My thoughts on The Boy Who Lived.

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Ok, now it's time for a serious discussion ... HARRY POTTER! (You probably shouldn't read this post if you haven't seen the movie.)

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Dill and I are pretty die-hard when it comes to The Boy Who Lived. We have seen a few midnight premieres of the Harry Potter movies. The last one we went to was for The Order of the Phoenix, back in the summer of 2007. I was six months pregnant, beyond exhausted with a raging case of heartburn and I could not sit for long without becoming extremely uncomfortable. Needless to say, I didn't have much fun at that movie. Sorry, I didn't.

Since then, we have always opted to see the movies the day after they come out. It's a lot easier on us tired old people with kids, and I find that we enjoy them more. Not that I don't love the thrill and excitement of midnight showings -- I was dying to get dressed up and go to Part II at midnight -- but I always end up regretting it a little.

Instead, we re-watched Part I on Thursday night and then headed to the theater first thing Friday morning to see Part II. Dill took the whole day off of work just for Harry Potter (that's dedication right there). I was really, really impressed with the film. I find myself thinking about it a lot and there's not much I would change. I thought the director, producers and actors did J.K. Rowling proud. Yes, there were a few incongruities between the book and the movie, but it's inevitable in book-to-film adaptations. It's just the nature of the beast and I came to grips with that a long time ago.

During the movie, I was in a constant state of flux between enchantment, disgust and pure astonishment (it was actually a bit exhausting, in a good way). I loved the little goblin tellers at Gringotts. I loved the decor at Shell Cottage. I loved the snippets of humor thrown in here and there. My favorite part, though, was when Harry explored Professor Snape's memories in the Pensieve. I was just grateful to have a whole pack of tissues in my purse -- it was terribly heart-wrenching and moving. So beautifully filmed and produced, too. That sequence made a really good movie epic.

I also thought Helena Bonham Carter was GENIUS as Hermione-disguised-as-Bellatrix LeStrange. Any and all accolades of her acting skills, no matter how glowing, are an understatement. She was amazing as expected, but especially in those scenes. Every detail was right on.

I thought the epilogue at the end was executed well, too. I was worried the kids would look like teenagers playing dress-up, but they didn't (though Malfoy's receding hair line was a bit strange, but the shot was brief enough not to be distracting). The children they chose to play Harry's and Ginny's were kids were spot-on, especially little Albus with his Bieber hair. Loved that.

Since the movie debuted, I've been seeing lots of dialogue and musings on the web, asking, "Where were YOU when you first learned of Harry Potter?" So I guess I'll throw my two cents into the pail.

I was 11 years old. I was at a friend's house for a sleepover. We swam and played around with her family for a few hours, and then it was time for bed. After we got our jammies on and settled into bed, my friend asked me if I had heard of Harry Potter -- no, I hadn't. It had just started to become popular in the States. She was reading the second book at the time and was obviously anxious to get back into it before going to sleep for the night. Wanting to get me hooked as well, she handed me the first book: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. "You'll love it; you won't be able to put it down," she said. And she was right. I was immediately sucked into Rowling's carefully-crafted fantasy world of wizards, witches and magic. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! The hours went by in a blink, and at some point I realized it was probably time to go to sleep. In that moment, I was officially a fan.

For various reasons, I took a hiatus from Harry Potter after reading the first book. I got back into the series as a teenager. It didn't take long for me to get sucked back into the Harry Potter vortex. I plowed through books 2 - 4 in days. When I got all caught up, I couldn't WAIT for the next book to come out.

Harry Potter carried me through adolescence into adulthood. He was there when I was in junior high and high school, trying to figure out who I was and how I fit in with my peers. He was there when I met Dill and after we got married (I remember fondly picking up books 6 and 7 at midnight on their release dates with Dill). He was there when I was pregnant with my children and got me through the seemingly endless days of morning sickness. He was there when I was barricaded in my apartment, potty-training Bubby while hugely pregnant with Smush.

Now I'm a mother of two and the Harry Potter saga is finally wrapped up. I never thought I'd see this day, but it's here, and it's a little sad. But, the series isn't really done. As I've gotten older, I've noticed different things when I reread the books. I see symbols I didn't notice the first (and second, and third) times. I find myself relating to the older characters. As a mother, different things tug at my heart. It's a series that grows old with you.

Today, I had lunch with Mandy and we both agreed that the best books in the history of the world are the scriptures, followed by Harry Potter. Nothing even compares. Unfairly, I find myself comparing other book series, even really good ones (like The Hunger Games) to Harry Potter and being disappointed. I have put Harry Potter on a pedestal, but he deserves it. Not only is the series highly entertaining, but its message is clear: with loyal friends, inspiring mentors and enough gumption, you can accomplish anything. You can triumph over evil. You can change the world.

I can't wait for the day when I can share the magic of Harry Potter with my children. I have no doubt they'll fall in love, too. These books are timeless classics that will brighten the lives of children, teens and adults for ages.

J.K. Rowling, thank you for bringing magic to the Muggles.