Diaper Shot for Omi

Ohhhh

I'm so tired!

2 Months

2 months old & already chillin' in one of our comfy green chairs. we didn't plant the pacifier, either. promise.

Family Fun Day

Today was a national holiday in Austria, so the country takes off work. Each year, VCS capitalizes on this and has Family Fun Day at a local park. Students and staff are required to come from 10 to 2 and play games, eat, and just hang out. Maryam hung out with me & Cole on our blanket a little bit. Maryam was in my fourth grade class this year, and is from Nigeria. She has younger siblings so she's naturally a great baby holder:).

Chris played on the faculty basketball team today for the annual match up against the high school team. The faculty won, OF COURSE!

Spaghetti Science

Yesterday was Elementary Science Day at VCS. Cole & I took a trip to school to check out the kids' projects. The most interesting event I think is the Spaghetti Structure contest. Kids receive 1 box of Barilla spaghetti with which they are to build a structure using only glue that weighs 100 grams or less. The goal is to create a structure that will bear as much weight as possible. On the big day, the structures are tested by first applying a board. Then, a bucket with 2 kilograms of weight is placed on the board. Mr. Schwartz, our famous principal, then pours salt into the bucket until the spaghetti structure collapses. The bucket is weighed to determine how many kilgrams the structure held. The structure you see above weighs about 45 or50 grams and sustained 25 kilograms of weight before buckling under the pressure. It's a pretty amazing accomplishment for the 4th and 5th graders!

Happy 18th Birthday Laura!!!

Have a super day! Can't wait to see you soon!

Don't Forget!!! 

The latest with us...

The latest from us...
We visited the Vienna Zoo at the Schonbrunn Palace on Saturday. Cole slept through the whole thing, we I saw the strangest anteater-looking animal I've ever seen!
We also went to a goodbye party for some friends who are leaving Vienna at the end of this school year, and Cole took some good naps, as you can see below.

A Great Idea!

So, thanks to Matt, I've decided to copy his idea on our blog. Here's the deal:
Do a shuffle of all your songs on your iPod/MP3 Player/computer (including ALL songs - no cheating). Then come to our blog and list the first 10 songs that come up. It's not going to be your favorite songs or what best represents you, but it'll be interesting at least. I already played on Matt's website, so I'm going to try again and see what comes up.
My list:
1. Hymn - pedro the lion
2. The Way You Look Tonight - michael buble
3. Father Figure - t-bone
4. O Come All Ye Faithful - percy faith
5. Steady As She Goes - andrew peterson
6. Omaha - counting crows
7. Baby Girl - musiq
8. Nobody - five for fighting
9. I Like Birds - the elms
10. One Step Closer To Life - mxpx

There you go - join the fun by adding comments!

Frankly Granddaughters

Look at those cute girls:).
Leighton, Emilee & Carrington...three of the 4 Frank granddaughters. Get ready...Cole is preparing his arrival onto this girly scene this summer in California! I have a feeling he'll get more hugs & kisses than he'll know what to do with.

US Citizen

It's official...Cole is a United States Citizen. Today we received his US passport and his Consular Report of Birth Abroad. That's a fancy document to say that yes, Cole was born to American parents in Vienna, Austria, and he has US citizenship. Cool.

Thumb Success!

He finally got it!

Some Changes

With all of this baby hubub, I haven't really written much of anything about school and finances and my work there. I still really like it - it's challenging sometimes but I'm learning a lot. I'm planning to take a class or two in the fall towards an MBA. I'm not stuck on getting a degree, but I do want to learn some more things about business, accounting, budgeting, etc. That will definitely help me do my job better. Plus VCS will pay - bonus.

Recently I and some other people on the VCS financial aid committee had to sort through a huge pile of applications for financial aid for next year. It's not easy because some families have a lot of need and there is only so much the school board has approved to give. We do a lot for many families, but there are always some that aren't happy with what we gave them. It can be frustrating to feel like we're being generous and then to be begged for more. One huge encouragement was a handwritten note I got from a parent just a few days ago. It said "Thank you so much for the excellent discount for for 06-07 school year. For me it is a really big help." Even just that makes me feel like - Yes!! - all of the stress and hours I put in to this financial aid stuff was worth it. And it helps even more to think of the individual children that this is helping by the education they're getting and encouragement to follow Jesus with their life.

