We grew up on the south side of Des Moines, but life kept crossing our paths before we ever dated. Tim smiled at me from the grocery store where he worked, though I insisted he wasn’t! Later, mutual friends - and eventually his brother marrying one of my best friends - kept bringing us together. After one unforgettable double date, everything clicked. We married in 1993 and have spent the last 33 years building a family, a business, and a life we truly love together.

Our favorite memory isn’t a single day—it’s realizing that life’s hardest moments brought us closer. After Tim survived a devastating workplace accident, we were reminded that tomorrow isn’t promised. That experience changed how we live. We celebrate small victories, support each other’s dreams, dance while the music is playing, and never wait to tell the people we love how much they matter.

Like many couples, we’ve spent years putting everyone else first. Winning would help us finally invest in ourselves with a long-overdue vacation, a bedroom makeover, and yoga teacher training. We’d also celebrate the family, friends, and community who’ve walked beside us with a joyful gathering and community meal, because life’s greatest blessings are the people we share it with.