our engagement story

(From Laura) October 14th, 2010... Taylor proposed and I said, "YES!" Now I know that I've started with what may seem to be the climax of the story, but I assure you that you'll see where I'm going. To be honest, I really have no idea of where to start to tell you our engagement story because although it happened in a few short moments and we celebrated over the course of the weekend, the details that brought us to that moment are hard to separate from the story itself. But those details will come in posts in the near future.

So I'll take us to the day of the engagement and begin there...

Thursday morning was the first day of our Fall Break at school. Taylor and I left Lynchburg at 5:00am with a few our good friends to drive the 9 hours down to St. Simons Island, Georgia.

(Taylor talking) My friend Ben came in town Wednesday night and stayed at my house to prepare for the early departure.  Needless to say with knowing that I was going to propose within 24 hours at that point I was wandering around my room at a slow pace while I packed while my brain was going a thousand thoughts a minute. I got no sleep Wednesday night because I was so excited to think that soon Laura and I would be one step closer to being Mr and Mrs Eley  :)!  On the drive down it was downpouring through North Carolina and I was thinking to myself "I don't care if it is raining when we get down there. I am still going to do it tonight."



Tancy's House





Christ Church



(Back to Laura)In St. Simons is a little house that my family inherited from my great aunt, Tancy. A little history about the island and its significance to me... St. Simons is a beach town, but don't think beach. Think island with live oaks with Spanish moss hanging from them everywhere you look. Running/biking paths are along every road. Small town feel, clean, and very laid back. 

John Wesley's church (Christ Church) is there as well, which adds a lot of neat history. Throughout high school, I would take trips down to St. Simons with my family and it became a place where I could find some restoration and quiet.

The first friend I invited to come down to St. Simon's with us was my close friend, Abigail. She and I have explored every inch of that island both on foot and on bikes. 




  My most cherished memories from the many times Abigail and I went to St. Simons are the evenings we would run to the pier, watch the sunset, and then spend time praying for eachother, for our future goals, husbands, and families. These times of actually crying out to God taught me more about His heart and how to pray then any book I've ever read on prayer. Taylor came down to St. Simons with me for Christmas soon after we started dating and I was able to share some of these memories with him.

So back to the engagement day...






 Once we settled in at the house, we all went down to the beach. Earlier in the day Taylor had asked me if I would want to go take some pictures in a little park that we like and then head out to the pier to watch the sunset. Needless to say, in my head I kept thinking, "This would be pretty awesome if he proposed tonight!!"  (Taylor) Little did she know! (Laura) With a building anticipation of the possible coming events of the evening buzzing around my head, Taylor and I came back to the house, got cleaned up, and headed to the park. While we were at the park and in his efforts to get some good pictures Taylor manged to sit in a mud puddle. (Taylor) I WOULD manage to sit in a mud puddle with less than an hour left before I proposed.  haha! 

(Laura) We headed out to catch the sunset over the water. Taylor asked me if I wanted to go out to the pier or the beach and I just thought... "now if he is proposing, would he ask me that?" We made our way to the pier and watched the sun as it was quickly going down. At this point, whether he proposed or not that night, the sunset was spectacular.

Just before he proposed

Taylor turned me towards him and told me about some of the things he loved doing with me and the things he anticipated us sharing in the future. I kept thinking, "When is he going to get on his knee!" And then he did!! Followed by the question, "Laura, will you marry me?" I think I must of looked at him with a funny expression on my face for a minute before realizing that this was actually happening. I said "YES!" and wrapped my arms around him forgetting that he had a ring in his hand that he was trying not to drop.

(Taylor) It is hard to hold on to a little ring with big fingers, AND there were cracks in the pier big enough to ensure that we would never see the ring again. (Laura) He said, "Let me put the ring on your hand before I drop it." It is so beautiful! The center diamond is one of his mom's stones and Taylor picked out the setting on his own. After a few more moments, Taylor then looked at me again and asked me if he could kiss me. We had our first kiss!

He then pointed out that our friend Ben was further down on the pier taking photos of us and that our other friends were all gathered around to share the moment with us.

Whew! I just didn't know what it would be like to have the man I respect and love the most ask me to marry him, but my mind went back to prayers I had prayed for my future husband. Taylor and I ended up sitting with our legs hung over the side of the peir and prayed for eachother and our marriage together. To be honest, this is when it really started sinking in that I am going to marry Taylor Eley.

(Interjection by Taylor)  This was really the sweetest part to me.  I specifically chose to propose on the pier because I know that Laura is a centimental person and I knew that she would understand and appreciate the significance of the location.  I was severly humbled and honored when Laura asked if we could pray together right where she had prayed for me so many times before.  I am humbled to know that Laura has been commited to me even before she knew I would be the man that she would marry. 

(Laura)After enjoying letting it all sink in, we called some family members and headed back to the house for dinner with our friends. Over the next two days we were able to enjoy eachother's company and long conversations about our life together as we walked all over St. Simons Island. Taylor is my partner, my best friend, and the one who I long to learn to love better! The day could not come sooner for me to be married to the man who has taught me so much more about life and my sweet Savior.   

(Taylor again)  I can only echo some of the things that Laura just said.  She is my best friend, my teammate, my dancing partner, someone who will speak uncompromising truth into my life, my sous chef, my travel buddy and most importantly, now, my fiance'!