One other cool thing - I get to play volleyball tonight with a club of Austrians I hooked up with. :) They're pretty good, too.

Morning Playtime

Cole & I have started somewhat of a morning playtime routine. First, we wake up and he eats, and then we change his diaper. Then, we usually read 2 stories and today we played with an elephant that makes all kinds of noises. This elephant lives on the side rail of Cole's crib, so they're becoming friends. Maybe the elephant will make his blog debut someday soon. Above are some photos from this morning. I just love those HUGE eyes and that dimple. Love them.

Today's Victories

First victory...
We've had a window repair man at our house all day every day this week except for Monday. That's not the victory. The victory is that today in talking with him in German I found out that his son graduated from VCS three years ago! He asked if I was affiliated with a church I guess from something he saw in our apartment. He mentioned that his son went to an English speaking Christian school in the 22nd district. That's VCS! Woah, small world. He's still here working on our windows since they were messed up from the construction above our building all last year. They're looking goooooooood.

Second victory...
For a few months before Cole was born, we attended an Austrian church called Gemeinde Tulpengasse. It's one of the first evangelical churches in Vienna, founded by three Canadian believers many years ago. Anyway, we began attending because we wanted to be a part of a stable Austrian church and meet Austrians, and we wanted to work on our German. Honestly, though, it was a struggle for us because it's just hard to pick up anything in German and getting to know people is hard for that reason as well. We tried, yes, but not as much as we could have. So my victory. Today a lady called looking for a phone number of a friend of ours in the states. She mentioned that her son was going to the states and she'd gotten our number from a friend of ours here. So, long story short. She goes to the same Austrian church we'd been attending, and we had decided to go back this Sunday with Cole and see how that goes. I told her that, and she was SUPER excited for us to come back, and SUPER excited to get to know us. In the grand scheme of things, that's nothing, but to me today, that was HUGE and what I needed to realize that it's okay to go back, people will remember us, and that just trying our best in German is all we can do. We dont' have to be German professionals to attend an Austrian church. I'm pretty sure that's not a requirement. Good news. I'm now kinda looking forward to Sunday. We'll see how it goes:).

COLE hard facts

A new way of sleeping? It's like he's on guard or something...or raising the roof?

We had our 6 week doctor visit today. All is in order! Cole is growing and growing.

12.1 pounds
23 5/8 inches

Not always...

peaches & cream.

Life here in Vienna for some families is not always peaches & cream. I talked to a VCS mom today who was really burdened for her elementary aged son. He's having a tough time fitting in after living here for almost 2 years. Classes here are small, so you don't have 4 sections of 4th grade to choose friends from, or a neighborhood full of kids who speak your language. It's just a tough thing, and I often forget that when I'm having such a good time teaching and being with the kids at VCS.

In other news...a girl from my 4th grade class this year was recently suspended for multiple accounts of theft. Sad news, because maybe she was really seeking approval from someplace, and using theft to get it. Unfortunately for her, that wasn't the best way.

Please continue to pray for kids & families at VCS, and for us as we carry out the roles God has given us here for this time. It's a really cool place, yet not immune to hard things in life.

Weekend Highlights

Yesterday at VCS the elementary kids put on a Mother's Day Coffee. This event is one of the most highly attended events all year at school. Moms come and have breakfast with their kids and there is a small program made up of skits and songs that make moms cry:). It's a great thing. I had the privilege this year of being the MC of this event. I did it last year too, yet this year it took on new meaning because I too, am now in the mom club. The moms and students flocked to Cole yesterday morning! They loved hugging him and watching his faces. It's been amazing to me to see that people from many different cultures all react to babies the same way. They coo and cuddle and want to touch his tiny fingers and toes. What a testament to God's miracle of creating life. It spans cultures and languages.

