Jon and I met when he worked on my car, we then reconnected later by chance at a bar where I worked near by. We became inseparable friends, even after he moved 3 hours away shortly after reconnecting. We always “liked” each other but never really talked dating.Two years later, he messaged, “Screw it, let’s do this.” He swore he’d never date someone with kids—and I had two. But here we are: 8 years of friendship, 6 years together, and 2 years married. Life had other plans, and I’m so glad it did.

One of my favorite memories is our first vacation together in Mexico. We had the best time, laughing, bonding, and sharing plenty of Don Julio Reposado. To this day, we still have no idea how we made it back to our room one of those nights—we just remember how much fun we had and how close it brought us. And then of course when he proposed. He included my kids in every part and he waited until our 3rd anniversary to propose because he knew 3 is my lucky number. (He wanted to propse sooner).

If we won the $20,000, I would use it to help buy my husband his dream truck and a new welding machine for work—two things he truly deserves. He is the definition of a hardworking man: up before the sun, putting in long hours without complaint, always pushing through no matter how tough the day gets. He provides for our family with his hands, his strength, and his determination, often putting everyone else’s needs before his own.