Whatever this life has in store for us, I'm grateful to face it together.

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

Our honeymoon was probably our most exciting experience - for our wedding our family contributed to a honeymoon fund that allowed us to go to Mexico. It was our first big travel experience with just the two of us, and it was intimidating! But it also felt good to begin our life together by having a true adventure, and we enjoyed every minute. Even the scary ones, like when Mark had to coach me up a pyramid in Koba because it was too tall and halfway up my vertigo kicked in lol.

What would you do with $20,000?

After years of working toward it, we have finally reached our goal of homeownership and are purchasing a home through Habitat for Humanity. The home is small, but finishing the basement would give us the space our little family of four needs. We also dream of taking our kids on a trip, so they can get a view of the world beyond our little slice of heaven here by the big lakes in Northern Michigan.