Connect How did your love story begin?

Funny enough we met through a dating app. Our first date we met at the beach and walked for nearly 4 hours talking and playing with one of my dog walking clients. I remember I made the first move and he was so stunned but also immediately smitten. I think the dog I brought with me was what sealed the deal though. We saw each other every weekend from our first date and 5 months later moved into our first apartment together.

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

I think my favorite memory is the memory of our first cat, chowder. I saved her at 4 weeks old from being abandoned by her mother in broad daylight behind our apartment. I remember the night before hearing a cat fight and it was her mom fighting off a raccoon from the very same baby. I called Steven after sending him a picture of her and he immediately said in a teary eyed voice that we had to keep her. She is 9 years old now.

What would you do with $20,000?

We would finally take our honeymoon. While we’ve been together for over 10 years we only got married at 8 years in August of 2024. We had bought our first house in the fall of 2022 halfway across the country from our shared home state of Washington. We haven’t been able to save to take a honeymoon but would really love to spend some quality time together making some new memories.