#Ryansthebest

Reason No. 36 why I am a lucky, lucky bride-to-be: Ryan has spent two Saturdays in a row taking care of the pups and unpacking at the new house alone so that I could be out shooting (photographs that is). I absolutely LOVE photography, but for as long as I can remember, I haven't had time to truly put my heart in to it - mostly because I was working weekends. This is the first time in my life I have a solely Monday through Friday job, and it has been GREAT for my photography. Ryan is SO incredibly supportive of my passion, and is always encouraging me. Here is a little bit of what I was doing the last two Saturdays...

Also, Ryan has decided he is going to be my new business manager. So if you are interested in photos, e-mail either of us. :) 

xoxo - Becki

Happy National Cupcake Day!

Thanks to Yahoo News, I now know that it is...

National Cupcake Day! 

(Yes, I actually made these rainbow beauties... In 2010 I believe! I can't lie though, they were out-of-a-box cupcakes. I really just wanted them to look cute so I could take these depth-of-field photos for a project.)

In honor, I will definitely make a batch or two tonight. Here are some that look amazing... 

Nutella Filled Cupcakes

Drumstick Cupcakes

Butterfinger Cupcakes
(This will probably be Ryan's vote!)

If anyone else is baking tonight, I would be ABSOLUTELY up for a cupcake swap!

5 Reasons to Love Chick Fil A

All right, I'll admit it, I'm obsessed with Chick-fil-a. There is a close tie on my credit card bill for most transactions between CFA and Starbucks. Why do I love it though? Here's my top five reasons.

1. The Food

I figure we will go ahead and put this one on the board. I'm obsessed with CFA's food. It is my most frequent craving, and I ask Ryan to take me there way more than any grown woman should. But, the next few reasons make it okay.

2. The Employees

I could tell numerous stories of great service, friendly greetings, and just overall a staff that goes above and beyond. But instead, I will only mention one woman today - Sonja. She works at the location on Kirby, and I have never met someone who can make a stranger feel special and valued within a 3 minute window of ordering. She is constantly pouring out blessings onto customers, and she is unbelievably great at remembering names and faces. I had only been in there twice before she remembered my order!

3. The Values

I said this quite a bit during the "Great-Gay Chick-fil-a Controversy" (I just made up that title, but I think you all know what I am talking about) : regardless of whether or not you agree with their Christian values, you have to give them credit for being unwavering in what they believe. Who would you rather support; someone who changes based on peer pressure, or someone who stands by their beliefs regardless of what others think of them? I'll go with the latter.

And beyond the steadiness of the companies beliefs, I tend to agree with what they put forward. This shouldn't be any surprise if you read my last blog post about unconditional love. CFA is an incredible example of Christ - serving all, regardless of status or sin. I have never had an employee, or another customer for that matter, act with anything but kindness inside the restaurant. I mean, let's be honest, how many places can you go to that don't have a true "line" and not have brawls break out? There is something about the atmosphere, which is set by the employees, that encourages customers to display kindness and patience to one another.

4. The Free Stuff

What? You didn't know about the free stuff? You must not go to CFA enough...

But seriously - they truly reward their customers.  Between treat receipts (free sandwich for survey on the bottom of your receipt), text messages about give-aways, and free-breakfast weeks, there is always something going on! For instance, I just received a text message for a free milk-shake. Was I planning to go to CFA for dinner? Nope. Will I probably go to CFA for dinner and get that free milkshake? You betcha. They are social marketing geniuses.

5. The Patrons

I often go to CFA for lunch on work days. My office is generally a cool 62 degrees, so I use lunch as a time to defrost before putting in the second half of my day. Not only is CFA conveniently close, it also has a patio, so it is perfect!

More than a few times have I had other CFA customers join me for lunch. Folks will sit down with me and enjoy the humidity and heat that Houston so kindly offers us at this time of the year. I have learned the stories of others, gotten book suggestions, movie suggestions, restaurant reviews, and even been prayed for!

