Our love story began with a happy accident. I accidentally set my dating app radius to 150 miles instead of 50, and that's how we matched. One phone call led to an instant connection, and when we met, we just knew. After three years of long distance, he moved in with me and my family for four years. Today, we're living in a cabin in the woods together as he pursues his PhD.

It's hard to choose just one favorite memory, but they all share the same ingredients: romance, lots of laughter, and adventures in nature. Whether we're hiking through redwood trails, running the hills, exploring somewhere new, or simply rediscovering places we see every day, we always find peace outdoors. Being together in nature reminds us to slow down, appreciate the world around us, and cherish each other.

With $20,000, we would invest in two dreams we are working hard to build together: starting a family and owning our first home. We hope to begin trying for a baby soon, and the money would help with health insurance and medical expenses while allowing us to continue saving for a home. I recently started my private practice, and my husband is finishing his Ph.D., so we are both in exciting but still-building stages of our careers. This would give us a foundation for our next chapter.