Does this count?

A few months ago I submitted a idea to Family Fun magazine. It was on what birthday traditions that you do and I wrote about how my mom used to surprise us with new outfits on our birthdays and how I have continued that tradition. It was under 150 words but I think it turned out well.

A month or so after that I was contacted by the magazine that they wanted to publish it in their February issue. I was so excited and happily cashed my first check for something I had written.

When I got my February issue I went to where they published the ideas and found this...

My small idea had been reduced to two sentences that was all. 

Can I still claim that I was published in a magazine? 

Well at least I was paid quite well for only two sentences.