Guess what that picture is! It’s my fairy tale post, formatted for the February 2012 issue of Reader’s Digest! The issue isn’t available in stores yet, but subscribers got it on the 11th. Update: It’s now on the RD website if you’d like to see it (unfortunately it’s a slideshow) - go here to check it out.

Back in October, I received an email from an editor at Reader’s Digest, asking for permission to use one of my posts in a future issue. I thought it was one of my friends playing a prank on me. As the emails continued, though, I started thinking, Maybe this is for real. By the time I signed and returned the permission form, I realized this could actually happen and it was hard not to be completely nerdy about it.

I told a few of my closest blogger friends and my parents, but I didn’t mention it to anyone else because I just knew RD would change their minds before the issue came out. Surely they would realize their mistake! Because who am I, other than some random PF blogger in an ocean of PF bloggers? Why would they choose a post that I honestly didn’t think was very good? But they did, for whatever reason, so I waited (impatiently) for mid-January, when I assumed the new issue would be published.

On Wednesday night, Pam from Money Trail sent me a tweet:

And I freaked out because I had no idea it was out already! Pam was kind enough to send me screenshots so I could see my name in print. I drove to Walmart to see if I could buy a copy, but it’s not there yet.

So that’s my excitement for the day. (Or the month. Maybe the whole year.) I’d like to think that this is going to be some amazing turning point and I’ll become rich and famous, but realistically, very few people read the bylines in RD. It’s an honor to have an article published, so I’ll be content with that. For now.

I appreciate all of you who hang out, read, and comment, as well as those who help promote my posts on Facebook and Twitter. You have no idea how much. And who knows? One of you may be responsible for Reader’s Digest seeing my post and contacting me! Thanks to all of you for your part in this milestone. So Over Debt wouldn’t be here without you. (PS If you see the February issue in a store, please let me know so I can go snag a few copies!)