July 6, 2022

By Suzanne Pietropaoli
Staff Writer

LAKE PLACID – “Children are a blessing, a gift from the Lord… Happy the one whose quiver is filled with them.” These words from Psalm 127 echo across the centuries in Scripture and in the constant teaching of the Church. Happily, they have also found a home in the hearts of Fritz and Annie Wenzler, who share life and love with their six children at home in Lake Placid.

Their family journey began when the couple married in their mid-twenties, they explain.

“Fritz was attending school full time, and Annie was working full time. We both hoped children would be in our future but were enjoying the newlywed life of friends, travel, and community. We always viewed children as a blessing, entrusted to us by the Lord.” And when they started having children, they note, “We were never set on a number. It was a fresh conversation with each baby. But with continued prayer we were always able to hear God’s path for us.”

In fact, God has always been central to their conversation about family size.

“In daily prayer,” says Annie, “we pray for trust in His will for our family… whatever that may be. Discerning God’s will means talking and listening to each other and to God, every day! NFP helps with this, as it is all about communication. Especially as we age, NFP has been more valuable. It allows us to look at the big picture of overall health, of each other and of our children, and what might be next for how our family grows-- whether growing bigger in number or growing deeper in our relationships with each other.”

Growing in faith is also important for this young family, who are parishioners at St. Agnes.

“Our Catholic faith leads us to Mass each Sunday as a family, to celebrate liturgical holidays, and to a monthly rosary group where we share faith and fellowship with other families,” Fritz said. “Guggenheim Family Camp has been a cornerstone for our family’s growth in faith. Big, faith-filled families are a rarity, and to be surrounded by them when at camp is inspirational.”

This inspiration also extends into the Wenzlers’ daily life.

As Annie explains, “Our family makes special occasions of birthdays, Baptismal anniversaries, and holidays. We also follow along with the rhythm of liturgical seasons, highlighting feasts and fasts with special dinners or activities. We have found great fellowship in our rosary group, and our families do a lot of outdoor adventures together.”

Indoors and out, this family values time spent together.

“Marking the little things is important too: end of the school year, good report cards, snow days, a first loose tooth,” Annie said. “Our favorite parts of the year are Christmas, Family Guggenheim, and our annual vacation to the ocean. Our family spends a lot of time outside every day, all four seasons. We are fortunate to live outside of town and to have lots of space to play! Most times we enjoy our neighborhood trails by hiking, biking, or cross-country skiing. In the summer we enjoy swimming, boating, and camping. Typical Adirondack family!”

“Life is beautiful,” the couple concludes, “and our house is certainly full of life! A full house means more occasions to celebrate. Challenges include the volume and emotions that can build up through the day, but we are often outside which does counter that. The only way we do it is imperfectly.” Adds Annie, “Our children enjoy their siblings and have each other to play with. They are always talking up a new project, plan, or scheme. Our family is big, and our family is wide, so the age range allows the older children to help with the littles. New babies are very exciting to all!”