Meet the Lockers

Asia Bound

2010-02-25T19:21:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will fly from the U.S. to the Middle East in my first international leg of my deployment. I have been here at Ft. Benning for a week longer than expected because of my late arrival due to the weather in Atlanta last weekend. After hanging out and reading for a week, I will board a plane sometime tomorrow (time unknown even to me) and fly across the Atlantic. The days here have been very hectic--once I was able to start processing, so I will be glad to pass out on the plane for a few hours and relax. I expect to be at my first stop for about a week before being forwarded on to my final destination. There are so many people that have to get moved around that it seems to take some time to catch the flight you need.

Thankfully, I have had time to reach some family members by phone and say farewell. I apologize to those I did not call, but know that I appreciate all of you who support my family and my mission. This is an easier task because of your support.

On My Way (To Army Purgatory)

2010-02-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

After a two day snow delay, I made it to Ft. Benning, GA today. It looks like I will be here a while, though. The reason I am here is to outprocess at the CONUS Replacement Center (CRC), which is a week-long program. I was supposed to arrive on Saturday and begin the cycle, which would have me flying out on Friday. However, I have already missed two and a half days of the process, so they are going to recycle those who arrived today. That means that I am stuck here waiting to outprocess until the next cycle starts on this coming Saturday. The fact that today was a federal holiday compounded the problem because many of the civilian employees who work here were off, and therefore they have reduced capacity to try to catch up the late arrivers.

The CRC compound is just that--a compound. It is way out in the forrest on Ft. Benning all by itself. It has its own fence around it with access control, barracks, office areas, shoppette, dining facility (DFAC), and MWR day room in which I am typing this blog. It reminds me of what I would imagine a POW camp would look like. It looks like an Army in miniature and feels like purgatory. There are scruffy looking contractors mixed in with soldiers in uniform, and there is an air of restless expectation. Most people are only here one week (as the program is designed), so everyone is collegial but aloof. I already have a feeling that the next few days will feel like an eternity while waiting to start the next cycle. Also, I only have one set of uniforms (because I will be issued 4 more--whenever I get to that part of the cycle), and one set of civies (which is all I am supposed to have). Thankfully there are laundry machines across the hall from my room. The rooms consist of four bunkbeds and four wall lockers. Not very cozy, hence the high traffic at the MWR day room with its pool tables, TV, and couches. I never thought I would look forward to a 20-hour flight.

Trip to Ft. Worth Zoo

2010-02-02T11:14:00.001-08:00

On Sunday Mandy, Jackson, and I went to the Ft. Worth Zoo. It was litterally freezing the whole time, but we still had a good time. We bundled up, and it was nice to have the place nearly to ourselves. Some of the animals were not out, but Jackson still got to see lions, tigers, and bears (oh, my!). He even got to see the male lion roar, which will send chills down your spine--even when he cannot reach you.

The Packing has Begun!!

2010-01-20T13:19:00.000-08:00

My deployment to Afghanistan is rapidly approaching, so it is time to start packing. Everyone has given me roughly the same advice about packing: "Travel very light. Pack your gear, then lose 30%. Mail the rest."

I have taken this advice to heart, so I am mailing virtually all of my stuff that is not essential until I am well settled at my FOB. This includes: extra toiletries, sheets, books, snacks, weapons accessories, and cigars.

Cigars are about the only creature comfort I am affording myself while gone. I am determined to eat my three squares at the dining facility, live in my Army gear, and basically hunker down for the year. However, I want to enjoy a good cigar on a regular basis.

My collection at home has grown steadily over the last year or so, despite the constant threat of spousal budgetary oversight. So I have quite a few to choose from. If you want to contribute to the cause, like every red-blooded American should, just send me your email address in a comment and I will give you my deployed mailing address. I will also have it available on facebook. I just don't want to put it on the web with unrestricted viewing for security reasons.

Welcome Back to the Blogosphere

2010-01-20T12:49:00.000-08:00

It has been quite a while since either Mandy or I have darkened the proverbial web doors of our blog. I expect our frequency of update to change substantialy in the coming months. I deploy to Afghanistan in less than a month, and I intend to use this space as a place to keep everyone informed. That means that whatever I put up here will already have to be sanitized for web usage. Obviously we are at war and loose lips enable and embolden the enemy. Therefore don't expect great operative insight into the 101st Airborne. However, I hope that it will be an easy way to journal my own experiences and stay in touch with many friends and family back home (and some of my Army pals elsewhere in harm's way).

Oldies, But Goodies

2008-12-16T19:44:00.000-08:00

This is a classic video of us trying to feed him some baby food that he did not care for. Its funny how babies let you know what they like and do not like even without speaking. This was shot in August, so its a bit dated. He seems so "young" to me in this video because he has changed so much between August and now.

Jackson loves his Aunt Rachel, and he loves "Mr. B". He calls his bear "B", and we added the Mr. for fun. This was shot in September, so its about 3 months old. I think he could really take that bear now.

Playing Outside

2008-11-19T20:14:00.000-08:00

This was shot in early October, and we had fun playing outside.

Jack fell in the tub

2008-11-19T20:02:00.000-08:00

I think this video is self-explanatory. Enjoy!

