All Grown Up

We are days...(literally we are out of the teens and almost in the single digits) away from going to Disney World for our summer vacation. So we decided to celebrate this past weekend by taking both girls to the movie theater to see Toy Story 3. I figured we would eat some popcorn, make it 1/2 way through the movie, then AK would have a melt down and we would leave early. I WAS WRONG. Both girls sat through the whole thing and absolutely loved it.

Now, Let me share my take on the movie. I assumed this movie would just be "another Disney/Pixar" movie. But boy was I wrong. I think about 20 minutes into it, I realized wow, we are all grown up.

I remember when the first Toy Story came out in 1995. I was in 5th grade (11yearsold) and getting "almost" too cool for Disney Movies. But a few of my friends wanted to go see it at the theater so our moms took us. I thought the story was cute but it was more of a "boy" movie. Then in 1999 they rolled around with Toy Story 2. I didn't see this one until it came on video but I liked it a lot more. I was 15 that summer.

Then Saturday Night, I sat in the theater as an *almost* 26 years old, with two girls of my very own, watching a cartoon movie about a boy I have grown up with. He was now leaving for college and leaving all his childhood things behind.

As I gazed over to my wittle ones I couldn't help but think about all the stuff that I have gone through in the 15 years that I have been friends with Woody and Buzz. Jr. High, High School, College, Being Married Early, Babies sooner, Job Changes, Family Members/Friends lost, all while watching Woody & Buzz save their friends from "Evil Dr. Porkchop" and always be there for "their kid" Andy.

I guess I never thought that year I sat in the theaters being "too cool" for Disney that 15 years later I would be sitting in a theater with my kids, sobbing at the fact that not only is Andy All Grown Up but so am I.

Disney/Pixar has such a magical way of reminding you that even life in their world goes on. They allow you to be a kid again all over and cherish the characters that you have loved with the new ones that love them.

Madyson with Buzz and Woody Summer of 09