A Christmas Story...

You all know the movie, right? Ralphy and his family end up going to a Chinese restaurant b/c the dogs ran through their house and took their turkey. Well, there weren't dogs running through our house today, and there wasn't even a turkey for them to take if there did happen to be dogs. Instead it was just me and my mom, who did not feel like cooking for only two people. We also ended up going to eat Chinese, because nothing else was open and it sounded good after watching the 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story. Needless to say, it was the worst Christmas meal I have ever eaten in my life, and even the worst Chinese meal I have ever eaten. It was horrible, but we just laughed it off. I must say, this was ultimately the weirdest Christmas I have ever had in my life. It was actually a really boring day until we went to see Mona Lisa Smile.

That movie was absolutely incredible!!! (so much so that it obviously deserves a new paragraph in my blog) They did a magnificent job of re-creating the '50s era in which women were taught to be housewives and that they were unsuccessful if they didn't marry. I must say first that I'm glad I didn't live back then b/c I'd be considered unsuccessful at this point for being unmarried! There were times when the scenes at Wellesley College reminded me of my beloved Lincoln Christian College and the quickness of marriage there. It was such a good feeling to know that I am NOT alone in escaping there w/o a husband or even a boyfriend--if that had happened in 1953 at Wellesley College I would have been looked down on! Anyways, I found myself comparable to several of the main characters in the movie in different ways--I'm so analytical even while watching movies. It's ridiculous!

So, go see Mona Lisa Smile--if nothing else it's intriguing to be able to finally tie in the movie's title w/ the entire theme of the film. I loved it!

That was the extent of our Christmas Day. Not too exciting. However, I am reminded always to be thankful that I have such a great family even though we weren't all together today. I have so much to be thankful for, in general. God always seems to be providing and opening doors and speaking and working, yet I don't pay enough attention.

On a somewhat similar note, I'll be moving in less than a week now! I can't believe it's coming so quickly! I'm still trying to clear out my room to prepare for Cory and David moving in, and then I'll be able to pack after it's all clean. After throwing bags and bags of things away I still have piles of things for our next garage sale! I am finding so much junk! I even found a paper I wrote in 7th or 8th grade--it wasn't too bad, but funny to read!

Well I must get some sleep after this long Christmas Day...I hope you all had a wonderful day that was exciting in various ways! Tomorrow of course I'll be hitting the sales in the mall in Peoria--Dec. 26th is a great sale day! Then I'm actually going to the Riverboat for the first time ever b/c I wanted to before I leave for Indy. Soooo I should go to bed finally.

much love...
mandarin