Connect How did your love story begin?

A few years after high school, we reconnected on social media. He messaged me and asked me on a date—dinner and bowling. We both had a child, our own homes, and dogs, so we spent the first year going back and forth between houses. In the midst of everyday life—kids, dogs, and late-night talks—we fell in love. It wasn’t instant, but it was real, steady, and exactly what we both needed.

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

For my 30th birthday, we took an unforgettable trip to Maine and New York City. In Maine, we stayed in a dreamy treehouse by the lake. One night, wrapped in each other’s arms on the dock beneath a sky full of stars, we saw a UFO hover quietly above us. It felt like time stood still—just us, the stars, and something unexplainable. That moment, that trip, was pure magic—romantic, surreal, and ours.

What would you do with $20,000?

We just got engaged and are planning a small, intimate wedding so we can focus on what matters most—each other. By keeping it simple and with this money, we can pay off our debt and use the rest to take our dream international honeymoon and start our next chapter with love, adventure, and a clean slate.