This year has been a year of lasts and firsts.

 Our oldest child is the first child in our family to graduate from high school and to go off to college. We went through the last teacher conference, the last sports season and the last report card.

 Our youngest child is now five. We no longer have a toddler in the house and he is finished with pre-school. This year was his first in tee ball and to be in a real class at VBS. In the fall, he becomes a kindergartner.

 This has lead to moments of happiness and tears. And I find myself crying when I am watching certain movies dealing with a similar topic.

 Take Mamma Mia! with Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried. The story is about a young girl who is getting married. She has been raised by her

Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried on the day of the wedding. Picture from IMDb.com

mother and does not know which of three men might be her father. I love the whole movie but the most touching scene comes during the “Slipping Through My Fingers” sequence.

 As Donna and Sophia get ready for the wedding, there are moments of sadness as both women realize their relationship is about to change forever. Knowing that moment is coming for me soon when my oldest will leave home makes me all weepy.

 Another movie that does that for me is Up with Edward Asner doing the voice of Carl Fredricksen, a

Carl making the grand escape from the retirement home flunkies. Picture from IMDb.com

78-year-old man who uses balloons to float his house to South America. It is the last grand adventure of his life and was the beloved dreams of him and his wife, Ellie. Sadly, she dies before they can go.

 As the movie does the montage of Carl’s and Ellie’s life I begin tearing up and try not to snuffle too loud. But it happens. The last time we watched this movie a few weeks ago there was no stopping the tears and my son’s girlfriend looked over. She was relieved that she was not the only one in the room crying. The rest of the occupants – all boys – could not understand why we were crying.

 However, I hear tales that men do cry at some movies. Sports movies seem to bring out emotion and none better than Field of Dreams. Kevin

Ray and Karin Kinsella meet John Kinsella at the baseball field. Picture from IMDb.com

Costner stars as the man who carves a baseball diamond out of his cornfield. That is when baseball players from the ‘other side’ show up to play. When the game is over they go back into the cornfield.

 Perhaps the most memorable scene is when Costner’s father shows up. He does not know who Costner is but eventually they play a game a catch. It is the ultimate father-son moment that they never had in life. That is what made it all the more touching and the best opportunity for the tears to fall.

 Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.

 Let the world know about your latest pick for Family Movie Night and leave a comment or become my friend on Facebook.

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