fjatman's road to anywhere

2008-03-04T12:04:00.001-08:00

2008-02-26T06:52:00.001-08:00

Girls Eating from Andy Fjellman on Vimeo.

2008-01-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

Ok... it's been over a year and I've been ridiculed a lot by certain individuals... here's a bunch of pics from the last year of my girls... there will be more to follow!

Christmas 2007

April 2007

July 2007

August 2007

November 2007

2007-01-15T07:01:00.000-08:00

I am just posting this nice pic of Eric because I wanted his myspace to have it...

2006-05-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

what the... 2 posts in 1 day?!

i just wanted to confess something...

i'm addicted to guitar hero.

2006-05-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

ok, so i'm working right now... actually, i'm in much need for a break. i thought i would just share a story (without a book, as my oldest likes me to do):

i love what the place God has me in right now. i love the people i'm in contact on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. i have been endowed (hmmm) with great friends, a loving wife, beautiful kids... really, all the things that you can't put a $ on, i have it. i lack nothing.

so why does contentment come so hard? why do i consistently believe that i need to be doing more, making more, having more... i refuse to blame it all on society. that's a very safe answer... i also refuse to say, it's my "sin nature." another safe one.

i think, in fact, that it is the way God made me. He must know that i will never change unless i'm miserable. so, He set me up. He made it so unless i am completely trusting and desiring of Him, i would become depressed. the more i pursue stuff or make excuses for my behavior, the more miserable i become. and that, my friends, is grace.

do you want to see the 1 & 3 year old heart throbs of my life? i knew you would.

2006-05-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

oh, where to start...

i sorta have the desire to go back to a month ago and share everything that's been going on... of course, it won't be as good as if i had written then, but there has been stuff going on. thanks to my friends that have been "encouraging" me to blog either by posting nasty comments on mine or writing cryptic notes on theres.

first, a few pics:

this is me and tyler-a guy a met that day at cycle clinic-and my new 1979 Honda CX500. Tyler was all excited to find someone with a bike like his and had them snap our picture.

went with a friend a few days ago to western iowa on a backpacking trip. the Spirit led us to a museum. you can see me "fishin' for men" after an afternoon (3.5 minutes) at the gift shop. i couldn't post all the pictures 'cause i don't want to "out" recovering.

here's the beautiful western iowa. parts of this trip actually reminded me of Tennessee... yes, it was that beautiful. actually, i really needed a wide-angle lens (these were taken with an itsy-bitsy camera) to really capture what God had created here. you should really click on them for more detail! not only was it good just to get out of town for a while, but my traveling companion was quite fun, too. thanks to my wife for allowing me to break... but i totally missed her and my kids.

i have a bunch of other pictures that i wanted to put on here of my girls, but they're on my work computer. i'll try to remember to get them up here soon.

lots o' family drama... but not gonna talk about them... pray for them, if you know 'em, or if you don't, that's fine, too...

i've been working alot ... fourthstream.com will have some pretty interesting things happening soon... it's about time, ain't it?

God's been doing a lot in and around me. can't necessarily put it all into words, but it's all good. not all easy though. i've been learning to see God in everything Good or True. people who don't really know Him, reveal Him to me in many ways... and i pray that He will use me to reveal who He really is to them. my home continues to be a place of chaos and peace and sometimes both at the same time. emma is smarter than me, katherine might be, too... but she can't talk very well, so that makes me feel better. nora is the cutest little one ever, although a total mama's girl which can be both a blessing and a curse. i am going to stop sharing now since my wife is already in bed... a bummer that she's most likely already asleep...

2006-03-22T08:46:00.000-08:00

st patty's day at ak o'connnors... it was a small intimate party. if you look real close you can find some partyin' lage's...

me, the next morning (8am :) ) photo taken by emma...

taki, for brad's birthday...

again... this is derrick (sp?) in action.

my girls yesterday when it snowed...

i just felt like i needed to show some pics... i should have been posting for several days now... i actually have stuff to talk about!

