Connect How did your love story begin?

We met at Kicks, a teen nightclub, in highshool. Even though we were young, we both knew there was something special between us. Together we learned how to support and grow with one another. We needed each other to help fix the spaces in our lives that needed care, and from the very beginning, being together just felt like home. Twenty-four years, 14 years of marriage, and three beautiful children later, it still does.

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

Our favorite memory is welcoming our third and final baby, Jet during Covid. After needing a fertility specialist to help us have our first child, this home birth felt especially meaningful. Our son and daughter stayed by my side through early labor, cheering me on, while my husband was the real MVP—coaching me and helping me breathe through each contraction. Our midwives quietly trusted my body to lead. When the moment came, we welcomed Jet into the world. Now a complete family of five.

What would you do with $20,000?

My husband and I grew up without the financial means to travel very often, so now creating memories as a family means everything to us. With $20,000, we would explore new places together and visit my husband’s parents in the Philippines. Spending time together exploring is what we live for. I work two jobs to travel now. That’s how important sharing the world with our children is to us!