From the time I first played the song “Maybe Tomorrow” for Courtney in my car on September 11, 1998, I knew how I wanted to propose to her. From the time we first verbalized that we knew we were perfect for each other and sealed it with a kiss, I knew where I wanted to propose to her. From the time that the ring was ordered, I knew when I wanted to propose to her (although that plan was thwarted). Now, the only part of the plan that was left was how to make it a surprise. I knew that if Courtney ever saw me in Winston-Salem unannounced she would know why I was there. I could pull the “show up at the door step and propose” bit, but that would not get us to where I wanted to propose. I had to figure out a way to get her there without her knowing it. I decided that drugs or violence would not work, so I opted for the next best thing…a blindfold. “Okay, but isn’t a blindfold suspicious?” you may ask. Yes it is. So, I had to find a way to make a blindfold “unsuspicious”. How do you make a blindfold an every day occurrence? A plan slowly started to formulate. I was familiar with how some sororities and fraternities at WFU would occasionally “kidnap” members and take them out. So, what if the girls on Court’s hall were to do the same thing. I knew none of them were in a sorority, and I knew that they all would love to do something fun like that. It would be a great bonding experience for them. Now I needed an accomplice. The most obvious choice was someone close to Court and inside the group…ah, Kelly (her roommate) would do. So, I planted the idea in Kelly’s head to start amongst the girls the tradition of kidnapping their hall mates periodically and taking them out to do something special. The first “kidnapping” went great. From my understanding the six girls who went out had a blast that night! And even better, that night on the phone Court couldn’t stop talking about Kelly’s great idea and all the fun they had! The plan was beginning to fall into place.

As for when to propose, I was planning on February 18^th. Little did I know that the ring that came in at the jeweler was not the right one! This put plans on hold until the right ring came in. It would be cutting it close because it was getting awfully close to Court’s spring break, which was our decided “get engaged before time”. My plans for getting to Winston unannounced included leaving Louisville after classes at 4 o’clock on a Thursday afternoon and driving to Knoxville where I would spend the night. I would then get up the next morning and finish the trip. Well, the Thursday of the last week before Court’s spring break rolled around. I had been in constant communication with the jeweler and things were looking good. Ah!! The ring didn’t come in! Come to find out, they had not gotten it ready in time to send it out the day before! The jeweler had to get it in and get it set in order for the plan to work. All was not lost. If the ring came in the next morning, I could leave that afternoon and be in Winston that Saturday. That Thursday night my computer connection was “failing” as usual and I was having trouble emailing her (or so I said). Court’s hopes for a pre-spring break engagement diminished as she realized that I was still in Kentucky. She knew that if I were to propose to her that weekend, I would have needed to already be gone and on my way to North Carolina. The next morning I got word that the ring had arrived! I got everything ready (I sent emails from a web email address telling Court I was going to the library…not Knoxville), I left the phone off the hook so it would be busy…as it is often even when I’m not on the phone and was out of Louisville by a 1:30. I had a great drive to Knoxville, all the while practicing my singing in the car in preparation for my one time serenade. I found a hotel by 5:30 and settled in for the evening. I spent time restringing my guitar and practicing the song which Cory Thompson had helped me figure out how to play. I hooked up my laptop and used it to make phone calls for free. I first called Emily, Cory’s wife, to tell her where I was (I didn’t want to be in the middle of nowhere with no one knowing where I was!) and then I checked my email. I got one from Kelly and one from Courtney. Kelly was doing everything she could to help everything turn out perfectly. We had to keep emailing to make sure we were on the same wavelength. Kelly told me that she had talked Court into going with her to get her hair cut the next day and then to lunch with her and two other girls. I had planned on being dressed semi-nice, but due to weather, there would be no way to get Court into anything but shorts! That caused a slight problem because I did not have any nice shorts…not a big deal, I would figure something out. Courtney had been out to her horseback riding class and was back to shower and went out to the grocery store with some friends. So, I emailed her and told her that my computer was still buggy and asked her to email me when she got back. Well, I used my computer to call Nee Naw (which was not unusual) and we talked awhile until Court got back. Nee Naw mentioned how she was sorry I did not know when the ring would come in and made me promise that when I did get to come to propose that I would stop half way to NC to spend the night somewhere. I readily promised! After we got done with our conversation, I called Court on the computer. The conversation went great and she told me how she was okay with the idea of not being engaged before spring break. Man, I was about to bust at the seams!! She was completely oblivious to the fact that I might surprise her that weekend! I was so thankful that God had worked it out that way! I could not have done any better if I had planned it! And on top of that, that weekend was beautiful! Sunny, warm, spring-like…it was one of those weekends that makes you say, “Man, good job God”. So, I went to bed and got up the next morning and continued my trek to Winston by 7:30. I arrived in Clemmons at 11:15. I decided to risk stopping by my house to get some nice shorts, my camera tripod, and the box for Court’s ring (which has this snazzy little light that shines right on the rock). I went into my development the back way and parked down below my house. I knew that Nee Naw would not be there, but I was not sure what time she would be getting back! I ran up the street to the house, ran in, turned off the alarm, ran to my room, grabbed the tripod and the ring case, came back to the hall closet, got some shorts, turned the alarm back on and ran out all in under 30 seconds. I ran behind my house and back down the street to my car. I made it so far and Nee Naw had not gotten back to see me yet! From there I headed to the jeweler to pick up the ring. On the way, I had two fears: 1. I would cross paths with Court and the girls, 2. I would get to the jeweler and he would not have been able to get the stone set. Luckily neither fear came true. I walked into the jewelry store, and Terry handed me the ring…it was perfect. I loved it! It was then that it all was becoming real. That was the last major obstacle… well, besides the possibility that Kelly’s understanding of my directions did not end up at the same place as my understanding of my directions!

I arrived at the designated spot about 15 minutes early. This spot was where Court and I had spent some time early on in our relationship. This was where we both expressed the realization that each was perfect for the other. This was also the spot where we first kissed. WOO HOO!! In Reynolda Gardens, behind the Reynolda House is a small bridge in the woods. It was here that I had directed Kelly to bring the blindfolded Courtney. As I finally saw the two approaching, my heart raced with the realization that this was for real. For so long it had been a plan in the seemingly distant future and now it was happening. Kelly brought Court to the bridge and sat her down. I thanked her as silently as I could and then began to play my guitar. I could see the blood rush to Courtney’s face as the shock hit her. I could tell she was fighting tears, and that was all it took for me to break. It took me two tries to get my fingers and my voice to work right in order to get the song started right. After finishing the song, I put down my guitar, and took off Courtney’s blindfold. I sat on the bridge beside her and got the ring ready for its first appearance. After tying in memories from the past to where we were at that moment, I got on one knee, removed her promise ring (which had occupied her left ring finger for the past five years), and asked her to marry me. I then placed the diamond on her finger. I put my other knee down and asked Courtney to join me as I prayed for us as we began of the next stage in our relationship.