Connect How did your love story begin?

We met as teenagers at Blockbuster Video, and Kelley took the lead. After a few weeks, she decided we were a couple, and James agreed. Eight months later, she proposed, and James said yes. We were married two years later, and went through a miscarriage and bankruptcy within the first two years of marriage. Our son arrived the next year, and our daughter a couple years later. Our bond has been unshakable through all the ups and downs, and it is stronger now than ever. Kelley was right all along.

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

We settled into our relationship so quickly that within a few years, after too many nights of fast food and top ramen, we had both gained a lot of weight. We lived like this for about 10 years, and then Kelley, taking the lead again, decided to get serious about losing weight. James followed along, and each of us lost more than 100 pounds, and we have mostly kept the weight off since. We are forever grateful for having made this change in our lives, both for ourselves and for our children.

What would you do with $20,000?

Our wedding was not quite the stuff of dreams. James was an atheist and Kelley was agnostic, so there was no mention of God. James was a non-drinker at the time, and Kelley was only 19, so there was no wine. You might say it was a bit dry. Our 25th anniversary is coming up in two years, and now that we are proper adults – and both followers of Jesus – we would love to renew our vows with a proper ceremony and celebration for our family, our church family, and our loved ones.