Things WERE horrible....

After graduation, with the declining economy, finding a job seemed nearly impossible. I knew I wanted to be with J-Dawg, but just couldn't figure out how to. There was no way I could ask him to leave the dairy, nor did I want him to. It was such a part of him. So we discussed me moving to Clovis, and finding a job there. I began looking at apartments and sending in applications everywhere imaginable in the High Plains. 

Jeroen took me to look at some small houses and apartments in the Clovis area, something within my budget. I had a couple of leads, but nothing was really fitting. He had mentioned us moving in together a couple of times, but at the time, was living with his sister and had a very comfortable and nice setup that he couldn't afford to leave.  

Things were just looking so gloomy, and I felt like Eeyore. I was attending interviews after interviews, with no call-backs. But I wasn't about to give up, I loved this man more than anything and there was something so special about what we had. 

We knew how in love we were, and when we were apart the pain was nearly unbearable. We just belonged together, there were no ands, ifs, or buts about it. I was miserable being in Las Cruces. I had graduated and no longer wanted to be working for the car dealership, or dealing with the college drama. I spent nights journaling and on Job Search websites, trying to get through it.

Then some shocking news came... his parents were looking for a small house they could buy, fix up, and end up having later for when their yoghurt line kicked up (in case the future manager needed housing). On Aug 2nd, I was given word that his folks were actually physically viewing houses. If they were to find one, they were hoping Jeroen would move into it and fix it up. 

On Aug 19th, they placed a bid on a beautiful 1,700 sq. ft house they found in Farwell, TX outside Clovis.  After discussing payment details with his parents, the bid was accepted on Aug 27th and a down payment was made. Jeroen then invited me to move in with him. I could not have been more happy!

I turned in my two-weeks to the car dealership, and my mom came down to Cruces to help me pack and hold a yard sale. All the money made was set aside to help pay for things the house needed. In a last desperate attempt to find a job, I picked up the Clovis phone book and began calling all the businesses that I might enjoy working for. 

I wasn't optimistic about the responses, and I began to worry more. Only two of the thirty-some-odd companies I called actually took messages. One of which was Danforth and Sons Service Co., a dairy service company. I asked if they were hiring and she said not really but they would take down my information and get back to me. 

Much later, after they reviewed my resume, I received a call-back that her husband would like to meet with me. Ecstatic, I put on some nice clothes and met my soon-to-be boss for breakfast. We chatted for hours, and really got to know one another. They weren't necessarily looking to hire, and were unsure about my marketing/ advertising degree. They said they'd be in touch with me. Although I thought it went well, I felt disappointed about the fear of being denied another job.

But later I received call saying they "saw something" in me and loved my "passion for dairies". They had wanted to begin route sales for dairy supplies and I was their gal. They had understood the whole situation I was going through with the move, and trying to clear out of the old house. They offered me a position- to start in Oct, giving me enough time to get my stuff situated. 


Although the month of Aug and Sept seemed to drag on and on, looking back I can say it all went pretty smooth and quick. Things really began to fall into place, and God truly did have a plan for Jeroen and I. Although I never doubted God, I was making a lot of plans that He was laughing at. He knew exactly what he was doing for us. 


By the middle of Sept, we had moved into the house and began working on it... It was our first home, and during the renovation process we learned so much about one another.

In the next blog: "Before and After: A home's renovation from elderly adornment to a modern twist with Dutch/Country/ Zebra flare!"

Weddings and Baby Showers, Oh My!

J-Dawg and I had two events in the same month that we were invited to. We were looking forward to both of them, and unfortunately didn't look at the calendar soon enough. We later realized they were on the same day...

My brothers had a very close friend, T-Boyle, that they had been friends with for as long as I can remember. Now T-Boyle was a very good-looking individual, and had a personality that made girls melt. If you haven't figured it out by now, I was that annoying little sister that was crushin' on my brothers' buddy, six years my elder. It didn't matter to me though; in middle school, I decided he was perfect. He set the bar--- I would compare every guy to him.

My sister was married in Vegas in 2007, and with all the wedding hype (and some alcohol) I thought it would be a great idea to contact T-Boyle and propose. He giggled warmly, and said "For you..... sure!" I knew he was just being kind to me, but he always knew how to boost my confidence.  It was at that point that I decided I would only marry someone who was comparative to T-Boyle (I thought it would be impossible). 

Well, I got an invite to attend T-Boyle's wedding, and knew I wanted to be there and wish him the best. Only problem is, the wedding was the same day as J-Dawg's cousin's, (Katrina) coed baby shower. Katrina and her dad Titus are J-Dawg's only family in the States. Because of this, they are all very close and J-Dawg and his family like to spend time with them whenever they can. 

Luckily for us, the wedding was in Los Lunas and the baby shower was in Bosque Farms, only minutes from each other. We decided to try and attend both... 

"McHotts" Ready for the Wedding

First, we went to the wedding. Being in the church and seeing friends and family was comforting. The bride walked down the aisle, looking gorgeous. I thought I'd be hurting over watching the man I had admired for the past ten + years, tying the knot. Then I looked to my right just as J-Dawg squeezed my hand and smiled warmly at me. At that point I realized, he was the only man I wanted at my side for the rest of my life. I wish a happy and healthy life for T-Boyle and his bride and know that everything happens for a reason. 


We then decided to head to the coed baby shower, and then figured we would head to the wedding reception after. J-Dawg gave me a tour around Titus' house where the shower was being held. I was overwhelmed with its beauty. There was a nearly life-size original Dutch windmill in his front yard.

