by Emily Miller

Created on: June 11, 2008   Last Updated: May 03, 2011

My fiance asked me to marry him last October. Any time that I am asked how he proposed I always recieve the same response-a drwn out "awwwwwe" floowed by a mild tearing up-at least from women.

We have always been big fans of going backpacking, camping, or just simply being outdoors. I personally love the struggle of sixty plus pounds on my back as I hike up the side of a mountain. The rush of exerting yourself to the limit, and the feeling of accomplishment when you arrive to where you plan to set up camp is uncomparable.

We had planned a trip to Richland Creek Wilderness Area in the Boston mountains with a couple other friends; it was my fiance's first real backpacking trip. We drove all night and arrived to where the hike would begin at about three o'clock in the morning. Instead of trying to get some uncomfortable shut-eye in the car, we all decided that we were going to do it in the dark. We're were crazy for doing it, especially since there were two 'newbies' on the trail with us. Despite our sleep-deprived mindset, we headed on into the darkness; packs on our backs and flashlights on our heads.

About four hours later the sun started to rise and we were finally able to get a glimpse of what we had been hikning up and over...absolutely breathtaking. We arrived at the spot that we all would call home for the next four days. We were all exhausted, but excited that we made it. First things first: we set up camp. The moment that our tent was pitched, I crawled in and immediately passed out. Everyone else soon followed.

We woke up around two o'clock in the afternoon, stretched, and ate lunch. One of our friends, who had been to this spot before, suggested to take a little day hike up to this area called The Twin Falls. I was all about it, and little did I know that my fiance had been plotting while I was asleep. It was an hour and a half hike up the mountain. Since it was fall, the water level of the river was low so the hike was pretty much easy going. We came into a small clearing, and there right in front of us were two waterfalls pouring into a little pool of crystal clear mountain water.

I immediately started to take pictures, when my friend suggested that my fiance and I should go underneath the waterfall and then he could get a picture of both of us. Of course! That was a great idea, I thought. So we waded through the river and climbed underneath the waterfall. I, of course, started posing cheesily. My fiance took a deep breath, stepped back and said, "That's not the real reason I wanted to come back here." I sat down quickly. He pulled out of his day pack two little bottles of champagne and two little glasses and set them on a rock. I sat bug-eyed. Next came a little maroon velvet box and I started to tear up. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, among a few other words. I was shocked and nervous and excited and happy and I said YES!

I love to tell the story because I never have been the romantic type of girl-more of a tomboy than anything-but telling this story makes me feel all girly inside, and I love it.

I got proposed to under a waterfall, doing my favorite thing in the whole world, with the person that I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with. (Top that!)

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