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Bruce Prothro

@prothroatx

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Passions, pastimes, and observations in no particular order.
Half of the winemaking team at Prothro Family Wines (@prothro_family_wines)

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Thinking of my niece...Janelle Jacobson...who left this world 6 years ago today.

Gone far too soon. Far too young. And greatly missed.

Life is interesting in many ways.

With the recent knowledge that there is a whole other family we share through my father, Brooks Prothro (my he RIP), and getting to meet them there is also reflection on those we loved that are no longer with us to share in this great news, discovery, and budding relationships.

More importantly, the newness highlights our losses and reminds us of how fragile and complex life can be.

Janelle was a beautiful person. A young girl we saw grow into a woman. A person with an infectious smile. Intelligent, a good athlete, a loving daughter, kind, and a person with a good soul.

I was privileged and honored to be her uncle for 30 years and wish we had had more time together.

It's hard to believe it's been 6 years.
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#family #cheers by @prothroatx

It's a nice night for a soirée...
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#fortworth #cheers by @prothroatx

Today was a functional/fitness training day...love the cooler weather

3 Sets
Pull-ups - 10
Farmer Carries - 50 yards/54lbs per hand
Push-ups - 14
Abdominal Wheel - 14
Ball Slams - 30 lbs 12x
One-handed Farmer Carries - 50 per yards per hand/54 lbs
Russian Twists - 20
V-ups - 20
Inverted Rows - 10

5 minute row
5 minute Assault Bike -15 sec (over 300 watts) intervals
3.25 mike walk at 16:20 pace by @prothroatx

Sonntagsspaziergang...a lovely Sunday walk through and around the TCU campus.
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#sonntagsspaziergang #cheers by @prothroatx

It was a fun day at SMU and watching an amazing 2nd half as the Ponies scored 42 points in the half for an overpowering victory against the California Golden Bears.

I played at Cal, had season tickets for 21 years, and thought I bled blue & gold...but...after 15 years in Texas, I see what a commitment to excellence really looks like.

Pony up!
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#smumustangs #cheers by @prothroatx

Some mornings are focused and crisp...and some mornings are languid and scattered...but all mornings are effective
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#workout #fortworth #cheers #kettlebells by @prothroatx

I've become a huge fan of this spice sent to wine club members by @bialevineyards...it rocks!

Garlic, parsley, sea salt, chili...perfect.

Tonight it's going on roasted new potatoes.

I'm going to need more...a lot more!
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#spice #bialevineyards #cheers by @prothroatx

So...what if I told you that you get to meet some pretty cool and beautiful people today who happen to be your father's grandkids.

Amazing, huh?

It seems my father (Brooks Prothro), fathered a son while he was a senior in high school in Greenwood Springs, MS. That son, William Jack McDonald, was born in Vernon, AL in Dec. 1957. He was eventually adopted by his great-uncle, DW McDonald, and was raised outside of Waco.

My father never knew he had another child. For him, it was always my sister and me. He never got to meet Jack and, as a result, he never knew he had five other grandkids and 3 great-grandkids.

Jack passed away in 2009. My father passed away in 2018. I feel a loss never having met Jack, and I feel an even bigger loss knowing I had a half-brother who both my father and I would have embraced and welcomed into our family.

So...how did this happen?

Earlier this year there was an ancestory.com DNA test and a notice I had a match who was my half-niece. After some sleuthing by @jacobprothro and some IG messaging followed by a few phone calls to Jack's birthmother, we were able to piece the history together and solve the puzzle.

Today, we got to meet 4 of Jack's 5 kids and share stories and introductions over an appropriately long lunch in Waco.

It's miraculous to realize we share a history traceable to Brooks. It's also amazing knowing we are all here today because of certain "actions" undertaken by Brooks. It's further amazing to meet them, even as adults, accepting our lives have taken different paths, that we have our own history, that our circumstances are different, but knowing we are related and share a bond propagated by one man that bridges across Prothros and McDonalds.

There is so much I wish...I wish my father knew, I wish Brooks and Jack had met, I wish Tami, Jack, and I had met, and I wish my kids could have met him.

But I am grateful for ancestory.com, a DNA test, and the chance to meet 4 amazing and gifted people.

My life is richer knowing they are here, Jack is alive in them, and we share an indelible history imprinted by one young man's actions played out in a cottonfield on the MS/AL stateline. 🙂

God bless family! by @prothroatx

It's been a good day. A great night shy, family (the son and the teacher), and SMU win, a wonderful cool (for Texas) Fall day, and college 🏈.
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#Saturday #cheers by @prothroatx

It's another college football day in America...
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#ponyup #gomustangs #college🏈 #cheers by @prothroatx

Back on the turf.

A different type of day but managed to get the work done.
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#workingout #cheers by @prothroatx

It was a great 65th celebration.
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#happybirthday rthday #cheers by @prothroatx