My friend got me to join dance class before our cruise — our plan to impress girls. I was the loud, goofy jock-nerd disrupting every lesson. She was my opposite: a disciplined competitive dancer, homeschooled, braces and all. Paired up, our chemistry was instant but stayed platonic — until one performance, when she flashed her eyes at me and everything shifted. I fumbled my first kiss and apologized after. She smiled anyway. Next day, our first real kiss. 22 years later, still smitten.

My favorite memories are the small ones — movies we still quote, deep talks, dancing in the car to Earth, Wind & Fire. But one stands out: dancing with a live latin band on a cruise. From the moment he led me to the floor, I felt our connection to each other and the music. Our movements synced perfectly — wholly present, just us and the song. When it ended, the floor had cleared. Everyone was watching, applauding. That moment showed me what true connection and partnership feel like.

We'd use the money to finally plan the wedding celebration we never got to design ourselves. We married at 16 and 17 — it was beautiful, but the choices weren't really ours. For our 25th anniversary, we want a vow renewal that's entirely us — a true celebration of 25 years of growing up together, loving each other through everything, and building something we're both incredibly proud of.