S. Braswell "Pop" Locker

2008-10-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

S. Braswell Locker, "Pop", passed away on Saturday, October 25, 2008. He was just shy of his 94th birthday. His is pictured above with Dan, Ryan, and Jackson Locker - 4 generations of Locker men. He was the patriarch of the Locker family, and he will be truly and sorely missed! We are all extremely grateful for his love and his legacy, and for his godly leadership of his family. We know he is with our father in heaven, and we are happy for him even though we grieve his absence from us.

In the Army Now

2008-10-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserves. It was a small ceremony in the District Courtroom. The Bulletin was in attendance, so here is their story and picture below.

Ryan Locker commissioned as Army Reserve JAG officer

By Gene Deason - Brownwood Bulletin

As a father, Dr. Dan Locker of Brownwood, retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general, expressed pride that his son, 35th District Court prosecutor Ryan Locker, has decided to become an attorney for the U.S. Army.

And as a father, his emotions couldn’t help but bubble to the surface.

“As a dad, I’m proud that Ryan has decided to join the U.S. Army Reserves as a JAG officer,” Dan Locker said during a brief ceremony Friday afternoon in 35th District Court, where Ryan Locker serves as an assistant district attorney. “When he was at Texas A&M, Ryan didn’t see this in his future, so he wasn’t involved in Reserve Officer Training Corps. But he’s seen the needs that our country has, in its defense, and has elected to volunteer.”
Ryan Locker was commissioned as a first lieutenant by his father, who is eligible to preside over the ceremony because he has been a military officer.

“I might be happier if he had chosen the blue uniform (of the Air Force), but the green is fine, too,” the senior Locker said with a smile.

The ceremony was attended by almost two dozen county employees, including District Attorney Micheal Murray, County Judge Ray West and County Attorney Shane Britton, and Cynthia Locker, Ryan’s mother; Mandy Locker, Ryan’s wife; and Jack Locker, their young son; and state Rep. Jim Keffer of Eastland.

“I hope you will extend a helping had to my wife and Jack,” Ryan Locker said in response. He also expressed appreciation to Murray and prosecutor Sam Moss who will carry an additional burden of taking local cases to district court while he is in JAG training, initially in Virginia. He said he expects to be away for training for much of three months.

“I remind you that every member wearing the uniform today is a volunteer,” Dan Locker said. “They are men and women who love this nation with a level of gratitude that they sacrifice so much, in order that there will be no more tyranny and no more oppression.”

Locker said officers can be commissioned several ways, including directly as his son has been, as the result of specific professional training in civilian life in fields such as medicine or law. Officers can also qualify by graduating from a military academy, or through ROTC at a university.

Mandy the Rock Star

2008-08-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

Mandy shredded some tunes and melted some faces with her hardcore renditions of Bon Jovi. Wow, that game is way more fun than should be allowed by law.

Also, Jackson is officially walking full time. That has come about in the last couple of weeks or so. He moves fast and falls a lot. therefore we have lots of little crises and boo-boos.

Flip This!

2008-08-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

Mandy's new birthday present is the Flip Mino, a tiny little video camera smaller than most digital cameras, that plugs directly into your computer via a "flip" out USB port.

So far the coolest feature of the Mino, other than its tiny form factor, is the fact that it has video compression software built in that is designed for posting video on the web. Both of these videos were over 50 mb. The larger one was something like 115 mb. Now the big one is 4.3 mb. This means it should take a whole lot less time to post videos now. Flippin' sweet.

Birthday Cake Mashup

2008-08-11T19:41:00.000-07:00

He really knows how to get after it. Just look at the determination in his face. It's hard to tell if he wanted to eat it or feel it more. Either way, it was lots of fun.

The rest of the birtday pics are in a new web album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/814Months

Also, Mandy's birthday was on the 6th, so those of you who are slackers can pretend you were busy for the last week and call her to wish her a belated birthday. She got a Flip Mino for her birthday, so hopefully we will be posting video more frequently now--at least as soon as she figures out what all it can do.

Our 5th anniversary is this Saturday. Mandy has decided to renew my contract. Thank goodness. I was worried about getting traded to the minor leagues.

It has been a busy month already.

Jackson Turns One . . . Twice

2008-08-11T19:34:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the one advantage to having family spread out across the state is that you have the oportunity to celebrate all great events more than once. Jack's first first birthday party was in White Oak with the Mitchells, and dovetailed nicely with little cousin Kane's birthday, so we got to have our kids race to see who could create the biggest mess with their little cakes. Jack defninitely won, but that may have been due to a very enthusiastic father's help. Kane got in his licks, though. He is walking all over the place, and gave Jack a good swat more than once. Jack would cry--not because he would hurt--but because he couldn't believe that his new friend would betray him like that. Baby drama, what can I say.

The second party was back at our house in Brownwood on his actual birthday, August 1. What greater event to celebrate than survival of our first year of parenthood. I think this was as much a self-congratulatory hair-letting-down as it was ringing in the big "uno" for Jack.

The party was actually a whole lot of fun. We had more kids than a Wal-Mart back to school sale, and everyone of them eventually loaded up and left without any threats of a lawsuit from their parents. Whew! The pinata was a hit, and, er. . . was hit. It really goes the show how much we underestimate the destructive force that is twenty children under 10 years old. When that thing broke it looked like rice coming off a UN aid truck in Darfur. Utter chaos.

Perhaps the single greatest moment of the second party was singing Happy Birthday to Jack: He was actually not in great spirits--especially considering that he was the man of the hour. We put him in the high chair outside for him to make another mess of another piece of cake. He did not want to be confined, so he was fussing. Judy brought the cake over and we all started singing. Jack all of the sudden realized that we were singing--to him, and that he really was the center of attention. He stopped fussing and got a big grin. He enjoyed it so much we sang it again. Have a ball, Jack!

