We met doing YWAM (Youth With A Mission) in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The school had just started and we ended up walking toward each other down a long sidewalk on campus doing that awkward "how close do we get before I say hi so it isn't weird" thing. We ended up stopping to talk and it was anything but awkward. That moment started an amazing friendship and you can guess where it went from there!

To my surprise, Matt was able to catch me completely off guard. I sometimes joked saying I would definitely know when it was coming and I definitely did not! All week he was mentioning that friends were coming up to Boone and wanted to go for a hike. I felt swamped in homework and had been nudging at the idea of not going so I could catch up. Matt and my roommates were pretty subtle but insisted that I go so I agreed. We drove a long way to Roan Mountain in Tennessee and Matt seemed pretty antsy the whole way. I just brushed it off thinking he had a long day and just didn't want to be in the car for so long. We got there and I was skipping all the way up wanting to get to the top even though it was rainy. I even made a comment "didn't anyone check the weather?" in which Matt replied frustrated because he had probably check the weather a billion times wanting it to be perfect. Once at the top, it was foggy but still beautiful. I decided to go off on my own on a different path. Matt followed me which I thought was sweet. After walking for a little, he stopped me and gave me a hug. He started talking about our notes we have passed back and forth over the years and how special I was to him. He was getting a little nervous and as I was looking around I said "where did everyone go?". I was half turned around when I saw Matt digging in his pocket and for one split second I though that maybe he was going to propose because he was acting funny. When I turned back around, there he was on one knee with a black box and big ring in my face. I could not believe what I was seeing and said "are you kidding?" about 50 times! I was in such shock I couldn't express any other emotion other than my mouth hitting the floor. After collecting myself I said yes and we ran up to the others in celebration. He always talks about how I ruin surprises so he can finally say the rest of our lives that he pulled off the greatest one yet.