The baby shower began and we were introduced to all the guests. There was a load of games to play, and the neat thing was everyone (guys and girls) were included. This was unlike any baby shower I had been to, and it was a blast. For the first game, everyone gathered in a circle and a baby doll was passed back and forth. When the doll was thrown to someone, they had to catch it and name something related to babies. The shocking part was there were three people left: a man, a woman and J-Dawg! With no children himself, he had this game mastered! (With answers such as breast pump, and diaper "butt rub"). 


Then it was the guys turn to compete in a game. Sippy cups were filled with beer and it became a race to see who could down the beer first. Little did I know, this is a very difficult feat. J-Dawg was not content with the limited amount of liquid coming out of the small holes.


We were trying to get a hold of my siblings to find out more information about the wedding reception, since we had arranged to meet back up. Unfortunately, there was a disconnect in the communication, and weren't able to make plans with them.

It was then time for the girls to have their competition: make the largest baby bump as possible using balloons. J-Dawg's sis was wearing a super cute flowy dress, and I just knew she'd win. But I was wearing what looked like a maternity shirt (I loved how comfy it was) and decided I could compete also. Little did I know there was a grandmother there who was goin to have us both beaten with her awesomeness. 

We were really having a blast at the baby shower and I decided we should enjoy the rest of the night there. The plan was to have some adult beverages and crash at Titus', not having to worry about driving back and forth. If alcohol is involved, Jeroen and I refuse to drive anywhere. Safety is first, fun is second. 

After most of the guests had left, a select few of us hung out and shot the bull. The boys were fishing in Titus' beautiful pond in the back, while us girls got some time to chit-chat. It was so neat getting to talk to Katrina, the mom-to-be, and see how beautiful she was with her pregnant glow. I smiled and thought, "I can't wait to have that one day."

There's more to Texas than the Panhandle

After my worst fear of my house falling apart became a reality, I had to call in pros to fix my roof that had completely collapsed from the AC leak. Unfortunately, the repairs took over three weeks. When it was completed, I was ecstatic. It looked amazing with new paint, carpet and vinyl tile. At this time, my work was putting tons of hours on me and requiring me to work weekends. 

I was missing J-Dawg something fierce, and luckily, I got a couple of days off so I could go with him to San Angelo to a friend's lake house. J-Dawg surprised me and came one day early, since I was so miserable with my job and being without him. He hung out at my house while I worked some hours on Friday so I could leave on Saturday. When I returned home from work, I found my house decorated and situated how it was prior to the repairs. Being so busy, I hadn't had time to put everything back. But J-Dawg remembered where it all went and made it look beautiful and homey again. 

We hit the road on Saturday morning and headed west to San Angelo. Some words of advice: look at a map before a road trip; and Texas is a big state. Thinking we were near El Paso, we didn't think it'd be too long of a drive. Little did we know, San Angelo was not close at all. Luckily the speed limit was 80, and we found things to keep us entertained (discussing TX water rights, eating Payday candy bars, and playing I Spy). 

When we arrived to the beautiful lake house, I immediately heard Texas country blaring. Very curious, I followed the sound to find there was a huge concert on one of the docks a couple lake houses down. This was gonna be amazing, I could feel it. We hung out with J-Dawg's siblings and a couple of friends at the house and then took the boat out. The lake was small but still very cool!

I watched as J-Dawg's brother water skied, and sat jealous of his physical abilities. (Last time I tried water skiing, I wasn't able to get up even once as the skis kept coming off my feet). I was invited to try, and said I'd rather watch the others. But just being on the boat, feeling the warm water splash my face, and seeing J-Dawg smile was just so amazing. 

We headed back to the house and cleaned up to head out for dinner with the whole gang. We ate at this awesome sushi bar and shared all the different rolls (thank goodness I was introduced to it earlier). J-Dawg's sister suggested we then head to a bar. Never would I have been able to dream up the creativity that the owner of this bar did. It was a bar at night, and an antique store during the day. But at night, while drinking, all items are for sale. For some reason, intoxication makes less attractive items seem like a great buy. Although... J-Dawg's sis actually bought some  really cool chairs and some other neat items. 


The next day we spent the day out and about on the lake and enjoyed the warm air and cool water. Because I had to go back to work the next day, we didn't get to spend much time in San Angelo. But I'm so glad we were able to go for even a short period of time, and spend some more time getting to know J-Dawg's friends and family. 

Its Been Sooooo Long...

I'm sorry its been so long since I've updated my blog. So many things have changed since July, and the best part of all they're GREAT changes! Before I fill you in on my new wonderful life, I'll recap the past five months.


With a long weekend ahead of us, J-Dawg and I were at a loss of what to do. We had been back and forth between our houses and to my folks in between for the past three months. Longing for something more exciting and out of the ordinary, I suggested we head north to Colorado. We calculated the route and things to do while there, and decided it was a go. He met me at my folks, and from there hit the road.

This was during the time of the horrible wild fires throughout New Mexico. As far as we knew, most of them were out so we figured our travel wouldn't be affected. Little did we know, all the hotels up north were sold out because it was full of firefighters. They were tending to a northern New Mexico town whose fire was still burning. Panicked, we took the last room available-- smoking. It smelled horrible, but knowing we had no other choice, we were grateful to not have to sleep in the car. The gentleman at the front desk was kind and gave us room deodorizer. Not even thinking, I sprayed the entire room, only to realize the smoke smelled better than this product. J-Dawg pulled his shirt over his nose and said, "This is bad." And he was right.

We woke up early the next morning (mostly because we wanted out of the room that smelled of burned and moldy strawberries- a scent created by cigar smoke and strawberry room deodorizer). We hopped back onto I-25 and headed north. We opted to stay in Colorado Springs, since we'd be going to Golden, Colorado to visit the Coors Brewery. Because of our prior dilemma with getting a hotel, we decided to book one right when we got into town. Once again, there were no rooms available anywhere in the area due to the fact that Colorado Springs was hosting the Women's PGA tour. 'You're kidding!' we thought, but not because the hotels were filled, but because people fled from all over the States to watch women play golf.