Family Photo Preview

2008-07-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the three of us went to Kim Peterson's studio to do some family photos. Since it is now very close to Jackson's first birthday, we went ahead and did his one year old shots. She emailed us this one outtake as a preview of what is to come. He really does have a killer grip. Worse yet, he now thinks its funny to pull my leg and chest hair. Little scoundrel.

Gastronomical Giddy

2008-07-06T18:07:00.000-07:00

This was a new one. Jackson has played with his food before, but never while it was in his mouth.

Mobility = Mess

2008-07-06T18:03:00.000-07:00

Jackson is officially into everything. In this case, he and his walker made it over to the citronella plant on the back porch. He decided that the dirt looked like it was begging to be sampled.

Crawling and Walking

2008-06-29T13:43:00.000-07:00

Go Speed Racer, Go!

2008-06-08T13:24:00.000-07:00

Easter Pics (Belated)

2008-04-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

We finally found some time to post some new family pics. Most are from our Easter weekend in White Oak, but some have been taken since then. We have had a family wedding and a few quiet weekends since then. We created a new web album for all the pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/Easter2008

Jack is almost crawling now. He turns himself around with his arms, but still doesn't like to use his legs. He turns 9 months on Thursday, and Ryan turns 29 on Tuesday.

Adrianna

2008-03-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

Posted by Mandy:

Adrianna Grace Mitchell, my newest niece, was born on January 22, 2008 to my sister, Angela. (Adrianna is the little thing next to my giant baby boy! She is darker complected than Jackson, but she also had jaundice in this video.)

I got to be in the delivery room with Angela when she delivered Adri, and it was pretty fascinating. She was only 5 lbs 13 oz when she was born and 18.5 inches long. She was so tiny and birdlike compared with Jack. We had to rush out and fine preemie clothing because all of the newborn stuff just swallowed her up. Mom and Baby are doing fine, and from what I hear, Adrianna is almost 2 months old and she weighs 10 lbs now, so she has put on quite a bit of weight! You can check out newborn pictures of her at the following Web albums:

http://picasaweb.google.com/judy.m.mitchell/Mimi

http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/Adrianna_1 (warning: contains immediate post-delivery photos of the baby not cleaned up, yet - blood, lanugo, tubes, etc.)

Ryan and I will see Angela and Adrianna over Easter, so hopefully I'll have more pictures then, since she is 2 mos. old now.

I threw in the top picture of Jackson just because it was so cute. Doesn't he have the most beautiful eyes!

This post is long overdue, but that is what working, taking care of a baby, and renovating a house will do to you. I will have another post soon with more pictures of Jackson and my trip to D.C./ Baltimore and an update on our latest renovation success.

Small Town Newspapers

2008-02-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

Locker moves to assistant district attorney’s position
By Steve Nash — Brownwood Bulletin

After 23 months as assistant county attorney, Ryan Locker has moved on to a new job. He didn’t have to move far — just a few yards to the district attorney’s office, where he is now a felony prosecutor.

Locker’s first day as assistant district attorney was Friday, and Brown County commissioners approved his hiring Monday.District Attorney Micheal Murray selected Locker for the vacancy created by the resignation in May of Perry Sims.

“We’re excited about the addition of Ryan Locker as a new prosecutor in our office,” Murray said. Locker will work under the mentorship of Murray and First Assistant District Attorney Sam Moss, and will initially have assignments including working on asset forfeitures and seizures, legal research, appellate briefs, motions to revoke probation and motions to adjudicate, Murray said.

“I’m excited to make the move to felony, and I’m excited to be part of the team,” Locker said.Brown County Attorney Shane Britton hired Locker as assistant county attorney in March 2006.

Previously, Locker worked as an attorney for a Houston commercial litigation firm.Locker and his wife, Mandy, have one child. Locker is the son of Dan and Cynthia Locker of Brownwood.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

2008-01-03T16:02:00.000-08:00

Jackson's first Christmas was a wonderful one. He definitely is the most spoiled 5-month old around here. Both sets of grandparents gave him more toys than we could fit in the garage, much less in the nursery.

We had an early Christmas with my family in Brownwood before my parents and Rachel took off for the mission trip to Mexico. That was the biggest downer of this holiday season: only getting to spend one day with my sister, Rachel, who currently lives in Baltimore. Valerie and Tom were here for Thanksgiving, so I didn't see them at all, but we had a great Thanksgiving with them.

The Saturday before Christmas we packed up and drove to Longview for a family Christmas with Mandy's family. We had a great time enjoying the first Christmas in their new house, although it was far too cold and windy to use the pool.

The 26th we all packed up and went to Angel Fire for a few snowy days of retreat. I had planned to ski 3 days, but I sprained my right thumb on the first day when a little kid forced me off the slope into the rough and my tips dug in and I flipped forward. At least it was the last run on the first day. Bummer. I still was glad to be up in the mountains. Amy taught us some new games, and David retaught some old ones. And Emily's new Wii . . . well, now that was more fun than any of us expected.

We got some great photos of Jackson all bundled up, and actually took him sledding down the drive. Lots of winter fun. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Welcome to 2008, Jackson.

