Connect How did your love story begin?

We met in 3rd grade, then life moved us to different cities/schools. Somehow, we landed back in the SAME middle school! Years later, he missed 1 phone call and I got entirely too mad about it. That’s when I thought, “Oh no. I like this boy.” Seven months later, we were engaged. At 18, we married in a quick ceremony so we wouldn't be separated by the military. Everyone said it wouldn’t last and honestly, the math was not in our favor. Fate kept putting us back together. This October, 29 years!

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

We recreated our wedding photo at the same Air Force picnic shelter where we got married after my Basic Training graduation. The shelter looked smaller, our knees had opinions, and we both agreed the ’90s hair needed to stay in the original photo. Seeing them side by side reminded us that we didn’t make it by staying the same. We made it by giving each other room to grow and change along the way. It's hard growing up in the military (especially going through what we did) - but we did it.

What would you do with $20,000?

Our wedding ceremony is running 29 years late (so sad) and I keep reminding him. 😄 We said “I do,” then reported straight to fast-pace military life: deployments, 3 kids, careers, and somewhere in there, a brain tumor. With $20K, we’d finally have the wedding we never had. A real ceremony, a real party, with the people who walked through EVERY chapter with us. We’d spoil our grandbabies just enough to get blamed for it and give our 18-year-old selves the celebration they missed. :)