We called all around town, until we finally found one that was pretty expensive but would do. Our GPS took us to the location, where we quickly realized was the ghetto. "It's ok," I thought. "J-Dawg's with me. He'll protect us." The room we received stunk worse than the room from the previous night, so we asked for any other options. The man at the desk was hesitant to let us check the other room (they only had two left). We walked into it and it was very clean with no odor. Whoop whoop! I looked out the back window and realized we were overlooking a trailer park. "Let's just keep those closed," I heard J-Dawg mutter as he closed the curtains. We went to the front desk and swapped out the keys.

The next morning we headed to Golden for the Coors Brewery Tour. Just some advice: do not attend this tour on a weekend! The line was incredibly long and the sun was incredibly hot. Luckily, we had each other to help pass the time. We finally got on the tour bus, cruised around Golden, and then headed to the factory. We strolled through all the different levels and smelled the barley and hops. J-Dawg and I are very similar in that we don't care for crowds, and unfortunately, the entire place was packed.

We visited areas with the least amount of people and children, enjoying the 
elbow space.  I watched as J-Dawg's eyes continued to grow with astonishment as 
he watched as thousands of beer cans were boxed and moved through the all the 
processes on the conveyor belt.   

Next stop was the tasting area where each individual received three glasses of 
their choice of beer. After about 20 minutes of waiting in line for a beer, we 
received our samples and sipped on the delicious, fresh-brewed Blue Moon and 
Coors original. Unfortunately, with the stress of the amount of people, the 
waiting and the heat, we didn't enjoy this portion to the fullest. Neither of us 
finished our glasses and decided it'd be best to head to the gift shop. In there 
was all the Coors paraphernalia you could imagine. We opted for purchasing some 
pilsner glasses and a 6 pack collection of Coors specialty beers.  

After some difficulties of trying to check out, we grabbed our bags of souvenirs 
and headed back to the car. Ready for a night out on the town, we went into downtown Colorado Springs and 
checked out what it all had to offer. It began raining and we walked the 
streets, soaking up every drop. To the left was a sushi restaurant, and J-Dawg 
had asked if I was game. Just so you know, I don't believe I ever would have 
tried sushi if it weren't for him. 1) It looks funny 2) The name even sounds 
disgusting. But when I'm with him, I'm not afraid to do anything.

We walked in and even the atmosphere was cool. He suggested a couple to try, and 
being the sweetheart he is, ordered them without avocado, knowing I'm allergic 
(they still put avocado on them). I also ordered a smoked salmon and cream 
cheese one. We had wine to accompany our meal, and it was all delicious. I now 
love sushi. 

Although the sushi was delicious, we were still kinda hungry. While walking 
downtown, I spotted Melting Pot restaurant. Brother constantly raved about how 
delicious it is, so I asked J-Dawg how he felt about having some desert. Another 
thing to fill you in about J-dawg --- He LOVES chocolate! Like as much as a 
female! But if you've ever eaten Dutch or Belgian chocolate, this is 
understandable. Its absolutely delicious and like Pringles, you can't have just 
one. 

For our desert, we chose the ultimate option--- chocolate fondue with Bailey's. 
And to dip in it were marshmallows, rice crispy treats, brownies, strawberries, 
pound cake and some coconut deals. It was absolutely delicious and we enjoyed 
(ate) every single bite! Feeling fat, dumb and happy, we paid our check and 
headed back to the ghetto. 

The weather in Colorado was chilly and cloudy with drizzling rain. We grabbed a 
couple of beers, sat out on the balcony outside our room, and enjoyed the 
weather and one another's company. This was such a nice break from 110 degree 
weather. Not to mention, any time spent with J-Dawg is time well spent. 

The next morning we packed up and stopped for some complimentary breakfast at 
the hotel. There were some others there eating also. But this wasn't a quiet 
morning whispering over breakfast. This was a room full of women chirping 
enthusiastically about the Women's PGA tour and who was four under, and who had 
missed the easiest putt possible. J-Dawg and I had a hard time keeping a 
straight face, so we just kept eating. 

With only one day left for travel, we opted to head back to New Mexico and stop 
at the Rio Grande Gorge on the way home. This site truly proves God does exist, 
it is so beautiful. Although I'm not afraid of heights, being atop this bridge 
scared me. J-Dawg put his arms around me and squeezed tightly, warming me up and 
calming my nerves. Then and there, I looked up into New Mexico's bright blue sky 
and stared into the Heavens, thanking God for bringing us together. 

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J-Dawg turns 23!

Well, I have a confession... J-Dawg is younger than me. Thank goodness for his maturity level though, because he seems much older than he actually he is. I turned 23 in September of 2010 and he turned 23 in July of 2011 (you do the math). The poor thing severely dreaded his b-day coming up and was not looking forward to aging. But I give him props for being where he is at his age- manager of the mechanical and farming portion of the dairy, owns his truck, lives in a very nice home, is situated, and knows what he wants out of life. Now, how many 23-year-old men can say the same? 

I was invited out his way for the weekend to celebrate his birthday with his family and friends. I had been racking my mind for weeks of what to buy for him, and finally came up with some fun yet pragmatic ideas. His birthday was on Sunday, and I arrived on Saturday. His gift bags full of surprises and tissue paper sat in the back of my car, driving me crazy. But at midnight, I woke him up and handed him his gifts (I know, not nice). 

