GO see this movie!

Hi friends!
I recently saw the movie "People Like Us" and I couldn't tell ENOUGH people to go see this movie. I don't typically suggest for people to see a movie so strongly, but I really enjoyed this one and I'm willing to bet you (well...most of you) will too!

Without giving too much plot away, I loved this movie because it's NOT a love story. Well, it's not a romantic love story. Just as the tagline indicates, it's a story about family. Most of our families are "normal" from what we know about them. We know who loves us, who has let us down, who hurts us, and who we stay away from. Everyone has that uncle that picks on you, that grandpa who gives you money/food, that sister that bothers the hell out of you, or that mom that won't stop telling you to wear lipstick because, "It looks good on you". If you don't have these characters in your family, you have some other versions and we all know it.

But what if there were a part of your family that you had no idea even existed? "People Like Us" looks at the secrets we keep and the lives we change when we discover just how connected we are to one another.

 I loved this movie because it was a beautiful story, mainly focusing on one man's journey towards the family he never knew he had and the family he was always meant to discover. To be honest, I was never a Chris Pine fan. He seemed like your average pretty-actor guy. In his past couple of films, (People Like Us; This Means War) I've seen him have this ability to start and end the film as a changed/developed character! He has this endearing quality about him; I'm really enjoying his journey as an actor and hope he keeps getting better. In People Like Us, his character Sam, starts out this smooth-talking kind of guy, who kinda makes you feel slimy... but ends up a caring man, who finally puts things in proper perspective.


 I also enjoyed Elizabeth Banks' portrayal of a stereotypical female role, single mother w/ a troublesome child, because I could see her humanity underneath the stereotype. She was not a caricature of a woman, but rather a hard working lady doing what she can to provide for her family. Plus she was funny and used her sense of humor/timing to bring light to what could be a depressing situation.   


Character development is my FAVORITE thing about TV & film...seeing a character mature and change throughout the course of the movie/season reminds us that we are in our own story and have the chance to grow/develop/learn from the situations and places we find ourselves! Great movies force us to ask, how will we grow and develop throughout the chapters of our lives? How will we turn a bad/awkward situation into something beautiful? 


Here's the trailer (which is spoiler-heavy) but worth a glance if you need an extra push to seeing this film: 

Life's Classic moments...

When we’re in the moment, do we know that it’s going to be one of the memories that sticks? 

Prompt #14: Take a black and white photo of a “classic moment” in your life. 


This picture was taken when I flew to Chicago for my 25th birthday. I went to the Slamaganza, met some Starkids, and finally got to meet Julia in person (after Skyping for 6 months!). This trip gave me so many wonderful memories that I want to capture as "classic" moments, but the one that sticks is this. After Skyping with Julia, and talking about reaching for dreams and not sitting around waiting for life to happen...I was inspired to fly to Chicago and go on an adventure! I'd never flown alone before, stayed in a stranger city by myself, or planned to meet someone in person for the first time like this before. 


After this experience, I've now also taken trip a trip to New York and plan to again travel on my 26th birthday. I'm even thinking of making it a birthday tradition! All because of this lady, this weekend, and this moment. Classic indeed. 

To my mother

Prompt #13: Write a thank you letter to your Mother, or the most important woman in your life.

I love my mom for a variety of reasons. She’s always been there for me, she loves me, and gives more of herself than pretty much anyone in my entire life. She’s caring and funny, silly and comforting…but the biggest reason that I love my mom is because she has been the only example in my life of purely selfless & unconditional love. I’ve seen her give everything she has for my brother and I on a pretty constant basis. When we were little, it probably went unnoticed because she never made us feel bad for asking things of her. She just made it happen, even if it was physically impossible and then went about her day without condemning or shaming us.

As I continue to grow up and see just how self-sacrificing she is, I’m amazed. In all honesty, I grew up thinking that’s how people treated each other and didn’t think much of it. When the harsh reality that that is not true slapped me in the face, my eyes were opened to see how sacrificial her love was/still is for us.  I know growing up we didn’t have very much money, but what little we had, she would use on our needs and desires and instead of her own. We still have to beg her to use the gifts/money/gift cards we buy her on herself and not on us (it’s OUR gift to YOU mom!).

Also, the most amazing thing about unconditional love is that it cannot be manufactured or falsely created. To me, it’s the most genuine expression of love that exists. Typically, I’ve only heard of this kind of love coming from God. I rarely hear about unconditional love in other relationships because we’re all humans and fail one another constantly. Now, my mom isn’t perfect and there are definitely things that we have done to one another that have caused harm/hurt feelings between us…but she continues to display a real-life human example of unconditional love. No matter how much I hurt her or say something wrong, she loves me. I’ve never ONCE questioned her love for me (in my entire life!). And those who know me, know that I’m constantly questioning how other’s feel about me and doubting that anyone really cares about me. But not her.

I’m so lucky to have YOU as my mom.

Thank you for teaching me how to treat others with respect and dignity, how to love unconditionally, and how to be a strong woman in the face of life’s trials and tribulations. I wouldn’t be half the woman I am without your guidance, patience, and strength.  

I will love you forever and always.