Convinced yet that CFA is wonderful? Or are you at least hungry and craving some waffle fries?

Love Her.

When I found out that Nicole had been in a car accident, I was out-of-town leading a group of high school students on a construction site. I listened as a mutual high school friend told the story, weaving in and out of sympathy and judgment. We had no idea what to think, what to do, what to say.

As I returned to the church where we were staying for the week, I noticed the sign out front had been changed while we were gone for the day. It now read, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. Romans 8:28". I wish I could say that after reading this I had some immediate peace or knowledge of what to do, but I didn't. I knew that I needed that verse as a reminder, and in the days, and weeks, and months that followed, I have often found myself saying the verse over and over to myself.

I put myself in an awkward place when I returned home at the end of the week. I made up my mind that I would stop by her house to see her parents, or her if she was home. But as I drove, I couldn't bring myself to take the exit. I hadn't seen Nicole in over a year. Are we even friends anymore? What would she think if I showed up now? What would I say when she opened the door? What was my motive for going? The questions went on and on.

So, as I am often guilty of doing in awkward situations, I took the easy road - I went home that day instead of going to see her, and I have followed that same easy route many times since. I have prayed intermittently, and thought of her often - but mostly, I have gone about my life.

I have been a bad friend - and an even worse Christian.

As I have read article after article this week (written by a man whom I am truly not sure how he keeps his job based on the number of spelling and grammar errors), my heart has been torn apart. I see comments filled with harsh words at Nicole's expense, and my instinct is to jump to her defense. If I hadn't years ago made myself the promise to always double check my controversial topic comments against what Jesus would do, I certainly would have gotten in a few fights this week.

But luckily, I did make that promise to myself - and now, everyday this week, I have sat and wondered what would Jesus do if he were here right now? What would he say to Nicole? How would he behave?

Then it hit me.

He would love her.

I know that is the absolute truth - but it sounds way more simple than it is, right? Maybe not. Maybe loving someone, no matter the scenario or the sin, is truly that simple.

"For this reason I say to you, her sins,

which are many, have been forgiven,

for she loved much; but he who is

 forgiven little, loves little."

Luke 7:47



The world always depicts love as a grand gesture, a phenomenal feeling. But (as I am learning everyday as I prepare to be a wife, and love someone for the rest of my life) love is none of those things. Love is a choice, in every moment, in every action.

This means I need to forgive her. You're right, I wasn't the one who was in the other car, but I have judged her. I have wanted to hold her accountable. I have held a grudge against her. And therefore I need to forgive her. This is truly more about me than it is about her - I often forget that about forgiveness.

This means I need to choose love in every word. Again, this is just as much about me as it is about her. When we speak out to friends, or post on Facebook, our words reflect who we are. When we choose hateful or judgmental words, even if we somehow convince ourselves that they are warranted in the situation, we are allowing death into our own lives and the lives of whom we are speaking about. Not to mention, we come across as extremely hypocritical, which is often why people hate Christians in the first place.

And lastly, this means I need to choose love in every action. I certainly did not choose love when I avoided going to her house because of my own reservations and potential embarrassment. I should have, and wish every day that I had, but I can only choose differently going forward.

I have come to realize this week that you never stop being friends with someone. My past is intertwined with Nicole. I am who I am today because of her. Regardless of where our friendship is, or of where her walk with Christ is (and just for the record, I do know that she has one). Nicole is my friend. My best friend. She loved me, supported me, challenged me, cared for me, and fought for me - just as my own sister would. She was never perfect, nor tried to portray such an image, but she loved deeply, and anyone who has ever been loved by her knows what that feels like. I owe nothing to her, and she nothing to me, but I owe everything to Christ, and for that I will love her (and all my other brothers and sisters in this world) - regardless of sin.

 

"And we know that in all things God works for

the good of those who love him."
Romans 8:28

I will resist speculating on what that good is. I truly wish I knew as it would probably comfort many people. But God is so big. I know He is working for good, I will trust His plan, and do my part - love.

