<p>WefirstmetinMrs.Garrison's 6<sup>th</sup> grade math classroom at Asheville Middle School in August of 1999. We won'tclaimthatitwasloveatfirstsight(Aaronwasstillwearingnylonshortswithhisshirttuckedinandsockspulleduptoohigh,andElizabethwasalreadyaboutastallassheisnow),butwe<em>did</em>meeteachother,andsoonbecamefriends.</p>
<p>Wetalkedtoeachotherthroughmiddleschooland"dated"eachother's friends (Elizabeth even helped Aaron put up a happy birthday sign for his girlfriend inside the girl'squartersonanovernightfieldtrip).Eventuallywebecamebestfriendsinhighschool,andElizabethevenconvincedAarontoplayintherainafewtimes.Atlonglast,wefinallydiscoveredthatwelikedeachotherasmorethanfriends.Wedatedtwiceinhighschool,startingjunioryear.</p>
<p>Webrokeupbeforewewentawaytocollege,butstillkeptintouch.Wevisitedeachotherafewtimes.Duringoneofthesetrips,wewentuptoMountainLakeoutsideofBlacksburg,andhadagrandtime.Itsoonbecameobviousthatweweren't doing ourselves any good by pretending we weren'tinarelationship.So,webegandatingagain,andhadalongdistancerelationshipforawhile.</p>
<h2>TheProposal</h2>
<p>Eventually,I(Aaron)decidedthatitwastimetopopthequestion.ItookElizabethbackuptoMountainLake(oneofourearliertripsthatwebothhadfondmemoriesof,andwhichplayedapartinusgettingtogetherincollege).Wehikedaroundthelake,andafterhavinglunch,wewanderedaroundthegrounds,andeventuallywoundupatthe<ahref=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/aclindsay/5626430362/in/set-72157626388833485/">gazebo</a>whichplayedabigroleinDirtyDancing.Afterdancinginthegazebo,ItoldherthatIwantedtoletherknowexactlyhowmuchIlovedher.Itoldherallthewaysthatshemeantsomuchtome,butsaidIwasn'tsurethatIwouldeverbeabletofullyexplainmyself,butthatIbroughtasongwithmethatIthoughtwould.IputoneearbudfrommyiPodineachofourears,andbegansinging"For Good"fromWickedtoheralongwiththemusic.Whenitwasdone,Ipulledtheringoutofmybackpack,gotdownononeknee,andstammeredout7words:"Elizabeth Snow Pressman, will you marry me?"Shesaid"Yes, of course!"</p>