He was 25, a farm boy and redneck surfer. I was 33, country-club raised and more than a little bougee. We met through a friend, and the moment he saw me, he told his buddy, “I’m going to marry that girl.” His friend said, “Not a chance.” Soon I was wearing camouflage in the woods, my friends thought I’d lost my mind, and everyone said it wouldn’t last. By February, we were expecting our daughter. She was 6 months old in our wedding photos. 28 years later, we’re still proving them wrong!

Our favorite memory is still our first kiss. When we met, he was so nervous around me he could barely get a sentence out without stumbling over his words. I thought it was adorable and loved teasing him. One day, after a trip to the store, I stopped the car in the parking lot and said, “You know you want to kiss me. Do you just want to kiss me and get it over with?” He did. 28 years later, we still laugh about it. I had that redneck stunned and gunned in an instant, lol!

We would use the $20,000 to help build an ADU for our adult autistic daughter and establish a disability trust for her future. Like most parents, we expected her to launch into independent adulthood, but life had other plans. An ADU would give her the independence and privacy she deserves and needs, while keeping family support close by. Let’s just say we’re not becoming empty- nesters anytime soon. $20,000 would provide security, dignity, and peace of mind for all of us.