*I will not pretend to know what should be legally done in this scenario. I understand actions have consequences, but this post is not about that in the least. This is solely about being a non-hypocritical Christian, withholding judgment (for I am not better than her - I also have sinned), and loving her as Christ would.

*With that being said, any degrading, rude, or otherwise unwarranted or unrelated comments will be deleted.

Mr & Mrs Robertson, The Wedding of

We were so blessed to attend the wedding of these two love-bugs this weekend.

 

 

I am so lucky to call Nicole my friend, and Logan is lucky to call her his wife! She is the most loyal person I have ever encountered. She is an incredible friend; anyone who has ever met her can attest to that. And, she was a BEAUTIFUL bride.

 

 

Thanks so much for having us - we had a great time!

 



In or Out?

One of the things I have come to realize about the Lord is that he speaks to us all in a magnitude of different ways. One of the best ways he speaks to me is through visuals. Sometimes they are visual representations that he places in my mind as I am trying to understand something (for instance, when I was teaching in El Salvador about why it is important to have your own relationship before trying to help others, I used the metaphor of putting your own air mask on in an airplane before you put on others - totally from God because until about three minutes before I spoke, I had no idea what I was going to say). Other times, God literally places something in front of me that I need to see.

At church on Sunday, a young man sitting across the aisle from me caught my eye during worship. He was raising his hands to the Lord, even dancing at times, but every few minutes was interrupted by a text on his cell phone. He would read, respond, and then dive right back into worship. I feel like that is a perfect picture of my life (and probably not just me).

 

There seems to be this in between place that I live in. I'm half in and half out - like when I can't decide if its cold enough for covers or not, so I have one leg under the blanket and one leg on top. I know the Lord, and I trust the Lord, but I still struggle with how to fully and completely hand my life over to him. I still want to step outside of Jesus every once in awhile and live here on earth even though I know living within his will is a much better place to be.

 I wish I had some big realization or piece of encouragement to end this with, but I don't. I simply wanted to share, and maybe challenge you to think of what things pull you away from Christ (as that is what it caused me to do).

And because I couldn't think of any good graphic to go along with this post, here's a puppy.

Blue or Pink?

 We found out just before we got engaged that Ryan's sister, Lindsay, and her husband George are expecting
their fourth baby! Today, they hosted a gender reveal at Kyle Field. (I thought Lindsay was going to save me from the Aggies!)

And... It's a girl! 

So excited for them, and excited to gain THREE nieces and a nephew in November. 

SmithTV

If you can't tell by our book themed blog and save-the-dates, reading is a big influence on our relationship.  I love that she appreciates good literature (and I'm very lucky that my English degree came in handy for something!) The downside to this is that in our early phases of dating, reading together was not a top priority. (At one point Becki did ask me to read The Phantom Tollbooth to her, but I wasn't ready to be Miss Frizzle to her Magic School Bus class quite yet).

Because of this, Becki and I began watching TV shows together frequently, and to my amazement she has been left completely in the dark to some fantastic shows. (I, on the other hand, have dozens of shows I watch consistently, which both amazes and annoys her whenever I say something is "my favorite"). Most of the shows we're watching are ones I'm going back over with her, thinking things to myself like, "No wife of mine will be able to say 'I've never heard of Greendale Community College' or 'what does Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose mean?'" It'll be a long process, but here are ten shows that Becki has/will have to see, in no particular order, and how they can improve our marriage.

1. Friday Night Lights - because every marriage can use a few pointers from Coach and Tami's relationship.

 

2. Mad Men - because every marriage can use a few pointers from Don Draper's relationships...on what not to do.

3. The Wire - because every marriage needs to see both sides of the story, i.e. his opinion vs. her opinion, the street's side vs. the police's side, etc...

 

4. Justified - because every marriage needs a little man crush on Timothy Olyphant.  Wait... I meant needs to appreciate his acting. Yeah, his acting...

