Sam, Andy and Toy Story 3

In Toy Story 3 Andy is heading off to college (and behind the wheel of his own car, no less). It's somehow fitting that we saw this movie the summer before our son heads off to his freshman year at Luther College, in Decorah, Iowa. After all, he's grown up with Andy. And they're both members of the incoming class of 2014.


We first met Buzz, Woody and Andy in Decorah. We took our son to see Toy Story at the Viking Theater when he was almost three and I was serving as a pastor in Calmar. Now, as Andy leaves his toys behind, Sam leaves his own childhood behind to go back to Decorah for four years at Luther. And we discover that the movies were never about the toys, but about the boy who loved them.

Suffice it to say, sitting there next to the young man who still loves us, tears were shed in the darkness of a movie theater last weekend. But it's been a fun three movies and an even better 18 years of parenting. As Sam posted on his Facebook page, "Dear Andy, Thanks for sharing your toys with us." Thanks for sharing these years with us, Sam.