Andrea Gunning

He bought her an expensive dress, rented a limousine, and took them to a dinner theater.

She said yes.

He brought her out of her comfort zone.

And it felt like a fairy tale.

Chad was involved in every step of the wedding planning, which Danielle loved.

And he also wanted to go to pre-marriage counseling to discuss their expectations.

Danielle had been managing her own money in her early 20s.

And although she was good at it, it was a relief to be marrying someone who had expertise in finance.

It made her feel safe.

And so they agreed that while she would manage the household, Chad would manage the money.

She was happy with this arrangement.

She's a do-it-yourself kind of person.

It's an attitude that's well-suited to raising kids and running the household.

After they got married, the couple decided to move to Chad's hometown in Illinois.

To call it a small town is an understatement.

The entire population could fit in one high school football stadium.

Well, the town we live in, Erie, is only 1,900.

It's small.

Small, but perfectly suited to the life that they were building.

A life that centered around family and community.