TJ's

         This afternoon I had the rare opportunity to go out to late lunch/early dinner by myself. Logan had some down time before going to an evening prayer walk and Samuel was in a deep sleep, so I knew it was my chance to go on a small adventure three minutes away to...TJ'S!!!!! Some of you may have heard me talk about this recently, because finally one of my dreams came true by simply going there on Sunday with Logan. I have driven past it so many times wondering what it would be like...imagining the "oh i'll have the usuals" and "its nice to see you again in here for the third time this week Mr. Brown" TJ's would be a place for "Mr. Brown" to go get his meals when his wife of 60 years passed away and he needed that taste of home cookin or a listening ear in the waitress who is practically family now since she has worked there for so many years. You see, Mr. Brown and his wife came in every Thursday and Sunday. Not to mention their morning coffee that happened almost everyday. I have never driven past Tj's without thinking about what kind of stories have happened there or thinking what is YOUR story, TJ? I had to know! I just knew in my heart they would have the best burger around and their onion rings would be to die for. They would sell pie, they just HAD to sell pie! It would be like home to me when I walked in. I would have a booth that in my heart had my name written on it. A booth where dates would happen with my amazing husband and on crazy rare occasions I would go in and just look out the window or read as I enjoy that pie I just KNEW they must serve. I was positive their breakfast food had to be incredible! I just knew somehow that the bacon there would taste like heaven in a pork link.
          On Sunday as we were driving home from church I looked at Logan and said THIS is the day we should finally go to TJ's!!! It's on my bucket list and it is on the way home, we need to try it! So, we did:) and you know what?!!!!! IT WAS EVERYTHING I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE! Seriously. You walk in and feel like your in a small town or at a restaurant near the lake. I tried the hamburger even though it was only 10:20 am, because I knew it would be amazing. Not to mention only four dollars! My suspicions proved true and the burger i've been looking for was right "in front of me" or just three minutes from my house! I had been craving a Tj's burger and I did not even realize it. :)
       So...back to today:) It was 3:15 pm and I had my Bible in hand ready to go sit in that booth I imagined was made for me and went to Tj's. When I got there, there were only two people sitting at tables due to the odd time of day; it gets really full during rush hours. There were two old men, each sitting at "their booth" one reading the newspaper and the other chatting here and there with the waitress that was in her fifties young enough to be his daughter. She would say "fresh coffee" and fill up his cup. Mr. Brown?!!!! Maybe. I went to my booth and started to stare out the window and read a little bit. The waitress yelled across the restaurant "what will you be drinking?!" and I yelled back "water!". Totally how I pictured it! Within no time she had the biggest glass of tasty ice water you could imagine. I ordered the burger again. I know someday I will try something else, but for now I found my one true burger and we are in the honeymoon stage. The waitress would help me and then go sit with the elderly man and chat. It was like my relationship with Tj's grew within the hour, because by the time I almost left I was in a convo with them from across the room about the farmer's market. I felt like I was the long lost customer! I asked the waitress "What is the story of this place?" and she replied "eh, not much of a story", but as she talked I realized it was a fantastic story! She had worked there eighteen years. TJ's had started off as a hot dog stand and now where the waitress yells "order up" through the window to the cook is actually where hot dog stand lovers would place their order. I knew TJ's had to have a special beginning...:) I also noticed Tacos were a special of the day and thought of Logan. I asked for a to go order and for a moment told her about how this was rare for me to be out and that I had an almost one year old son and right now he was napping etc. She smiled at me and said "Well, let me wait a few minutes to put the order in, it looks like you should take your time." And I did. I read some inspirational stories about faith and a few great Bible verses that encouraged me. I watched cars race by out the window and listened in on the goings on of Tjs with a smile in my heart and possibly on my face. It was everything I hoped it would be and even had banana pie today! Sometimes things in life can really be a let down, but today was not the case! Sometimes things can be exactly how you hope them to be!Today all my dreams and wonderings proved true and somehow it gave me an optimism about life I didn't have yesterday. Maybe it was the burger, maybe it was the pie, but most likely it was a wink from God.