Dodge Journey of a Lifetime Contest

We entered the Dodge Journey of a Lifetime Contest. We can win a new Dodge Journey minivan and an all expenses paid wedding and ceremony - including a Journey cover band.

Contestants have to submit a 500 word essay that answers the question 'Why should Dodge select you to start your Journey of a Lifetime together at the Chicago Auto Show on Feb. 14, 2008?'

Here's the essay we submitted:

My fiancee, Kaycee, was diagnosed with Hodgkins disease, in 2005. I met her in April 2007, after her cancer was already in remission, and she been through a harrowing treatment process. When we first met, she would tell me stories about what the chemo did to her body, how she was forced to continue at her job as a schoolteacher to keep up with her medical bills, and how the small town she was from in Michigan held a benefit to assist her with her bills, which kept her from going bankrupt. When we met, her hair was still relatively short as she was still growing it out. She still has to go in every few months for regular checkups, sometimes she cries because she is so scared of getting sick again.

I think having cancer made her realize how fleeting life is, which partly explains why we were engaged after knowing each other only 9 months. As for me, I do not at all mind being engaged so soon to the beautiful, brilliant, funny girl that came into my life out of nowhere and made everything better. We moved in together several months ago, and I don't think I've ever been happier. I try to take care of the chores around the house and make things easier for her, as she juggles the demands of working a full time job and two Masters degree programs.

Our family had a big scare when my dad went into the hospital in November due to health complications related to his heart disease. The doctors ran tests on him over several weeks and concluded that he needed a heart transplant. I remember sitting at my dad's bedside and telling him and my mom how I just asked Kaycee to marry me. I was unsure at the time if I should tell my parents about our engagement, as my dad was really weak, but I think in the end it was the right thing to do. His defibrillator had just gone off overnight and everyone was really worried about him. My dad had his heart transplant on Christmas Eve, he's fully recovered and doing great now, he's even talking about playing golf again in the spring. The doctors really saved his life. We spent Christmas break at the hospital, keeping my dad company as he recovered. I think one of his sons getting married gave my dad something to look forward to and strength during his operation.

It's unbelievable, but there's a third part to our story! The week after my dad came home from the hospital, Kaycee and I found out that we were pregnant! This was only last week, we're still sort of processing this new development. I feel a mixture of shock, profound happiness, and the usual worries about being a new father. There are so many wonderful things to look forward to in the future, we can't wait to see what comes next.