He got a new diddy bag (toiletry bag) stocked full of schtuff, plaid shorts (that I knew he'd never buy himself, but they were super cute), Silly Putty (perfect for he who must be playing with something at all times) and some brain teasers that I discovered he loves. He was grateful for his gifts and took right to the brain teasers. Sad part was, he's too stinkin' smart and figured them out in minutes, even though they were rated "difficult". Afterward that morning, we headed to his parents for the ritual Sunday morning brunch. 

Let me explain something to you... the Dutch love sandwiches! While I was taking my Dutch courses, I learned a new word: uitsmijter. Directly translated, it means "bouncer". Confused as to why the lady in my textbook was eating a bouncer, I called in reinforcements for my poor translating abilities. "No silly, uitsmijter is a breakfast sandwich," J-Dawg told me. Ooohhhh... that makes more sense. In fact, according to ask.com, the story goes that "this dish used to be served to cafe patrons late at night just before they were kicked out at closing time. It is still a popular breakfast- and lunch dish in the Netherlands."

Sunday morning brunches with J-Dawg's family consist of uitsmijters ham en kaas-  toast, mustard, ham and other sandwich meats, eggs (sunny side up) and varieties of Dutch cheese (Edam or Gouda). The first time I made J-Dawg breakfast (French toast, sausage and eggs), I watched as he piled it into one big sandwich. This would be the first of many occurrences. Then after about three Sunday brunches with his folks, I discovered the connection between the Dutch and sandwiches-- and it is a strong one! 

I began to love sandwiches, and now find myself making uitsmijters with or without J-Dawg. Also at Sunday morning brunches, coffee accompanies the sandwiches. And oh what a delicious combo. I love coffee to begin with, so anytime someone says "coffee break!", I'm in. While in Europe, I discovered that the Dutch and Belgians love to have coffee breaks around 9 or 10 am. This allows you to pull away from your work for about 15 minutes, and enjoy a cup of coffee and snack with co-workers or family. Now that I am savvy in world-travel (haha, not so much), I believe the US should instate this custom also. Would anyone like to second the motion? 

While enjoying our sandwiches and coffee, J-Dawg's family began to hand him his gifts. To explain what fun people his folks are, they told him he must FIND his gift from them. It was somewhere in the closed-off pool area where Sunday brunches occur. He looked everywhere possible and then eyed an air compressor box that looked out of place. Once he lifted it, he found a beautiful wooden carved eagle that stood about three feet tall. J-Dawg loves eagles, and was thoroughly impressed with his mom's purchase. He has the perfect place for it, but this will be mentioned in a blog to come later. : ) 

Prior to J-Dawg's birthday, his younger brother and I discussed what to get him. As I've mentioned before, J-Dawg is so incredibly pragmatic that whatever anyone purchased him, it would have to have a very good use. When his brother asked what I thought would be a good gift, socks immediately came to mind. What's more practical than socks? J-Dawg opened his gift to find thick, white, Hanes socks. For the boy who's always griping about having ones with holes, he got six brand new pairs. Everyone laughed, and he looked at me with a grim smile, knowing darn well it was my idea. He also received also received a pair of fluffy, soft, baby blue socks, from his sister along with a gift certificate to travel to Fredericksburg, TX for a weekend of wine tasting.

Birthday boy with his cake and fluffy socks

His mom then brought out his cake, and it looked delicious. We all enjoyed one an others company, slices of cake and coffee. It was then time for a dip in the family pool where pool badminton would take place. Do you have any idea how far birdies fly? Maybe that's why they're called birdies... J-Dawg, his sister, two brothers and I spent most of the time hopping in and out of the pool to get them, but we still had a blast! 


After his birthday party and hours of swimming, it was time for dinner. Afterward, clouds began rolling in. J-Dawg's dad talked about the chance of rain. If you've ever heard about farmers discussing rain, and think its cliche, you may be right. But owning a farm in eastern New Mexico and west Texas is probably on the Top 10 list of difficult jobs. These individuals go through months of drought and are still expected to produce not one, but numerous crops. So when rain finally hits, its a big deal!

They spoke in Frisian how they hadn't seen a good rain since October of 2010, bear in mind this was July of 2011. Just then, thunder began grumbling all around us and lightning flashes lit up the whole farm. The excitement could be seen in everyone's eyes as it began to pour. Being a desert rat, I ran out from under the garage and spun in circles in the torrential downpour. J-Dawg smiled warmly at me and joined. Just then the lightning hit very close to where we were standing, so we decided we could see the rain just fine from the garage. J-Dawg hugged me tightly and said it was the best birthday he had ever had.

You don't have to be a kid to act like one...

Reason #476 why I love J-Dawg: 
As you know, J-Dawg is just simply a blast. Everything done with him instantaneously becomes fun. I've had boyfriends in the past that would be fun for a minute, then would either become irritating or just flat out boring shortly after. I have not experienced this with J-Dawg, and don't believe I ever will. So... what do you do with the most fun kid ever?! Take him to 3-D movies and go-cart racing, DUH! 

After the Alan Jackson concert, we returned back to my folks house. Then J-Dawg, my mom and I purchased tickets to watch Cars 2 in 3-D. J-Dawg loves animated films, and I love watching them with him. They are also my favorite, but I never thought I'd meet someone who enjoys them as much as I do (except my niece).  J-Dawg just cracks up throughout kids movies, and then remembers the best quotes from them. He is such a pure and sweet individual (just like a child), and I love that about him. 


We arrived to theater, and for the big premier there was Cars stuff everywhere, including a car show out front. We found posters of Cars characters that kids had drawn, and J-Dawg helped me to see, my name was on it! 

