Wonder-ful

We don't often go to movies. This "affordable family fun" isn't often affordable when you're looking at dropping $50 for 2 hours of nothing more than sitting. Plus, who doesn't want a $14 tub of popcorn to go with it?!

However, I coughed up the cash to see, "Wonder" not only once, but twice. This book by R.J. Palacio has shaped our lives. It's hard to believe that I first read it nearly 5 years ago, but since, my daughters have all read it as well. I loved its message of kindness, but moreso I loved its message of bravery. To stand up for what is right. To stick up for people when they are in need. To be brave enough to put yourself in uncomfortable situations so that you might grow.

When reading it, I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined that someday we would understand first-hand the looks that people give you of pity, fear, or questioning when you have a child with a facial deformity. I would have never guessed that my daughters might feel "secondary" to a sibling because he required a little more TLC than most. I would have never imagined that this fiction book would supply such non-fiction parallels right down to saying good-bye to our first "baby" and furry companion, Daisy.

I would never have imagined.

Wonder drove so many of our discussions as we prepared for Will. From what he might look like to how people might treat us, this book served as our springboard for so many tough discussions that we didn't know how to start.

So the irony of its release date being Nov 17th, the first year anniversary of saying goodbye to our "wonder," was a heartwarming coincidence to say the least. I was unsure if the theater was where we should be when we first experienced our favorite book come to film. I thought maybe we should wait until it released to DVD so that we could watch it, cry over it, fall in love with it, all in the privacy of our own home. However, the girls begged to see it. So, I spent Will's first anniversary in a dark theater, with my mom, 2 sisters, and a load of tissues; previewing the screen adaptation of a novel that held the hearts of my favorite little people. It was beautiful. Equal parts heartache and healing, the comedic timing was spot on for ensuring that just when we thought our hearts couldn't handle any more, our tears became smiles.

Four days later, we found ourselves off of school, with a family day during Thanksgiving break. We loaded up and headed to the movies. It was great to know what we were getting into and even better when the girls commented on how special it was to see it on the one year anniversary of Will's funeral. They loved it, which made me love it even more. If you haven't read the book, I recommend you read it prior to seeing the movie. If you have read the book, don't miss out on this incredible adaptation. We don't buy DVD's often, but once this one is released it will definitely become a part of our permanent collection.

Thank you again to all of those that stood up for our little wonder and helped spread the message that every life is extraordinary.