 

5. New Girl - because every marriage needs to complete their zombie novel eventually.

 

6. Community - because every marriage needs to consider the dark timeline.

 

7. Damages - because every marriage needs to see the downside of always winning.

8. Breaking Bad - because every marriage can be spiced up with a gentleman's amount of meth. (Bad joke...don't do meth.)

9. Chuck - because every marriage should be just a little bit nerdy.

10. Parks and Recreation - because every marriage can use a DJ Roomba.  (Don't worry, we registered for one.)

 

The Honorable Mentions: 

- Arrested Development

- Happy Endings (RIP!)

- Twin Peaks

- The Office

- Scrubs

- Freaks and Geeks

- How I Met Your Mother

Bonus points to whoever can convince Becki that she needs to watch the following shows: 

- Game of Thrones

- Lost

Becki has made a similar list and we have watched every single episode of this show but let's move on: 

- Pretty Little Liars

Shows that used to be good but are now terrible and will never make it on this list: 

- Dexter

-RS

 

We're Homeowners!

It is OFFICIAL. We are in the very first debt of our lives, and SO excited about it!

 

 

This is the official "Smith House".

 

 

Thank you SO much to our realtor, Brittany Taggart. If you are looking to buy (or sell) a house, please please please let us refer you to her! She is incredible! 

Salsa padre.

I haven't celebrated Father's Day in awhile. For those of you who don't know, my daddy died in 2000 from a severe heart attack. Mother's day has become an even more special day of the year for us, as my mom stepped up to take over both parenting roles. (She rocked it by the way.) But Father's day kind of slipped away.

Lucky for me, I was able to celebrate it yesterday. I am being welcomed into an incredible family with open and loving arms. I am so grateful that Ryan has grown up with such an incredible father. He sets an example of a Christian husband, father and grandfather. Although I wish that my daddy would be around for Ryan and I's future family, I am lucky my children will get to grow up with at least one incredible grandpa.

 

Plus he loves spicy food and making Aggie jokes at Ryan's expense. Could he be any better?

 

Hook 'em.

Five Loaves

After posting the "Bible Study Pitfalls" onto our blog last week, it was only fitting that our Sunday morning sermon encourage us to take a new look at passages we think we know. The focus was on one of the most well-known miracles of Jesus, John 6 - Jesus feeding the 5,000.

⁵ When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. ⁷ Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” ⁸ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹ “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” ¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. ¹² When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. ¹⁴ After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” ¹⁵ Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

It hit my pretty quickly that I have never really understood this passage. Peter from Hope International who was giving the sermon started out with what he has always seen in the passage - which was already different than what I read into it as. I mean, its a miracle by Jesus, right? What else is there to it?

Peter said he always thought of this passage with the boy at the center of it. The boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish. He gives these fish to Jesus, and Jesus multiples them. It seems like he has so little, but Jesus is able to do so much with it! That is true in our lives as well; when we tithe, when we give our time, when we give our talents. From a human perspective, it may seem menial, but when you give it to Jesus, he can make SO much of it. Great interpretation - one that I hadn't even thought of- but an interpretation that doesn't give it enough credit. (It gives it more credit than my naive "its a miracle! thats it!" but still not enough.)

While that understanding of the passage is true, and it teaches us a great deal about giving even when we don't think we have enough, it doesn't encompass the full capacity of the story. Peter gave us a lot of background details next and why this was such an intense time - causing Jesus to withdraw. I wish I had been taking notes, because I surely cannot relay everything to you at this time. But the overall jist is this:

The people, knowing only the human side of what the prophet who was coming was supposed to look like, wanted to overthrow the Romans and put Jesus into power to rule. They compared him to Moses in the Old Testament and knew (correctly, knew) that Jesus was the man that they had been waiting for to come and save them. But what they didn't know was that Jesus didn't come to save them the same way that Moses saved their people by leading them out of Egypt. They can't comprehend what he is about to do! They think they know - but they really have no idea.

