Anti-social blogging

I was an early user of Facebook and the like.   I didn't worry about it then.   I started noticing people, me included, finding it super important to know what new info had been posted.   By new I mean increments of time that for me began quite large and spacey, a month or so.   I noticed that with me it slowly grew to something that filled the natural moments of rest.   Instead of smelling the coffee and noticing things and pausing, I would pick up this black rectangle and stare into it as it portrayed other worlds that my friends were in.   

I'm not so worried about the small hand held portals into other places but the truth that when I let it into the parts that used to be rest I was loosing me, those breaks give me a second to get a grip and see clearly.   

I think of it like trying to search for my keys using binoculars.  They are great tools for seeing that wild life out there in the trees but not so good about looking behind the picture on the mantle.  

Here is to me finding the rests and really taking a breath.  Let's live this life.  

41

Some shots miss.  Some attempts are just that.    Sometimes life needs to be worked through.  Some shots should stay a negative and not shown to the world.  Sometimes it isn't that it's bad, it just isn't great.    This picture is that for me.    I took it, I knew that it was a gamble, it came back okay but not amazing.    I'm here to tell you let yourself try things, new things are the things I crave.  I hope you crave them too.  I also hope that when your film roll comes back you have some negatives that prove you are trying new things.   A full roll of perfect pictures means that you've figured out how to get that shot -taking some of the fun from the experience.  Here's to negatives that should stay one the roll. 

Antlers and sea creatures

I'm not certain that I'm who I thought I'd be at this stage.   I worry to much.  I tell my kids to be careful or it's getting to loud.  Should they be trying to be careful at 2-½ and 5?   Should they not be wide open explorers of this new world they find themselfs in?  

Slow stretches

With three little ones life has this slow feel, while still spinning out of control.  I am tired for this spell, this time of squeals and running full tilt everywhere. 

I don't know why I was blessed so extravagantly with two amazing daughters but I am thankful for them.  They make Susan and I break out in laughter, and also drive us batty in bits.  

Blah

I love being a part of this group called the Whitacre family

Friday

I love these kids, they are growing up fast.  I love how different yet the same our kids are.   

Laughter is my only medicine.

I love my girls laughing.  They light up and I do too.  

The sisters

I'm proud of my daughters, they are fun and amazing.  Just trying to keep up, look them in the eye and hear what they are saying. 

Chilly

I'm I love my girls, they are such an awesome gift.   The are growing up faster than ever, still I'm happy to be part of that adventure. 

It's cold out, in the single digits.  I don't look forward to being out in this at all.  Still, here I go. 

Failure sometimes is the best teacher

Saturday we went to the nature center or reflection riding.  It was great, really nice to be out and see God's beautiful creation.  I took over 300 pictures in that 3 hour adventure.  One is my favorite.  Out of all the pictures it was one of the biggest failures on my part to setting my camera up.   I like failing sometimes, it shows me things, about me.   About life. 

Anyway my encouragement to you is do things that you have a good chance of failing.  Growing up my brother and I would ride bicycles almost everyday.  The thing I would tell myself to feel better about how much I crashed was.  "If you are crashing you aren't learning anything.  I crashed a bunch.  I only remember it being a bad crash 3-4 times.  I was good at riding bikes.  I could bunny hop 360.  All I'm saying is part of learning new things is tasting dirt, getting up and brushing that dirt out of you clothes and hair.  Sitting there and thinking through why it didn't work that time and trying again. 

Oh, I crashed over and over and over again learning 360's.  I think it took me 6-9 months of crashing to finally land a 360 consistently.  Anyway, failure is one of my best teacher friends. 

Saturday with spring like features

I think today will be good.  We are going to the nature center.   Hooray

1/20/2015

It's 8 years.  That's how long Susan and I have been married.  Wow, it seems so short and yet since always.  

I'm glad she took this hand.  

Early morning

So Jean woke up a little earlier than we like to be up.   It was late enough that I got to get up and hang with this one who eats constantly.  I'm about to go to work and let Susan have operation "feed me more".   

