San Marcos Record, San Marcos, TX

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  • Patricia and Russell Smith of San Marcos.

February 14, 2012

Keep the Romance Alive

By Jeff Walker Features Editor

San Marcos — When it comes to romance, Russell Smith is full of all kinds of little surprises.

Late last week he handed wife Patricia a copy of the San Marcos Daily Record’s “Keeping the Romance Alive” contest. She gave him a look like “you wouldn’t, would you?” He then showed her the romance letter he’d submitted to the paper the week before.

“I just said, ‘here, we won,’” Smith said.

As the winning entry in the newspaper’s Valentine’s contest, Russell and Patricia won a one-night stay at Embassy Suites, a dinner at Texas Roadhouse, a dozen roses with a teddy bear, two dozen dipped strawberries and a $100 gift card to Ernesto’s Jewelry in New Braunfels.

In the letter, written to a prospective groom, Smith discusses many of the little things that can be done to keep marriage fresh and romantic.

“Through the years I have come to understand that romance is not a single thing, but rather a circular process that never ends,” Smith said. “Indeed, the moment you have decided that there is little else you can do to add to your marriage, simply going back to the beginning and doing the obvious little things again will bring new life to what may seem like dull routines.”

Russell, a manager at a hardware store in Lockhart, and Patricia, a teacher at the Master’s School, met at then-Southwest Texas State in 1985. He was roommates with her roommate’s boyfriend.

“She (his roommate’s girlfriend) asked the roommate to introduce us, and from there we just kind of hit it off,” Russell said.

Their first date was at the Magic Time Machine in San Antonio, but not all their trips are planned. From the beginning, the two have loved just getting in the car, putting on a little music and hitting the road.

“We did that not too long ago, and ended up at Canyon Lake,” Patricia said. “It’s all about just getting in the car and driving.”

The Smiths were married on June 13, 1987 in a traditional Houston church wedding. They have three children: 20-year-old Logan, 18-year-old Kelsea and eighth grader Trevor. Even when the kids were younger, Russell took a lot of pride in surprising Patricia with little weekend trips alone.

“He’ll plan a whole weekend for us to get away, and all I have to do is get in the car and he’s got it all figured out,” Patricia said.

There was the time years ago that Patricia had a one-day teacher conference in San Antonio. Without her knowing, her husband took the kids to stay with his parents in Smithville. When Patricia returned, they had the house to themselves.

Another time, they dropped off the kids before heading out to his parents’ land, and when Patricia looked in the back seat, there was a cooler packed full of wine and cheese.

“We just sat out and watched the stars. It was very peaceful,” she said.

 

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