The "great happening" in our lives in 2003 was the birth of Cara Nicole Frantz on July 13th. The birth of a baby is always a life creating and life altering event. Cara changes our lives. The incredible beauty, power, and richness of her birthing awed us and connected us with the core of our humanity. The joy with which she awakens each morning and from each nap sweeps us away. The laughter she shares with her brother spreads to all who hear it. Her patience with us as we involve her in our life activities and with the many others who cannot resist touching, holding, and kissing her deepens our respect for the youngest people, their dignity, and their ability to flourish in what seems to be difficult situations. In her first four months Cara has traveled more than 4,000 miles meeting, visiting, inspiring, and delighting family and friends. She could not be more loved. Perhaps it is her sense of that love that enables her to remain calm in stressful conditions. She shows us the power of love.
Eric and Cara adore each other. Eric's crowning event of the year was catching his baby sister as she was born. He was as prepared as possible for such an incomprehensible event by watching numerous birthing videos and participating in Bradley Childbirth classes with Missy and Curt. Not far behind that high was his pleasure (and relief) over his performance during testing for his second degree black belt in Taekwondo. He excelled in all eight parts of the test. His sword routine to Beethoven's 5th Symphony in C Minor received a rousing ovation and numerous kudos from the ten resident and visiting Masters. Eric is progressing well in Hapkido, receiving a best tester award, and he is on track to test for his first degree black belt in that martial art in November. He still rides horses and won numerous awards including Grand Champion in the show in which he participated this year. Radio controlled vehicles still catch his fancy and this year he got a faster boat and plane and several small quick cars. He is gaining experience in keeping these more sophisticated vehicles operational. Because of a couple of rare snowfalls, Eric had a chance to do some local snowboarding. On dry roads, he likes to take his electric scooter around the neighborhood.
Missy's normal exercise routine was put on hold during her pregnancy but within a few months of Cara's birth it was back to normal. Yoga was replaced with Taekwondo, Hapkido, and soccer. She was invited to test for her second degree black belt in Taekwondo next May. Missy was the driving force behind our getting a Honda Odyssey (van). It has been enormously helpful for us in our family travels, though it did lead to Curt reluctantly selling his 18 year old Accord. In her sixth year as a La Leche League District Advisor supporting North Carolina League Leaders and tenth year as a League Leader supporting NC moms, Missy has decided to reduce her LLL responsibilities to focus more on Cara and family. She will no longer lead a group and is doing less as a DA. She is applying the family first philosophy of LLL.
Curt successfully tested for his first degree back belt in Taekwondo in May and received his belt in November--in time to be named Black Belt Student of the Month. During the year he also started Hapkido and started assisting in Taekwondo classes. White Tiger martial arts is the first regular exercise program that Curt finds motivating. The world class martial artists who instruct each class are energizing and inspiring. Good thing home and White Tiger are fun for him because work has become significantly less so. Curt is looking to change jobs but stay with IBM. He's not looking at making a career out of being a minister but he did perform a wedding ceremony for our dear friends Tuan and Phuong Nguyen.
We made two trips to Michigan, will make two to Pennsylvania before the year ends, a visit to Ohio, one to Winston-Salem, and one to the Washington, DC area to spend time with family, Eric's and Cara's Amie Carolyn Groobey and other loved ones. Missy's mom Joyce Leslie spent two weeks with us hoping to help with a newborn, then hoping to be present at the birth. As it turned out, Joyce left shortly before Cara arrived sixteen days beyond her due date. In July, we participated in the grand opening of White Tiger's $3 million, 24,000 square foot martial arts facility. In October, we hosted Seo-Hyck Jae, a member of the Korean junior Taekwondo demonstration team. In December we said a joyous yet tearful good-bye to two members of our Korean family, Master Eun Ha Oh and her brother Master Yun Thul Oh. They are beloved White Tiger Masters and are leaving to be with Eun Ha's fiancé in New Hampshire.
Webpage links to all our news from the year (and previous years) can be found on our homepage: /frantzcjf/
The beautiful, empowering story of Cara's birth is described
on http://www.geocities.com/frantzcjf/cara/birthstory.html
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