Moccasin Bend Brewery

I was fortunate enough to have a few hours with my friend Chris last night.  I enjoyed myself, we walked down to Moccasin Bend Brewing Company.  It was busier than I expected for a Thursday night.  I think the spot has potential.   It was fun catching up and drinking local brew on tap.   

   I would say more, time has caught me and I must go work.  

Sister

I always love seeing Linda, she is great, I wish we had more time.   Next time.  

Twins

If you know Dedah you know she's a jumper.  

It's done

I no longer have Facebook.  I'm done, free.  Wild - well free anyway.

Face(book)lift

As many people I am addicted to Facebook.  Not in a good way, I often check my news feed and am upset that I don't see enough new posts or updates. So I'm deleting my account as of the last day of December.  This will be where I spread good words. And pictures. 

There is nothing really to see, light and how it bounces.   I feel like it's a fun shot, industrial vs. nature.  I don't have much else to say about it.  Just not sure I can go back to bed for 50 minutes before my morning alarm.   Jean was fussy this evening and night.   I think sleep hasn't been completely right since her arrival though there have been a few good nights.    I don't say this to complain, Susan has taken the brunt of it, it's the ever so occasional sleep deprived delirium where the not so skilled awake baby watcher gets used for action.    It's a good job, the hours are not good, but the people are great, well the person.

Anyway I'm going to go get my tripod out and try and get a picture of the setting moon before the mountain eats it up.   keep it wheel side down.


Brian

I love butterflies, they remind me that I'm not a caterpillar any more.  I still crawl allot, I forget my beautiful wings and how to use them.   Still, by Grace I no longer am the person I was in my past.  Hooray.

eyes

I have the most fun with my kids...  they are always doing something that makes us crazy and makes us giggle so much our knees want to give out.   I guess that's life, I'm glad for these moments with these truly amazing gals.

I like that the sun hides for hours each day.  And that hiding means it's just visiting friends and places I used to know.   I guess I'm odd in that, the sun is great don't get me wrong, but rest from the heat and busy life, a breath, nice.   Anyway now the sun is heading back to us so I need to go crank up the Jeep, twice, since it doesn't like to start on the first whirl.  Then sip my second cup of coffee as I watch the colors unfold in the sky on my way to work.    See you.

Rose the CG artist

I like doing art with Rosé, it helps to show what's important.  My daughter enjoying time with me is a cool moment in my life

Smiles and smiles

There is something infectious and addictive about smiles from you ones. 

Girls and pink

Susan had a birthday this weekend.  I know she's wearing thin.   Jean is almost 3 months old and I got up with her at 6am to realize that she's now watching her feet along with her hands.  Rose is turning out to be extremely smart and playful.  I love these two.  Such an amazing blessing they are.  

Snap crackle poop

The time is 6:21am on Wednesday the 24th of April, 2013. I hear birds chattering outside, excited about worms or something. Maisey is snoring on the couch. Susan is trying yet again to get the elusive item called sleep. We are all a bit snotty as of late. Life is good, not because I like this spot in our journey especially but that I trust more and more that God had taken into consideration how scrambled I am before He chose me. I didn't trick Him into saving me by pretending I was worthy of the blood of Jesus ( I'm not saying I don't pretend this at all ). I love adoption, I have people around me who have adopted kids recently, it makes my tear up. Why is this you may ask. Well for one, more than any picture of God's undeserved favor lavished on me, adoption is it. It says I chose you Brian, sick, broken, grumpy and self indulgent, child, you are now a son of the most high God, he created everything. Wow

Nash tast tick

We had a great few days with Julie, Linda, Ava Gray, Havyn, Ana, Christine, Laura and the Blanco grandparents. It was so neat to stay at Andrew and Jina's house.

Sweetie

So for some reason the Chattadubs have decided that calling each other "sweetie" is our funniest joke these days.

