After 22 years of marriage, Kelly Ripa can't imagine life without her husband, Mark Consuelos. It's a bond so strong that when Mark travels for work, Kelly feels his absence deeply. Once, she confessed on social media, "I miss him already," sharing how she'd already moved to his side of the bed to comfort herself. Her admiration for their relationship is evident in her words to Soap Opera Digest: "If two people were ever meant to be together, it's us." But it wasn't always smooth sailing for this power couple.

Breaking Up Before Finding Their Way Back

In a surprising twist, Kelly admitted on a recent podcast that she broke things off with Mark—a year after they began dating in 1995. At the time, they were both just 25, working together on All My Children, where Mark played her love interest. An insider told Closer Weekly, "They fell in love so quickly that they didn't trust it. Kelly wanted to be sure she wasn't rushing into something." So, she made the tough decision to step back and reevaluate their connection.

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Something about these Grecian sunsets 🌞☀️🌅🇬🇷 (oh and viva Mexico 🇲🇽- see story)
A post shared by Kelly Ripa (@kellyripa) on Jun 27, 2018 at 9:26am PDT

Reconnecting on a Mother's Day Special

As fate would have it, their paths crossed again during a special appearance on Live With Regis and Kathie Lee. Kelly, now 47, revealed on Betches' Comments by Celebs podcast, "It was their Mother's Day special, and one of the mothers' dreams was to meet Mark and me because we were her favorite characters on All My Children." Their reunion was electric, rekindling the chemistry they once shared. A week later, over pizza and wine at Mark's apartment, he dropped a bombshell: "Let's go to Vegas." And just like that, they eloped and secretly got married on May 1, 1996.

The First Year: A Rocky Start

Their first year of marriage wasn't easy. "We fought constantly," Kelly admitted to Redbook. But they both realized they wanted to make it work. "We looked at each other one day and said, 'We're in this for the long haul, so let's make it fun,'" she shared. Today, they're proud parents to three children—Michael, 21, Lola, 17, and Joaquin, 15—and their family remains their top priority.

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Wishing you a LIT holiday season! With love from the Consuelos gang. 🔥✨💫🎄(and yes, Lola approved)
A post shared by Kelly Ripa (@kellyripa) on Dec 15, 2017 at 1:21pm PST

Staying Connected Despite Distance

While Mark's projects, like his role on Riverdale, often take him away from home, the couple works hard to stay connected. "His absences do put stress on the relationship, but they FaceTime and text each other a thousand times a day," an insider noted. "They never take each other for granted." Kelly told AOL, "That's what you want in life, to have a good companion, somebody that loves you, listens to you, and is your equal."

Regular date nights help keep the romance alive. "We carve out time for ourselves," Kelly once told Good Housekeeping. "It gives us something to look forward to, a night where we're not saying, 'Put that down! Stop touching her! Don't spill that!' It can be as simple as just the two of us, for dinner and high jinks." And she doesn't shy away from talking about their intimate life. "Lots of sex is key," she revealed to Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live!. "We try to do spicy things together all the time."

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Tree kissers. #cincodemayo #itsbetterinthebahamas 🇲🇽🇧🇸
A post shared by Kelly Ripa (@kellyripa) on May 5, 2018 at 3:31pm PDT

A Passion That Thrills and Embarrasses

While their enduring passion might embarrass their kids, Kelly and Mark don't mind. "They love posting sexy pics on Instagram, and that sometimes makes their kids roll their eyes," the insider laughed. But after rolling the dice and eloping in Vegas, they're proud of what they've built. "We're very lucky that we found each other," Kelly told AOL.

For more on Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, pick up the latest issue of Closer Weekly, on newsstands now — and be sure to sign up for our newsletter for more exclusive news!