We’re getting married!

We met my first day in Fayetteville in August of 2012... It was the week before our Freshman year of college started at The University of Arkansas. We lived a few doors down from each other in our dorm, Maple Hill West. We were introduced by a mutual family friend, Hunter Stafford. After meeting, we were basically inseparable. My sister, Reagan, threatened my life and warned me not to find a boyfriend. Shortly after meeting Chris, I was drawn to his pure genuineness, his confident, yet not cocky demeanor, and his ability to make me feel safe and protected at all times. Not to mention he was a green-eyed, brown hair, cute-athlete that lived down the hall. Sorry, Reagan... I think I just found my husband. We officially started dating in October. Unfortunately, my heart was missing Texas and I didn't feel that The U of A was the college experience for me... After Freshman year, I decided to transfer to Texas Tech University. (Best and hardest decision ever.) Chris and I did three years of long distance. The months of not seeing each other, the long 10 hour drives, the driving out of state to see his Hockey games and the online games I bought to watch him play - were so beyond worth it. I full heartedly believe that God had a plan and He led me to The University of Arkansas to meet Chris.

Our family had been planning a surprise birthday celebration for my mom, Christie, at Sixty Vines that night. Chris had plans to play golf with my family that day. My sister-in-law, Lindsey, was picking me up at my apartment. I wasn't ready & I heard a knock at the door. I opened the door to find Lindsey & my brother, Russell, (who was supposed to be playing golf w/ Chris). Linds was videoing with a GoPro & Russ was holding an envelope that said "Surprise." I was then blind folded & taken on a journey to two destinations, my childhood home in Prosper & downtown Prosper. At each destination I was given a love letter, titled "Welcome Home" & "Hometown Feels". I was blind folded for the last time & taken to my final destination, my sister, Reagan's house, in Gunter. We arrived and I removed the blind fold to see Chris' dad, Tim, who led me to my brother Russ, then to my close family friend Ryan, then to my brother-in-law Adam, then to my brother-in-law Sean, then to my mom & lastly to my dad, Keith. The idea was that the important men in my life were passing me off to Chris. As I walked through the house our families were all holding individual signs that read "September - I promise - to love you - even more - than hockey." The sunset was setting in the backyard & the grass was filled with floating lights. Inside a tent that Chris & Sean built was filled with flowers, pillows, champagne & a chandelier. There was an inflate-able tv that played a slideshow of pictures throughout the last 5 years with the song, In Case You Didn't Know, by Brett Young playing. Once the song ended, Chris came out behind the tv and proposed, all meanwhile being captured by a phographer. (I've never cried so hard or been so shocked in my life.) The months of preparation that went into this and the people that were involved still blows my mind. As a woman, you dream of this day your entire life. Chris far exceeded anything I could have ever dreamed up on my own and I'll be forever grateful.