Meet - and - Greet with Dutchman

I was seeing everything from a new perspective and was no longer out to find "the one". I was actually looking forward to the idea of having my goat farm, and getting to keep my apple green KitchenAid mixer (whereas in previous times, I wouldn't have necessarily been allowed to keep my entire kitchen full of green kitchenware). As I enjoyed my new found freedom (and green toaster), I decided it was time to meet the man who had helped me receive my fourteen credits to graduate, (not to mention, the idea of visiting a dairy full of fresh milk and baby calves excited me). The only thing on my mind was finding a job doing advertising/ marketing with the dairy industry, so I was on a mission to learn as much as I could about the dairy process, however I could.

Sir Dutchman and I had made plans to meet at the gas station near his dairy, and 'Traci who gets lost in a paper sack' went to the wrong one (imagine that!). He drove to meet me at the incorrect location, and as his dark blue F-150 farm truck pulled up, my nerves began to do backflips. Everything that could possibly go wrong crossed my mind: he's a serial killer, he's a womanizer, he's only 5'1, he collects dolls. I began to sweat. Then, out stepped this incredibly handsome young man, 6'2, wearing Cinches (that fit incredibly well, I might add), and a ball cap with longer dark blonde curls coming out from under it. Then with a crooked smile, and deep steel blue-grey eyes smiling at me, I was putty. At that instant, I was very angry. I had just learned to accept being alone and had decided that being boy crazy was a waste of time, then out of the blue he shows up.

We drove back to his dairy and I was overwhelmed with excitement. The smells, the landscape, the pens filled with Holsteins, everything was just right. Growing up across from a dairy that was then converted into a feed yard, I loved the smell of agriculture. Cows and crops are a sure sign of being in a rural area, taking back roads to get where you're going, and enjoying the sunset while sitting on a tailgate with a cold beer. In my mind, this life was the picture of perfection. I couldn't help but wonder when (or if) I'd get to come back.

Intensely curious, I asked question after question about the milking process, crop rotation, yogurt-making, tractor pulls, pretty much any random question that could possibly be asked. I expected him to become irritated (as most people do when asked too many dumb questions), but instead he looked at me with appreciation. He was very patient, and not only would tell me about it, but show me. "This is the calf ranch, where the calves are being weaned." My heart melted at that exact instant when I saw the most adorable calf look up with its mouth and nose covered in frothy milk.

I loved being shown around the dairy. J-Dawg had so much pride, passion, and excitement for his job and for the dairy overall. Just listening to him explain how it all worked, and his parents' and siblings' roles, made me realize this was a family dairy of the highest caliber. If one portion of the dairy suffers, it hurts the rest of it, therefore they each watch out for the other and there's no "I" in this business, its all "we". Also, learning how patriotic J-Dawg is fascinated me. He explained his family's move to the States, and what a process becoming a legal citizen is. He  loves being in the U.S. and appreciates the freedoms and options it offers its people. He understands the principles of running a business, and is grateful for how much his family's dairy has been able to flourish since leaving the Netherlands.

After only a few hours with J-Dawg, I knew there was something very special about him. He was different than most all boys I had known. He sees the bigger picture of things, is appreciative of what he has, cares about others and himself, is very educated and well-read, and is very loyal to his friends and family. The next day of the "tour", I had met his family. I could tell a good upbringing played a pivotal role in his personality and stature. His family was incredibly kind to me, and I felt welcome and comfortable with them. It was time to head home, so I loaded up the car and we said our goodbyes. There was one of those awkward side hugs, unsure of what was appropriate. I drove off, unsure where all this was going, but was grateful for having met J-Dawg. I felt content and realized that there are still good people out there with good intentions. And I also breathed a sigh of relief knowing he didn't collect dolls.