... The 2 year Engagement

Since I hadn’t blogged in four months, I had to catch everyone up on everything leading up to this day, Multiple things, people and moments went into this proposal and I don’t want to leave any details out… I’ve had to tell the story numerous times and I don’t get sick of it and won’t get sick of it.. but if you’re more of a visual person… here it goes…

Drew’s mom had invited me to breakfast on Tuesday March 26, 2013. It was an overcast but warm day so I’d decided to wear a dress and a sweater, as I’d walked to my car… my father who was standing in the front yard complimented my outfit and then said… “aren’t you and drew going to a hockey game tonight?” I said yes…he responded “well, you want to look nice… don’t dress down.. just dress nice” I said… okay dad, will you be here so I can run my outfit by you before we go? He accidentally responded “I guess I’ll be at the hockey game too” Now let me add… my dad CAN’T STAND live sports.. or televised sports…. I became a Hockey Fan on my own… a sports fan in general on my own… so I knew something was up. So as the day started out at Mimi’s Café. Drew’s mom took Danica and I out to breakfast and then we went Shopping to buy Danica a new learn and grow toy. (reflecting, this may have been just to buy time)

Drew had told me we’d have plans to go out around noon and he would pick me up… so coincidentally as he got home, his mother and I had just gotten home… instead of picking me up, we left from his house and headed out…I quizzed him the entire time and eventually he shared he’d been looking on my Pinterest boards… LADIES; Good men ask your friends for tips… Great men look at your Pinterest boards for inspiration.

25. Go to a local fair or carnival. Be sure to bring some cash to play some games!

He did his research and as Las Vegas natives and locals who have been to the adventure dome MULTIPLE times… I had no clue there was a carnival game arena inside the casino Circus Circus… Drew used his greatest strength to win some amazing prizes…

forgive the blurriness... but i had to show how huge the bear was!

Danica thoroughly appreciated her new Teddy Bear when we got home too!

A new Guitar!

Afterwards, I wanted to eat somewhere beautiful with a view so he let me pick… we ended up at the Springs Café at the Springs Preserve… and the weather was so perfect after lunch, we decided to walk around the preserve for an hour.

Later that day he dropped me off at his house so I could go home and get ready… meanwhile he showered, changed, and met with our close friend Jeff who custom designed my ring with drew… and LITERALLY delivered it 35 minutes before Drew had to pick me up before the Hockey Game. Drew’d called me at 6:15 and told me he was outside, and we were off and ready to the Las Vegas Wranglers game. We listened to our first CD on the way there and talked about life, and the future. Once we got to the Orleans arena, I stood in the entrance line while Drew waited in the Will Call line to pick up our tickets… After we got inside, I asked him if we could get a Chuck a Puck for the first time… he looked puzzled but went along with it and agreed.

a visual (not a wrangler chuck a puck game)

What is Chuck-A-Puck you ask? Chuck-A-Puck is a program that allows fans to purchase pucks that have a number written on them that coordinates to the guests name and phone number to throw onto the ice during an intermission at each home game for a chance to win Wranglers prize and that night’s prize was two circque du soeli tickets!

We sat down next to a familiar face, we landed seats next to Heather Simmons, - a little background on Heather – I lost my best friend Monica in a car crash in March of 2010… Heather lost her best friend in September 2010… Heather does fundraisers and events for her best friend’s family.. I met them all because we’d created a non-profit organization for my best friend AFTER they made one for her best friend… because of this; we’ve all become close friends who’ve dealt with grief… fast forward… Heather’s boyfriend Chris Francis plays for the Las Vegas Wranglers Hockey Team. Truth is, Drew could'nt of pulled off this entire night without us knowing them. so here's a huge praise that God allowed us to meet the LaVoies and all of Hillary's amazing friends who continue to bless and enrich our lives!

That's caramel, white chocolate, and oreos... on an apple. yes, that is.

I sent Drew to pick up an amazingly tasty Rocky Mountain Caramel Apple and shortly after it was enjoyed by the two of us… the time had come for us to go to the portal to collect the pucks! We met with the right people and waited behind the curtains and the rink until we heard the buzzer end the second quarter. We were told because we were contest winners, we would have to stay on the ice in the center and hand t-shirts to “THE DUKE’ The Wranglers mascot… and after we were done handing him t-shirts that he got to throw into the audience, he was going to skate off and skate back on to hand us our prize… so it began...

I walked about four feet before I slightly slipped and Drew grabbed my hand super tight, and we began chucking pucks towards the goal and the trashcan, we were supported by some local high school students whose rotary club was being financially blessed by the benefits of the chuck-a-puck sales that night, and they collected all of the pucks and walked off the ice. We did as we were told… and eventually we were the only ones on the ice with the duke.. handing him t-shirts and smiling… eventually; as projected we ran out of t-shirts, and The Duke skated off of the ice…and drew and I just stood there for a moment and waited for him to come back…

as this happened, I turned around immediately to Drew to wait for The Duke to come back… as I looked down all of the lights dimmed, and our song began to play the words “When the rain is blowing in your face, And the whole world is on your case, I could offer you a warm embrace…To make you feel my love.”

In utter shock,

I look down to see Drew on his Knee with a box in his hand, supported by the words “

Capri Renee Barnes…

Will you be my Bride?

Because Husbands, are to love their wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, and the church is Christ’s bride.. not his wife.

- This symbolism made me cry even harder --

I was able to say yes, and manage a hug and a kiss… that was it, and it was perfect.

As we walked off the ice we were greeted by our family and my best friends… We took pictures, and smiled often… Because this happened so late at night, and there is a time difference, Drew called and texted his entire out of town family first…