We're getting married!

We met in August 2023 while both volunteering with an international student group at UT Dallas. Rachel started volunteering about 6 months prior, then Christian Smith enters the picture. "The tall girl in the scrubs" caught Christian's eye, and the cute new boy caught Rachel's too. Months went by of stolen glances across the room and a random convo here and there until one day in March 2024 she unexpectedly gets a call from said “cute new boy” asking her on a date. She enthusiastically agrees and our first date is April 1, not a joke. We got dessert at a Middle Eastern cafe and talked for hours. We immediately hit it off and bonded over our love for Austin, TX and international ministry. We’ve had the time of our lives getting to know each other and falling in love since. From dinner dates in Dallas to Christian teaching Rachel how to wake surf to weekend trips with friends and everything in between, it’s been an absolute joy to be a part of each other’s lives. And this is only the beginning!