The engagement story

Ben's perspective:

I went with her family up to the Great Smoky Mountains for a week of vacation. I knew that I wanted to ask her this week but really had no idea how it would all work out. On Monday we took a mile hike up to Laurel Falls and I decided that this place could have some real possibilities. The family was going to sleep-in the next morning so I told Elizabeth that I would meet her at 9 for breakfast. I arose before 7 and went to a local grocery store to purchase a dozen roses. I then hiked up to the falls with a notebook, a card, and roses. At first, I could not find a way to the top of the falls and was growing concerned that this idea would not work. But then I found a little path that led to the top. It opened up into a beautiful area with more falls and a calm pool. I laid out the roses and the card on a giant flat rock that protruded into the pool. I also placed the empty ring box in a hollow log so that I could conceal the ring in my pocket until we arrived. I left it all with a sign that asked anyone who might find it not to remove anything. Later that afternoon, I was able to convince her to return to the falls. It worked out perfectly that she was able to “discover” the place where I had laid the roses. First I had her read the card with me which said the heart of what I wanted to say. Then when she was done I reached under the log and slipped the ring into its case. I got on my knee and looked up into her tear-filled eyes. I opened the bow and verbalized the words that I had rehearsed a thousand times…

Elizabeth's perspective:

The week after convocation May 2007 Ben joined my family on a vacation in Gatlinburg, TN. On Monday we all went on a beautiful hike up a mountain about 20 minutes away from our cabin to see Laurel Falls. The hike wasn’t too strenuous and the falls at the top made it worth it all--they were beautiful. The next day was a free-and-easy day for everyone and Ben and I planned on meeting each other for devotions and breakfast at 9am. When I got up I noticed that his car was not parked in front of the cabin. I asked my Mom where Ben had gone so early in the morning and she said that she didn't know. Honestly, I didn't think anything of it. I thought perhaps he had gotten up early to go find a nice quiet place to spend time with the Lord or something. It was still early in the morning and we hadn't planned to meet till 9am, so I wasn't too concerned. When Ben got back I asked him where he had been and, being the gullible girl that I am, I believed his story that he had gone out to send his Mom a Mother's Day card. I thought that was so sweet of him. Only later, did I learn that he had actually spent the morning buying roses and preparing the "engagement site." After lunch that day we planned on going hiking again. Ben asked if I wanted to go on a hike just with him and, of course, I thought that was a wonderful idea. He suggested that we go back to the falls we had gone to the day before and my first response was to disagree and ask if we could go somewhere we hadn't gone before. He said that he thought if we went back we could find a way to climb to the top of the waterfall like I had wanted to do the day before. I thought that was a great idea, because I really had wanted to climb up to the top of the waterfall but hadn't gotten the chance. So we drove out there and began the climb. The entire time I honestly had no clue that he had something special up his sleeves. When we finally got to the waterfall I got all scared about climbing the rocks to the top of the waterfall because there were so many people around. Ben tried urging me, but I kept saying, "but we're probably not allowed to climb the rocks and I'm in a dress and people might think things..." Ben’s response was to pull out a little coupon that I had given to him the week before at the Henry IV artist series at BJU--it said: "obedience to any command (within reason)." "This is not "within reason" though”, I joking complained, already knowing that I would have to submit and climb after all... It turned out to be a little bit more difficult a climb than I had expected, but Ben helped me up and finally we made it to the top. It was a really nice view. I then noticed that further up the mountain there was a lovely opening to a beautiful pool area, so I asked Ben if we could go look at it. We then began to make our way up the stream. I remember commenting to Ben, "oh, no, there must be someone nearby or something... Do you see that book on that rock... it looks like someone may have been drawing... oh, I wish we could be alone..." I was mistaken though—there was no one there and upon closer examination I realized that the book was Ben’s notebook and it read, “Please do not touch the flowers, I will be back.” Then we came out from the trees and I could see a beautiful pool with a lovely waterfall feeding into it and continuing on to the bigger waterfall we had just come from. I then noticed that there were roses and rose petals strewn about on a large flat rock in the middle of the pool. It was at that point that I realized that Ben knew what all this was and the next thing I knew he was helping me jump to the flat rock. Still, I really didn't think this could be the moment he would ask me "the question" because I had so many excuses in my mind why this could not be “the day”. First of all, he could not possibly have a ring and it was all probably just a birthday surprise, after all my birthday was in a couple weeks and he wouldn't be with me then. I began explaining it all away as an early birthday surprise or goodbye surprise because we were going to spend the summer away from each other. At that moment I saw a card with my name on it on another rock. Ben helped me get it and then I read it aloud. It was really sweet and said things like "I want to spend all my days with you" and the like. I was still doubting that this was "it” though. He had said those types of things to me before and I was sure he didn't have a ring, so this could not be "the time." The next thing I knew Ben was getting down to pick something up and it was then that I knew what was happening. He then got down on his knee and asked me if I would be willing to marry him and spend my life with him. I already knew what I was going to say….