Tonight's picture was taken in March of 2003. Mattie was 11 months old. We took him to the Huntington Museum and Gardens in Los Angeles. This was one of my favorite photos because it appeared that neither Mattie nor Peter knew I was capturing them in action. Check out Mattie examining the bamboo, and Peter just content to have Mattie on his back! To me it was priceless.
Quote of the day: Consider a tree for a moment. As beautiful as trees are to look at, we don't see what goes on underground - as they grow roots. Trees must develop deep roots in order to grow strong and produce their beauty. But we don't see the roots. We just see and enjoy the beauty. In much the same way, what goes on inside of us is like the roots of a tree. ~ Joyce Meyer
The other night my parents and I watched the 1945 movie, Love Letters. I happen to love old movies, and though I tend not to go to the movies and see modern days films, I would say I am a big movie buff. I am a great admirer of old films. Mostly because of their substance, plot, great actors, and diverse talents. I have heard my mom talk about Love Letters for YEARS!!! Why? Because all my life I have heard that I was named, Victoria, because my mom LOVED this movie. The irony is this is the FIRST time in my life that I ever saw this movie. I am so happy I did!
I love Jennifer Jones (the lead actress in this movie) as an actress. I thought she was very talented and I remember seeing her in a different movie when I was a teenager. She starred in a movie about St. Bernadette. I happened to love the story of St. Bernadette, and chose this saint as my confirmation name. When I saw Jennifer Jones in the movie, The Song of Bernadette, I would say that she confirmed my saint choice for me. It very much influenced my decision as a teenager back then. Now many years later, seeing Jennifer Jones again, playing in this VERY different role, with a character who has my name was just as moving.
I remember when Mattie was in kindergarten, his teacher gave him the assignment of finding out how he got his name. It was a big project and he had to talk with me about and write about it! We did a story about his name together! I remember the story was posted on the wall at his school, along with the other children's stories within his class. Seeing this movie reminded me of this assignment Mattie and I did together, and just like I told Mattie, understanding one's name is VERY important! A name is not just a name! It defines you, it is the first thing that people get to understand about you, it is what people remember, and in many cases, it also describes your character and personality! I know Mattie's name, Matthew, truly described him. Matthew means, "a gift from God" and Victoria means "victory." Both get at our character and strength in many ways. For those of you who are interested in old movies, I included a Love Letters plot for you below.
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The plot of the 1945 Movie, Love Letters:
Alan Quinton (Joseph Cotten), an American soldier in Italy
during World War II, has been writing letters for his friend, Roger Morland
(Robert Sully), a man who admits he "never had any standards, manners or
taste." Alan has never met Victoria Remington, but regards her as a
"pin-up girl of the spirit," to whom he can express feelings he has
never expressed in person. He realizes that Victoria has fallen in love with
the letters and is concerned that she will be disappointed by the real Roger. However,
Roger abruptly leaves for paratrooper training in England.
Alan is subsequently injured on the Italian front and finds
out that both Roger and Victoria are dead. He is having trouble readjusting to
civilian life and spending time with his fiance, Helen Wentworth (Anita
Louise). He decides to live for a while at his aunt's farm in Essex. In London,
his brother takes him to a party at which he meets Dilly Carson (Ann Richards)
and Singleton (Jennifer Jones). He drunkenly tells them the story about falling
in love with a woman he's never met, and Dilly realizes he is referring to
Roger and Victoria. She tells Alan that a murder was committed and the letters
were somehow involved.
While in Essex, Alan visits Longreach—the road to which he
addressed all the letters—and finds out that Victoria died over a year ago. He
also finds out that Roger was murdered by his wife, and Alan feels somewhat
guilty. Back in London, Dilly informs him that Singleton is suffering from
amnesia and is actually the real Victoria. She begs him not to tell Singleton
that he was the one who wrote the letters because Victoria fell in love with
Roger through the letters and married him solely based on them.
Dilly recounts that one day, she found Roger stabbed to
death in the country house on Longreach, but Victoria was completely unable to
remember what happened, even though she was holding the murder weapon right
beside him. After a trial during which she cannot remember anything, she is
sent to a prison psychiatric hospital for a year and then released into the
care of Dilly. Victoria never regained her memory, and continues to now live as
Singleton. Singleton realizes that Alan is in love with Victoria, but does not
realize Victoria is actually herself. Regardless, Alan and Singleton marry
after he gets permission from her adopted mother, Beatrice Remington (Gladys
Cooper). However, their marriage is constantly scarred by Alan's love of the
"other woman."
Beatrice returns to the farm and while conversing with
Singleton, Singleton begins to remember the events of that fateful night: As
Roger begins to drink, Victoria rereads the letters to remind herself of the
man she loves and not the bitter man she sees in front of her. Roget confesses
that he is not the one who wrote the letters, and he becomes abusive. Beatrice
takes a knife and is the one to stab him to death as Victoria attempts to save
the letters he had thrown into the fireplace.
As Alan arrives at the house, Victoria recalls her true
identity and they fall into each other's arms.
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