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?

I have some photos to post...

When I was 12, I met a girl who was to remain my friend to this day. Her parents were always very dear to me. They came to visit us a couple of weeks ago and my children fell in love and now have new grandparents! These are remarkable people. I won't go into details here, but suffice it to say, I love them very much and count it a privilege to be loved by them!

Here is Pat with four of the boys:
Jordan was asleep, but here is the gang with Pat and Ted. They are both 82 or close to it.
Rachael, Matthias, Pat, Stephen, Ted, David (w/Felicia the dog), Luke, Mark, Paul




Me with the two of them:

Pat loved the baby and the baby loved her, too.

This is a delightful picture, doncha think?

Well, as per my usual, I tried to upload more but it didn't work for me. I will try more later. I think I need internet on the laptop!

Enjoy!

Love and God's blessings,

Marci, for all the Putmaniacs

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I'm Neglecting the Blog

Sorry about that. I really should let it be my hobby. Along with washing diapers and hanging them on the line. I do enjoy that, I really do.

Grandma Put came for a week and has decided that she really doesn't want to live with us. We are just too weird with no TV and such. Whatever she decides is fine with us. We would love to have her. She is a very strong woman and can lay out in the sun (hot, Texas sun) for four hours every day and live to tell about it. And, that is at age 78. Yes, Michael's mom is 78 (so how old does that make Michael? Hmmm....)





Paul and Rachael joined Generation Joshua and are the President and Vice President of the club.

Amazing. They went to a short story workshop and are having their stories published in the library's ________ (whatever it is... a book of some sort) and will have their names in the Library of Congress as published authors and will also be listed in the library's system as authors. All the participants will attend a reception and meet the mayor, too. All this is very weird to us. Exciting, but very strange.

The first Thursday of June, Paul went to an assisted living facility to join other homeschoolers in making music for the residents there. He sang a few original songs. It was nice. He, Rachael, and Mark will go the first Thursday in July, too. We invited a few of our new friends to go, since they play instruments. The (mostly) ladies there really seemed to enjoy the young people coming to bless them with some music.

This Friday, Brandon is coming to visit for a few days. He and Paul are very excited about it. They plan to make a movie while he is here, along with quite a few other activities. One of those is attending the Rebelution Conference "Do Hard Things." http://www.therebelution.com/conference/

Michael will take our four oldest and Brandon for the day. I wish I could go. Someday. I want to do hard things! :-)










What else? Jordan loves Cheerios! He is so serious as he devours these little Os.































The doggies are three weeks into being in the family and are adjusting well. We are working out a few kinks with them, behaviorially, but all within the scope of normal. They are almost 15 weeks and weigh 38 and 36 lbs.!

Michael has sold a few jobs so he is pretty happy about that. He is so happy here in Texas. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. Sorry for being negative, but... I'm generally pretty
negative. What can I say? I prefer to call it "realistic."

I am THRILLED, no, I am BEYOND THRILLED that he is so happy. But no one can be that happy about moving. He has decided that his new favorite drink is Dr. Pepper. Why? Because it was and is made in Texas. This guy he's been working with, Chris, introduced him to this soda called, "Red." OK, so we love red to a ridiculous degree around here (Michael and I do, anyway), but that is not why he loves this drink that tastes like nothing but carbonated red food coloring. It is because it is, you guessed it: MADE IN TEXAS.

We saw a license plate the other day. Guess what it said?




He immediately said, in inimitable Michael style, "I'M GETTING THAT BUMPER STICKER!" This from a guy who doesn't ever put bumper stickers on his cars!

Now, doesn't that just beat all? I mean, of all things!

I hope you can see how I would be holding my breath a bit. No one stays on such a high after a huge and grueling move like the one we made. Well, Michael does.

We are on the cusp of joining a church for the first time in over seven years. And this one we all like. I mean, THE ENTIRE FAMILY likes this church! I was expecting that there would be some compromising on all sides, but there is none. Amazing. It's a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church (not to be confused with the Lutherans out in California). We are not into being man followers, but Christ followers, instead. It just so happens that all the doctrines we have believed from the Bible and couldn't find in any churches in California exist in this particular denomination.

Paul was asked to lead worship for the youth on Sunday nights. He is very thrilled and honored about the prospect of a music ministry. You can see more of Paul on Youtube. Just do a search for PaulMPutman. He is also setting himself up over at Godtube, too, if you feel more comfortable watching vids there.

I will post photos when I can. Tonight we are having Bible study and I need to go get ready for it.


Father's Day, including Caedus and Obi




Here are Mark and Jordan together. Jordan is comfortable in just about anyone's arms and Mark takes advantage of holding his baby brother often. Jordan looks more like Marky than any other baby. He does look a lot like Pauly did, too, but more in the eyes. I should post some baby photos of all the boys to compare.