#1 - i had 2 friends with relationship break-ups this weekend. those always suck, but in both of these, they were the ones doing the breaking and they were doing it 'cause they felt like it was the right thing to do. i just want to commend them. it was also cool to be part of the process and to be an encouragement to them.

#2 - i talked to (via email) an old friend from nashville last week. we used to work together and it was awesome to hear about the stuff she was doing... i believe God is really working in her life and it was encouraging to see that.

#3 - i'm totally excited about some of my friendships right now... (how do say blessed without saying blessed, recovering.... i need your help!)

#4 - i'm getting a quad processor g5 today... should be here momentarily... i'm totally geeked out right now.

any comments?

2006-03-16T10:39:00.000-08:00

a sheep sequencer that is kinda cool...

2006-03-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

"If you post too much, nobody will comment" was overheard on another blog... well, i had to reference this article - i'd think i'd give up water for beer... wouldn't you?

2006-03-13T09:31:00.000-08:00

glenn beck's gay? i'm laughing as i type this...

2006-03-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

2 images i took at the wedding today. before you post, i realize that 1 is blurry... but i still thought it was cool.

2006-03-11T13:26:00.000-08:00

does anyone else think this is cool? you are looking at a bench a friend and i built last weekend. it felt so good to accomplish something in my own house! it has been forever since i have done anything to the interior of our home... my wife has been so patient with me.

today i'm at work all day. someone is getting married and i get to baby-sit the building. it's pretty fun, really. i love being part of a community (running into people that you haven't seen in a while, making new friends, fake smiling...). i do often smile for real, though.

i want a beer. by the way, i haven't tried any new beers (gooood beers) in a lnog while. anyone know of any? i've been drinking boddingtons, wexford... jeremy and i are getting ready to brew another batch (i've been saying that for a few months). anyway, white russians have been consumed in my house frequently as of late. my friends, justin & jody got me hooked - although i think they only drink them when they come see us (and we play catchphrase - that is hilarious!).

well, i better go and listen to these old guys play the hits and watch my floor get dirty. i sure hope people really stick around to help clean up.... recovering should be so pleased with my consistent posting!

2006-03-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

to my best friend...

thanks for the nice things you say about me [no link, 'cause it would totally be braggin'!]. God uses you in my life and i'm encouraged to see what He's doing with you... love ya, man.

2006-03-09T13:18:00.000-08:00

a friend of my mine passed me this article. if you haven't heard these guys [mutemath], you should. i just thought it was interesting... can't say that i blame them, although i am curious as to the terms of the "suit."

2006-03-08T06:53:00.000-08:00

It's what you don't know about vaccination that could harm your child. US government statistics report approximately a quarter of a million vaccine-injured children in our country. The FDA has reported that these numbers may be inaccurate and the actual number may be much higher. They report only 1 in 10 vaccine-injured children are ever reported. Join Chad Rohlfsen D.C. as he presents a detailed and documented look at vaccination and its impact on our culture.

Childhood Vaccination - Questions & Answers
Where: Urbandale Hilton Garden Inn
8600 Northpark Drive / (Ballroom 3)
(just North of I80-35 on the 86th Street Exit)
When: Monday, April 3rd
7 p.m.- 9 p.m. with 30 min. of Q&A
$7, admission at the door
Presented By: Dr. Chad J. Rohlfsen D.C.
Rohlfsen Family Chiropractic for more information 515 727-4000

I only tell you this 'cause I care about you...

2006-03-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

i love people... i know the last time i said "people", i sighed, but i mostly just love people. i have always thrived on relationships. God reveals himself to me through interactions with those around me. although i know that this could be true for everyone, i usually feel that this is more true with me. i belive that this has something to do with how God made my (giftedness). it's more than a social thing... it's a living thing. by the way, i love my wife. she is the most amazing person in my world.

to totally switch directions... i have a hard time wanting what others have (i think God calls it coveting). i don't usually act out on it, but sometimes it tears me up inside. i hate trying to be content and wish it would just happen. admittedly, this seems to be more of a struggle the past few days than before, but it still sucks.

one more direction --> i'm playing with jemstate on st. pat's day at AK O'Conners in WDM. you should c'mon with yo bad self.