I have created a new web album for the next phase of Jackson's development. Here is the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/FourTo8Months

BTW, anyone can order prints of the photos from the webalbums just by clicking on the link that says "order prints" at the top of each album. Then you can choose who does your prints.

Jack's New Hat

2007-12-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

My mom b0ught Jackson a new hat. It is the kind of hat that that you would generally make fun of any adult who was caught wearing it in public. I think technically it is referred to as a "newsboy" or "Gatsby," but I simply know it as a cap that only an infant can get away with wearing. Actually I quite like it on him. Funny how that works.

This photo also made me realize that I have very little worth telling the world about that doesn't involve new photos of our baby. We have become baby boring. Interestingly, we like it that way. Simplicity has its merits.

We have, however, begun work on a new house project. We are in the process of redrywalling/texturing/painting/new light fixture-ing the foyer, living room, and dining room. I promise to update the AtomicBirdcage blog very soon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-28T18:27:00.000-08:00

We had a great Thanksgiving. Twice.

On Thursday we went to Abilene to have turkey with my mom's side of the family and got three inches of snow.

Friday Pop broke his hip and therefore could not make it to the Locker Thanksgiving at Tim and Julie's new place on the Colorado River, so I ate his portion of the turkey. He told me he didn't mind. He is out of surgery and doing well.

Our Sunday Thanksgiving on the river was a lot of fun. We got some great picture opportunities of Jack with his little cousins. It was cute squeezing him and little Ella in the swing.

Bathtime Fun With Jackson

2007-11-21T20:27:00.000-08:00

I just thought I would post some new photos of our precious little man for everyone's enjoyment. Bathtime really is the best time of day with him. He loves to splash and kick his feet and 'talk' to us. The Johnny-Jump-Up has also been a real hit. He is getting stronger by the day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Night in Casablanca; New Photos of Jackson

2007-11-18T20:29:00.000-08:00

Last night Mandy and I went to a went to a fundraiser for the restoration of Brownwood's historic Lyric Theater. The theme was "A Night in Casablanca." The event was set up to be like Rick's Cafe Americana, complete with Moroccan food, a big band, gaming tables, and a cigar bar. It was a really fun night, and quite a well done event for humble little Brownwood. The big news of the night was that someone donated a half million dollars to the project, which should get the theater well on its way. It will be great to enjoy it when it is complete.

I had the good fortune to have won the most chips at the gaming area (playing Texas Hold-'em), and so we walked away with the big door prize for the night, which included dinner for two at The Turtle, Brownwood's only gourmet restaurant.

I have posted a lot of new photos of Jackson from over the past couple weeks in the WebAlbum. Please take a look here: http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/TwoMonthsToFourMonths

Jackson is up to 16 pounds now. He is quite chunky, but has the cutest pinchable cheeks you've ever seen.

Mandy's 10-Year High School Reunion

2007-11-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

We had a good weekend in White Oak, seeing family, going to the reunion, playing Halo 3 until the wee hours of the morning (thanks again, David). I also know that everyone was excited to see what a little butterball Jackson is becoming. There was no shortage of offers to baby-sit while we went to the reunion on Saturday night.

Its always interesting to see what people have done with their lives in the 10 years after high school. Some were very successful and productive, others not so much. The funny thing is that I didn't even go to high school with these folks and I could still pick out the goofballs and jerks after 10 years. Some things never change. It was a fun evening, and I know Mandy enjoyed catching up with old friends. I spent most of the evening talking to Glauco and Aaron, which was fine by me--we almost solved all the world's problems in one evening.

I have to experience this vicariously through Mandy because I doubt Kaiserslautern American High School (ahh, beloved K-town) will ever be able to successfully put together a reunion--given that we are all over the world now. Some folks tried to put together a cruise/reunion this summer, but it just didn't work out.

Stuart's Wedding in Nashville

2007-10-31T19:58:00.000-07:00

We spent an extended weekend in Nashville to attend Stuart Young's wedding to his new bride, Tracy, who we only met for the first time this weekend.

It was a great trip because we got to hang out with Stuart, and Lee and Stephanie Koehler--who were wonderful hosts. Lee and Stephanie's little boy, Jonathan, is seven months, and Jack had a fun time playing with his toys while Jonathan glared wondering if this was the little usurper who would steal his favorite belongings and his parents love.

On Saturday, we dressed Jonathan, Jackson, and little friend Charlotte up in Halloween costumes to go to some local Trunk-or-Treats. As it turns out, we were a few days early, and ended up just buying some candy, bringing it back to Lee and Stephanie's house and taking photos that our children will hate us for later. Lots of fun.

Thanks again to Lee and Stephanie for being great hosts, and congrats to Stuart and Tracy as they enjoy marital bliss.

Jackson TV, Vol. 2

2007-10-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

Your requests have not fallen on deaf ears, Amy. We have filmed and uploaded new footage just for you.

Here is Jack at his cutest. He thought he was upset, but I convinced him otherwise.

Visiting Baby Jackson

2007-10-23T15:06:00.000-07:00

We have been blessed in recent weeks with visits from some of our closest friends from around the state. Almudena, Jennifer, and Barbara came a few weeks ago. About a month ago Sarah Bubb came up for a visit, and then last weekend Jason and his wife Yuki came up from Houston. I will get a Sarah-Jack picture up as soon as I can find one.

It has been great to share our little bundle of joy with our friends. Everyone seems to have enjoyed playing with our not-so-tiny little boy. Jason and Yuki even brought him a traditional Japanese outfit from their recent trip to Japan. I now know why parents love dressing their kids up in different outfits and taking embarassing pictures--its fun!

