We Made It Work for $5,000 and a Gift Card to Chili's

The Refreshingly Normal Podcast with Kēfla and Cree

Have you ever wondered how some couples make it look so easy? In this heartwarming episode, we pull back the curtain on our own love story that began 22 years ago at Edison Blair Elementary School in Dallas, Texas. What started as a professional relationship between two educators—Kefla as the PE teacher and Cree teaching third grade—evolved into something neither of us expected, especially since one of us was engaged to someone else at the time!
We take you through every step of our journey: from awkward first impressions to that memorable first date at Chili's (paid for with a gift card!), through the careful dance of dating as coworkers, to a creative spa proposal that left Cree speechless. You'll hear about our $5,000 wedding that proved you don't need extravagance to create lasting memories, and the real challenges we faced as newlyweds navigating career dreams and starting a family.
But this isn't just our story—it's a candid conversation about what makes relationships last. We share the uncomfortable truths about the work marriage requires and why, as Kefla puts it, "You walk up to the altar with your boyfriend, but you leave with a husband you don't even know." Through job losses, cross-country moves, and raising twins, we've discovered that lasting love isn't about perfection but about having two people who "want it just as much."
Whether you're single, dating, or celebrating decades together, this episode offers honest insights about building a partnership that continues to grow through life's inevitable changes. Join us for some laughs, a few tears, and plenty of refreshingly normal wisdom about finding and keeping love in the real world.

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פרקים

1. Welcome to Refreshingly Normal (00:00:00)

2. Catching Up: Tiki Thai and From Flowers (00:01:30)

3. How It All Began at Edison Blair (00:07:36)

4. From Coworkers to First Date (00:17:58)

5. Dating Hesitations and Building Trust (00:31:12)

6. The Proposal at the Spa (00:43:35)

7. Planning a $5,000 Wedding (01:08:20)

8. 22 Years Later: What Makes Marriage Work (01:17:24)