Lessons Learned from Toy Story 3

In the movie, Toy Story 3, Andy tries to decide which of his old toys he will give away and which ones he will keep as he gets ready to go away to college. The toys, led by Woody and Buzz, go on many adventures, including a run-in with Lotso Bear, before the final plot twist and unpredicted happy ending.

I cry buckets of tears every time I see it.

Before my husband and I moved to Arizona, I had a Toy Story 3 moment in my childhood bedroom in Minnesota as I sorted through girlhood belongings. I knew it was my best chance to pack things into a U-Haul without having to pay for shipping.

Soon my childhood bedroom was strewn with old school papers, report cards, and Barbies. I didn’t have a beloved Woody doll, but my childhood teddy bear that had long ago had all his fur loved off and was blind, with no eyes, went into the Keep Box. From a stack of papers I pulled out a childhood journal I hadn’t read in years – a black spiral notebook, stuffed with postcards, ticket stubs, and writing.

Summer vacations for our family when I was a child consisted of two things: visiting my grandparents in South Dakota and Wisconsin and going to Mount Carmel Bible Camp for one week in June. We did this every year. It was as predictable as a Saturday run for chocolate-dipped cones at Dairy Queen, picking green beans in the garden, and reading library books on the tire swing under the shade of the Elm tree in the backyard.

Until the year I turned 11. Back in 1972.

For the rest of the story, please click on the link below, where I am guest blogging on a new site, Disney Gals. If you are planning a trip to Disney and wonder about where to eat if you are on a special diet, or if you have young children, or want to plan a birthday party or go to Disneyland in Hong Kong or ANYTHING Disney, this is the blog for you!

http://www.disneygals.com/2012/08/guest-author-sunday-lynne-hartke.html

Back in 1972: My sisters and  I (orange hat) in matching outfitsso Mom could find us if we got lost!