Jack is now about 14-15 pounds and growing every day. He has at least two chins, maybe more and lots of rolls on his thighs. So he seems to be eating well. I thought he would be a small forward, but maybe instead he is destined to be a linebacker.

I know I have neglected the blog for a while, so I am going to try to make up for it with a bunch of pics I just pulled off the cameras.

I have started a new folder in the web album, so take a look. http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/TwoMonthsToFourMonths

We are off to Nashville on Thursday morning for Stuart and Tracy's wedding. We are looking forward to meeting his bride and hanging out with Lee and Stephanie Koehler. Jack and little Jonathan Koehler can have an infant play date.

Back from vacation in Colorado and New Mexico

2007-09-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

Mandy, Jackson, and I just returned from our first vacation with a 3-member family. We spent about a week in the Durango-Lake Vallecito area of CO with my Uncle Brad and Aunt Ginger and about 4 days in Angel Fire, NM with Mandy's parents. We took a looooooong day hike (~13 miles), a great jeep trip to an amazing view, and did some 4-wheeling through the trails in Angel Fire. My mom, Mandy's mom, and Aunt Ginger were happy to babysit while Mandy and I got out into the wilderness. It was a great trip and Jackson is an excellent traveler (he sleeps in the car), but it is good to get back.

Jackson is growing like a weed and gets cuter and more interactive every day. I have lumped all of our trip photos into the Two Weeks Through Two Months folder on the WebAlbum, so take a look at our vacation and at Jackson's growth: http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/TwoWeeksThroughTwoMonths

Ella Grace Locker, 11 lbs 1 ounce

2007-08-27T20:44:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 9:13 pm, we welcomed Jack's newest little cousin, Ella Grace Locker into the world. She is born to my first cousin, Chad Locker and his wife Meredith. Meredith was blessed with a relatively smooth delivery after being induced six days late.

It is a good thing that they didn't wait any longer because Ella was a formidable 11 pounds, 1 ounce and 22 1/2 inches long. I think Chad and Meredith are going to need a bigger car seat. At three 1/2 weeks old, Jackson isn't even up to 9 pounds yet. Jackson had better be afraid, because his cousin may bully him for lunch money.

Jack may not be the youngest Locker any more, but he is still the littlest.

More photos of Ella's arrival can be viewed here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/EllaGraceLocker

Mood Swings, New Pics

2007-08-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Jackson is doing wonderfully and is an absolute joy. He is so much fun now that he is starting to interact with us. He coos and smiles, and cries and pouts. He really is a funny little guy.

I finally got that new web album created and I put a bunch of new photos in it, so take a look:

http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/TwoWeeksThroughTwoMonths

Picasa WebAlbums has been on the fritz today so don't be alarmed if some photos won't load. Check back in a couple days and everything should be running smoothly.

Check out our first installment of Jackson TV! This is a great little clip of him actually smiling and interacting with us.

Two and a half weeks; four years

2007-08-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

We are now at the 2 1/2 week mark with Jack, and Mandy and I celebrated our fourth anniversary on Thursday night. My mom was gracious enough to take care of Jack for a few hours. She didn't require very much persuasion.

Jack is as beautiful as ever and is really starting to interact more with us. He is coo-ing and smiling regularly--which is about 3-4 weeks early. He is such a mellow little guy. He really doesn't have big fussy spells, and the small ones that he has are all digestion related.

Things are fairly quiet now that everyone has gone home. Valerie and the little ones were the last to go and they left on Wednesday. It is sad to see everyone go (especially since I don't see either of my beloved sisters frequently), but it is kind of nice to have Jack to ourselves for a bit.

We are now anxiously preparing for the birth of Jack's little cousin, Ella Grace Locker, who will be born to my first-cousin Chad and his wife Meredith. They live right around the corner from us so we are looking forward to each having a little playmate as they grow. Ella is due to join us on Tuesday, August 21.

I will start a new album for 2 weeks through 2 months, so check back soon for the link. I also will try to put some video up on the blog soon.

Mandy's Birthday

2007-08-08T18:17:00.000-07:00

On August 6th we celebrated Mandy's 28th birthday. She got the best present anyone could ever ask for: a healthy baby boy--but of course if I had not gotten her another present she would have called foul. We spent the evening with lots of family. Both my sisters are in town, Valerie and her two little ones in from Indianapolis and Rachel in from Baltimore. Also, my dad's parents, Dr. Braswell and Billie Locker, 92 and 86, were both present. It is special to get to have photos like the middle one with four generations represented.

Jack is doing wonderfully and gets cuter every day. He sleeps about 6 hours each night (not in a row, but usually with only 1 or at most 2 interruptions). We are still trying to figure out how to convince our bodies that 5 hours of sleep is perfectly normal, and we are getting pretty fast at the diaper changes. It finally is starting to slow down and we feel like we can take that big sigh and enjoy the moment. I finally got to smoke a good cigar in honor of Jack's birth (Fuente Fuente Opus X Reserva D'Chateau--nothing but the absolute best for this occasion).

Thanks to everyone for checking in on our new arrival and all of the kind words. It has been a real blessing to have so much support.

