We met through a mutual friend in 1988. He asked me out and I said, “No.” It is still a joke today. (I had dinner plans with my parents) We did finally go out and he took me to a movie, “Nightmare on Elm Street.” Considering the fact that the first person killed was “Tina” - it truly was a date I would never forget…even over 35 years later. Four years later, we married each other and began what we believed to be a forever union. Life can be cruel, but we are now focused on each other once again.

We have too many to select one. Overall, the moments we find joy in involved both of us spending time together, learning and trying something new: climbing in Bandolier, painting, ceramics class, performing/working with the local ballet company, cracking jokes during labor of our first child, reciting movie lines and guessing, swimming with dolphins and sting rays, panning for gold, taking our first cruise and searching for ghosts. Every moment we can share is a beautiful memory.

I want to use this money to take him places on his bucket list, especially Sweden. We hosted a foreign exchange student in 2000 and she is now our “daughter” and her family is our family. We miss her. My husband has a gentle spirit and he deserves every moment of happiness life can offer. We are both retiring soon and this would be a beautiful gift for him and us.