Connect How did your love story begin?

Instantly and in complete chaos—naturally. Joe was a flirty bartender (and Air Force vet); I was the fresh-faced hostess (classic). I spotted him and thought, “This is going to be something.” We both had (in)significant others. He left his quickly. I took one last doomed trip with mine, dumped him on the jet bridge, drove home—and there was Joe, waiting by his truck. One kiss and that was, as they say, that.

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

After my grandmother passed, she started “dropping dimes” to let me know she was still with me. Months into dating, Joe and I wandered off trail during a hike and spotted a single dime tucked between the rocks. I told him what it meant to me. Days later—after endless YouTube tutorials and many trips to the hardware store—he turned that dime into a ring. Thoughtful, unexpected, and perfectly him.

What would you do with $20,000?

In this economy? We’d put it toward the biggest year of our lives. Joe wraps his finance degree in August, we move for his new job in September, get married in October, celebrate his 40th days later, and—if we’re lucky—become first-time parents by Christmas. It’s a season full of momentum, and we’ve planned every step carefully. $20K would help us grow (wisely) and build a life that’s both stable and mindfully made.