Harry

We saw the latest Harry Potter movie this afternoon - and it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. The story line did that - but also the boys, who love these stories so much. I feel so blessed to have watched Harry and the boys grow up together. The books are just so great and then the adaptation to screen is just so incredible. I just can't describe it - and I know it's primarily because it's such fun to love sharing that with B. and H. H. said on the way to the theatre 'this is number 5, right Mom? And there's 2 more?' And when I answered 'yes', he said 'but why does she have to end after two more? Why? Why can't she keep writing them?' And I said 'she's had these stories planned out for years and she knows how she wants it to end - so it has to end.'

J. didn't go with us 'cuz he was feeling a bit under the weather. So it was me and the kids. B. is so sweet - during the really exciting, intense, kind of scary parts, I'd loop my arm through his and he'd patiently hold my hand until the scary part was over. He said 'are you OK, Mom?' I said 'I'm fine - I just need an arm and a hand to hold - I wish Dad was here'. He said 'it's OK, Mom, I'm here'. He's such a sweetheart - and he's growing up so much. I see him from 'afar' now and then - like when he drove to my office on Friday to drop off something I'd forgotten - I didn't recognize him as he walked up the ramp to our door. Or today, in Costco, standing near our cart - I thought 'where's our cart' - 'cuz I was looking for a boy - but he's not a boy anymore, he's a young man. Pretty handsome young man, too, though I'm a bit biased.

I rushed into the house and ran upstairs to find the books - #5 and #6 so I can read them again before the final chapter comes out in a week. Which we've already ordered from amazon.com so it will be delivered to our door the day of the release. I resisted buying two - which we've done in the past 'cuz there's 3 of us in the house that can't wait to read them so sharing one book is torture. But the boys have so much to read for their summer pre-school reading, I think I stand a chance of getting my hands on the book. I need to read #6 more carefully - and want to read #5 again to compare it to the movie. If we end up needing another copy, we'll get it at Costco and then donate it the city library when we're done - as we've done before.

I loved to read as a kid. Read every night before bed, sometimes with a flashlight under the covers to keep my mom from knowing how late I was staying up. I devoured my elementary school library's biography section. Also anything about marine biology, oceans, oceanography. And Nancy Drew. All of them. Yellow hard bindings - I had the entire set. I read them over and over and over - and loved them. Almost as much as I love Harry Potter now.

But I am clearly over the moon about these books. I know there are lots of families who will not let their kids experience these stories - in our family, also. Those who believe that anything 'magical' is against God and therefore, should never be read. For me, these stories reinforce faith - and love and friendship. Harry is learning that even as you get older, and you change - you resist authority and acknowledge darker feelings towards others, at times - anger is a part of life...but you also learn that you are loved - by many, many people. People you've known for a long time and people you've recently encountered - and in the end, that's what it's all about. Love, friendship, faith in yourself, in your beliefs. That's what these stories are about. It makes me sad that some kids will never read these books - but I am so glad mine can. We don't just read them in this house - we devour them. We can't wait for the final book to come out and then the final two movies. The ending will be sad - because it will be the 'end' of this magical set of characters and their growing up years. And my boys will be grown up as well. But I can't wait to read the books to my grand kids - cover to cover. And watch the DVDs together. I hope they love them as much as I do. And maybe, J.K. Rowling will decide to take the stories forward as Harry is an adult. That would be great. I hope she does.

We wait to see the ending of the final chapter. I have already warned the boys that I will be turning to the ending - that's just me. I won't tell them how it ends and then I will read the entire book cover to cover. But I just have to know how it ends. Like H., I honestly don't ever want it to end. I want the boys to always love going to the movies with me and to always beg me to order multiple copies of books. I want them to always have that excitement in their life.

Like all the excitement and joy they've brought to mine over the years. They are magical. It's the best word to describe being a mom. Magical.