While this is powerful enough of a story just as a miracle, and it is powerful even more when you think about how it demonstrates Jesus using what we give him to do much more than what we are capable of alone, and it is even more powerful than that when you see the connection from the Old Testament. Context is everything.

So now, reading this story, I am thinking about what situations I have my human blinders on in. Do I think I know what God is doing? Because thats just not possible. Even if it makes sense from my human perspective, I still need to be open, need to leave room for God to do even bigger things. Just think if things had gone the way those 5,000 thought they were going to go - if Jesus had overthrown the Romans and ruled on earth. It wouldn't be nearly as miraculous as what God was really up to.

Wolverine

Now that Ryan has the introductions rolling, I'll start with the girls! As you have probably learned since this blog started, Ryan is much better with words than I am. So I'm going to go the picture-route.

Meet Kathryn

Katie is a pop-culture guru, an Irish-dancing phenom, and (unfortunately) a University of Michigan Wolverine.

A few things about us:

We are infamous for taking selfies every time we see each other. We are pro's by now, so usually they turn out great.

Sometimes they don't...

We love to bask in our Irish roots. (Baileys & Guiness)

And we are shameless in our celebrity spotting, which is best known by a drop dead laughter situation in Los Angeles when we saw Gina Davis. (I don't have a picture for this one, we were too busy laughing to get the camera out.)

All in all, I am so blessed to have such a great friend built right into my family. I am lucky that I have always been close with my cousins, and I couldn't imagine my wedding day without Katie by my side - even if she is a Wolverine.

May the Best Man Survive...

Our engagement party last weekend, held at Local Pour near downtown Houston, was a raging success.  Becki and I hand painted everyone personalized mason jars/steins.  (I'll have you know that I've gotten very good at painting solid colors).  Nearly everyone was able to make it, save for a few out-of-towners.  We are so fortunate to have such amazing friends that are so willing and excited to be a part of wedding and lives.

We are going to talk about each member of our wedding party at Smith House, but first I want to give a shoutout to my Best Man, Robby Glenn.

If you know Robby (and I've known him since I was eight years old), you'll know I'm right when I say he's mixture of Coach Taylor (of FNL fame), Bill O'Reilly, and Lou Holtz.  That is to say, he's an alpha dog who doesn't mind ruffling a few feathers while occasionally being unintentionally hilarious.  I lived with him long enough to coin the nickname "9 o'clock Rob" for him, since he took Poor Richard's Almanack to heart when he read "early to bed, early to rise...".  Rob loves to tell a good story, not unlike your grandfather used to do.  Not only did I see him make a game-winning shot in our intramural basketball game in 2010, I've lived to hear him tell the tale at least twenty times!  (More miraculous each time, of course).  He's also an incredible Christian, someone I know is genuinely praying for Becki and I as we get closer to our wedding date. I'm really excited to have him as my Best Man.

-RS

Smith House and the Adventures of the Birthday Date

 

You know you had a good birthday when you need Starbucks to get yourself to work the next day. (Okay - you're right, I think I need Starbucks every day.)

 

But I wasn't planning on telling you all about my birthday, I just wanted to take an opportunity to blog about how incredible the show we saw last night at the Alley Theatre was.

 

Before we went, all Ryan told me was that we were going to see Sherlock Holmes. So of course, I was thinking it was going to be traditional Sherlock Holmes (which I was very excited for). But turns out, the play is actually a combination of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson. And it was fantastic.

 

I won't be a spoiler - especially since I am writing this to encourage every single person I know to go see it, but the actors did an incredible job or portraying the characters, and the plot never hit a dull point. I had never read The Suicide Club, (I plan to now) so maybe you will go into it with more background knowledge than I did, but I still don't see how it could disappoint! I am so glad my fiance picked this as my birthday outing.

 

One final note, if you are ever putting on a play about Abraham Lincoln, Todd Waite is the guy to play the role. I couldn't get over how much he looked like our former president.

