Farmgirl Paints: SOULcation part 3...Stalking Waco and meeting TARA!

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

SOULcation part 3...Stalking Waco and meeting TARA!

Yep... still talking about Texas:) So we were just sitting at our vacay home watching a movie when I get a Direct Message on Instagram. Now normally if I don't know you I don't open those...cause you just don't know what you'll get, but I had just started following Val because my friend Dee raved and raved about her hand painted frames. Anyway Val wanted to know if we would like to come to Waco for the day and get a little tour of the town. SAY WHAT!!! Code for STALK anything remotely related to FIXER UPPER! You know that show right? With the cutest couple ever...Chip and Joanna Gaines??!! If you don't, climb out from under that rock and demand every back episode you can find. They have made HGTV something not to miss!

I know it's a little cray to meet strangers at a coffee shop in some town you've never been to, but I'm kind of a pro at this sort of thing and I just had a feeling meeting Val and her sister Vanessa was going to be a good thing. And boy was I right! They were beyond sweet. Like I wanted to put them both in my pocket and take them back home with me to Virginia.

They loaded us in their car and took us shopping, out to lunch at Vitex Barbecue, gave us a tour ALL over town. We met Clint, the wood maker, from the show. We saw his house next to his shop that was on season one. We went to Joanna's shop, The Magnolia Market, and the Silo project they are working on. They even drove us by Chip and Joanna's house! Now that's stalking on a whole new level!!

We had a ball and left feeling blessed to our toes. What amazes me and still does after years of blogging and Instagram is the immediate connection you can have with complete strangers. I had no idea who Val and Vanessa were. I didn't follow them on IG or know them at all and yet we bonded. There really are no strangers anymore. The world over you can travel and because of social media we can all be friends! Just love it!!!

Sweet Lydia:)

Jackie and Tara

Speaking of friends... On our way home we HAD TO make a pit stop. Many moons ago when I first started blogging I became friends with Tara Lowry. Her and her cutie husband own and operate the sign shop Between You and Me. Their signs are on Joanna Gaines site and in her shop! I know such a small world. They graciously made our family dinner and I got to meet another IG friend Jackie Kirsche! I'm telling you people. This trip... this SOULcation fed us on so many levels. It's people who make life interesting. It's people and stories and the sharing of your S.O.U.L., your dreams...where God has taken you and where He's leading you. That's what it's all about. I'm still there:)

Be a blessing.