My 22nd Birthday Extravaganza!

this silly grin was on my face the entire time

I have this list of five things I hope to accomplish before I die:
1) Milk a cow
2) Ride a gondola (preferably in Venice)
3) Skydive
4) Marry
5) Give Life

Well, this year I had a little help accomplishing one of those things.

Here's a brief summary of how it went down:

Wednesday, May 14th (phone conversation)
Noah: Okay I will pick you up at 3 tomorrow - be ready!
Me: Do I need to bring anything??
Noah: Yes! Do you have a pair of rain boots?
Me: Ummm... yes....
Noah: Great! Bring those... and wear long pants and clothes you don't mind getting filthy.
Me: (deep breath)... okay... (nervous laugh)

Mind you, I check the weather reports. I know full-well it is supposed to be over 90 degrees on Thursday. Where on EARTH could we be going that requires rainboots and long pants? I'm undeniably nervous at this point...

Thursday, May 15th
Noah picks me up at 3pm, as promised. We hop into his car, he hands me a sheet with directions to some place in Albany and we're off! Approximately 40 minutes later, we arrive at Linn Benton Community College. Noah informs me we need to find the baseball fields. I'm still thinking about my rainboots. What in the world am I doing on a baseball field in rainboots?

We find the baseball fields... and then proceed to drive right past them. We make several loops through the parking lot, stopping every so often, before eventually deciding on a parking spot.

But we don't get out. Nope, we sit in the car listening to music with the windows rolled down until two guys pull up in a huge black pick-up truck right beside us.

"Hey! Just a bit farther down that way!" Yells the driver through his window. Noah obediently (and without any explanation) starts his car and follows the truck to a different area of the parking lot. Here the two guys pour out of one huge black pick-up and begin loading into another huge black pick-up. The driver is eating an ice cream bar which he accidentally drops on the ground. I watch as he picks it up, blows on it, and then pops it back into his mouth. He grins at Noah and informs him we're "still 'bout 15 minutes out... SHOOT! I better get directions, huh? Well anyway, follow me!" Comforting.

Again, Noah obediently (and without explanation) follows the strangers in the huge black truck.

What is going on?!?! I implore him with my eyes.

"I just want you to know that I have no idea where we're going, I've only met that guy once (points to the driver), and I've never met that other guy (points to his buddy)."

Was that supposed to be an EXPLANATION??!?

We follow this huge black truck as it swerves in and out of its lane for what feels like forever.

Through Albany, through Crabtree, past farm after farm... and my nervousness grows.

"Noah, do I have to get in a vehicle with that person????" I'm fiddling my fingers, biting my lip, and plotting my escape.

"Mmmm, I'm not sure."

"Noah, are you kidnapping me?" I ask innocently.

"No... but I kind of wish I were at this point. At least then I'd have a plan." His not-so-comforting response.

Finally, just when I think we must indeed be driving to the middle-of-nowhere, we turn into a driveway. A large sign marks our final destination: DAIRY FARM!

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is how I finally accomplished my first life-goal of milking a cow!