Connect How did your love story begin?

We met in 2004 through an online dating site. After our first date, we both felt something special, though we didn’t admit it until years later—it was love at first sight, and 22 years later, of which 19 years married, that still holds true. Even more incredible, we later discovered we had grown up just blocks apart, sharing mutual friends and neighbors. We were always meant to meet—just at the right time, when we were both ready for something real and lasting.

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

That’s a loaded question—we’ve shared so many memories over our 22 years together, it’s hard to choose just one. But getting our Jack Russell–Chihuahua, Toby, stands out. We found him through a chance encounter after our adoption plans fell through when the mother backed out. We’ve had Toby for 17 years, and he’s truly been the light of our lives. While our family may not be traditional, he completes us—he’s the “half” in our own Two and a Half Men family.

What would you do with $20,000?

I’d like to think we would splurge on the trip of a lifetime. We’re very family-oriented and deeply devoted to caring for the people we love—always there in an instant if we’re needed. Sometimes, we give so much that we lose ourselves in it. It would be my dream to take Ray somewhere exotic he has always wanted to go. That would be a gift not just for him, but for me as well.