Our Story. Toy Story.

I just got off the phone with my daughter Amanda. We were talking about Toy Story 3 that just went into theaters. I asked what she thought of it and she told me she cried.

"Oh no!" I said "How come? Is it too sad for children?"

"No" Amanda said. "It's the last movie from my favorite childhood movie."

Oh. Right.

I looked up the original Toy Story and realized that it came out in 1995. Trevor was 5 and Amanda was 3. Melanie was born that year. Yes, my kids grew up watching that movie all most every day. Woody, Buzz and the gang kept my life sane when I couldn't take the fighting and the noise anymore. I would put that VHS tape in the machine and get a couple hours of quiet. My kids all had their favorite part in the movie. Trevor loved it when Buzz was acting drunk after he realized he was just a toy and says "I'm Missus Nezbit. See the hat? See the tea? I 'm Missus Nezbit". They would rewind it over and over again and laugh every time. One year I even put on his birthday cake, Happy Birthday Missus Nesbit. LOL.

Amanda was a huge fan of Rex. Everything he said would make her giggle. When he was practicing his roar to see if it was scary, Amanda would look over at me and say "Mommy he isn't scary is he?" Then she would laugh.


Melanie would watch the bright colors of the screen and just babble and drool. She never fussed during that movie. I guess even at 1 or 2 she knew it was amazing enough to be quiet and listen.


10 years later when the kids were teens they still watched Toy Story. They still laughed at the same things with their younger siblings and pointed out all the great parts to watch for. They now had Toy Story 2 to watch but they still loved the original the best. We had coloring books, sheet sets, and McDonald toys of these characters throughout our house all those years. OMG I just started crying.

Having Toy Story end it's run is a little sad for this family. Amanda graduating the same year is sad too. She feels like everything happened too fast and she can't believe that her favorite things are ending.

Toy Story.

Her Childhood.
Although her childhood is on its last few days there are so many adventures awaiting her at the beginning of her adult journey. There is your first full time job, your first home, marriage, traveling and so many things that she should be excited about. It will be hard and challenging and exciting but it will be just as amazing as her childhood.
And.

One day. (Hopefully not toooo soon)

She will put Toy Story in for her children. Her children will have their favorite parts. She will laugh with them and point out the best parts to watch for. She will have Toy Story stuff all over her house.

And Toy Story will come alive again.