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Breaking Dawn-Hitting Home

So a year ago, before "Breaking Dawn" came out, I had a conversation with a group of Twilight fans (it was at a SLTA party). Someone brought up the fact that they were sad that Bella would never get to have children if she became a vampire.

Well as you can see in the above picture, I was plenty pregnant at the time. My response to this person's comment was, "No Way! That is my life! I am reading these books because they are FANTASY, not my reality!"

Fast forward to August when "Breaking Dawn" was released. When I got to the part where Bella realizes she is pregnant, I couldn't have been anymore stunned than Edward sitting there in a catatonic state on the floor! This was not what I had signed up for!

My mother-in-law was visiting that weekend and we were reading the book simutaneously (well almost-she reads much faster than me). Her comment at the time was that it was like picking up a glass and thinking you were drinking milk and having it turn out to be orange juice! I love that analogy, because that is as close to the feeling that I think you could get.

I had a hard time coming to terms with the story on my first read through. By the time Renessme was born, I had accepted it all and was very happy for Jacob. I was able to accept that this was the story. But it wasn't until the second read through that I truly came to appreciate the story that Stephenie Meyer had weaved together so beautifullly.

Here was what on the surface appeared to be an indulgent fantastical romance and it turned out to be a story about family and love.

I came to appreciate it the story even more as I related it to the fact that I had just given birth, one month before "Breaking Dawn" was released, to my first girl, Amberly Kate Updike--my own little Renessme!

With her chocolate brown eyes that from the very first moment seemed so knowing and intelligent, how could I not find common ground. I will never forget right after Amberly was born, they laid her on the pillow next to me and she looked right at me with her big bright eyes. It was like she was the fully developed person just gazing at me. Amazing!

How could I not be happy for Bella that she too would get such a happy ending! I am so glad that Stephenie had a broader vision than I did. The Twilight Saga wouldn't be so rich if it had ended any differently.

Twilight DVD Release

I attended the Twilight DVD release with some of my TwilightMOMs friends. All week before the release there were rumors going around that there would be cast members at some of the release parties. Well, with the insider info from a TwilightMOM in Herriman and a few hints from our friendly P.R. representative for Twilight, we knew where to go to be a part of the action.

Kirsten and I rode together to the Riverton Wal-Mart and arrived about 8 p.m. Things started really getting crazy about 10 p.m. The crowd was huge. I think they said there were about 2500 people there. We got to meet Rachelle LeFevre, who plays Victoria. She is super fantastically awesome (yes, this who Twilight thing totally makes me forget my age). Rachelle is one of the neatest cast members, truly. She is so easy going and so willing to make the fans happy. She stayed until 2 a.m. to sign every single person's DVD (or whatever they wanted her to sign). It was great!

I really do enjoy my Twilight friends. It is so nice to have a respite from real life and get together with such cool ladies!

Twilight Movie Review

So, I am going to begin this blog by posting my review of the movie. I can only begin with today and work my way backwards to the beginning of my Twilight experience..

My mind and heart are so full, it would be impossilbe to write it all down, or so it seems. The whole experience of this premiere weekend is so overwhelming, it will take me months to wrap my brain around it all!

For me, the movie was pretty much what I expected. I went in with fairly low expectations. I knew the special effects would be poor and the most of the book would get cut. But that wasnt' what this movie experience was about for me. It was about getting a taste of what had been in my head since I first read the books, it was about being happy for Stephenie that she got to have these characters come to life (and also, in no small measure, that her favorite band, Muse, was part of the soundtrack!!!!), it was about celebrating the Twilight experience with my fellow TwilightMOMS friends and my family who all love this story.

That being said, I was pleased with the acting for the most part. I think Rob did as much justice to Edward as could be done. He is a very difficult character to portray, but I feel Rob made it believable. I left the theater feeling like I had just seen Edward for real. I am so grateful to Rob for working so hard to make this very important character (to all of us) come alive!

Kristen did a great job, too. She pulled off Bella fantastically. She got what Bella was all about. I see a lot of similarities between Bella and Kristen. (I can totally see Bella reacting to the media blitz surrounding Twilight just as Kristen does.) Kristen is so beautiful, too, in such a Bella-esque way. I can't believe what a perfect fit she is for this part. She also worked her butt off to put across this character. I can't imagine the emotional drain for both of these actors to live these characters for several months. Acting isn't as easy as it looks at first blush.

I was most pleasantly surprised by Billy Burke as Charlie. I didn't think I was going to like him, but he pulled it off quite well. And is probably my favorite character now after Bella, Edward, and Alice. Mike and Anna did a good job too as Mike and Jessica. I also really like Taylor as Jacob. He may be young and not "big" enough for Jacob, but I think he makes up for it in personality and screen presence. All day Saturday, I was siliently jumping for joy for Taylor thinking how happy he must be to get to play Jacob in "New Moon". Again, he has his heart in this project and that is going to make it fabulous!

I didn't expect, but thoroughly enjoyed all the comedy that became part of the movie. There are so many great lines now to be repeated. One that wasn't comedy at all but was the pinnacle for me was when Carlisle said, "Edward, remember who you are." That was it for me! That is what this story is all about. We have control over who we will be. No one decides for us. There is always a choice.All in all, I enjoyed it very much and it gets better each time I see it (I saw it 3 times this past week).

I talked with a friend on Sunday who said she enjoyed it more the second time because she wasn't being critical and just enjoyed it. I think that is the best you can do. It isn't the best movie ever made in the technical sense, but it is a great tribute to Stephenie's work. I have tons more to say and I that is why I started my own blog to get it all out.

This weekend was a major turning point in my life. Not only did I see the movie three times, I was involved in a huge event here in South Jordan that was so fantastically amazing! It made the premiere of this movie so meaningful to me because I have now gained hundreds of new friends. And that is what TwilightMOMS and the whole Twilight experience is all about! The final word: Why is Twilight so successful? Because it brings people together, it makes you feel connected to others around you, it makes you feel so alive! (Kind of ironic, huh?) : )