My new life: July 2009

I watched this movie this afternoon.

Ok..so that line was written a long time ago.

I watched the movie Mona Lisa Smile recently. My mom and I went to go see it in the theaters. Our mutual love for art (or her gift to me in the form of a love for art) made us both want to see it. Little did we know that it was much more than a story about an art teacher. Sprung from this viewing was a conversation that I will never forget. A glimpse into the past and my mom's childhood that was like finding a two smaller puzzle pieces that make up a better picture than the one bigger one that was formerly in their place.

My mom wasn't allowed to go to college. Yes, you read correctly, WASN"T ALLOWED. That being said let me clarify. I grew up in a household where the normal progression of things was like this : wake up, go to school, come home, have dinner, go to bed. Go to high school, go to college, graduate. It was just what came next. Now, my family (my siblings and I) are the perfect example that classroom school is not for everyone. My oldest brother went to 3 colleges before nailing down a degree and graduating. My other brother has a spatering of college credit mostly due to Outward Bound and classes to get a welding linsence. (He by FAR has the most complex job). I went to Community college to get my basics done for free and transfered and graduated with a History Degree. But my point remains, college comes after high school was whate we grew up with.

Flash back to the 1950's-early 1960's. My mom's teenage years. She went to high school and graduated. Then she had limited options. She could go to teacher's college, secreterial school, or nursing school. It was in this conversation riding in our car, discussing what came up in this movie where I learned what my mom actually wanted to do for a career. My mom is a professional seamstress. She went to college starting when I was 4 years old. She has never gratuated, but has most of her studies in Art History and Historical Preservation. Back to the car...my mom told me "I want to be a research doctor. I wanted to go to Medical School. But I wasn't allowed." She told me about how she and her father would sit around the dinner table for hours discussing and debating everything under the sun. Despite her obvious intelligence, her father would still not allow her to attend college. When my father passed away, my mom had a high school diploma and 3 children bettween the ages of 18 months (me) and 13 years old. I don't know how she did it, but she did. We all went to private Christian schools (something she and my dad had commited to do when my oldest brother was starting school, regardless of sacrifices). We all went to wherever we wanted for education after high school.

It's scary to think of how many brilliant women were held back and had to play the perfect wife. Now, before I move on to another movie I recently watched, I have this last thought. There was a character in Mona Lisa Smile who was very intelligent (granted no girl at Wellsely College wasn't) and she and her boyfriend eloped one weekend. She confidently told her art teacher "It was my choice not to go to law school. I want to have a family and not being there for them is not something I'm willing to sacrifice. This is what I want." I know how she feels.

Food for thought: The other movie I recently watched was "The Stepford Wives" (the new one..gotta find the old one). Wow. Yet another movie based on reality. There are real women in this world that people can say "She's a stepford wife." This is the difference in choosing that life and having that life forced upon you. We need both in this world. I don't think there's anything better for a mother to do than raise her children well. But we also need those strong, intelligent women to rock this world in various careers and make a difference.

P.S. All of this also applies to men.

This is a follow up on my blog about gelatin. At that time, I had made a few things at home, but since then I have received a food processor and sieve from my mom. The combination has been SO wonderful, making the process very easy. I am not the cook of the family, but I've found I really enjoy making homemade food for Joseph. I'm sure a part of it is knowing what I'm putting in his body, teaching him good eating habits of healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables.

So, without further ado...Here's what I made the other night. Nature's got some amazing colors!

This is what's in the jars. Apple (plus some cinnamon). (Left)
Potato. Carrot. Garlic (Italian baby!). Some green beans too. (Middle)
Apples and Blueberries. (Right...Jon ate the rest of the Blueberries)