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Thursday, September 29, 2011

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.  
Jenny Matlock
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.
Linking up to (you guessed it):
Jenny Matlock

23 comments:

  1. This is great! I just love her blog and all the fun things she writes about. Sometimes I think she could be writing about me! I'd love to meet her! And that's how I found your blog which I really enjoy, too!

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  2. This is a treasure....and such an interesting story! Thanks...for posting something so very inspiring...for feeding our creative minds....!

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  3. That is great! I have such a great time on her blog and always feel included. You know I think I started following you because I follow her...

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  4. You lucky duck! Jenny is a special person, indeed. She makes each of us feel quite talented and welcome at her blog parties - I'm sure we all feel that we 'know' her! I'll bet everyone is smiling while reading this post.

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  5. Oh my gosh! That is so cool! What a small world!

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  6. That is cool It is definitly a small world BTW I love the doll house shelf and would have bought it too

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  7. meeting Jenny is like meeting a celebrity? if that were me, I would think so.

    great blogger meeting story.

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  8. That's adorable! BOTH of you are lucky :)

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  9. OK, I am completely envious that you got to meet and get hugged by Jenny. And yes, aren't her comments the deepest and most thoughtful? I have to also say that some of the best posts I've ever written, the favorites that come from my heart or really interesting places in my head are the alphabet ones that her blog has inspired.

    I LOVE the serendipity of your finding her at a garage sale. PERFECT.

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  10. I think I love Jenny even a little bit more now. what a wonderful post about a wonderful blogger. Thank you!
    -Catherine

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  11. ps - that bookshelf is super cute! I live in a boy house so these things are alien to me, and make me smile.

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  12. Oh man! I am just grinning ear to ear on this post! Wow. You are soooo sweet...and I felt the exact same way...I grinned that whole day and kept thinking...that was cool...and telling Mr. Jenny, 'That was sooo cool...she is sooo nice...she's exactly like I thought she would be!"

    I'm so glad we met. And I really do want to get together again...just not at my neighbors garage sale cuz I am totally done with that whole thing.

    Geez!

    Thanks for the giant smile and the fun, fun link!

    This was quite a surprise!

    Hugs and A+++++++++ and I'm so glad that bookshelf worked and your kids are so lovely...and you are so sweet...and...

    Okay.

    I'll stop now.

    But meeting you was soooo xcellent!

    Hugs and A++++++++++++++++++++++

    PS Sorry for the anonymous comment...blogger won't let me leave one under my name. Jenny

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  13. That was such a fun post and I was just imagining the hugs and excitement!

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  14. Hi Laura,

    Welcome to the Jenny Matlock fan club. I'm one of the other bloggers she's met and we've become fast friends. You totally captured the essence of Jenny in your post. She does literally sparkle, doesn't she?

    Well, having said all that, guess what? I live here in AZ, too! I'd like to meet you as well. Maybe you can come over to my blog and check out whether you wanna' meet up. Maybe we can all get together for some coffee or somethin'.

    I look forward to hearing from you, and hopefully getting to meet you. Have a lovely day!

    Hugs,
    Meri

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  15. If I got to meet Jenny I think I would faint. A supreme human being she is for sure!

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  16. Nice to meet you Laura! I came over from Jenny's blog! I am a HUGE Jenny Matlock fan and I would be jumping up and down to meet her also. I'm going to stay and visit your blog since Jenny says you are very special yourself! Hugs, Linda

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  17. What a FUN story. Isn't Jenny GREAT? Mr Jenny too. I've "known" her for years, but got to meet her this summer in real life. The visit was way too short and I hope to do it again sometime.
    You can sure find some great stuff at garage sales! ;)

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  18. Nice to meet you and yes, I am visiting from Jenny's blog. She is a very special lady, and I am totally hooked on Alphabe-Thursday. This was a really lovely post. xo,

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  19. First of all...I love the bookshelf. You got a great deal. Second...Congratulations on meeting Ms. Jenny. That must have been so much fun! I'm wondering how she recognized you? Meeting Ms. Jenny in person sounds like fun!

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  20. Lucky you! I'd be thrilled to meet Jenny :)

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  21. I am hoping to meet Jenny this month when I go to AZ to visit my sister. Her and Judie from The Rogue Artist. I can't wait. Because I have a feeling I will feel the same way you did meeting Jenny!~Ames

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  22. AW! How absolutely exciting! I love your recount of your unexpected, chance meeting! haha LOVE it! I am one of Ms. Jenny's fans too! (Goodness, my posts have evolved around Alphbe-Thursday! haha How fun to meet up with blog friends!

    Thank you for sharing your garage day adventure! How perfect for you to hold off a bit with the gym time and yay! for your wonderful "finds"! (Ms Jenny, Mr. Jenny and the dollhouse bookcase is awesome too :o)

    Blessings & Aloha!

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