An Epic Austen Introduction!

Okay, peeps.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that...I start a bunch of posts that way, and it's also the first sentence to Pride & Prejudice--a story I adore so very much. Most of all, in fact, among all the Austen-penned novels!

Moreover, I love, love the 2005 movie version with Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFayden. (Who doesn't???). That and Bridgerton are pretty much my go-to when I need something girly to watch that will give me all the feels.

So imagine my utter JOY and DELIGHT when the hubby and I logged online to purchase movie tickets for the fam (for some random showing I can't even remember, now), and realized our nearby dine-in theater was doing a special, 21st-anniversary showing of Pride & Prejudice! Amazing!

It was on a school night, the night before standardized state testing for Chica (and Little Man, but not Chicklet that particular day), and I labored over two conflicting thoughts:

1) Is this the best idea ever?? Like a brain break before a big test???

OR

2) Am I the worst influence and a terrible parent???

In the end, after careful calculations of showing time, our arrival back home, and the length of the girlies' typical shower-to-bed routine I decided to...go for it.

And holy moly, was it the best decision, ever!

What a freaking happy-happy-joy-joy burst to see this beloved visual as part of my ticket confirmation!

It was a busy evening prior to the showing, but the most fantastic motivator to get homework and responsibilities DONE so we could scurry off and have our Girls' Night Out. The girlies were motivated, to put it mildly.

Plus, it gave the hubby and Little Man an opportunity to watch a boy movie back home, so all parties were pumped (except, perhaps, Coda pup, who had to suffer through the obnoxious boy showing at home with the volume way up, when I'm sure she would have much rather been with the ladies!).

The girlies were so dang happy on the way there, that I instantly felt super-boosted about our decision to go for it. And then I felt super-duper boosted when we arrived and received hysterical merch related to the movie. I mean...the potato! IYKYK.

The lotion bottle even read:

For when Mr. Darcy helps you into your carriage and then does the iconic hand flex.

Bahaha. I mean...again: IYKYK.

There was a bit of trivia prior the showing, we ordered lots of dessert and popcorn, and we all felt super giddy and happy to be there.

The biggest surprise of all was my Chicklet--who's typically a bit romance-adverse, but was hands-down, one hundred percent the daughter o' mine who was hollering and gesturing at the screen, so totally into it, that it made my heart freaking soar.

Austen is so near and dear to me.

Period piece romances in novel and screen form are some of my all-time faves.

And to experience this one so joyfully, together, in a theater, no less, on a random weeknight prior to testing was just...fan-freaking-tastic.

Driving home, with all of us so high on life, I felt absolutely buoyant.

So happy that I'd gone for the life memory above a boring night of early-to-bed, testing prep, and I think my kiddos' brains were all the happier for it!

It was definitely a full circle moment for me, as well. Thinking back to the nights in recent years when my poor Chicklet went to bed crying for days, so twisted up and angsty over the idea of STAAR testing that she literally worked herself into a terrible state of anxiety.

https://delappenings.blogspot.com/2023/05/a-staar-celebration.html

We muddled through a handful of really awful years, when we had to work quite hard to schedule happy events to take her mind off the worry, and now...just look at her. Handling the testing like a champ, and enjoying the most wonderful mental health break in the whole, wide world, instead.

I'm so grateful for such a happy viewing that was discovered by accident.

And I'm so freaking ecstatic that my girlies have chosen to watch the movie again at home not once, but twice, in the days since.

Chica even asked for a beautiful, gold-edged copy of the novel as her prize for completing her Violin Solo & Ensemble competition this past weekend, and my Mama heart was so very full. 

Okay...I think I'm caught up on the major happening of late, people! The joys of a double-post day.

We're in the midst of some very rainy weather for at least another 24 hours, and I'm going to dig in, as much as possible.

When I return to posting, I'll share a bit about my son and his first foray into...flag football!

Happy Monday, peeps!

Over and out.