We then went into the theater and were excited to watch the previews for upcoming films. Cars 2 ended up being a very cute movie and I love that Mater saved the day! I'm just sad that most Disney movies now have social, economic, or environmental message directed to children, when they are just supposed to be fun (with maybe a subtle moral message in it like Aesop's Fables). 
But we watched the movie and enjoyed our 3-D glasses. 

J-Dawg had been talking about this indoor race track for awhile, and he finally talked me into going. Although I love to speed, I wasn't too thrilled about the idea of teenagers on the same track as me, playing bumper cars. But I thought why not, and tried it anyways. 

We suited up and got into our cars. I was very cautious, slowing down at all the curves (I didn't wanna get flipped around and hit head on), whereas J-Dawg was just haulin! I lost count of the amount of times he passed me. I just waved and blew him a kiss, but I think he was going too fast to even see. 

Well, it goes without saying, J-Dawg kicked my butt. He decided to go a second time and I chose to sit on the sidelines and be his cheerleader. Teenagers bother me for the most part, and he had the same problem on his second go-round. They were acting ridiculous, using them as bumper carts, and didn't slow down when the caution flag was up. Although J-Dawg was leading, one of the rotten adolescents got their car stuck and hung out in front of him to let the others pass. Boo on teenagers. 

But we still had fun. He finished in the top both races. That's the great thing about J-Dawg-- no matter how many people try to ruin his fun, it just doesn't happen. It takes a lot to get him down, he's just a happy laid-back fella. We left holding hands and smiling.

Mother knows best...

My mom is such a sweetheart and really wanted to give J-Dawg and I a special and fun weekend. She was completely fine with me taking him to the Alan Jackson concert instead of her. Because the concert was very far away, she purchased us a hotel room so that we could use the hotel shuttle. Her best laid plans didn't quite turn out as we hoped, and trying to situate everything was becoming quite frustrating. This was the first time J-Dawg saw me mad, and although he was getting frustrated also, he tried keeping his cool for my sake. 

After hours of driving through 5 o'clock traffic with construction, we reached what we thought was the hotel, only to find it was in a complete other location. Once we arrived to the actual hotel, we realized how far away from the concert it was. We then learned there was no shuttle to and from the concert. The hotel room was incredibly elegant (and very expensive). Although I was grateful that my mom had done this for us, we felt horrible about the cost, and even worse that our "get-away" was making us want to go back home. 

We drove for miles out to the concert that was being held at the Santa Ana Star Center. After a long and frustrating night, we both took deep breaths and realized we needed to stop and enjoy the night. Some guy opened for Alan Jackson and neither of us were very impressed. Then we waited for the headliner... and waited... and waited... and waited some more. It was about an hour between the opening act and when Alan Jackson actually came on. People were getting up and leaving. 

But once he arrived, he put on a wonderful show. He wasn't promoting a new album, so he sang tons of his classics. Being in love with AJ since elementary school, I knew all of his songs and it brought back lots of memories. J-Dawg was really enjoying himself also. Country isn't big in Europe, but since he moved to the States, he had definitely come to love it. All our worries were forgotten that night, as his arm was wrapped around me and we sang along to "Tall, Tall Trees". 

We enjoyed the rest of the concert and then went back to the hotel. We stepped outside and realized how beautiful the view from the balcony was. J-Dawg had packed a bottle of wine (we both love wine and that has become our thing is to go shopping for a bottle of wine together, and then on our date nights, open it and share a glass) and we drank it sitting outside on the balcony, looking at the stars. "Okay mom," I thought, "you did good." 


We then wandered around the ginormous hotel, and checked out all the amenities. Three pools, what?! Unfortunately, it was too late and all were closed. The scenery was beautiful, and because the hotel was on tribal land, everything was very Native American (including this ginormous pottery waterfall). 

The next morning before leaving, we decided to soak up the landscape, and enjoy some time on the balcony before check out. The hotel truly was amazing, and J-Dawg and I felt as if we got the Honeymoon treatment as guests. 


What do you know, mom was right...

Family Pow Wow in the Panhandle

My elderly grandmother had one request of her family--- that we take a family photo for her to hang on her wall. Bro and Fiance, being the wonderful people they are, arranged a time and place for all the Tuttles to meet. Reeder (my other brother), his wife K, and their two beautiful children, already had plans to visit Bro and Fiance, so we all decided to go to Texas to meet them there. It'd be a great time to get the whole crew together... and a camera. 

We were slightly hurt though because my sister, Yo-Yo, and her husband, Marshdal (a name given to my sister's husband by a family friend's daughter), wouldn't be able to fly out there in such short notice from Georgia. Bro and Reeder gave Yo-Yo a hard time for missing out on "family time". All the while though, Yo-Yo had a trick up her sleeve--- she was planning on surprising everyone. My mom knew Yo-Yo and Marshdal would be coming, so they made the airport arrangements. After my mom picked them up, Yo-Yo and Marshdal surprised my dad, and they all loaded up and headed to Texas. 

In a Suburban full of Tuttles, they all arrived at Bro's house. Yo-Yo and Marshdal surprised Bro and Reeder, and the family reunion was nearly complete. J-Dawg and I weren't there yet because I had the interview with the company in Eastern New Mexico (who interviewed me with zero intentions of hiring me prior to even meeting me. Grrr). Grandad and Mo-Mo (as my parents have now become known as by the grandkids) were able to spend time with the little ones. This was also an exciting weekend, as this was the first time most of us met the newest addition to the Tuttle family, Reeder and K's son, Pate. He's so stinkin' cute! 


