Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

2015 Frink Family Highlights

1.   We took a family vacation to Hawaii to visit Cari’s parents and escape the cold – unfortunately Eli took pneumonia along with him, fortunately we had good news that a new baby would be joining us later in the year!

2.    Cari had a busy year planning weddings and wrapped up the year with 7 in the bag – she’s excited for next year’s wedding season.

3.     We celebrated 3 years of marriage by hopping on a plane to San Diego. It was a super fun 48 hours spent on the beach and hanging out with family.

4.  Cari and Eli jumped on ANOTHER plane in June and flew to Georgia to spend a week with her sister – riding horses, running from gnats, and eating peaches.

5.      Our family welcomed a new member in July – Duke, a rambunctious, snuggly, 7 month old yellow lab that is currently teething and experiencing his rebellious teen years all at the same time.

6.    Jason took the jump from the daily grind of working for somebody else and purchased a gym – Anytime Fitness Greeley – and is now self-employed! It has been one of the most exciting and challenging changes this year, but if anybody is up for the challenge, it’s Jason, and there is something to be said for waking up excited to go to work (almost) every day.

7.       Not to be shown up by the last highlight though, we welcomed Evelyn Vyolette Frink only 14 short days after purchasing the gym. She came into this world 4 days past her due date weighing 7 lbs 14 oz and measuring 19 ¾ inches. Our lives have been forever changed by this sweet little girl. Her smile is contagious, and we are wrapped around her finger already.

8.   A few weeks after he welcomed his sister, Eli turned 2!! This has been such an amazing year of change and growth – mentally and physically for him. He is obsessed with all things sports, trains, and dinosaurs (trust me, if you don’t know the name of a dino, HE DOES!). He attended his first hockey game this fall and has decided he will be a hockey player when he grows up.

9.      We have been involved in our church quite a bit this year through the usher team, city groups, and the events team. We have been blessed with so many more friends through Mill City Church than we could have ever imagined.

10.  As we continue to watch our country and world struggle along through many hardships, we are so thankful that we have the ultimate hope – that God sent His Son to love us and to teach us to love others. Things of this world are not eternal, the only thing eternal is His truth, and we take so much joy in knowing that this is temporary. During this temporary time, we will enjoy the many blessings we have been given. Merry Christmas and praying your new year is filled with revelations of God’s goodness. 

Mommy Mary

Something I had never really thought of prior to having children was Mary, ya know - Jesus' mother. You hear about her getting pregnant and giving birth to Jesus, but after that, we don't hear much. Now that I have started going through the craziness of motherhood I can't help but have SO many questions. The same goes for Jesus - we hear about his birth, and then after that, not much untill he is quite a bit older. We know that he was human, so I will let my questions flow, and my fellow mothers can wonder with me.

Was he bad when it came to teething?
Did he get sick alot when he was a kid?
Did he go through terrible twos?
Did he potty train early or late?
When did he learn to walk and crawl and sit?
Did he talk back to his mother?
OR was he the perfect child - no talking back, no acting out, no teething tears, potty trained from birth....

Isn't it strange to think that Jesus was a little baby boy that nursed and spit up and probably talked back? Can you imagine going through your pregnancy and raising a baby that you KNEW was going to change the world? We all dream about what our children will be, and how they will be world changers, but He was THE world changer.

"Mary did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod."
"When you kiss your little baby - you kiss the face of God."

How powerful and humbling is that? I mean I could kiss my babies for days.. their soft little cheeks that are just begging for smooches. I'm sure Mary felt that same way about Jesus.

These are all just my random thoughts that I can't help but consider as we come up to Christmas and celebrate the birth of our savior. I can't help but think that Mary went through a painful labor in a BARN (WHAT?!?!?!) and gave birth to a baby (how much did he weigh? how long was he?) and raised this man that would change the world. I know that my children are not called to be Jesus, but they are called to be LIKE Jesus. It is my job to walk with them through these challenges and teach them to be Christ-like. What an incredible calling we have as parents.