More photos have been added to the web album, view them by clicking here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/TheFirstDays

Home from the Hospital

2007-08-04T12:43:00.000-07:00

We came home from the hospital yesterday evening around 6 p.m. It was exciting to see how well we can do this parenting thing when we don't have a staff of nurses looking over. Jackson is the most wonderfully quiet and calm baby. He hardly ever fusses or cries, and when he does, he stops as soon as you figure out his issue. I had to take him back to the hospital for another blood test this morning. He has a little bit of jaundice that we are keeping an eye on--nothing serious.

I have added more photos from the second and third days to the Picasa WebAlbum. Take a look:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/TheFirstDays

Welcome to Planet Earth, Jackson Daniel Locker

2007-08-02T11:36:00.000-07:00

Our beautiful son was born last night at 11:48 pm by surprise C-section. He weighed 8 lbs even, was 19 1/2 inches long, and is as beautiful and healthy as they come.

Mandy and I went to the hospital at 5:30 a.m. and they started induction by 6:00 a.m. By noon the doctor still could not break her water even though she was having steady contractions. When he came back at 5:00 p.m. she had dialated to 1 cm and he broke her water. Her contractions and her pain got a lot stronger right after. Her epidural was started about 5:45 p.m. She quickly progressed to 3 cm, then 5, and then jumped from 5 to 10 cm within an hour. We started pushing at about 9:00 p.m. She pushed for almost an hour and a half with little progress. His head got stuck without being able to get under her pelvic bone. Our doctor, Michael Neel, said that she might push for another two hours without getting anywhere, so he recommended that we do a C-section. We were a little disappointed, but knew that we needed to get our boy out.

The neat thing was that my father, who is a general surgeon, got to be the assisting surgeon for the operation. In fact, my dad was the one that actually pulled him out. It was very special, and I knw my dad was ecstatic to get to play such a big part of the process.

I will post a lot more photos as soon as I can. I need to get back to the hospital to see if we can get Mandy walking now.

Lots more photos are in the Picasa WebAlbum that can be viewed by clicking this link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/TheFirstDays

The Agony of 'Da Feet

2007-07-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

You would not know it from this pic (which was taken about 3 minutes ago), but Mandy and I are getting pretty weary of waiting. I think Jack kicked the funny bone in the pic. We are ready for this baby, but he is being stubborn. Like father, like son.

It is looking more and more like this baby is only going to come out by force, so plan on getting the big news on Wednesday morning. She is scheduled for an induction at 6:00 a.m. Keep praying for us in these final hours. That we don't pull our hair out, or get caught making funny faces again. (Mandy is not happy that I am posting this way-too-cute picture.)

Still no baby

2007-07-29T12:44:00.000-07:00

We are three days late and still no baby. Not much happening in that department either. Mandy still feels normal and like she is not in labor. We are getting pretty anxious, but it is looking more and more like the baby will come by induction on Wednesday morning.

The date has arrived, but not the baby

2007-07-26T13:50:00.001-07:00

I just returned from the doctor's office with Mandy, and she is still pretty closed up. It looks like we will not have a baby today. He said things were starting to soften up and that his head had dropped some, but her cervix is still tucked up in the back and not dialated.

We are more than ready. We had planned on this date for quite a while and now it just feels anxious. Maybe the anticipation will make the joy that much better, but it sure isn't much fun waiting now.

39 Weeks and Counting

2007-07-19T13:02:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Mandy's 39 week appointment at the doctor. He says that she is starting to show signs that the baby is dropping into her pelvis, but we probably won't have a baby until next week. Her cervix is still pretty closed up. But he also said at this stage it really could be any day.

We are both kind of hoping that he at least waits until after Monday because we have few things between now and then: I have to be in Austin all day tomorrow for a CLE, Mandy's mom arrives Sunday evening, and Mandy has a baby shower on Monday evening. After that, bring on the childbirth!

Actually, I think we are pretty well ready for the baby to get here. The nursery is finished (I still need to post photos on AtomicBirdcage). We have all of our baby stuff lined up. I even put the infant car seat in Mandy's car so that she could get used to driving around with it. My friends Lee and Stephanie sent us a box of clothes that their new son just grew out of--I remember seeing their son in those clothes from pics on their blog, so I am starting to picture what our little boy is going to look like. It is an exciting time and we are definitely getting anxious.

My Sister Rachel

2007-06-29T06:53:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post that my sister, Rachel, who is up in Baltimore, just got her blog up and running. For all of you that know Rachel, and for those that should, her blog address is www.lettersofred.blogspot.com

Enjoy.

BTW, we are down to less than 4 weeks before the big arrival.

Day at the Lake - 6-23-07

2007-06-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

Our Sunday-school class enjoyed a beautiful day at Lake Brownwood State Park this past Saturday. I think we had enough boats to ferry Washington's army across the Patomac, but it was nice to have the flexibility to do what you wanted. Some skied, some wakeboarded, some tubed, some fished, some ferried little tikes all over the lake on a jet ski. It was fun. It never really feels like summer until I have been on the water. I have gotten my fix. I know Mandy wished that she were able to enjoy more of the fun, but she is 8 months along now, so physical recreation is somewhat limited. I know she enjoyed riding in the boat and being in the sun.

The rest of the pics can be viewed in this Picasa web album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/LakeAndFishing2007

3-D Sonogram Pics (Finally)

2007-06-20T18:27:00.000-07:00

These were done about three weeks ago, but we are just now getting them up. You can see that the angle of how he is situated makes all the difference as to how well they come out. He was leaning his head against the placenta (on his left side) the whole time, which made getting good shots challenging. He is so cute! You can see his little hand underneath his chin in the second photo. We can hardly wait for his arrival. We are down to about five weeks now.

