A little faith.
A lot to learn.
Built together.
We’re Melvin and Sydney Corners. We’re raising two boys, working our way through debt, and learning how to build.
Apparently, that includes a pineapple.
But our story started with a piano.
It started with
a few pointers.
In 2020, Melvin walked in while Sydney was playing the piano and offered her a few pointers. Sydney enjoyed learning, although she admits she was particularly interested in who was giving the lesson.
About three months later, we were married.
We know. That was fast.
But faith guided that decision. When Melvin talked to the pastor about Sydney, he knew exactly who Melvin meant before he even mentioned her name. Sydney prayed about it, too. We believed God was leading us toward each other.
And if you’ve found the right one, why wait?
Then came
a whole new kind
of learning.
We always wanted children. We also hoped our finances would look a little better before they arrived. But we believe God has perfect timing, even when it doesn’t match the timing we pictured.
In 2023, Mykah made us parents.
His birth brought overwhelming joy. Our first night alone with him brought the realization that babies can be very unhappy with arrangements you thought were perfectly reasonable.
Parenthood has been challenging and enjoyable, sometimes within the same five minutes.
And then
there were four.
In 2026, Malakai joined our family.
“It’s baby Malakai!” Mykah said when he met his little brother. When we asked if he wanted to hold him, his answer was a simple “Mmhmm.”
Later, when Malakai was crying, Mykah told him:
“It’s ok, Malakai,
Mykah’s got you.
I love you.”— Mykah
Our name.
Our family.
Our next step.
Corners → CornerBuilt
CornerBuilt gets its name from our last name, Corners. The reason we started it is a little more personal.
We’re in debt. We’ve felt the pressure of trying to make ends meet, and we know a lot of families understand that feeling.
Melvin has tried plenty of things along the way: YouTube, photography, aerial photography, podcasting, travel advisory, and more. As a software developer, he loves being able to turn an idea into something that works. That led to a question: what would happen if he tried building things in the physical world?
Sydney has always wanted to learn to build, and art is already something she loves. CornerBuilt gives us a place to bring those interests together, have fun, and work toward a more stable future for our family.
We’re also watching people around us struggle. As we learn, we want to put those skills to use for others. We hope to build things that meet real needs in our community.
For now, though, we’re starting with what we can learn at home.
About that
pineapple.
We wanted to give Mykah’s room a little taste of Bikini Bottom, including a pineapple resembling SpongeBob’s house.
There were late nights. Early mornings. Disagreements.
Melvin wanted to give up 37 and a half times.
Sydney kept the encouragement going.
And we actually built it.
That project gave us something to remember the next time we feel stuck. We had struggled, disagreed, kept working, and made something for our son that we once only knew how to imagine.
We’re learning what hard work, determination, faith, and a positive attitude can help us do together.
We still ask ourselves, “Will we be successful? Will this actually work?” We see other people making it happen and wonder whether that kind of future is possible for us.
Then we look at our boys. We want to give them more room to dream and fewer of the financial struggles we’ve known. So we’re taking a leap of faith, with plenty left to figure out.
You’re welcome to follow along—the projects, the mistakes, the family moments, and whatever we learn next. If you have a dream you’re afraid to begin, we hope seeing us start helps you take a step of your own.
We’re still figuring
out how to build.
Come learn with us.
Melvin, Sydney, Mykah & Malakai