"Bible Study Pitfalls"

The following passage is a complete "Copy/Paste" from a Christian bible study website (www.navpress.com). I obviously learned plagarism from my soon-to-be hubby. We were talking a little bit about this last night with Ryan's parents at dinner, and I think it is something every Christian should think about while they are reading scripture. I could re-write it to make it my own words, but they did such a good job, why should I?

How to Avoid Bible Study Pitfalls

The small-group setting for Bible study allows freedom to ask questions and explore topics in detail—an option not usually available in a lecture format. But there are potential pitfalls in such a personalized approach to Scripture. The wise leader learns to watch for common mishandlings of Scripture, such as:

1. Ignored Context. I have seen tithing envelopes with part of 1 Cor. 16:2 printed on them: "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income." A reading of 1 Corinthians 16 and 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 shows that Paul is not referring to tithing but to a special collection to help needy believers in Jerusalem. In order to understand a verse properly, we must take into account the context of the surrounding verses and chapters, the book in which the verse appears, the original audience to whom the verse is addressed, and the overall teaching of the Bible.

2. Missing Pieces. The teachings of the Bible are not organized under topical headings. In order to understand what Scripture teaches on a certain subject, we must gather all the relevant passages and consider them together, just as all pieces of a puzzle must be assembled to view the complete picture. Often people will seize upon one verse—for example, that we can ask anything in Jesus' name and God will grant it (Jn. 16:24)—while ignoring the passage that states God will not grant a request made with wrong motives (Jas. 4:3). Misuse of Scripture can occur when we hang our convictions on a single verse without looking for additional pieces of the puzzle.

3. Perilous Parables. Confusion may result when we try to assign meanings to every detail of a parable. Jesus' parables most often conveyed one central truth. Look for that truth, and don't miss the forest for the trees.

4. Clash of Symbols. Don't assume that a certain symbol means the same thing everywhere it appears in the Bible. The same symbol can mean different things in different contexts. Both Satan and Jesus are called lions, for example. Go back to the context for a clear understanding of how a symbol is used in the passage you are studying.

5. Stolen Promises. Christians often indiscriminately snatch verses from the Bible and lay claim to them. While we can learn from all of Scripture and make application to our lives, not every promise was given to us. When reading promises in Scripture, ask yourself questions such as: In what circumstances was the promise given? To whom was it given? What meaning did this promise hold for the original audience? Is it a general promise or a specific one for a unique situation? What conditions are attached to the promise?

6. Insider Info. You may have someone in your Bible study who claims special insight. God chose human language to convey His truth. That means we need to follow the normal usage of language to understand it. There are no secret shortcuts. The words of life are available to everyone.

Adapted from "How to Avoid Bible Study Pitfalls" by John Green (Discipleship Journal, March/April 1999)

Engagement Funtography

As a(n aspiring) photographer myself, I knew I was going to be incredibly picky about who was going to photograph Ryan and I's wedding. After our engagement shoot last week, I know I made the right decision picking Amy and Ben Watson.

The first affirmation was that Miley didn't try to eat Ben. She actually started following him around. I will give a little credit to the treat he had in his hand, but anyone that knows Miley, knows that she isn't fooled that easily. She genuinely liked him.

The second affirmation was when I was able to hear snippets about their time in Honduras. They were in the same city, Tegucigalpa, that I spent a month last March. We didn't get to chat about it for long, but I could see their heart for the people they went to help, and their heart for the Lord. It was great to be able to see that in them, and know that we were supporting the love and livelihood of fellow Christians.

And last but not least, the third affirmation: Our Incredible Photos! They could not have turned out more "us". Here is a sneak peak - and you can see more on their blog (Click Here).

The Return or: How I Learned to to Stop Plagiarizing and Love...ahem

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything I have written online.  In fact, it’s been over a year since my roommate Tyler and I came up with an increasingly ambitious ten-part project we eventually titled The Fictional Character Hunger Games, which is an admittedly clunky and unoriginal title. (I personally loved writing it, even if it may have sent my beloved college blog into a fifty-page grave filled with Nic Cage’s jeers.)  Since then, I have mostly stuck to my own writing; intermittent ideas scribed in spirals, notepads, and even on iPhones.  

