Acting, Speech and Debate, Young Authors, Family Stuff

Well, today it's 80 degrees, windy and a teensy bit of rain. Like three drops. It's been so nice outside! After 1000 days of 95+ degree temps, this is such a welcome relief. I took the three oldest to play rehearsal in Frisco (19 miles away, but you just drive and then you are there--no traffic!) and then went shopping. FUN shopping, not *work* shopping! We went to JoAnn's, Sprout's, and the shoe store (where I got a new pair of walking shoes after a year of wearing out the ones I had!). I feel like a new person with new shoes. I usually don't attempt any shopping that isn't necessary and near the house because it is so hot and the Sub's A/C has been out for over two months, but today was so cool and breezy (read: WINDY) that I took the three youngest children and had fun (we bought tootsie rolls and chocolate covered cranberries and almonds while we were out!).

I have told some of you that Paul, Rachael, and Mark have landed roles in some one-act plays w/ a local "touring company" of actors. It is actually quite impressive and fun. Paul is the prince in The Little Mermaid. Mark is Aesop in Aesop's Fables; Rachael is in the ensemble for that play (I think she plays a bunny or something!). In Treasure Island, Paul is Long John Silver (his favorite role). In the Pied Piper, Paul also plays the Pied Piper, Rachael is Gertrude and Mark is the mayor. I haven't seen any of the rehearsals but they will be touring all school year so I am sure I will see the performances several times each. They are having a blast. For the past few weeks they have had a lot of rehearsals and the first weekend in October, there is the first play performance at the McKinney Peforming Arts Center (sounds impressive, huh? It's the old courthouse and is very nice, but smallish).

We start Speech and Debate club next week so I expect to "busy-up" here pretty soon! My crock pots are going to go into overdrive! Good thing Michael likes that sort of food (good for me). Mattie and Luke will do Jr. Speech and they are looking forward to it. Mark is doing Sr. Speech (but not debate; next year!). The littles will be in child care with one of our new friend's teen daughters so that will be so good! They already know these girls and they are so sweet and like our littles.

Last night we went to the library's auditorium for a reception for the Young Authors Workshop that P and R participated in this summer. It was fun. Each author read an excerpt from their story. They are published by the library and are in the library of Congress as published authors! It was fun.

Here are the Young Authors of the family! We will get a bound book with all of the short stories in it. I can't wait to read their stories. They met some nice people there and one of them is in the plays, too.

The entire group of young authors. They look pretty normal, don't they? Not too geeky or "Texan," right?

Michael is still a happy clam, especially since he is doing much better with his business here than in California. I got to buy chocolate covered almonds, right? Things are definitely going better. We are getting caught up and have expectations that this will continue. Yesterday Michael got his DBA license and is all set up to do business here (contrasting w/ CA--very difficult/impossble for us). So, God has continued to show us His plans for us are for our good.



It was hard for me, emotionally, for a about a month. I realized (learned) that moving brings a grieving process and a need for letting go in order to lay down roots in a new place. I had moved plenty of times in CA, but a cultural move, as well as an "everything is different" move is another story. Michael got me a book called After the Boxes are Unpacked--Moving On After Moving In and I am slowly working my way through it. Don't want to rush things!



The niceness of people here continues to amaze and encourage all of us. We are sure that people at our church have gotten together to plan what they will say to us to convince us that God wants us at that church (as members). We keep hearing the same phrases from folks, "We are so happy your family is here with us." "We really like your family." Such a difference from churches in California, and we are exactly the same people as when we were there.



I am sure there is more to tell, but I am forgetting what it is. Oh, Jordan is walking now. Paul is the worship leader at youth group (which has been a reeeeeeaallly big adjustment for us to even go there, but it really is different here and we are being very very careful with the whole thing). I may have mentioned that already.

David will turn eight in a few weeks and he is looking forward to that a lot. The dogs are 55 lbs. at 5.5 mos. old. There is a pic below of them.



We are getting into the swing of activities, big-time, more than ever before, but it is good. The house still has a lot of boxes, and I don't know if I even want to unpack them, but at least we are mostly functional.



We miss so many people in California, and we hope to see you again someday. It is very hard to leave what is familiar and what we had come to depend on. We feel a bit like we have abandoned a good thing, but at the same time, we know that God moved us out. We miss people in CA, but not much else, but I will admit that I repent of wanting seasons. It is a pain to deal with weather 365 days per year (hot, windy, cold, windy, rainy, windy). But that is part of why Texans are tough. I think that's why Texas pack heat: the frustration level with the weather gets so high, you just want to go shoot something!



Here are some recent photos, Enjoy!!

Marky Man

Jordan is 10 mos. old now, here with Stephen, who just lost a tooth and another is threatening to fall out

Jordan walking!

Our cute toothy sweetheart!

The doggies, right before a much-needed bath! Rachael and Mark let them "play" in the mud! Caedus is on the left; Obi on the right. Aren't they pretty doggies?