You are X-tra special Jenny Matlock

Last Friday morning I was driving to the gym when I saw an arrow pointing to a garage sale in on of my favorite neighborhoods.  OH, I was so excited.  The treasures I would find were sure to be good.  The gym could wait.

I drove into the neighborhood with its gorgeous homes and followed the arrows, parking in the shade under a giant tree and walked up the drive way.  I fell in love with this dollhouse bookshelf.

I walked into the garage, ready to ask the home owner the asking price.

“How much would you like for your bookshelf,” I asked the woman.

“$25.00 and it’s all yours,” she said and her smile caught my eye.  

She sparkled.  

She literally sparkled with that friendliness you find in people you’ve never met.  

She was just happy and I liked that.  

She looked at me too and our eyes met for an instant.

“Is your name Laura,” she said and she looked so familiar all of a sudden.

“It’s me, Jenny Matlock.”

And she jumped up and ran into my arms and we were both hugging and jumping and literally sparking with contagious joy.

“Jenny Matlock!” I yelled.  “I love you, Jenny Matlock.  I love your blog.  It’s my favorite.”

We talked for quite some time.  We ignored all the other people shopping and asking questions about prices and shoe sizes and if the radio that was for sell still worked.

We were in our own little world that bloggers share; where even though she’d never meet me she knew Eden and Reef and how I felt about mothering and my insecurities and she thought it was special how much I loved the counselor. 

“This is her,” she said to her husband.  “The girl I was telling you who writes about trash, who takes all her kids to the thrift stores all the time.”

I was so flattered and her husband shook his head like “Oh, so that’s her, the trash girl.”

I asked Jenny about her book and her writing and told her she’s a famous writer.  

"I didn't know you lived in Arizona," I said. "I thought you lived in Hollywood or something."

I told her how much I respect her and that she’s really created something special with her blog. I meet her husband and told her what a lucky man he is, but he already knew as he put his arm around her and held her close.  I told Jenny how much she meant to me; how when she leaves a comment on my blog I feel so good inside because she’s always so sincere and deep in what she has to say.  It just went on and on like this, compliments and hugs and encouragement.

Jenny Matlock was even more beautiful in person then I would imagine.

She wasn't wearing this Quaker bonnet, so it took some getting used to.

I bought the bookshelf.

Jenny carried it to my car because I was carrying Eden and a huge yellow Yoga ball I’d bought (more like she'd given me).
Leaving was like being peeled apart from a friend I hadn't seen for so long.  It was tough.  All day long I kept thinking "Wow.  I met Jenny Matlock.  I can't believe I met Jenny Matlock."
The treasures found at garage sales indeed!

Ironically, Jenny was holding the garage sale for her neighbor who is foreclosing on her home. 

“She just needs the money so bad,” Jenny said.  “So, I’m helping her sell her stuff.”

Jenny Matlock, you are X-tra special.  Follow Jenny’s blog Off on a Tangent which features Alphabet Thursday.  

Every week, she picks a different letter of the alphabet to write a post on.  It's really fun.  This week the letter is X, perfect for Jenny because she’s X-tra special to me.

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