Oak Tree in an Acorn: Austin Stunt Ranch

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Austin Stunt Ranch

Olivia is crazy about science. She has had this love for science since she was two and discovered ladybugs, pill bugs, and other insects. Now, she wants to learn about physics and chemistry, and instead of reading *On the Banks of Plum Creek* for bedtime stories, she wants me to read *Mixtures and Compounds* and *The Book of Knowledge* by Usborne. I guess it's better than reading bedtime stories about trapdoor spiders like we did when she was three. ( I always thought those books might give her nightmares but they never did.) Anyway, when one of my newsgroups offered a trip to the Austin Stunt Ranch, I knew this would be an opportunity that Olivia couldn't miss. Brian took the day off to spend this time with her (Olivia was already off from school) and they had such a memorable day! They not only got to participate in actual stunts (safe ones) but they also learned the science behind the stunts. Here are some pictures from their trip:.

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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.