Another highlight of our weekend is yet to come! The Vienna City Marathon is tomorrow. The course runs three times in our neighborhood, so we have a prime watching spot. Three of our friends at VCS are running it. We're armed with signs and cheering voices! Good luck Mike, Matt, and Lance!

The BIG Cheese

First real smiles! What a fun thing!

Cole & Chris Time

After work yesterday, Cole and Chris sat on the bed and debriefed the day.

Today after work, Cole & Chris danced around our living room to Jungle Boogie. I managed to capture the moment! Chris also had Cole singing Jungle Boogie with a whisk microphone in the kitchen, but I was too slow to capture that one. Bummer.

Cole's Pastimes Lately

Cole likes just chillin' in his rocker seat...staring.

Cole has a new fascination with walls. He's once again...staring!

1 month

It's been one month as of yesterday. Wow!

Tummy Time Trick

Cole is getting more and more tricky during tummy time. The past couple days he has been lifting up one leg and pushing like he wants to turn back over. No turns and flips yet, but we're getting there. He also has been turning his head from one side to the other on his tummy. Way to go, Cole!

Bubba's Animals

Hey Bubba! We put magnetic strips on the backs of the wooden animals you sent. They stick perfectly to the doorframe of Cole's room. We'll move them down when he can play with them and learn their names. Thanks for a great gift!

What's Next?

220 kids from 30 nations walk through these doors daily...the doors to Vienna Christian School. These doors have become normal to us now that we've worked and lived here for almost 2 years, and it's easy to walk in and out and forget about WHY we do it (especially now that we have a baby demanding our attention). We do it so kids from all over the world who happen to be in Vienna for a short while can have the chance to hear about following Jesus and get a quality education. That's why we're here. Our roles are different now than they were two years ago, though, so I want to update you on the latest scoop for the Franks in Vienna.
1. We have decided to stay in Vienna 2 more years.
2. Chris will remain in his position as the Business Manager, and will begin to take business classes at a local university here in Vienna.
3. I will not be teaching 4th grade, but will be taking care of Cole and staying involved at VCS in some capacity yet to be determined. I have the freedom to be as involved as I'd like, and I would really like to continue to be a part of the lives of the elementary kids.
It's strange now to think that we both came here as teachers and now neither of us teach. We are thankful, though, for the place to which God has brought us, and we do love living in Vienna. The kids at our school could one day influence their countries in powerful ways, and imagine if they could do that with the strength that comes from a personal relationship with Jesus. We get to be a part of that daily, now just in different roles than before. Thanks for allowing us that privilege.

A Beautiful Saturday

Today was the most beautiful day we've had in Vienna so far this spring! Today was also my dad's last day in Vienna, so we went to Zanoni & Zanoni for ice cream and we met our friend Jana there. Jana came to VCS with us 2 years ago, and she is leaving after this year to marry Jimmy. We will be at her wedding in San Antonio, TX, in August. The middle picture is Cole in the new magical sleeping position: sideways. Pure cuteness.

3 Week Doctor Visit

Today Cole had his first appointment with his pediatrician, Dr. Stein. Everything looks great! The doctor's office is only a few minutes walk from our apartment. Since his birthday, Cole has gained just shy of 1 kilogram, so now he's up to 4.73 kilograms, or 10.4 pounds. He also has grown 2 centimeters, so now he's 56 cm long. Cole & I celebrated by getting an ice cream cone from Zanoni & Zanoni, which is conveniently located just around the corner from Dr. Stein's office. I didn't pick it for that reason, though, I promise. They have a new cookie flavor called Biscotto. It's super yummy.

We Haven't...

Fallen off the planet, I promise. Sorry for lack of posts. Here's the latest from the Franks. On Easter Sunday, an amazing rainbow appeared outside of our window...very cool. Yesterday Cole attended his very first amateur sporting event...a VCS softball game. We also had our first foray with the stroller on public transportation, and our first night out to dinner. Whew! It was quite the eventful day. AND, to top it all off, I lost my wallet in Prater, the park by our house. Bummer, right? Yes, but as we were getting ready for bed, the doorbell rang and two police officers had my wallet. The best part was that everything was intact. Nothing stolen. Whoever found it must have turned it in, thankfully.
That's not all...
Cole has hit a growth spurt we think because he has turned into a ravenous eating machine, and hasn't been sleeping so well at night. But, all that is worth it because today was the FIRST time he ENJOYED the bath tub! OUTSTANDING! It's fun having a baby:).
Last picture...my mom & dad after witnessing Cole's and my victory over the bathtub today. What more can you ask for?