J-Dawg and I arrived and the festivities began. Bro was barbequing, mom and Yo-Yo were makin' drinks, and we were all just wandering around enjoying one an others company. The best part of the afternoon was when K came in the kitchen and said, "Hey Traci, he's cute! And don't listen to what your brothers say, his accent is awesome!" Receiving K's approval for J-Dawg  meant a lot to me! We roamed around Bro's house, which is out in the middle of nowhere (no, serious). Everyone was outside near the pens where the horse and calf were, and instantly I saw Bailey dart under the fence to chase the calf! Next thing, I hear Bro screaming, "Traci, get your dog!" Just what I needed was for my Llasa Apso to kill Bro's calf. Luckily, J-Dawg sprung in and grabbed her. She knew she was in trouble.


We spent the rest of the afternoon, just socializing with one another and playing with the little ones and the pups.  It was so nice to have everyone together, and I was excited for J-Dawg to meet everyone. The boys were very kind to him, but did give him the "if you hurt my sister" lecture.

Then we went back to the hotel and realized there was a lot of goofing off to be had! There were these ginormous horse statues out front, just calling mine and J-Dawg's names. AND a huge heated swimming pool that we had to jump into!

The next day we went to Amarillo and hit up all the sporting goods stores. In two separate vehicles, we were split up, but met at Gander Mountain. Suburban 1 had Bro, Fiance, Reeder, K and the kids while Suburban 2 had Mom, Dad, Yo-Yo, Marshdal, J-Dawg and myself (who would have ever thought our family would be this big!?) J-Dawg and Dad were having a blast looking at all the ammunition, while Mom and Yo-Yo were looking at camping cookware. Bro, Fiance, Reeder and K were all wondering around checking out everything. I felt like a 5-year-old who had lost their parents in Wal-Mart, I wasn't sure where to go. 


Suburban 1 had already eaten, so they went shopping some more while Suburban 2 went to grab some grub. There's a place in Amarillo that my dad loves because of their calf fries (if you're unsure what these are, you may know them better as Rocky Mountain Oysters), so we opted to eat there. J-Dawg had never eaten them before, so he was pretty excited to try them. And I think Yo-Yo and Marshdal were just excited to eat at a delicious steakhouse. The waiter came by and took our orders- Dad got an entire plate of calf fries, haha. And J-Dawg and I ordered steaks and milk, the best meal ever.

Then we went to yet another sporting goods store, and J-Dawg and I goofed off some more. He is just so much fun and there is never a dull moment when he's around. We walked down the dog aisle to see if I could find anything fun for my pups. He stared at the shelves lined entirely with dog beds and wondered why dogs like them so much. Then, he found out. They're super comfy!  

The next day, the photographer came and took pictures. Photographing this many people must be difficult, so I give the young aspiring photographer who took our pictures props. And J-Dawg was even in the total family photo, hmmmmm.... (*cough* foreshadowing *cough*) 

The Tuttle Girls- (From left to right) K, me, my niece, Mom, Fiance, and YoYo

My Handsome J-Dawg and Me

The Tuttle Men- (left to right) Reeder, my nephew, Grandad, and Bro

We're goin' out with our boots on!

World's Longest Tramway (Well, 'usedta-could' be)

J-Dawg had mentioned he had heard that New Mexico had the world's longest tramway and wanted to check it out. (Sandia used to be the world's longest tram, until Armenia built a 3.4 mile last year). The Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway transports you above deep canyons and breathtaking terrain, a distance of 2.7 miles (when it's open). The winds that afternoon after the wine fest had kicked up something fierce, so we went the day after. 

So the next morning, we left to head to the tram. Its funny because I used to dread driving in Abq, because of the inconsiderate drivers. But J-Dawg offered to drive. In his hefty, tall truck, he does not put up with any aggressive nor passive driver's non-sense. I love how safe I feel when I'm beside him. I realized that each time I'm with him, I have an invisible safety bubble around me, and am untouchable. My lifetime of clutziness (broken bones, dented cars, public plunges, and other embarrassing moments) may be reduced with the simple introduction of one man into my life. If I never run into an open dishwasher door again, I would consider myself to be ridden of the terrible Anaya curse, all fixed by Sir Dutchman.

After a very long, steep drive up to the base of the Sandia mountains, we took a deep breath of the cool mountain air. We waited in line, then crawled onto the tram with many others, especially tourists. Sometimes, I forget J-Dawg is still semi a tourist. He hasn't seen many things in the state of New Mexico, or the US for that matter, that the rest of us are accustom to. Because of this, he reminds me of the true beauty in the small things, that otherwise would go unnoticed. We take time and smell a lot of roses. 

He stood behind me and held me around the waist as we looked at the beautiful mountains below us. Although neither of us are really scared of heights, there were times when the wind began rocking the tram, that it became pretty uncomfortable. But I wasn't too worried, because I was in J-Dawg's arms. The scenery was beautiful, the temperature was a wonderful change from the desert heat, and we were together. It was perfect.

We reached the top and looked over at all of Albuquerque, what a beautiful site.We visited the High Finance restaurant (appropriately named, pretty expensive), and opted to share a drink. And to be honest, I was curious about the myth of alcohol at high altitudes. J-Dawg told me to pick any drink I wanted, that it was on him. (He was driving and didn't want anything.) Yes, it is true, I felt a slight buzz after only a couple of sips of Sandia Ice Cream made with butterscotch, Bailey's, Kahlua, and Frangelico with cream on the rocks. What a delicious drink... $13 delicious. We hung out a little bit longer at the top and enjoyed the beautiful view, then decided to head back down.

We then headed south to my place so we could spend some time together, and it was important to me that J-Dawg and my friends had become acquainted. I invited a couple of my girl friends to go to dinner with J-Dawg and I at Texas Roadhouse. It made me laugh how he loved the peanuts on the floor. The girls really liked him, and were super happy for me. That meant a lot to me. I received a text afterwards from one of them that said "Be sure and send me an invite to the wedding!"

