Fabulous Frank (Episodes 13-18)

Episodes 13-18 photos have been harder to find as he progressively gets more camera-shy. Ages approximate...sometimes the photo is a few months before the birthday age.

Age 13: He's suddenly looking very grown up and handsome. He wore contacts for a year or so, but I they were too much work and he went back to glasses. This is taken on the actual birthday. He learned to play bass this year, which opened up a whole new world for him.

Age almost 14: He came back from a school trip to Mexico looking like this... (The school's former Spanish teacher used to arrange a really great trip for his 8th grade students. Too bad he's not there any more.) ...we were surprised he'd be so adventurous, but then he had already sprayed his hair blue for a school rock band show..

...but he cleaned up nicely in time for 8th grade graduation. I think he's channeling either Bogart or Bond here. Shaken or stirred? I was a little stirred and shaken over this graduation.
Age 15: This was taken the day the braces came off. Nice smile, and the hair is growing. That's a Robert Plant concert t-shirt he's wearing. We took him to a lot of concerts that we wanted to hear.

Age almost 16: Holding a wombat in Australia. (I beg your pardon, I promised no more nudity and there I go with a naked wombat picture.) This was his first trip with People to People. Besides having a fabulous adventure, he made new friends and came home with new life skills. Such as how to give a cow a pregnancy test and crack a bull whip (they had a farm stay). I don't think he's still friends with the cow. I'm not sure about the wombat. Don't ask, don't tell.

Age 17: This is looking very much like the Frank we know and love today, wearing a Korn shirt. His dad drove him to Bakersfield for a Korn concert.

The senior picture. He had some taken in a black shirt and white tie, but this Nirvana shirt picture seemed to capture the essence of Frank. (Can't ever see Nirvana in concert, but we did see Kurt Cobain's guitar at the Experience Music Project in Seattle.) His senior project was an essay on how music affected his life, plus he wrote 2 songs and made a music video. The video is humorously twisted...maybe someday he will put it online.
He's been a great kid. I wouldn't trade any of it, except for a couple months in 5th grade and the high school English issues. No drugs, no trauma, no tickets, no "I hate you mom." Mostly it was love, fun, travel, and "thanks, Mom." Thank you, Frank. It's been a fabulous 18 years.

And Episode 18? Is yet to be written.