Oak Tree in an Acorn: June 2010

Friday, June 18, 2010

Happy Father's Day!

To all the dads, grandfathers, godfathers, stepdads, uncles, and "like a dad"s out there, we are wishing you a Happy Father's Day.

To my own dad, I want to thank you for always being there to listen and share your advice. Even when you were busy, you always made time for me and still do. Your love, support, and encouragement helped me to feel good about myself and worthy of love. I am forever grateful and could not have had a better father. God blessed me by making me your child. I love you and wish you a happy father's day.

Happy Father's Day, Brian!

The girls are so lucky to have you for their daddy.
Thank you for being such a good father to them.

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.