Once again we only had the one night left together, he had to leave in the morning. I hated saying goodbye, but felt a little better because I was planning on heading his way at the end of that week and then we would head to Bro's for a mini family reunion. The next morning, we bid our goodbyes and I explained to him that I felt sorry for people who don't know him because they're missing out! He replied, "I don't know, I'm just me." And that's what I love the most about him.

Rotten Weekend Turned Wonderful

J-Dawg and I were as happy as we could be (except for fighting the distance between us). At this point, we had only been together for one month, but when we spent time together it was like having five dates in one, so we were pretty far along in the relationship. After that frightful night, we became even closer and realized how important we were to one another. 

For a couple of weeks prior to the wrong-way accident, J-Dawg and I had been discussing how neat it'd be to attend a wine festival. We knew there were a couple going on during Memorial Day Weekend, and had planned on attending. There was also one in southern NM, but we opted to avoid the heat and dirt, and attend the one with grass --great decision-making skills, right? Logic. Besides, were already at my folks and didn't want to head back south. (Little did we know, the good tasting wine would be at the other wine fest! Dangit!)

Although I was hesitant about attending an activity involving alcohol, both J-Dawg and my parents reassured me that what happened that night wasn't my fault. We ate a large lunch and decided wine sipping would be enjoyable. We arrived at the entrance into Balloon Fiesta Park, paid a hefty admission cost, and was then given small wine glasses with the Abq Wine Fest logo on it. J-Dawg said, "Well, I'm glad that for that price, that we got something out of it!"  I agreed. I love J-Dawg's financial reasoning. His wallet doesn't squeak when he opens it, but he is a money savvy. 

When we walked in, the entire park was completely packed and lines were incredibly, unreasonably long. So much for avoiding the crowds. And there were tons of children! Surprised, we wondered why parents would take their children out into the blazing heat, and make them watch people drink wine. Poor kids. We took our glasses, stood in line (for-ev-er...), and began the taste testing. Too dry, too sour, too syrupy. Hmmm... maybe we just weren't wine connoisseurs.

 

We saw the Plum Loco booth, and I was ecstatic because I knew it'd be sure to please. Of course, it had the longest line. While waiting, there was a group behind us of girls about my age just a-yappin'. One was complaining about how full she was because she ate, not one, but TWO gluten-free pancakes for breakfast. That was the highlight of my day to see J-Dawg nearly shoot wine out of his nose, fighting back the laughter. Oh no, not TWO gluten-free pancakes!!!

We got to the front of the line and was excited to see all the flavors they had. Not just Plum Loco and Summer Peach, but Voluptuous (Strikingly sweet, this Moscato is bursting with the flavor of rich melon stacked with plump summer berries and hints of ripe peaches) and Triple Berry Bliss (an enticing red wine blended with the all natural juice of three of the world's foremost super fruits-- tart cranberries, sweet blackberries and tropical açai berries).We had about a sip of each, and that was all it took. We purchased bottles of the ones we knew we couldn't get elsewhere.

We were grateful for the Plum Loco booth, because we didn't have such wonderful tastings at the next booth. I will not mention any names, but I do recall asking to taste one of their cherry wines that looked and sounded delectable. He poured it into my glass, and I marveled at its beautiful color, somewhat opaque but nearly looked metallic. I took a swig, swished it around in my mouth for a moment, then, as quick as possible,went to the side of their tent (where no one could see), and spewed it out everywhere. I then wiped my tongue with my shirt. 

J-Dawg's look on his face expressed 'it can't be that bad!' I handed him my glass, and after tasting it, he reacted exactly the same. "It tastes like burned electronics!" (explains why it was metallic in color) he sputtered out with his tongue hanging out. Although this description may be hard to fathom, if you had tasted this wine, you would completely agree! After we regrouped (and drank lots of water and ate some food to get that awful taste out), we decided to call it a day, thinking there was no way we could handle another similar experience.

 

That night we played Rummikub with my mom, and nearly busted a rib laughing so hard. My mom really got to see the warm and funny side of J-Dawg that night, and really took him. My mom and I are cheaters very considerate with one another when we play board games. Its more like Go-Fish for us, "Oh you need this? Here you go." I worried J-Dawg may get upset with our board game behavior. Just as I began to wonder if he was crazy competitive like my exes, and would stop at nothing to win, I felt him touch my knee... holding the tile I needed. It isn't that any of us believe that cheating is okay, but I realized just then that J-Dawg has a heart just like the one I got from my mom. If you love 'em, be there for 'em.

Near Brush with Death

During Memorial Day Weekend, one of my best friends that I had known since mid-school, was having her college graduation party that Friday night, and I really wanted to celebrate with her. J-Dawg wouldn't be able to come till Saturday morning, so it all kind of worked out. I made my parents dinner that night, so I was running late getting out of the house to head to Kat's party. We finished eating, I kissed my parents goodbye, and they asked me to be safe (as they always do) but there was a deeper concern in their voice than normal. I disregarded their uneasy feeling and left.

I pulled onto the highway from my parent's road, and was listening to a new song from the Country Strong soundtrack I had recently downloaded. Singing along to the lyrics "When the stars line up, and you catch a good break, and people think you're lucky, but you know it’s grace. It can happen so fast, or a little bit late, timing is everything. You know I’ve had close calls, when it could have been me. I was young when I learned just how fragile life could be, I lost friends of mine, I guess it wasn’t my time, time is everything. I could have been a child that got took home, and I would have been one more unfinished song. And when it seems a rhyme is hard to find, that’s when one comes along just in time. Timing is everything."

