I am almost speechless

OK, so this sort of totally amazing thing happened at the Fair last night and I'm still a combination of giddy and terrified.  Perhaps more sleep would have helped calm my emotions?

On our way home, we were making a bee-line for Erik and his Deep Fried Oreoes when Rob spotted last night's Mutton Bustin' winner. She was hard to miss because she was lugging a heavy trophy almost as tall as she was. That and she was dressed like a real live cowgirl.

Rob nudged me and whispered, "Do you want to get a picture?"

Because Rob and I know each other pretty well at this point, I understood that he meant a proper picture, with me and the mutton buster posing together with her trophy...and not a stalking picture where I have Rob stand in the same general area and then point my awesome zoom on my real target. Because, you know, I never do that. (Hey, Seth Aaron Henderson, how you doin'?)

I jumped at Rob's suggestion and mosied up to the cowgirl to congratulate her on her win. I told her we had watched her ride and that she had done a fantastic job and would she mind posing for a picture. Being the professional that she is, Kelsea (we're buds now) graciously agreed, adjusted her hat, and now I have this as a souvenir.

Awesome, right?

I'm pretty sure that trophy was over my weight limit.  Note my "reporter's" notebook in my hand.  I'm a professional, too, you know.  OK, fine.  Moving on...

And now the really amazing part starts.

Kelsea's mom then looked at me and asked, "Did you blog about mutton bustin' last year?"

I said I had and then searched her face for something that looked familiar.

"I must know this woman," I thought in a panic. "I mean, I know everyone who reads my blog. Only my friends read my blog.  Who is she? Who is she? Think! Think!"

And then, exhibiting enviable social savvy, I blurted out, "Who are you?"

"I'm Kelsea's mom," which honestly didn't help solve the mystery in my head one bit.

It turns out, I didn't know Kelsea's mom. But she knew me and my blog and, apparently, my face even though no food was being stuffed in it at that moment.  It was...odd.

She said some very nice things about my writing and then...and then...and then...one of those moments happened that I have only seen in movies.

Kelsea's mom quoted me back to myself, from a blog I wrote during last year's Fair.

Wait, WHAT?!?!?

I love to write and mostly consider myself a hobbyist writer. But in that moment, when I realized that someone I didn't know knew my writing, I have to admit I felt like I had joined The Writers Club.

In the midst of my head both spinning and exploding, I'm pretty sure I managed to thank Kelsea's mom for reading my blog and said something along the lines of, "You just totally made my...life!"

I then floated down the Midway with Rob in search of some deep fried heavenliness.

So Kelsea's mom, if you are reading this, thank you. You have no idea what a gift and boost you gave me last night and forever.

Yep, still spinning here.