Oak Tree in an Acorn: Flutterfly Kids

Monday, May 18, 2009

Flutterfly Kids

We spent a recent Saturday morning at Wild Connections Butterfly Farm in South Austin. The butterfly house was filled with Gulf Fritillaries , Monarchs, and various other butterflies. The owners provide fresh fruit slices for guests to hold, so they can get an up close and personal view of the butterflies feeding. The pet turtle enjoyed a couple of our pieces of fruit too.

Afterwards, we went on a scavenger hunt through the woods looking for items on a list the farm owners provided. We had an easy time finding " a piece of a bone" and "something that smells good" but never did find "a bird's nest". All in all, it was a great trip and fun family excursion.

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Why the title, "Oak Tree in an Acorn"?

Well, really it's all about perspective when raising the girls. It helps me to think about the grand scheme of parenting and remember that what we do now affects how our little acorns will grow. Like an oak tree, we want them to be strong in their words and deeds, be able to withstand life's storms, set and reach their goals, and be people that others can lean on and trust.

We have an oak tree planted in our yard that came from an acorn my dad planted in a pot. This acorn came from a huge oak tree that was planted in the backyard of my dad's childhood home. My dad's father also planted this tree from an acorn he found on his hunting lease in the early 1960's. Our tree is thus a family heirloom, a "family tree".

It was the year of Olivia's birth when we planted our little sapling. It looked so very sad that winter with no leaves; it was, basically, like a stick rooted in the ground. Five years later, though, it stands 9 feet tall, and we continue to nurture it and watch it grow. We hope one year it will produce acorns of its own, and we can continue to pass on this family heirloom. We hope to remember it's example of how each acorn has the potential to be an oak tree, and how our acorns, Olivia and Genevieve, will one day, with help from God, become mighty oak trees themselves.