Lauren and Tom

Posted Monday, June 23, 2008 10:32 AM

His Story

The day I proposed went perfectly, and it was more than I could’ve hoped for. The clouds parted to give us plenty of sunlight when we arrived in Jonesboro, which is about 400 miles south of Chicago. We stayed at Hidden Lake Bed & Breakfast. I asked the innkeeper to make me a fake itinerary for sightseeing, which started with a trip to the top of Bald Knob mountain. We unpacked the car and headed up the mountainside. Just to get to the top was a five-mile ride. The climate there was six weeks ahead of Chicago’s, so everything was in full bloom. The road was winding and very scenic. Our favorite movie is The Notebook, so I played some of the songs from the soundtrack in the CD player as we ascended to the top.

The View
 
When we got there, the view was as breathtaking as I had pictured it would be. From the top of the mountain, you could actually see three states. There was also a giant white cross that had been built as a universal symbol of God for all denominations. I believe it’s the largest cross in Illinois, and it brought a spiritual sense to the occasion. We got out of the car and walked to the grassy observation area. It was very quiet at the top with no wind at all, as if time had stopped for us. We took pictures and talked briefly. I told Lauren I was going to go get the binoculars I left in the car. This was when I got the ring. I took it out from its hiding place in the trunk and walked up to her. Her back was turned and I took her hand to turn her around. When she looked back, I was on one knee. Needless to say, she was very emotional.

The Proposal
 
I was going to launch into a romantic speech, but that went out the door upon seeing her reaction, so I just went with the traditional, "Will you marry me?" I had to ask her five times because she was in such shock. She finally said, "Yes!" She loved her ring! We spent the next two hours on the top of the mountain calling our family.
 
When we came down the mountain and back to the B&B, she found the bottle of champagne and pink roses that were placed in the room while we were away. We grabbed the bottle and two glasses and headed to the swing by the pond that was on the property. We sat and talked about our future under the moonlight for several hours. I made another call to my mom, and while telling her about how perfect the day was, I saw a shooting star. It was long and beautiful as it streaked across the sky. Lauren didn't see it, but I took it as a sign from above. We called it a night soon afterward.
 
We spent the next few days celebrating by touring nine wineries, wine tasting, hiking, and rustic horseback riding. Finally, we came home on Sunday. It was the best weekend of my life.