2006-03-02T05:26:00.000-08:00

People... [sigh]

I'm totally disappointed in the fact that nobody said anything about going to see coldplay... i mean, i have several issues with this. 1.) it's COLDPLAY - ok so obviously not a big deal to anyone else. I do realize that although it was more rare for me to lay down the bucks and the time than probably most any of my friends, but coldplay... please, someone be impressed. (they're a big deal, right?) 2.)people view this blog and don't take the time to say anything. i get more comments on my comments on other sites. one guy, who will remain "anonymous" (because he likes that and because i'm just writing this to pick on him), even takes stabs at me on his comment page on his blog. now, i will give it to him... he does comment on my blog more than anyone else. BUT OVERALL, people just pass by and don't even say hello. pretty rude.

ohmy- i just reallized that the reason people don't comment is because i don't say anything worth commenting on. i have lamented my "lack of time", but that's not interesting to anyone. now, if i said something like, "EVERYONE is way too damn busy doing STUPID THINGS all the time and NOTHING that you do all day matters... blah blah blah..." i might get a response. allbeit, i'd have to filter out the F#$@ bombs - can't have those here.

so is this a committment to be more interesting? definitely not. i'm already tired of trying. how about an image?

it's a pic of my father-in-law's family on Christmas. i have way more interesting pics, but why bother?

2006-02-21T08:50:00.000-08:00

foruthstream.com is now a blogger site! you really do need to check it out.

2006-02-21T07:38:00.000-08:00

coldplay anyone? a pic from brad's phone last night. needless to say, rock...

2006-01-23T19:11:00.000-08:00

ok, so you know how i said i didn't have time for this? well, that is still true. but i have taken measures to help me read other blogs and although i'm pretty bad about commenting, i at least can think about them from time to time. so hear it is. first, i would like to suggest that everyone and their mother us firefox as their browser. it rocks. secondly, i have started using my new favorite firefox extension called sage. it allows you to list blog feeds and other news sites and will tell you when new content has been added. you can turn on your feed on your blogger dashboard and use something like feedburner to syndicate your RSS feed. if you're a blogger, you can learn how to do this here. anyway, it's pretty cool and saves me time and energy and i'd recommend to the 2 people who read this, that they do the same. you know who you are. once again, i have amazed you.

2006-01-20T20:12:00.000-08:00

my current itunes playlist (in random order, of course):

coldplay - kingdom come
david gray - alibi
derek webb - nobody love me
edmunds crown - higher than me
jimmy eat world - 23
mutemath - ok
snow patrol - how to be dead
u2 - the three sunrises
taylor sorensen - what love is
rosie thomas - wedding day
audioslave - doesn't remind me (video)
the postal service - such great heights

you're so impressed... i can tell

2006-01-19T19:28:00.000-08:00

just thought i should say that my wife called me out and said something like, "did you post that last one just to post something?" um, yeah... although i really did wonder who wrote something and took it back, bussard. and, if it matters to anyone besides my wife, i was thinking about how rude i have been before and i am working on that....

i have decided that i'm too busy to have a blog. not just too busy to sit down and write, but too busy to think about anything to write about. here's something i'm thinking about --> i'm trying to read a book called "the shaping of things to come" about how the church is miserably failing to reach our neighbors. even though i am very interested in the topic, i am totally bored by their writing.

about the only thing i really have time for is my family and my work. and i don't really have time to do either of those things as well as i need to. at some point, you just have to lower your expectations... we are in the middle of a mess of parenting, debt, relationships, etc. and that's just where God has us right now. but i thank him for that. it surely could be a lot harder.

if i get really pissed off about something, i'll try to remember to write about it. that makes for a much better blog.

2006-01-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

I wonder which one of my "friends" wrote something so offensive they felt the need to remove it again...

