Our first out of town trip

What a fun day today was!!! We traveled to Manhattan for a fun shower Erika (my pregnant sister-in-law) put on for us. What fun to see and connect with people we haven't seen in years. It was sweet to get to hug numerous kiddos that have arrived and grown in the years we've been away. Thanks Eeka for a very special day!!!

And we got to see my brother and sister-in-law's house that seems to be getting so close to being finished. Nate, thanks for dropping in, even after a full day, just to meet Elias and give hugs. Blessed me big time!!!

And then it was off to Abilene for some yummy Brookville fried chicken and a picnic with Dave, Laurie and their precious girls to celebrate Dave's birthday. That will be a special memory!

Bummer I didn't take a single picture the entire day. I think just the traveling with 3, figuring out when and where to nurse Elias, etc took most of my attention. I'll be honest, I'm a little overwhelmed by the road trips that await us when we get back home. But we have some time to sharpen our traveling skills before we get there.

Week 3

We have lovingly nicknamed him our "one-eyed pirate." He has this amazing skill of sleeping while periodically opening one eye to check out life around him. He's probably quickly honed this skill out for sheer survival; a need to always know what brother and sister are up to and if they are coming to "tackle" him with love! :)

This week he started "talking." Can you see his little mouth pushing out a "coo" and when he locks on with the eye contact . . . there's no escaping his gaze.

I know the picture is not the best (remember, I'm having to learn how to take everything in manual for my class) but I couldn't pass on sharing her expression. "He's talking Mommy, he's talking" are the words that go with that face!

Photography Class

Tonight I attended my first photography class. I've signed up to take a 5 session course through the Wichita City of the Arts. Unbeknownst to my teacher, I showed up with an infant, but he did great through the whole class. We have to shoot the entire course in the manual settings on our camera. I'm feeling quite intimidated, but know it will be fun and I'll learn a lot. Hopefully, it will be noticeable in the photos to come!

Week 2

Elias' second week has been filled with lots more loving and just figuring life out. Unfortunately a week into life, he caught his brother and sister's nasty cold. So he has been really congested. But he's stayed amazingly laid back! Such a fun little guy!

Watching cartoons with Elli, who is so excited to have her new little buddy here.

This really captures his sweet, laid back self!

The Jog-a-thon!

We have entered the world of having school aged children. Ethan enthusiastically brought home a flyer several weeks ago reporting the PTA fundraising event for the fall to be a jog-a-thon. Though I wasn't thrilled about him asking for money from a wide slew of people, I did like the idea of encouraging physical activity over selling large amounts of cookie dough or magazine subscriptions. I have since come to learn that he has a VERY competitive teacher who really encourages the kids to participate fully; cause she wins prizes too. For the class that raised the most, the teacher wins a new set of tennis shoes. She was pushing them hard.

The kindergarten class was slotted to run from 2:15-2:30. So we loaded Elias in the stroller and headed on down to cheer Ethan on. Austin volunteered to keep the water station fully operational. It was hilarious how many of the little guys felt they needed a pit stop at the water station after every lap. Ethan was determined to race his hardest and fastest; even though he only had one per lap donation.

Can you find him? Heads above most of the other kids, pushing hard through the chaos!


Waiting to get his lap card punched before pushing on for the next sprint.

Ethan ran 11 laps and ran them with all his heart. Thanks to all that supported him. And since then, the totals have come out. His class raised over $1,500, almost double any other class. His teacher will soon be sporting her new sneakers. :)

Week 1

Elias' first week has been filled with lots of family time, fun visitors, and the unfortunate (and slightly traumatic) circumcision.

Cuddle time with Grandma Vickie

Elli in all her adoration!
Of her own initiative, Elli loves to console Elias when he cries. "It's okay baby Elias. I'm not Cookie Monster. I'm your big sister!"

Babu time

Getting some Gogo loving


His first bath, definitely my chunkiest baby yet. So precious!


And after his first bath, all squeaky clean. Now the angle of the picture exaggerates it, but this little guy sure has his Daddy's forehead.

Elli promises "I won't touch him Mommy, I just sleep by him." Both Elli and Ethan are fighting nasty colds. Yet trying to keep the kisses to a minimum is pretty impossible.


Elias' first day home from the hospital, he was quickly initiated into Ethan's club! Ethan built a tent and invited Elias to come and play. It's hard to make out in the picture, but Ethan is giving Elias a finger puppet show inside their tent. These brothers are going to have so much fun growing up together.

And then there's family time watching the Nebraska vs. K-State football game on the computer. All about family togetherness, Elias is unaware of all he is being included in!

Introducing Elias Frank

Elias Frank arrived at 12:33 a.m. on October 1, 2010


Weighing in at 8 lbs 5 ozs and 21 inches long

Daddy taking in his little boy. A picture of delighting in!

And the whole family is excited!! Labor and delivery went great, Praise God. He had turned on his own earlier in the week. We checked into the hospital around 9:30 p.m. I was 5 c.m. dilated. By 12 p.m. I was 7 c.m. and quickly went complete in the hot tub. 3 contractions, my water broke, and Elias came!

We celebrated with donuts for breakfast before Ethan went to school. As you can see by Elli's face . . . sheer delight!

Everyone had a chance to hold him!

And then celebrating "Family Fun Night" with dinner, popcorn and a movie Friday night in the hospital!

We are all so glad he is finally here!