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Hughto
07-12-2006, 08:45 AM
Let's try this again!

Aaron and I met my last semester of senior year of college. He had gone to my college, but graduated years before. He lived in town still and worked remotely for a company in Mass. We met through a grad student I knew and went to undergrad with Aaron.

Aaron and I got together weeks before my graduation. Now, the town we were in was Ithaca, NY. The town had beautiful gorges and amazing waterfalls. None of which I ever got to explore while enrolled in school. I graduated a year early from school, so I was very busy with a crazy schedule. When Aaron and I got together, we spent some time at some of the gorges, and did some hiking until I had to leave town for the next step in my life… the real world.

Now, I won’t bore you with everything that happened in between, but the beginning is very important to the story. Two years ago last week, I had come to the point when I was ready to really start my life with Aaron and had joined several wedding boards. The following week, we took a long weekend and took a trip back to Ithaca to visit some friends in the area. It was the 4th of July weekend. On July 3rd, we had some time, so we decided to hike through one of the gorges. We went to one neither of us had ever been to before. Robert Treman State Park. We started at the lower falls trail and followed a creek up the gorge. It was all very beautiful. We came to a bridge and decided to take it back down the trail, when some people wading in the water near by caught our eye. We went out and discovered a mammoth waterfall with towering shale walls. It was beautiful and amazing, something I can not describe to come close to giving it justice! In that moment, Treman State Park became my favorite place in the world.

Now, Aaron’s second love is scuba diving. A few weeks ago, he had bought a new valve for one of his tanks. When he came home, I was making dinner, I made a joke, “Did you buy me a present?!?” No, it was just a valve. I teased him, “Oh, you bought a present for the tank, and nothing for me! No fair.” We went on for awhile about how I want a present and he wanted to know what kind of present I wanted…

Now, months ago, we found out a friends of Aaron’s was getting married in Ithaca the weekend following the 4th of July weekend. We decided to make a trip out of the whole week. We booked a B&B and decided to do a lot of waterfall hiking, so that I could experience all the beauty I missed when I rushed through college. We got into town yesterday (Sunday). We planned to start Monday with a hike through Treman State Park.

We got there early this morning and decided to start with the rim trail, which is where the overlook over the gorge is. We got to the overlook and were amazed once again at how beautiful it was. Last Christmas, I got Aaron a really nice camera, and photography has become one of his new hobbies. He was just looking at the falls and other people around so I asked if he was going to take some pictures. He said he just wanted to enjoy the view for awhile and would soon. A couple of hikers would come and enjoy the view, and then leave, and another small group would show up. Aaron decided to take some pictures, and we had a passer by take a snap shot of us with the falls behind us. We were sitting on the edge of the wall, with over a 150 foot drop below us. A couple left and Aaron got up and started giving me a massage. A group showed up and quickly departed. Aaron leaned over and kissed my shoulder.

“I got you a present.” When he said that, I began wondering why. Our 4 year anni was months ago, there was no holidays or birthdays or anything. So I asked in a teasing voice, “What did you get me?” (It wasn’t until later I remembered about me teasing him about the present.)

He pulled out a little box and placed it on the rock wall next to me that I was sitting on. It wasn’t a small square box, but small rectangle like, and definitely a jewelry box. But my brain still didn’t register. I looked at him and at the box, and he kneeled down on one knee. I started shaking and didn’t dare move. At this point, he asked me to marry him and opened the box. I just stared at him and the ring, and I think I was pretty much speechless. He said my expression was dumbfounded! I wound up asking him if he was serious, in which he laughed at and said yes, and later made fun of me for it. He finally asked if that was a ‘yes,’ and I told him of course! He took the ring out and slipped it onto my finger!

It was absolutely the best place I could have imagined for our proposal! The place I deem as the most beautiful and amazing spot on earth. In the town that we met in. He couldn’t have done better!!!

So, it’s 3:30 AM, as I listen to the waterfall outside our window at the B&B and the soft breathing of my fiancé next to me. I hope you enjoyed our proposal story. I should probably join my FH in sleep!!!

Happy 4th of July!

Aubrey
07-12-2006, 12:37 PM
I'm so glad a board was back up in time for you to post your story! Congratulations, I know you had waited a long time for this!

Hughto
07-12-2006, 02:39 PM
Thanks! I have a bunch of pictures also. We just got back from vacation, so Aaron is still working on them. When they are ready, I will post! Stay tuned!

fizbobunny
07-12-2006, 02:45 PM
That was just beautiful. So perfect. I'm so happy for you two. He really pulled it together and made all those years of waiting so worth it.

Now when are you gonna start a planning journal??:lol2:

*Sarah*
07-12-2006, 02:49 PM
:bananamacarena: Congratulations! It sounds like your patience has paid off! I can't wait to see your wedding plans!!

Emily
07-12-2006, 08:51 PM
that was a wonderful proposal! Can't wait to see the pics!

jillian
07-12-2006, 08:55 PM
Congrats on the proposal.
I'm glad you found this site. Are you going to start a journal?

BJ'sBabyGirl
07-12-2006, 10:01 PM
I am so happy for you!! Congrats!!!!! I literally went nuts when I saw your story on UW (my mom was on the phone with me when I read it and I was jumping up and down yelling. Now I am anxiously awaiting the pictures!