It made me just think of things I've done or said, regretted, and wished I could take back. I can be a real ass sometimes. And other times I just make a fool out of myself. My brother in law always has good stories about me and like a good friend, he'll always share them.

Anyway, as I consider these moments in my live, it makes me want to be like Earl and run around and try to make it up to people... but what would that really accomplish? The best thing I can do is just not be the ass or the fool in the first place. People that figure this out are much better friends to have. Oh, and do you what usually helps in this process? Not becoming intoxicated.

Whoa... I am just so transparent, aren't I?

2006-01-04T20:11:00.000-08:00

ok, so after Jess saw that previous pic, she suggested I publish one that doesn't make our child look like a fat old man. And so I did. The point of that previous post, by the way, was to show you a baby that was only 5 minutes old... but here's one that's 5 days old, too.

2006-01-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

5 minutes old... So, let me tell you about one of the most amazing experiences of my life. This photo of our third girl, Nora Grace, was taken at our home. Minutes before I was "catching" her. Jess and I never thought we would have our babies at home. Now, I can't imagine a safer, more peaceful or beautiful place to bring a baby into this world... i need to write more about this, but can't now... i just wanted to introduce you to my newest girl.

2005-12-27T20:23:00.000-08:00

so as you can see i'm really new to this whole blogging thing. but I'm not going to let that stop me. i've decided i have to try this... i'm learning that this will require me to be honest and transparent and not just cute or clever (not that i could do that either). let me just say that i love being a dad. i should have given you a picture of my 3rd daughter (who is 2 weeks old), but i don't have any on my computer right now. so, instead, you get to see me 1/4 hearted attempt at being at being a rockstar. that's me and my tele on the right. i love that guitar, too... not as much as my family, though. well, there was this one time when i jokingly laid the guitar between my wife and me as we were getting ready for bed... i don't recommend anyone trying that, even if it was just to be funny. hey, does anyone get sick of these...? i mean the dot dot dots? i can't stop doing them. they just come out. well, i've officially rambled. when will this blog have a purpose? let me know.

2005-12-06T16:28:00.000-08:00

wouldn't that be nice?

2005-12-03T15:32:00.000-08:00

stay-puff marshmellow girls

2005-12-03T15:30:00.000-08:00

smoking pipes with joe and jeremy... it was the end of november and fifty some degrees outside...

2005-12-03T15:27:00.000-08:00

jemstate - some of my best friends in the whole world. i love these guys... i have decided not to play with them anymore, but love to play with them and so I will play with them when they ask, and i can. staying up 'til 2am while your wife and 2.9 kids are at home isn't that fun to do all the time; but, every once in a while, it's definitely a blast. my mom came to this show and that was pretty fun, too... i'm a blogging machine right now.

2005-12-03T14:52:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how big my kids are getting. That comment (among others) I hear from just about any parent, but, man... have you ever seen such cuteness? I'm pretty exicted about Nora (the new girl). If only we had a middle name. Well it's "any day now" and I'm starting to get a glimpse of the chaos that is about to ensue. I never feel ready for this, but I've decided that is just normal for me. Of course, it must be normal for Jess, too... it just takes much more to convince her.

2005-11-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

now that the introductions are over, i can get started. my first attempt a blog and it's already different than i wanted... but hey, isn't that what being on a journey is all about?

my wife and kids are the most important things in my life. they are more than important people and deeper than thoughts - they are a reflection of God Himself. in fact, they are the one thing that always comes to mind when i try to reconcile myself to God's enduring love. thanks to jess and the girls for always reminding me of why i exhist.

speaking of girls and existence... we are getting ready to have another one (girl - eta dec. 12). and the world keeps on spinnin' round & round me. when will the madness stop. i hope never. jess is ready for a break... she needs a good month to a year recover from this one. keep up the good work, hon.

well, that does it for today. i wonder if i'll ever take another stab at this? we'll see...

2005-11-04T08:26:00.001-08:00

katherine and me

2005-11-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

my wife and emma