We’re getting married!!!

Casey just moved to New Orleans to work with Audubon Zoo’s sea lions. New to the area she went to explore the Audubon Aquarium solo. She was paired with an educator to show her behind the scenes. She parked Casey in a room filled with reptile enclosures, an unnoticed sign of things to come. Casey walked around the corner, exploring her surroundings, when she first laid eyes on her future husband. Casey told a complete stranger where she worked, where she was from, and basically everything about herself shy of her social security number. The handsome gentleman putting together reptile enclosures just sat there smiling and very politely said “Nice to meet you.” Then Casey fluttered on out of that room to continue her tour. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is when Dr. Octavious Clarke the 3rd went on the hunt. While in a solitary room, with nothing but his hands, his snake and lots of... snake enclosure building materials, walks in this blonde bombshell who he instantly knew he needed to know more about. Luckily for Tres, she told him everything he needed to know about herself and then some in about 6 minutes and 25 seconds before abruptly leaving the room. Tres, still not satiated with this infatuating young sea lion trainer, went to the sea otter trainers whom he worked with closely. He sent them on a mission - Become friends with this girl to see if she is crazy or not. They duitifully set out to complete their objective. Meanwhile, Casey is doing some digging of her own. After leaving the snake room, she regretfully realizes she may never see that mysterious, dark and handsome man again. Who is he? What does he do at the aquarium? How will she be able to find out more about him? Then one unsuspecting day, she walks into the zoo’s vet hospital and there he is in a picture! A lead! Its a picture from a Christmas party the year prior with the veterinary staff. Hmmmm so he must be part of their team and he likes Christmas parties. Now to wait till Christmas...

Flash forward 3 months. Audubon knows how to throw a Christmas Party! Everyone is dressed up to the max, there’s music, food, drinks, beautiful decorations, and tons of Christmas spirit! All of a sudden the target is spotted. Seaotter trainer relays intel to Tres. Mission is a go. Tres, seeks out his prey and patiently awaits his opportunity and finally the sea otter and sea lion trainers unite. Casey instantly recognizes him and knows she needs to make a move before she looses him again, but, does he remember her? Then they lock eyes and both realize they have been waiting for this moment for months. They briefly reunite with each other and then Casey, waisting no more time, cleverly asks if she can buy him a drink... At the open bar! So, she has a sense of humor Tres thinks as they are drinking their drinks and he decides then and there he wants her phone number. He slides her his phone and tells her, abruptly, to put her number in his phone. Casey pauses momentairily and happily obliges. They dance the night away. There is photo evidence to prove this. Both friend groups give up on trying to hang out with the two of them until the night is over and they must go their seperate ways. But! The night didn’t end there for the two of them. Tres, on his way out to his car, gets approached by two ladies of the night. And honestly, who can blame them for trying?! He was looking real dapper at the party. It was to crazy of a story to wait till the morning so Tres takes a risk and texts Casey to tell her all about it. The risk was worth the reward. They stayed up till almost 4 in the morning chatting back and forth. Long ago are the old fashioned rules of wait 3 days before you call a girl. Ours was wait 30 minutes, and it worked.

So after the Christmas party, away from the ladies of the night and open bar, came real life. Casey working two jobs, Tres overseeing the health and well being of animals at 3 seperate facilities, how were they ever to find a moment to hang out? Fate intervened! A dolphin needed rescuing! Tres seeing this as a perfect opportunity, invited Casey to help assist in a hearing study to determine if the dolphin would be releasable after rehab. How could she refuse?!? Most men would offer chocolates or flowers on a first date but not Elsburgh Clarke! No! He offered Casey a dolphin!! The grand gesture worked because here we are today, almost five years later, waiting for them to say “I do.”

It has become their tradition that every Christmas they take a trip to Las Vegas. This past Christmas was no exception. They get to Las Vegas and Tres upgrades their hotel room. Its perfect! Christmas morning arrives and Casey can hardly contain her excitement. Tres is still sound asleep. To bide her time, Casey makes herself a holiday mimosa and crawls back in bed. Tres is still sleeping. Maybe if she stares directly at his face he’ll feel it in his sleep and wake up. Nope. Maybe an “acidental” nudge will stir him from his slumber. Nope. Okay, fine, she’ll have to wait him out. Then, after what felt like hours, he awakes!Presents! She jumps up and starts to bring all the gifts to the foot of the bed and hops back under the covers. “Casey, do you want to wait till after lunch to open presents?” Hah! He’s got jokes! “ Well, do you at least want to put clothes on first?” “No!” She replied incredulously. Tres knew better than to push so he wouldnt rouse suspistion. Tres stayed standing at the foot of the bed while they opened their gifts and being the gentleman that he is, let Casey open the last gift. He even knelt by the side of the bed to bring it to her! Still totally perplexed as to what could be in this large box that weighed about 4 lbs, she tore into it like a savage. There was a note on the top that she tossed to the side to see a smaller box. While reaching for it Tres exclaims “READ THE NOTE!” She read the note quickly, excited to get back to the gift, and tossed it back aside. Then it hit her what she just read. “Will you marry me pretty lady?” She took a moment, picked up the note again and reread it just to confirm what she thought just happened and immeadiately starts crying. She reached back for the small box but couldn’t get it open so she tossed it at Tres. He fumbled for a moment but as soon as he took the lid off that box, Casey grabbed the ring and put it on her own hand. Then finally Tres asks if that was a yes. Still sobbing she just nods.