Blessings, and I will try to post more often. You can email me at mommyput8@att.net.

P.S. If MoBaby will please stand up, I am not sure who you are (Maureen H.?). Email me!

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More Photos

Luke and Mattie




You can see Jordan smiling in this shot.

Cabinet hung! David did it all!

Such a punkinhead!

A Visitor, A New House, and More Additions to the Family

Michael's mom is coming from IL to visit tomorrow. Whenever she comes, I get a new house! We are putting together our school room and the wall unit in the living room. That means a LOT of boxes are being unpacked, so that is a very good thing! I will try to post photos later when we get closer. I don't expect to be really "company ready" or anything, but it's fun trying!

About those new additions: We are getting two doggies, and are we ever excited!

Here is something I wrote to one friend, then ended up sending to another later (I lack the time to type much anymore, but that's OK):

Michael met a lady at Home Depot the other day who asked if "anyone wants a puppy." Michael was the only one around, so he asked what kind. We planned on getting a dog for Rachael anyway, but hadn't done it yet. The lady gave him a flier and we decided to take a looksee.

http://www.doggiekamp.com/

When we heard that the mom was part doberman and probably part black lab, we weren't sure we'd want a puppy from her. We wanted to go see what the kamp is like and also to ask the owner to watch for the type of dog we did want (border collie). The lady runs a dog boarding facility and also is a rescue place for Great Pyrenees (which I fell in love with today). She has about 50 dogs, total: boarding, rescue up for adoption, and nine of her own dogs! Plus the puppies!

The puppies are very cute. They are mostly black, with some brownish-tan markings on the legs and a bit on the ear tips and eyebrows. Their hair is like an Australian shepherd's. Their faces are shaped like aussies, too. The tails are skinnier like dobermans but their paws are huge and cute. They are very sweet docile dogs, both "beta" males, which is good for being around children and other dogs. She will give us training lessons/classes, too.

Rachael is going to volunteer several hours each week, too! She is very happy about that!

Michael and I keep asking each other, "Are we really going to get dogs?" Most people get dogs instead of children but we are skittish about getting dogs and we have eight children!

I wanted to name my dog (um, I mean the family's dog) Apollo.
I think Zeus is wonderful for Rachael's dog but Rachael says no.
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We have since decided against any Greek names. I am wanting Obi Wan for "our" dog (meaning, the family's dog), and we are trying to convince Rachael to name hers Anakin. She says her dog will receive his name when he is home and in her arms.

I think they will be good sized dogs: at least 45 lbs. which is fine with me! I love bigger dogs!

We will put a deposit on the dogs tomorrow and fill out an application for the dogs. The dog lady will come to our house to inspect our backyard and our fence and in about two weeks, we will be dog owners! Yippee! We are so excited!

Photos

Rachael and Jordan. They have a special relationship.





This is one of my current faves of Jordan. His playful nature really comes through here:





Jordan looks so much like Marky in this photo. What a beautiful gift from God, doncha think?





David helping dad hang a cabinet (I can't find the photo of the hung cabinet). David loves to do work around the house!



My Mother's Day flowers. White daisies are my favorite!




Breakfast! Isn't that wild? Rachael made these today. We got the recipe from the cookbook by Marmee Dear. It has really large-size recipes and great instructions!



What can I say? I am so blessed! Luke says I am mean to embarrass poor Jordy in this way.
My baby my baby my baby!! I love this little guy so much! (6.5 mos.)




David with his the drill that he bought himself! He has used it quite a bit lately getting the house ready for G-ma Put's visit. He is in heaven having his own tools! Age 7.

Another musician? He loved playing the piano! Once he figured out that it made noise, he was interested and even sang along!

Stephen says of Jordan, "He's MY baby." OK, I'll share. Stephen is 6.

As usual, Luke is the clown. Jordan spends a good amount of time in Luke's arms. Luke's choice, of course.

One last shot of my baby making the same face Rachael always did. We sure are having fun with our new punkin'!

Hope you enjoyed the photos!

Been Two Weeks and Life is 'Sort of' Back to Normal

Well, the baby DID remember Daddy and they have been inseparable. Well, unless Daddy is attached to someone else or the baby is!

Michael has adapted to a new state with all that entails amazingly quickly. It seems he has always been here. He never looks out the window and wonders if it will ever look familiar. He never gets lost. He never even wonders at the weather. I shake my head at him all the time.

Talk about energy. He is unstoppable. It's like living with a different husband. Still trying to get used to it. It's all good, believe me. All good.

We had Jordan's 1/2 birthday party the other day (May 2) and Rachael made a 1/2 birthday cake. Jordan had no idea what was going on, but we sure had fun!