CONVERSATION GUIDE | EPISODE 206 THIS WEDNESDAY SEASON FINALE - PART 1 OF 2 APRIL 2ND AT 9 PM ET/PT Watch the hit original series Bulloch Family Ranch, only on UP TV, America’s favorite channel for uplifting entertainment. This series chronicles the dramatic everyday life of Julie and Rusty Bulloch, a fun-loving working class couple who juggle multiple jobs to make ends meet. Together, they are the proud “parents” of more than 30 young adults. Only two, Amanda and Brodie, are biological. The rest are teens who have lived at the Bulloch Ranch during various times when they’ve needed a helping hand. For almost two decades, the Ranch has served as a place where troubled teens are welcomed with open arms and given a chance to get back on the right track. Rusty and Julie are committed to giving all their “kids” a stable, caring, nurturing environment along with the tools they need to become productive adults. HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE Round UP the entire family on Wednesdays nights to see all new episodes of Bulloch Family Ranch, and go to UPtv.com/Bulloch each week to download each episode’s Conversation Guide to talk further about how to deal with issues seen in the show. Bulloch Family Ranch Conversation Guide MEET THE BULLOCHS RUSTY BULLOCH BRODIE BULLOCH JULIE BULLOCH STEVEN MASEK Rusty Bulloch is a man who wears many hats: a high school football coach, cowboy, farrier (a specialist in horse foot care), devoted husband and loving father to more than 30 “kids.” Like most loving, supportive wives and mothers, Julie is a tour de force, fiercely dedicated to her family and all her Ranch “kids.” The biological son of Rusty and Julie, Brodie was born with football in his blood, but a career in the game didn’t pan out. Brodie is hoping to find some direction and a career path that makes him as happy as football. Steven remains a steadfast and strong husband to Amanda. Despite continuing difficulties, the pair still hope for a sibling for Raylee. AMANDA BULLOCH-MASEK The biological daughter of Julie and Rusty, Amanda is married to Steven and has a three-year old daughter, Raylee. They live across town from her parent’s Ranch. 3 “NOW IS THE TIME” Amanda is organizing a major charity event: a Family Fun Day to benefit hungry children in the area. She is determined to prove to her mom that she can handle it alone, but when she finds out the crowd will be more than double her expectations, she asks Julie for help. Julie along with Rusty, Jordan, Wilson, Brodie and Steven pitch in to help, and the day turns out to be a huge success. The moment everyone has been waiting for has arrived: Ciara is having the baby! After rushing to the hospital for what turns out to be a trouble-free delivery of a healthy baby boy, Ciara signs the baby over to adoptive parents Chris and Courtney. Ciara’s quiet yet emotional ride home without the baby is juxtaposed with Chris and Courtney’s joyous drive home with their new son. As the new parents welcome little Coen home, Ciara arrives back at the ranch where, despite loving words from Julie and Rusty, she breaks down. The only thing that can soothe her now is spending time alone with her daughter Shania. Bulloch Family Ranch Conversation Guide EPISODE 206 OVERVIEW Later, the family goes to Jordan’s first drag race to cheer him on and his father surprises him by flying down from Ohio to support him. This is a huge milestone for Jordan, as he will be the third generation of racecar drivers in his family. While the runs don’t turn out exactly as he had hoped, his spirits are buoyed by the outpouring of support from his dad, grandpa, and huge extended family. Meanwhile, Steven continues to pursue his dream of becoming a police officer. He passed his first test with flying colors, and visited friend and local officer Nick Polis to get details on what to expect next. After the meeting, he is as determined as ever to pursue his goal. FACING LIFE’S MILESTONES Our lives are full of events that mark major changes or turning points. We plan for and celebrate many of them: marriage, the birth of a child, graduation, or beginning a new career. In this episode, many of the Bulloch family members were facing milestones. Ciara had her baby, Coen, and signed the adoption papers, to give him to Chris and Courtney. Amanda organized her first charity event. Wilson and his fiancé took a big step toward their wedding as they picked out rings. Jordan competed in his first drag race. And Steven passed the first phase in his pursuit of a new career as a police officer. Psalms 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom. (NASB) 4 PARENTS/ADULTS: • As you look back on the milestones in your own life, how can you use your experiences to help your teen/young adult prepare for those same milestones in their own lives? • Some of the milestones your teen /young adult will face will change the dynamics of your family, such as when they go away to college or get married and start their own family. How are you preparing for these events? • We face many of life’s milestones as a family. How does your family celebrate those milestones? YOUNG ADULTS: Bulloch Family Ranch Conversation Guide ASK QUESTIONS • What has been the biggest milestone in your life so far? Was it something you could prepare for? • What’s the next big milestone in your life, something like graduation or starting a new job? Is it something you’re excited about? Why? •Which milestone in your life are you looking forward to the most? Which are you looking forward to the least? Why? PREPARING FOR LIFE’S MILESTONES •Let your teen/young adult do things on their own. By starting to do this early in life you help your teen/young adult develop a sense of self-reliance. • Let your teen/young adult make some of their own age-appropriate decisions. By giving your teen/young adult freedom, and the responsibility of facing the consequences, you allow them to develop crucial decision-making skills. • Give your teen/young adult a strong foundation. Make sure they know that you love them and are proud of them. • Be ready for your shifting role. As your teen/young adult ages and matures, your role in their lives will move from one of control to one of influence, or at least it should. You’ll become more of a friend and advisor than rulemaker and enforcer. •Nurture your relationship with your spouse. For the better part of two decades, much of your identity is tied significantly to your teen/young adult. As they move from adolescence to adulthood, that changes. You will always be a parent, but when they move out, that gap in the family can put a good deal of stress on your relationship with your spouse. Begin now to spend time alone together to keep that relationship strong. Life is full of changes, transitions, and milestones. In this episode the Bullochs showed us how important a strong family foundation is. By supporting and loving each other they were able to celebrate the joyful milestones and persevere through the more difficult ones. Our faith gives us not only the ability to face life’s milestones, but the perspective to look back and celebrate how God has helped us pass each milestone along the way. I Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone..and named it Ebenezer, saying “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” (NASB) 5 SEASON FINALE - PART 2 AT 10 PM ET/PT: “ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS” When Julie and Rusty get some rare time alone, they reflect on what’s been going on in their lives. It’s been a hectic and emotional few months. Rusty has a chat with Ciara about her plans, and she tells him she wants to go to school to pursue a career as a music producer. Rusty, Julie, Ciara and Shania travel to Jacksonville to visit Shawndell in his transitional facility, and visit the recording school nearby. Julie and Rusty decide to organize a family picnic to give everyone a chance to blow off some steam and have fun together. During the picnic, Wilson approaches Amanda, Steven, Brodie, Jordan and Ciara about doing something nice for Rusty and Julie as a thank you. Will their plan to pull off a surprise for the two people who have done so much for them be a success? . Watch UP on DIRECTV CH 338, DISH Network CH 188 & local cable www.UPtv.com www.twitter.com/UPtv ww.facebook.com/UPtv