So, was it worth the wait?

BrightEyes
07-12-2006, 10:01 PM
Ohh pictures!!

i am sooo happy for you!!!

Hughto
07-13-2006, 02:14 PM
Thanks everyone! I'm happy and very impressed at how well he did... proposal and ring and everything!

Yes, I will start a planning journal. Very soon. Still a little overwhelmed and trying to figure out some stuff that I need to get done sooner then later. It's gonna be bit rough pulling things together at first since I will need to do some stuff long distance and getting that figured out quickly.

Kim- I did read you response before UW went away! So cute!

Hughto
07-13-2006, 02:14 PM
Oh, and yes, it was worth the wait, although I am still picking on him for it!

carrieberry058
07-13-2006, 03:13 PM
Congrats Katie!!!

Andrea
07-14-2006, 11:25 AM
YEAHHHHHHH i was thinking the same thing ass aubrey...at least you got it up before it went down, anyways, I've been thinking about you lots...because you were on UW all the time. anyways, CONGRATS hunny and HAPPY PLANNING

Michelle
07-14-2006, 02:32 PM
Congratulations! I'm so happy for you! (oh, and I used to be dream_stela, if you remember me!)

So_Ready
07-14-2006, 09:04 PM
OMG you're finally engaged!!!!! ongratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you!!!!!!!!! You are FINALLY engaged. I saw on UW that you were going on a trip soon and I thought, "Oh, she is soooo going to get proposed to!!!!" And I was right! YIPPEE! Do you have picsies of the ring for us?

soulmates
07-14-2006, 11:42 PM
I posted over on UW but I gotta here too.

I am so happy for you!! This has been a long time coming. Now, where are those pics??

Hughto
07-15-2006, 08:32 AM
Thanks again everyone! I promise, pics are coming! I just need him to get on it!

*TanyaJeanne*
07-15-2006, 11:08 AM
Congrats on the proposal...Your story is so sweet :) :)
Can't wait to see your pictures!

Poloke
07-15-2006, 12:46 PM
Hughto- Congrats! I remember you from 2 yrs ago on the UW boards and I'm so happy that you got engaged! Good luck planning!

Hughto
07-17-2006, 09:39 PM
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6d936b3127cce8b5c8512aea500000016108BasmjRyxak
This was about 10 minutes before, in the spot that it happened. When he did it, I was sitting facing the waterfall, sitting on the edge of the cliff! Good thing I didn't pass out!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6d936b3127cce8b5c851f2f9800000015108BasmjRyxak
This is several hours later on the trail going up the falls.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6d936b3127cce8b5c85132f9400000016108BasmjRyxak
Aaron took this picture a couple days later while we were watching the sun set!

I have more, but still waiting on him!

Andrea
07-18-2006, 09:43 AM
Im with most of the others...ive beent hinking about you ever since i belonged to UW. YOU'RE ENGAGED, finally. wanna send some of the ring dust my way hehe ;)

Hughto
07-18-2006, 02:58 PM
:) Hehehe... ring dust is being showered over you! Hope it helps!

Aramelle
07-18-2006, 09:51 PM
That is such a sweet story! Congratulations! :D

Andrea
07-19-2006, 05:11 PM
haha we all know you were itching for the ring, and thank you by the way...for the dust, LOL did you just wait patiently or did you keep talking about it, hoping that he would get the OBVIOUS hint

smiles
07-21-2006, 11:27 AM
Congratulations on getting engaged! Such a cute story, and nice pictures. I look forward to hearing wedding plans.

Theresa
07-21-2006, 10:10 PM
What an awesome proposal!! I'm so excited for you guys! I know you've been waiting for this for a long time! Congrats!!!

Aubrey
07-25-2006, 09:02 AM
I love the pics! You look so happy :D. Congrats again!

Hughto
07-25-2006, 09:09 AM
Thank you!

jrbecca
07-25-2006, 10:19 AM
Your pictures are wonderful--and what a breathtaking backdrop for a proposal. He did well! :)

Hughto
07-25-2006, 04:04 PM
I agree! He is not the most romantic guy ever, I was very impressed with how well he did!

Trinia
07-25-2006, 11:09 PM
I'll say it again... CONGRATS!!

Hughto
08-02-2006, 12:19 PM
Thank you, Trin!

maybesomeday
08-17-2006, 11:21 AM
I am WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY late, but I just found this site where some of the UW'ers went and saw this thread and got very excited.

Molly had told me you had got engaged, but I didn't know where to find you, so now that I have... almost a month and a half later...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :jump4joy:

*Diane*
08-18-2006, 06:57 PM
I don't know how I missed this earlier! The picture of you with the sun on your face is so pretty. :) You have a beautiful proposal story, too.

Hughto
09-06-2006, 09:31 AM
LIZ! Glad you found me and got to read my story!!! And thank you!

Hi Diane, thank you!

Kristie
09-10-2006, 01:52 PM
Sorry I'm late.. CONGRATS!!! I've always kept my eye out for you since UW waiting to see when you'll be engaged! I'm so happy for you!!!

afrodyt2000
09-20-2006, 07:03 PM
Congrats!! I know how long you waited for this!

Hughto
09-20-2006, 07:12 PM
Hi Girls!!! Thanks! :)