Ryan – General Manager – Pizza Inn & Family Discipleship Pastor – Brookport Church of God
Emily – Owner – Pizza Inn
Rylee, 13 – Owner of dog, Amos and bearded dragon, Bucky
Tell us how you and your spouse met and how long you have been married.
Ryan- We met at Pizza Inn. We were both just 17 years old at the time. Emily was a server at the restaurant, and I was at home with nothing to do on a Friday night when a friend called me up and asked what I was doing. He told me that he was in Paducah at Pizza Inn, and he was talking to this beautiful server, and I should come to check her out. I made the drive from my home in Brookport to Paducah and sat down at a booth with my friend. When Emily came to the table, I was immediately captivated by her smile. We found out that we had a mutual friend, and that got us comfortably talking to one another. We started dating not long after. We got married just a couple of months before we turned 20 years old, and this past July, we celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary.
Tell us about where each of you grew up and how you landed in Paducah.
Ryan- I was born in northern Illinois, and my family moved to Brookport, IL, when I was 11 years old. I moved to Paducah in 2006, a couple of years after Emily and I got married.
Emily is a lifelong Paducah resident. Her family has been in Paducah for six generations that we know of.
What is your favorite holiday?
Ryan- Christmas is a great family holiday for me. But some of my favorite memories come from New Year’s Eve celebrations with our youth group. You haven’t truly lived until you have spent all night long with 40-50 teenagers without any sleep!
Emily- Christmas! I like the lights, the festivities, the busyness, and the outfits that all lead up to the grand finale. Sitting under the Christmas tree with Ryan on Christmas Eve is also one of my favorite moments of the entire year.
Rylee- Christmas! It’s such a joyful time, and I like getting presents.
What is your favorite thing about Paducah?
It’s got the small-town vibe with a little mix of big-city culture and amenities. It’s a safe and friendly community with a strong history. Plus, the people here REALLY like pizza!
How do you spend your summer breaks?
When we aren’t staying busy working at the restaurant, we enjoy traveling to some of our favorite vacation spots in Florida. We also like to grill and have friends over for burgers, hot dogs, and steaks.
What does your spouse do to make you feel special?
Ryan- Emily cooks me bacon and eggs for breakfast most mornings. She’s good about randomly sending me “I love you” texts. When she compliments me on something good that I have done, it makes me feel like a million bucks. She’s my biggest supporter and closest advisor, and I lean on her for so many things.
Emily- Ryan takes me on a weekly date night every Friday. He stays so busy with so many things, so having that time alone with him makes me feel very special.
How do you manage work and family time?
Ryan- Most days, those things can’t be mutually exclusive. I run Emily’s family’s business, so we work together every day. This can create challenges because many times, you have to figure out work issues while you sit together at the dinner table. On top of that, we are partners in ministry together, so we are always planning with each other, evaluating the ministry, and checking in with one another to ensure that we have done what we were supposed to do. But when it’s all said and done, we both understand that we are teammates in all aspects of life, and we can either fight against one another, or we can fight FOR one another. We don’t always get it right, but we are both committed to our common goals.
Emily- I work with my family. Sometimes I’m an A+ mom, and sometimes I’m an A+ employee. Sometimes I fail at both. But I know I have to try my best every day. As long as my husband doesn’t tell me what to do at work, I’m ok! haha
Does your family have a motto? If so, what is it?
There are a few phrases you might hear mentioned often in our house…
“Practice makes perfect.”
“No excuses.”
“Work hard, play harder.”
“Hello hurricane, you’re not enough.”
