Eureka Springs

Scott and I got engaged in December while in Eureka Springs.  It was such a great weekend.  I got to meet his good friend Michele, whom he calls his God Mother.  She invited us to stay with her the weekend of her graduation.  We drove to Springfield and it snowed.  It was beautiful.  And the city was very nice and Michele’s class mates were all friendly at the dinner after graduation.  The hotel we stayed in was spacious and quite nice too.  We then drove from Springfield to Eureka Springs.  Eureka Springs is where Michele lives.  The hour and forty five minute drive took us through the Ozark Mountains across Table Rock Lake.  It was magnificent to see the natural landscapes that differed so much from the plains of North Texas that I am used to.  The roads were slick in spots from the recent snow and a made me nervous for fear that we might slide over the mountain side.  You could sometimes feel the loss of traction when you crossed an icy patch.  I was glad Scott was driving, I had no idea where we were going nor what was around each bend.  Scott got us safely to Eureka Springs.   Scott had been there a month or so earlier for Thanksgiving.  I was in OKC with my family enjoying a slice or two of turkey.  Michele and Scott became friends when she lived in Dallas.  She had moved to the Eureka Springs area several years ago and worked for large Hospital system in the area. 

Crescent Hotel Eureka Springs Arkansas

Eureka Springs was the oddest place I had ever been.  It really was a village. It had been built on the hillsides and hill tops. Each home cling to the hill sides and some looked like they might tumble down if you stomped your feet and made a vibration.  The downtown area was full of Victorian homes.  And on top of the hill was a Historic Hotel that I think was once a hospital then a college.  The Crescent Hotel is a historic hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  It was built in the late 1800’s.  And from the roof top you can see all of Eureka Springs down below.  The hotel is said to be haunted but the spirits of former patients, and visitors to the former health resort.  There were no real neighborhoods in Eureka, but homes were built along narrow roads from one hillside to the next and into the low valleys.  A few roads were too steep to navigate due to the snow.  The snow made the down town area look like Santa’s Village.  The seasonal decorations and lights made it even more like a winter wonderland.  The streets are parking lots were slick but we braved the elements to enjoy a Christmas Concert at the down town auditorium that night.  The local choir and high school put a very entertaining show.  Everyone seemed friendly; perhaps they were used to strangers since Eureka Springs was a popular tourist town.  There seemed to be a lot of artisan types and retirees in the local landscape of faces.  In fact there seemed to be an open minded attitude toward gay couples. 

Scott and I spent the night at Michele’s home.  It was cold and snowing but the sun came out the following morning.  We had even decided to browse the small shops in down town before leaving to head back to Dallas.  Scott was able to find a few Christmas gifts for friends and family.  I enjoyed our time shopping.  We had also found our way into a jewelry shop. We had talked about getting married but had put those plans on hold a few months before when we had some issues to work out in our relationship.  It was a tough time for us both but we worked hard to recover as a couple.  We were in a great place in our relationship again and the love again was growing stronger every day.  We had again revisited our former plan to get married.  We knew we were meant to be together.  We found two matching rings that were a woven pattern on the band.  They were a symbol of our lives combining into one.  I was so happy to be there at that moment with Scott.  We bought our rings and after a short walk to the car.  I finally put the ring on his finger.  And in return he put one on mine.  I was so happy that we had overcome so much but we were headed in a new direction.  We would spend the next few months planning our wedding and reception.  We were engaged in Eureka Springs.