Brian Woodland

My name is Brian Woodland.  My life, family, and business are all under construction.

I will turn 43 this year and plan to make the next 43 years twice as good as the past 43 have been (and I don’t have much to complain about).

My lovely wife, Michelle, and I will celebrate 20 years of marriage this year.  We plan to make the next 20 even more fulfilling than the past 20.

We have five children, and we resemble Bill Cosby’s remark: “My wife and I have five children, and the reason why we have five children is because we do not want six!”

I teach Sunday School at church.  Sunday School is my favorite assignment, but I worry because more often than I would like, I’m asked to quit teaching and do something else.  Even so, in various settings, I have been teaching gospel-related topics for more than 23 years.

I strive to be a good disciple of Jesus Christ.  I’m working to put my daily life actions more in line with my personal values, which will likely be a construction project until the day I die.

My advice to my kids about college?  Don’t go.  Start a business instead.  (Future link about the value of high school and college today.)

My wife’s business is Michelle Hartley Photography.  She photographs newborns, children, couples, and families.  I always try to make the time to assist her during photo sessions.  I’m very good at holding a lens cap.

I took the headshot of Michelle, above.  (She took mine, of course.)  Photography is a good hobby for me for two reasons: (1) I have a crush on my teacher and this gives me an excuse to hang out with her more often and (2) it gives me an opportunity to exercise my right brain and try my hand at creativity.

Not Under Construction