            One of my lifelong dreams has been to write a book.  (Other lifelong dreams include playing professional basketball, owning a Volkswagen Bus, and marrying the girl of my dreams.  At least one thing is happening.)  From an early age I wrote stories on family road trips (mainly plagiarizing Goosebumps or Animorphs....).  Since graduating from school and entering the real world, I've kinda lost sight of that dream.  Luckily, Becki has been really helpful in getting me back on the writing train.  (Something original this time, I promise!)

 (Reader beware....8-year-old Ryan was in for a lawsuit)

            I’m not exactly sure where this blog is headed, but with my ridiculously creative fiancé by my side (seriously, wait until you see the wedding logo she made), I don't think anything is off the table.  So whether it be a post about our engagement photos or a quick snippet lamenting the inevitable overpaid Houston Rockets free agent this summer, we hope that you will stick around and enjoy us at the "original" Smith House.

-RS

Corgi-Pyre-Berne-Adopt-a-Doodle

 

 

 
I think all of our friends and family would agree that Ryan and I are "dog people". Some may say that we (at least I) am borderline obsessed. A lot of friendships have started off with the line "Can I pet your dog?!" Starbucks, the park, the bayou; pretty much anywhere we go there is a dog that I want to pet. My World Race friends can vouch that this even happened in third world countries. It is a pretty normal day if Ryan and I have sent numerous dog photos like these back and forth to each other. Let's be honest - who wouldn't have a better day after seeing a picture of a Corgi in a fedora?

 

The trouble with loving dogs is that you can't save them all. According to Statistics Brain, more than 3.5 million animals are euthanized or die in shelters every year. Miley was almost a +1 to that number. She was the only puppy in her litter that survived at the shelter before I adopted her. She is so loved, and definitely living the good life, but she is just a drop in the bucket when you see a number like 3.5 million. It seems hopeless, and makes me feel a little guilty for wanting to buy a Pyredoodle when there are so many cute little faces that need to be adopted.

 

With no intentions of starting a Buy vs. Adopt war, I would love to hear why any of you other dog lovers out there decided to buy a dog from a breeder rather than adopt, and vice versa.

 

P.S. If you are looking to adopt a dog, there is a beautiful spotted Great Dane needing a home at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter.

 

*All photos courtesy of Pinterest.

Meet the (Soon to be) Smith House.

While I am sure that most of our readers will be our dearly loved family and friends, let me take a moment to introduce ourselves to anyone who may have stumbled upon us without realizing what they were getting themselves into.

Meet the (Soon to be) Smith House

 

Ryan + Becki

 

While we would consider ourselves a writer and a photographer, we are both far from being able to use that as our job title. Ryan currently works in Human Resources for EOG Resources, and Becki is a Marketing Director at Matrix Structural Engineers. We pursue our passions on the side (hence our above engagement selfie taken and editted by Becki) hoping to someday be published, well known, work-from-home artists. Oh, we also hope to be supremely rich (from pursuing our passions of course) so that we can have a lot of puppies and travel around the world in a Volkswagen Bus.

 

Miley

Puposourus Rex

Miley isn't this tiny anymore, but she still is a fantastic help with the dishes.She turned four years old in January, and of course Ryan won her heart by buying her a peanut butter cupcake to celebrate.

We got engaged mid-April, and we hope to share our entire engagement with you - and then maybe even continue on into our marriage. We don't have a real "plan" for where this blog is going to go, but you can probably expect entries ranging from DIY Wedding ideas (We plan for our wedding to be 100% personal, and 100% affordable) to Funny stories about us and our pup (she often makes for good writing). We can't promise our blog will always be the greatest thing you have ever read, but we can promise to be honest about our real-life engagement; celebrations, challenges, mishaps, nonsense and excitement.