Word from Dad

It has been a LONG time since I have written an entry. I wanted to just take a minute and say how thankful I am to have a wife who cares enough to keep everything updated and current. She is a blessing, and I am amazed that she has the time to keep it all going.
Life is busy here in N. VA. We are in a busy stretch with the part-time guy (that's me) covering for the full-time guy (that's Pastor Tom) while he has hip replacement surgery. It is a lot of responsibility and a lot of work to try and manage the part-time role at the school with a temporary full time role at the church. Preparing sermons is fun but not when I'm thinking about the next science test. I will be preaching at least twice in the next five weeks and maybe more.

We are excited that so much of the family is going to be here next weekend for the baptism. I'm not sure where everyone will sit while we are hanging out here, but we'll figure it out! :-) Thank you all for keeping up with the ongoing lives of the Greenwood Inc. missionary family of N. VA. I do sometimes feel more like a missionary than a staff member. We are trusting the Lord everyday to help us make this ministry work in such an expensive part of the country with the economy the way it is.

Part of that ministry has been a really neat opportunity to get to know a family from Sri Lanka. Sara started a friendship with the wife of this family shortly after they started attending the church a few months ago. We were able to have them over for dinner last weekend after I led a retreat at the church. They are refreshingly NOT Christian. By that, I mean they don't pretend to be Christians. They are very interested in Jesus and have a lot of questions without pretending they already know him. They come from a Buddhist background so the conversations are very interesting. I guess all that World Religions stuff I learned at Campbell is paying off! Go CUDS!!!

Well, Josiah just work up so we are going to take advantage of the 60 degree day and go for a family walk. Thanks for the prayers and support!

10 oz!

We went to the doctor on Friday and learned that Josiah had gained 10 oz. in 2 weeks!  They were very impressed with his progress and said that as long as he stays in the percentile that he is in, they won't be concerned. 

We've had a very busy weekend.  Mimi and Cousin Tayler came for a visit.  There are LOTS of pictures of the many things we did while they were here.  Hope you enjoy looking at them all.  We went shopping the first day they were here.  Then on Saturday we babysat for a family from church.  While we were there, we decorated some Valentine's Day cookies.  That night, we celebrated Tayler's 10th birthday!  On Sunday, we went to church.  Tayler and Mimi babysat Josiah so Chris and I could go out on a date.  On Monday, we went to the Air & Space Museum.  There were LOTS of cool things, and I was able to enjoy playing with my new 35mm digital camera.  Poor Josiah is going to be so sick of seeing a camera!  I am going to need to play with it before I shoot my first solo wedding in July.  My mom and I have done some weddings in the past, but this is my first one all by myself.  For Him Photography is in the process of getting started.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well, the Greenwood family is going to be fairly busy for the next few weeks.  Thus, the reason of only having two pictures downloaded.  I still need to take his 7 month picture!  Last Friday and Saturday, Chris was at a presbytery meeting in Baltimore, MD.  It wouldn't have been so bad, but they drove back Friday night and then went back on Saturday morning.  They decided to do this to try to save the church some money.  Then on Sunday we had a congregational meeting at the church.  To help out, I made some of my "famous" chili and baked some of the potatoes.  This weekend, my niece and mom will be coming into for a visit.  This will be Tayler's first time to our place in VA.  I have a busy Sunday as I will be trying to get parents to update their child's information between the services and Sunday School.  Then that night I will be having a  meeting to start the planning process for VBS.  Then the weekend after that, Chris will be having a training seminar at the church for the Home Fellowship Group leaders.  Josiah and I won't see him very much Friday or Saturday, but it'll be nice to have him home each night.  The first Sunday in March, Chris will be preaching and then the second weekend in March all of the grandparents will be in town for Josiah's baptizim.  So as you can see, we will be pretty busy for the next few weeks.  This doesn't even include our Bible studies or the daily tasks we need to get done.  I'm tired just thinking about it!  I just pray that I don't forget Josiah somewhere during the next few weeks!    I will be so thankful when this season is over because I don't like to stay busy, and I miss our quiet time as a family.  I will try my best to keep taking pictures of Josiah--I might just be a little delayed on downloading them. 

Well, I should get going because I need to get dinner ready before I head to Bible study tonight. 

Doctor Visit

Well, Josiah went back to the doctor on Friday and only gained 1/2 pound in a month.  We will need to go back in 2 weeks to check him again.  One doctor wanted to go ahead and send him to a specialist, while another doctor said to add an extra bottle of formula and give him some avacados since they are high in calories.  We are going with the second doctor's opinion of adding an extra meal and avacados.  I guess they just don't understand his strong Greenwood genes!  What we will do next time if he hasn't gained weight like they want him to,  I don't know?  Like I've said before, we aren't concerned about his weight because he eats, is happy, is VERY active and sleeps well.  The doctors even say he is progressing developmentally like he is supposed to.  I just wished they would believe us when we say that it is in his genes.  Maybe we need to get Granny Kay to come over here and deal with these doctors for us--she has seen quite a few Greenwood men grow up!   

Well, just say a prayer that all will go well at the next visit on Feb. 13th.