Jane Austen is my patronus

Mash-ups seem to be popular.  I love the Piano Guys who do mash-ups of classical and not classical music.  My favorite of theirs is a Star Wars song paired with a classical song.  I also love "Fight Song" paired with "Amazing Grace."  It brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it because I think it reveals a deep truth that God's grace is my fight song.

Last summer I took my boys to a Harry Potter birthday party at a library in a neighboring town.  It was fun.  Our local library didn't have one so I asked the children's director about it.  Oh, there are fantastic plans in the works for this summer.  Very cool.

I noticed at the Harry Potter party that moms had cool Harry Potter shirts.  I decided my wardrobe is lacking and I need one, too.  I searched Amazon and found a plethora of options.  One caught my eye that said "Lorelei Gilmore is my patronus."  Being a huge fan of the Gilmore Girls, I giggled but it didn't quite fit me.  I searched a little further and found the perfect one:  Jane Austen is my patronus.

For Christmas, my sweet husband gave this to me.  I love it.  The problem is my Jane Austen people don't know Harry Potter and my Harry Potter people don't quite understand my love of all things Austen.  I myself am a unique mash-up.

Why do I love Austen?  I just do.  I read Pride and Prejudice as a senior in high school.  I was in AP English and it was on a list of optional books that were recommended reading.  I loved it.  I took a winter term class about Jane Austen my freshman year in college where we studied all her books and even had a Jane Austen expert teach us how to dance in the style of the time.  Wonderful.  Not wonderful enough to change my major to English, but I still really enjoyed it.

After college I met my husband.  We went on a few dates but I knew I wasn't ready to settle down yet.  I was headed to Madrid to complete my Master's in Spanish and he would remain in Texas.  When I told him I thought we needed to stop dating since he was clearly ready for marriage and I just wasn't yet, he told me he had read Pride and Prejudice for me since I had mentioned it was my favorite book.  I kept dating him.  I love that even though Jane Austen is not a favorite of his (way too wordy for his taste) he read the whole book for me.  (Quick side note--I read The Hobbit for him around the same time.  Not my cup of tea).  We can thank Jane Austen for our happy 14 1/2 years as man and wife.

Harry Potter is just awesome.  It's a great story.  I didn't love it at first but I really got into the complexity of Snape's character.  Is he good or bad?  My favorite character of the series is Neville.  (I hope I spelled that right.  Sorry if I didn't).  I talk Harry Potter a lot at the library with the customer service representative while I'm checking out books.  I asked who his favorite character is and he said Hermoinine.  (Sorry again about spelling.  It's Saturday and I just don't feel like looking these crazy British names up).  Yes, H is lovely and oh so smart, and my husband assures me I'm his H.  So sweet.  However, Neville is loyal, kind, brave and the underdog.  I will always root for the underdog. 

This quality drives my oldest son crazy.  I will cheer for whoever I feel like in sporting events regardless of my loyalty to the team.  Greatness is greatness and should be applauded. 

My fantastic sister-in-law saw my new shirt over Christmas break and encouraged me to wear it proudly whenever I feel like and not worry if others get it or not.  And I am.  And I love it.  The whole patronus thing in the books was never completely clear to me, but to me, Jane Austen makes me happy.  She lets the ick of the world loose its power for a moment and I smile.

And when I wear it to the library's Harry Potter birthday party this summer I will happily explain its meaning to whoever asks.