We met at a bar, I thought he was way too handsome to be smart, but fun for a night. We talked for hours, he went in for a kiss, and I teased that I had a pipeline of other contenders. The next day, he messaged me with perfect grammar—and I realized he’s brilliant and handsome. Two months later, we were dating. Three months after that, we bought a house, got engaged, adopted two dogs, and now have a baby boy. One unexpected night turned into a lifetime.

Besides having our child, my favorite memory is early in our relationship, staying up late in his bachelor pad sketching a children’s book we dreamed up. It featured our childhood pet names “Snuggle Buckets” (mine, from my mom) and “Velcro Boy” (his, from his mom) and captured our playful bond. We hadn’t even talked about having kids yet; it was just a fun, creative passion project we still laugh about and reference to this day.

We’d use the $20,000 to honor the people who’ve supported us through every season of life, grief, growth, and joy. We’d plan a weekend of connection, reflection, and adventure, an all-paid staycation to say “thank you.” From shared meals to game nights to laughter-filled outings, it’s about giving back to the hearts that helped build ours.