The full collection of our 3-D sonogram pics is available in our Picasa web album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/3DSonogram

So Much for the Attack Cat

2007-06-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

Some felines just don't have that killer instinct. Cricket is one of them. It appears that he couldn't care less about our whitetailed friend. Notice the indifferent kitty in the foreground. Such a disappointment.

6 Weeks and Counting

2007-06-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

Mandy is now officially 34 weeks along. Her 'baby bump' is now very obvious and very sexy.

Wild Kingdom!

2007-06-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

A young whitetail doe and her fawn have taken up residence in our backyard. She was first sighted a couple days ago munching grass only a few feet from our bedroom window. The strange thing is that we have a full privacy fence around the yard and I recently repaired all of the holes. She is getting in through a gap below the grate that allows water to flow through our yard. I got this footage today at lunch. I was unable to locate the fawn, but Mandy says its quite young--still has spots.

I really don't mind the extra wildlife, but part of our garden is exposed for her to eat. So long as she stays away from our tomatoes, squash, and peppers we should all get along fine. Otherwise I will have to dispatch a brigade of vicious (but de-clawed) domestic cats. Right now Pirate and Cricket appear indifferent to our herbivorous freeloader, but with the right motivation we might get some footage that looks like a leopard chasing an impala on the Serengeti. That would be a sight.

If Looks Could Kill (aka The Unsuccessful Hog-Hunting Trip)

2007-06-04T12:03:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, my friend Jason Peterson and I went to try to reduce the population of one of Texas' biggest vermin problems: feral hogs. They have torn up the fences all over this family-owned ranch in the southern portion of Brown County. I have only hunted this ranch twice, both in December, and both times I saw hogs. The first time I took a decent 225lb boar. Hogs make very good sausage, and I still have 30+ pounds from that one.

We actually went out on Friday night and put out bait in three locations. We used fermented maize, spoiled deer corn, and some cranberry-smelling syrup called PigOut. We did everything you are supposed to do, following all of the pig hunting recommendations.

We came back on Saturday with visions of Hogzilla dancing in our heads, but did not see a thing. We buried our bait in known pig feeding area, we used all the right baits, and still nothing. However, we did look the part. Jason was feeling exceptionally surly, believing that he might actually have to change clips on his AR-10. That would have meant firing 20 shots before reloading. We did not fire a single round.

There is more to hunting than finding, and I still count the day as a success. We walked miles through wildflowers on one of the nicest spring days I can remember. The rain has been plentiful this spring and you can see its results everywhere.

Mandy and Cricket

2007-05-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

I caught her taking a cat nap and could not resist catching it in a very 'film noire' manner.

Tiffany and RJ Tie the Knot, Sarah Comes for a Visit

2007-05-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

We have had a busy couple of weekends, and wanted to share.

Last weekend we went to Salado for a very beautiful wedding between Tiffany Simpson and RJ Sealock, both up-and-coming doctors in Houston. The ceremony was at a historic monument Methodist Church in Salado. It really looked like the story-book country church with steeple and bells and all. It was standing room only in the little sanctuary and the service was very spiritual, Godly, and graciously brief (as most services are becoming these days). The reception was a lot of fun and lots of dancing. The Simpsons had rented out a historical B&B in Salado, where we were lucky enough to get to stay. One of the best parts of the experience was that Mandy and I got to spend some quality time with our friends. In particular, it was nice to hang out with Barbara, Emily, George, Keye, Kendrick, Waites, and Becca all at the B&B after everything had quieted down. Good to see all of you! I had really never gotten to hang out or even chat much with Keye, and I really enjoyed it. Kendrick and Waites: you need to come visit soon. We can sit and organize my iTunes until your heart's content. It really is not that far.

We had the pleasure of hosting Sarah Bubb this weekend here in Brownwood. She came up to catch up and get some R&R. We did not do that much, but it was a lot of fun. We watched three movies, made fish tacos on Friday night, and sushi rolls on Saturday night. She even helped strip some wallpaper on Saturday morning. We wish you well and send you to Colorado with our prayers and a little of our money.

Ryan's Birthday Weekend

2007-04-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we went and shot sporting clays out at the ranch with a few of the college kids from HPU that we teach in Bible Study. We grilled burgers and broke a lot of clays. It was a lot of fun.

On Sunday afternoon we had a small BBQ in the backyard. Everyone seemed to have a good time. Especially the kids, who all wanted to do something messy or dangerous like play in the creek or jump in the empty fountain. Ah, the good old days when you were invincible.

Thanks for coming!

Enjoy the pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dryanlocker/RyanSBirthday2007

Brownwood Fort Hood Day, 4-20-07

2007-04-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Mandy and I got to be part of a group of Brownwood people who got to go to Fort Hood for a tour and a demonstration of a lot of their gear. Brownwood is in a region of central and west Texas called the Western Training Area where the Army's attack choppers (particularly the Apaches and Longbows) train. They send fake bad guys (called OpFor - Opposition Forces) all around our areas in HumVees designed to look like Russian vehicles, trucks with fake .50 cal. guns on top made to look like insurgents, etc. --and the stage fake wars in our backyard, using laser guns mounted into modified real guns as fake weapons. All of the vehicles (including the choppers) have laser sensors to tell when they have been "hit" by laser fire. The ground vehicles even have flashing lights that go off when they are "killed" so that the choppers can confirm a hit.