Happy Easter!!

I hope you have a great day and enjoy rest and joy - remembering the enormous statement God made by flexing his muscles and bringing Jesus back to life after being dead. Thanks to God!

Mama sleeps, too!

how cute and adorable and sweet and darling and every other appropriate word. :)

More Sleep!

More sleep!

Contrary to popular belief, we have been doing more than sleep! We visited an Easter market downtown Vienna. I've been takiung Cole on walks in the park by our apartment. Omi took care of Cole while Chris and I had breakfast at a local cafe today.

Notice...the middle picture is of Cole in his (well...our) favorite hat...DON'T MESS WITH ME. It's been useful to fend off the ladies. He's still a little young. Maybe a few more weeks and then we'll turn him loose.

Omi is Here!

My (Anne) mom arrived from the states yesterday to meet Cole and hang out with us for three weeks. So far, she's been a professonal baby holder, and this afternoon she and Cole read The Very Hungry Caterpillar together. My dad (Grandbob) arrives next Saturday. We're excited to have them!

for the COLE fans

So many friends have been bringing us dinners this week, and then staying a little to hang out. It's been great! The other night when Chad, Phil, & Megan were here, we attempted to give Cole his first bottle. Success!
We've also taken Cole on a few Vienna adventures in his Baby Bjorn lately. Yesterday we went to the hospital for Cole's circumcision. Ouch! We also stopped at the Coffeeshop Company on the way home and enjoyed our drinks as we walked along the Danube Canal home.
And lastly, just this morning Chris and Cole were reading The Treasure Principle together on the bed. Not sure how much Cole understood! We're trying to keep Cole awake for a little while after he eats each time, so today Cole & Chris hung out.

Theme: Sleep

Trip to Prater

This is Anne and Cole on their first walk together. We all went over to Prater today - it's a huge park that is a 5 minute walk from our apartment. There is a huge road down the middle only for pedestrians, bikers, etc. You can see all kinds of people jogging, biking, roller blading, strolling, sitting on benches, etc. Once spring really hits, it will be much more pretty with all of the greenery.
Anyhow, the walk was nice, but it tired Annie out. Cole was just fine - he didn't make a sound. I think he enjoyed the fresh air. You know, I was thinking we might get reprimanded by an old Austrian lady that we shouldn't have our baby's neck exposed to the draft. It's common to believe that it makes you sick - unless it's like 70 degrees or more. Strange but true. And people here (usually older Austrian women) feel free to let you know their opinions and what you ought to be doing about your driving, how you dress your child, how your windows are dirty, or whatever.
One cool thing about Austria is that babies are a big attraction. All kinds of people look and smile (normally its abnormal to smile) since you have a baby. They chat away to the baby and think it's great. You get a lot of positive attention that doesn't normally happen. I've seen old sophisticated men making crazy baby faces and chatting away to babies - something that would be absurd in any other circumstance.
By the way - isn't it a cool stroller? I like it a lot. The car seat pops out of the top and can be replaced by the seat for bigger kids.

first day home

so...it's anne here! it's been great to read all of your comments about our new life with cole byron frank. we are super thankful and feel very loved & encouraged.
it's nice to be home from the hospital now, even though the stay was restful and much needed. i got a massage daily and rested on the balcony in the sunny weather some.
so yesterday was our first full day at home as a family...woah.
cole is eating like a champ, and sleeping like a champ most of the time. he seems to be nocturnal, go figure. i've been amazed at the power he exerts in his diapers! yesterday he projectile peed all over himself, his hair, and his clothes. i thought i could dodge the bath thing for a few days, but plans changed, and our first bath happened. below you see a clean & snuggly cole after the pee was cleaned off!

yesterday's highlights