Park

We walked around and had fun at Coolidge Park today.

3 truck Wednesday. It's going to get crazy up in here

As my week vacation rolls up it has been decided to attempt to get as much of this large duct on the road as possible. I've loaded 2 trucks like this in one day. Today will be long. Not sure how it will turn out but we shall see. I'll post pics as they get loaded.
The picture below was last week's truck to California. These are for the same job.

Rose

Though I never knew of our Rose before 2-3 years ago when Susan found out I was right and she was pregnant, I feel like such an odd cocktail of things for her. Happy she is safe with Momma and Dada, amazed at how quick she is acclimating to life and the world, frightened that I will not lead her to love what is good and right, and a few thousand more wrapped up in a single relationship. Oh sweet Rose, you are such a blessing, gift.

Frantily

In some swirls of the wrist the brush can show signs of pre meditated bias of color transfer. in that case I tend to try to walk the dog on hilly streets, well except I don't have a dog.

Silly girl

I have to say that Rose is a little odd gal, at this point she takes a tumble in stride. As we see her grow we love her and enjoy her so. I think she's madly in love with Susan, though she looks to her Mommy for comfort she will get bent out of shape and then be alright. I guess this might be normal. Who knows. I love that little Rose.

Cute little Rose

She's so adorable and all. She Loves her mommy sooooooooo much. Anyway she has all of us laughing and giggling quite a bit.

Cousins

We will miss the Watts

Music lessons

I think Rose wants to learn violin

Our burn table at work

I am amazed at how well our brand new burn table cuts metal. More to come. Maybe design aluminum planes

Rose finds pockets

Susan showed Rose her pockets, it was fun.

Rose likes days that she gets to play with Rachel and Helen

Rose has been hanging out with Helen Beckman these days.   This is her mommy Rachel, Susan and Rachel are trading off babysitting so the other can teach lessons.   Rachel is the Cellist from Susan's trio, so it's pretty cool..     Such a blessing to have such a barter as we want someone we trust and like Rose to be around...  anyway things are going pretty well...  see ya

Hiway Won

Susan, Rose and I just got back from camping at Big Sur in California, off Highway 1 below Monterey.  It was a great trip.   Rose did pretty well on the plane, train and car rides, and had a pretty good time.   It was awesome seeing all the little munchkins and their parentals.    I went up the creek with Doug, Edie, Tim and Jude, which made me excited about next year possibly taking Rose up there to the main creek hangout...  anyway we truly had a great time it's been hard to re adjust to being in the Eastern Time zone.   We slept till 10 am this morning..   I usually get up at 5am...   this is going to hurt me more then it hurts me..  wait... anyway...  take care...   Dablinder was awesome with Rose, I love my sisters way of playing with the intent to teach..   Rose learning how to say I want more tickles or that's enough...   Really cool to be a part of such an amazing family..   Sorry Julie and that girls couldn't make it this year...  there's always next year...
come
enjoy
don't sleep
but enjoy
Brian

blah

I love our little Rose, she's truly a gift from God.   She's a little more with it and aware everyday I come home from work.   I don't think Susan notices quite as much but good gravy she's growin.    Susan and I went over to a friend's house who had a daughter on Christmas day, we took Rose with us.   I sat there and held this feather weight 8lbs something.   Their daughter was tiny, and two pounds more to her then Rose when she arrived.  I'm amazed at how fast this is happening.   She talked, for awhile last night.   At first when she'd "talk" if you did anything she'd stop.   Now it's no stopping, she's spouting.   I think she'd trying to tell everyone that I'm not as bad as I seem.   ha ha..  Anyway she's such a blessing, anyway off to work...  Brian

I don't know it just seemed like pinky time

We are excited as we watch Rose become more aware of her surroundings.  She likes making cool noises that both Susan and I enjoy.  There are lots of poop problems, I guess poop should be a problem when you think about it.    I just wanted to put a few pictures and videos up to let people enjoy our Rose from across the country....  so enjoy