At that instant, I saw headlights pointed toward me and immediately realized there was a truck driving the wrong way. I then saw them pass me in the inside lane driving incredibly fast. Immediately, I began to panic, pulled over and call 911. I explained my location, the description of the vehicle (which I barely caught because of how quick it was going) and gave them my contact information. I hung up the phone and then called my parents to explain what happened and told them I was on my way home. I also called J-Dawg, because I knew he'd be able to help calm my nerves.

I took some deep breaths, collected myself and got back on the road, only to see red flashing lights, ambulances and police just a mile or two down the road. "Please no" I thought. For some reason, could be human nature, but I had to drive down to see what had happened. All the while I was hoping the driver did not hit someone else, but a pole, wall or something to that effect. When I arrived at the scene, the police officer asked me to turn around and said "someone has just passed away here". My worst fear was just realized.

I went home completely startled and in tears. My mom and dad stayed up with me throughout the night to comfort me. My phone rang at 2am, it was the 911 dispatcher asking for more information. I asked what happened and was informed that the driver had hit another car and killed the person. And that instant, my stomach dropped and I felt as if I needed to vomit. J-Dawg called and talked me through my sadness and comforted me. Then my parents and I just sat. After hours of sitting there in silence, I was able to fall asleep. The next morning, we had turned on the news, only to hear there were three other similar accidents Memorial Weekend involving three wrong-way drunk drivers. 

J-Dawg got in that morning, rushed to me, and swept me into his arms. He whispered into my ear "I don't know what I would do if that was you last night. I'm so glad you're okay," and kissed my forehead. At that point, I was more than okay. I knew it wasn't my time, I knew there was still much more to learn, much more to see, and that God had some more tasks for me on his to-do list. I couldn't leave them unfinished. My parents smiled as J-Dawg held me, and they, like me, were so grateful that my guardian angel was flying faster than I was driving.

Lovin' and Livin'

While staying with J-Dawg that week, he had asked that I spend some time with his mom because he wanted us to get to know one another more. I was more than willing to do this. She and I went to the paint store and ran some errands around town. While driving, we discussed a lot, especially about J-Dawg and how he was as a child and teen. (He's considered the more quiet, reserved and relaxed one of the family, but was also able to do his share of damage as a kid. AKA, stories for another day...)

We got back to the house and I offered to help her with her current project, painting old milk pails that they actually used in Friesland.  How cool is that?! (She is very crafty, and always working on some fun project). I had collected milk 'paraphernalia' since I was young, and while living in the dorms, I purchased green milk crates, stacked them and tah-dah, had a bookshelf! I also had replica milk buckets, and loved to buy old milk jars when I came across them (part of the reason I love Starbucks' Frappacino bottles). But J-Dawg's place was decorated with the real deals.

For the next couple of days while J-Dawg was working, I was helping his mom paint the milk pails. She chose a gunmetal silver base coat with a metallic green tint to be brushed over them, making them look even more antique. They came out very awesome, except I may have gone a little heavy on the green (imagine that!). I had a fun time painting in the cool garage, and my pups were runnin' in circles around me, ecstatic to be at the dairy (as was I). 

The Two Dogs and J-Dawg (= 3 Dogs)

Over the time that Jeroen and I had spent together, he really took to my pups and they were just as crazy about him as I was. Bailey, the ornery hard-headed Llasa Apso, and Snickers, the old, quiet, yet easily excited Bichon Frise, were both rescue dogs. They were just happy to be with people who loved them. Bailey, being the misbehaving dog, learned quickly she wouldn't get away with much around J-Dawg. He quickly put her in her place when she bit his sister's Great Dane (I'm not kidding when I say she's a handful).  Not only does she like J-Dawg, but respects him, she's very well behaved around him and I love it! (If only I wasn't such a pushover and could have the upper hand with her, like he does...)

The weekend before, J-Dawg's mom had invited me to attend a baby shower for a family friend of theirs. Although I didn't know his family very well at this point, I thought this would be a great opportunity to spend some time with them. The baby registry was at Target and they didn't have one near them, so I offered to pick up the gifts since I was going to the "city". When I returned with them, his mom and sister were very grateful. We wrapped them up in baby blue and tan tissue paper, put them in a very cute gift bag, and headed to the shower. 

The decor at the shower was beautiful, and there were lots of women there (with lots of children). Most of the baby gifts were cow print, which made my heart melt. The mom-to-be was a wife of a dairyman,  and that was that day that I discovered how close the dairy community was. All the women chatted with one another, as they either grew up on a dairy or were also dairy wives. The shower was fun and I loved being introduced to everyone as "J-Dawg's [insert his real name here] girlfriend".  Also, being able to spend time with J-Dawg's mom and sister was a treat. They were both down-to-earth and fun to be around. 

After the shower, I returned to the dairy to find J-Dawg in the shop, covered in grease and smelling of oil, dirt and sweat. I smiled and thought, 'he's still so handsome'. Every girl loves a man that can work with his hands. We loaded the pups and headed back to his house so he could shower.  We discussed how our days went, and he mentioned he was glad I went to the baby shower with his sis and mom and got to meet the dairy women (kind of an initiation to being the girlfriend of a dairyman). 

With only one night left together, we discussed what we do the following weekend. I hoped it would come quickly, as I was not looking forward to going back home to my empty, broken home, my jam-packed work space, and hours of resume writing. Although it was never planned this way, we take turns driving back and forth to see one another (works out quite nicely). Because I was at his place that week, he offered to come to mine the following weekend. Instead, we decided we'd go to our half-way point and check out the wine festival during Memorial Day weekend... stay tuned.