So because the Army is constantly running war games in this part of Texas, they have made a great effort to have a cooperative relationship with the residents. So about 30 of us, including the Mayor, our County Commissioners, County Judge, business leaders, etc. all got picked up in Brownwood in 3 Blackhawk helicopters and flown to Fort Hood (only about 80 miles away). Once there we got a tour and a briefing about the Fort and its missions. We then toured their museum, which included the box containing the cash that Saddam Hussein had stashed with him in his spider hole when caught ($750K).

We then had a tasty meal of MREs. Actually they are a lot better than when I tried one in high school. We then got to tour all of their War Games toys, like the radar Hummers, and other vehicles. Yes, that is a real Russian RPG Mandy is holding, modified to shoot a laser out the front. That is the exact kind of RPG that the insurgents in Iraq are using to shoot down our Blackhawks.

We then got to play in the Apache/Longbow simulators and shoot stuff in virtual reality. The sense of reality was enough to make you nauseus when you entered a hard bank with the chopper. Dave and Busters would probably charge about $1000 per minute for that kind of game. It was pretty amazing to see the technology that our guys hone their skills on.

Then they took us to the shooting range and we got to shoot some military guns: Baretta M9 (handgun), M16 (light machine gun), and M249 SAW (awesome full machine gun that shoots .223). They also had a Browning M2 .50 cal. heavy machine gun, a.k.a. "Ma Deuce," and they demoed it, but would not let us shoot it. The deep sound of the .50 really puts things in perspective--it is a lot more gun than a .223.

Then we got to go walk around and explore a bunch of the choppers including all the areas of the Blackhawk, Huey, and Apache/Longbow. The Longbow is the updated version of the Apache with all the cool new gadgets in the cockpit.

We then got back on board our Blackhawks and flew back to Brownwood. It was a really fun day. I hope next year they let us throw some hand grenades. . . one can always hope.

CRAZY Texas weather!

2007-04-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

Well, two weeks ago we got 4 inches of rain in an evening, causing some borderline flooding. You can really see in the video why the bridge is sometimes necessary. We have a drainage ravine/creek that runs through the back yard, but only has water in it during rains or shortly thereafter. Our neighbors have a pond that is about 3 acres large, and the dam is the same side as our house. When we got that hard rain, the water was coming over the dam. Just to give you and idea, if you look at the fence to the right of the bridge, the bottom of that fence is actually about 3 1/2 feet above the bottom of the ravine/creek, with the bottom part being metal grating to allow water to pass through.

As if that wasn't crazy enough, two days after all thar rain it was almost 90 degrees outside.

And then to top it off, Saturday, yes, this Saturday--the day before Easter, we got 3 inches of snow.

Absolutely crazy.

Misadventures with an airless spray gun

2007-03-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

Once again I have managed to cover myself with paint for no good reason. I thought I would save time in painting my den by borrowing my friend's airless spray rig, but instead I got this cool picture of me looking like Mr. Freeze.

That is my sister Rachel there in the photo with me. She leaves at 5 am tomorrow to move to Baltimore, where she starts a residency at John's Hopkins Med. She is actually the pilot resident in a brand new program at JH for ER/Trauma PAs.

In other news, I finally finished my appellate brief in a long-in-the-tooth civil case I have been handling for the county. Now I can get back to my normal routine and my stress level will go down. I should have oral arguments on the case in about 2 months. I am actually looking forward to it, as this is the first appeal that I am handling all by myself. Good experience.

It's a boy!!! (aka "the turtle")

2007-03-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

We went in for Mandy's 20 week sonogram on Wednesday (which she was actually 21 weeks along). Both of my parents and Mandy's mom and little sister, Emily, were along for the ride. Everything looked normal and good. We could see all four chambers of the heart and also see the intricate little spine. Then of course we all wanted to know what color to paint the nursery. It took a little while to get the baby into the right position, but once we did, it was pretty obvious.

The doc said we were looking for either 3 lines or "the turtle," and it is pretty clear that we found the turtle. He will be thoroughly embarassed to learn that he was exposed for the world to see even before he was born, but we just wanted to share our neat pictures, which show just how obvious it is that we are having a son. - Ryan

I think the photos are fairly obvious. Number 1 shows off my small, but growing, baby "bump". Number 2 is a profile, full length shot of our boy. The head is to the left and his leg is on the right scrunched up near his torso. He is making a little fist up near his face, but all you can see are the top parts of his five fingers. Number 3 is a waist down shot, with the legs stretched out on the left side of the picture. Ryan has kindly circled his boy parts. We've also included the rest of the sonogram pictures. Enjoy! - Mandy

Painting is Fun!

2007-03-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you clean a paint roller with a high pressure water hose. Oh well, I wash up pretty well.

Vic Falls Bungee

2007-03-07T21:50:00.000-08:00

This was August 2005 on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, over the Victoria Falls Bridge. This was on the tail end of my 3 week safari with my dad. 350 meters of sheer terror . . . but at least I got a good pose for the camera in the last one.

2007-02-28T18:05:00.000-08:00

Meet the Lockers!

2007-02-28T17:59:00.000-08:00

Hello!
This is Ryan and Mandy's blog about our life and our growing family, and we will be posting photos and updates as we can.

Please also check out our house remodel blog: ATOMIC BIRDCAGE (atomicbirdcage.blogspot.com)