Don't stand on the slippery rocks

miami11 · August 27, 2008

My fiance, Monroe and I had been dating each other a little over a month. He was visiting me in Miami on one of his layovers. We are both flight attendant, and I met him at his hotel for lunch. Monroe mentioned that one of his best friend's Akin and his wife Gail had put together a cruise to celebrate their anniversary and he invited me to accompany him.

Unaware to me that Monroe had a bigger plan ahead only 5 short months later.

On September 22, 2007, Monroe and I set out on a 8 day seven night cuise on the Royal Caribbean, Liberty of the Seas. Monroe and I barely caught the ship which cruised the western Caribbean. Both Monroe and I love cruising and it was a joy to celebrate it with our friends.

Monroe had great surprises for me every evening before dinner. We would discuss our plans for the next day and he would have a special gift awaiting me on the bed. On our first day I was given a beautiful pen and a journal. Monroe said it was to write down all of my thoughts. The second day I was given a sleep journal to keep all of my dreams in. On the third evening I was given a beautiful strand of pearls and we planned to climb Dunns River falls the next day.

The ship took port at Mobay in Jamaica at 10:30am. It wasn't until 11 that we were able to get off the ship and Monroe suggested

that we not go with a tour company but take a journey of our own to Ocho Rios.

We hired a taxi at the port (actually the taxi driver hustled us away from another driver) and we were on our way. A gas stop and a speeding ticket later, we arrived at the falls.

Now folks, I am a very nervous person we were speeding in a cab with no A.C. on a journey that took 2 hours to get to and our ship is scheduled to leave at 4pm.

Monroe suggested that we place our camera in a ziplock bag. We barely was able to save our pictures at the falls. If you have a plastic bag, check it for holes before you use it. Just ask and I will tell the story of the camera, plastic bag, and water at Dunns River Falls. You get the picture.

We climbed the falls together. Barefoot and on our own, without a guide, Monroe and I made our way to the top of the falls. As we climber the top of the falls it was beautiful. Monroe continued to remind me not to stand on the brown rocks because they had algee on them and were very slippery and I might fall. When we reached the top of the falls, I was very concerned about the time. After all, we did have a ship to catch. Monroe, never in a hurry, was trying to say something to me.

After a little arm pulling and hugging to keep me from running away, I realized what I was saying to me. Not knowing that I would be standing on a slippery brown rock at the top of the falls being asked by Monroe to become his wife.

Yes folks, I slipped and my future husband caught me. I began to cry and people surrounded us thinking that I was hurt. We hurried back to the cab and made it to the ship at exactly 4pm.

I did not realize until dinner that night that I had not answered Monroe's question about being his bride and was happy to say yes it the front of all of our friends.