14 weeks

Well, we are officially in our second trimester...I'm so glad to FINALLY be here!  The last week or so have been really good.  The morning sickness has gone away, and I am getting more energy.  I went to our 14 week check-up and you sounded really good.  So far, I have gained almost 10 pounds this pregnancy...which is the same amount that I lost just before getting pregnant. :)  I have started to feel you fluttering here and there.  Nothing consistent, but when I do, I enjoy every second of it!  I continue to have horrible heartburn...they say you get it early with each pregnancy, so now wonder I have been popping the Zantac for a few weeks now!  Haven't had any strange cravings...just wanting salty foods over sweets...which isn't at all normal for Mommy! I have made our 20 week ultrasound appointment for Feb. 4th, so hopefully you will cooperate, and we will find out if you are a boy or a girl.  I had a dream a few weeks ago that you are a boy...I dreamed with your siblings what they were and my dreams were right, so we will see if I am four for four. 

Well, I am going to go to bed.  Daddy is at church with the youth having a lock-in, and I am coming down with a cold, so I should get some sleep...your siblings aren't going to slow down just because I don't feel well.  Know that you are loved very much, and we can't wait to see you on the ultrasound in just a few weeks.

CHRISTmas 2012

CHRISTmas 2012

Greetings from the Greenwood Family!!  Another year has flown by, and I am sitting down to do one of my favorite yearly things.  I guess the reason why I like it so much is because I get to reflect on our blessings throughout the year.  Where do we begin?  I guess with our kiddos…let’s be honest that is who most people want to know about anyway!

Josiah turned four in June…we still can’t believe that we entered into the world of parenthood four years ago!  This year Josiah is being homeschooled three days a week.  The last couple of years, I came up with lessons to do with him, but this year we ordered some different kindergarten curriculums for our school time.  His biggest accomplishment this year is learning how to read.  One day, he was sitting down reading a library book that we had just checked out.  He has such a good memory that usually if you read a book to him a couple of times, he can remember the words.  I asked Chris if he had read him the book…knowing that I hadn’t read it to him yet…and he said that he hadn’t.  So to both of our amazement, he was actually reading the words on his own!!!  With the reading, we have also seen a great improvement in his comprehension.  He is also doing a great job memorizing Bible verses…which is also helping me to memorize the Bible! And in case you are wondering, Josiah is still CRAZY about trains. We wonder if he will do something with trains when he grows up. This past year, Josiah has tried out some different activities…soccer, gymnastics, swimming and golfing. Who knows what he will end up settling on, but he has lots of fun in whatever he is doing.

Sophie will be three in January.  We decided to go ahead and start school with Sophie, so she has been doing the lessons that I have done with Josiah the past couple of years.  I have had to be very intentional about not having her nearby when I am teaching Josiah because she quickly picks up what he is being taught!!  She really loves her big brother and wants to be like him so much.  Sophie’s biggest accomplishment this year is learning how to read, too!!  We are still working on her reading comprehension, but since she is only two, we will give her a little grace. One of the cutest things about Sophie lately has been her desire to sing along with the songs in the van. She really like some of the kids Bible songs and it is a blessing to hear her sing along. This past year, Sophie has also been involved in some different activities…gymnastics, swimming and ballet. Again, who knows what she will eventually settle on, but she is having lots of fun trying out new things.

Kyrie turned one in November.  She has been such a great addition to our family.  We love watching her personality develop.  Her smile is truly contagious. She is definitely a vocal one…you just need to come and experience one meal with her to understand what we are talking about! She started crawling on all fours in October and started pulling up shortly after that and creeping along the furniture, so walking will be on the horizon.  She has spoken her first word…”Hi” and her first sentence, “Hi, Momma!”  We have been doing the “Your Baby Can Read” videos with her, so she has learned how to do/show us: “arms up,” “nose,” “eyes,” “dance,” “point,” “mouth,” and “wave.”  Even at a year, she is definitely into “reading” books.  She will sit there for quite a while looking at books, so it will be interesting to see if she will be reading like Josiah and Sophie one day. The cutest thing is, when we are reading our family devotional, she crawls up into Chris’ lap and points her finger at the words like Josiah and Sophie do when they read.   Kyrie is taking her first swim class and seems to like it.

Well, Baby G4 will be making his/her arrival in June 2013…yes, you read that correctly!! JWe found out on October 26^th after I hadn’t been feeling well for a few days.  I had been up the night before wondering if I could be pregnant and then decided that there was NO WAY that I could be…the days didn’t match up.  That morning, I couldn’t stop wondering, so I decided that I was going to go ahead and take a test just so I could give myself a peace of mind.  Well, I’m sure my face was absolutely priceless when I saw that the test was positive!!!  I called Chris in total shock…he just starts laughing.  The reason for the laughter was because we were going to sit down on Kyrie’s first birthday to talk about having Baby #4.  I really wanted a fourth, and he didn’t know if he had it in him to go through another round of sleepless nights.  Well, I guess God made the decision for us.  We both are thankful that the decision was made for us and can’t wait to meet this little one.

I (Chris has now taken over this letter!) celebrated my fourth year at Reston Presbyterian Church in October.  I have been very busy over the last year doing…well, all kinds of stuff. I’ve preached a lot more this last year to help out the Senior Pastor, continued to disciple men, led the youth group, gone on a mission trip to Wheaton, IL, helped my wife with our newest addition, Kyrie (and of course the other two), and the many, many, other things that fit into the broad description of “ministry.” One of the things I have added to my schedule and really enjoy is taking Josiah and Sophie each to breakfast one day a week. I have also added meeting the family for lunch on most Saturdays. I enjoy these special times with the kids and the family as a whole. In the next year, I’ll have to figure out another day to add Kyrie! I also take the kids to their various activities: swimming, gymnastics, soccer, etc. I am thankful I have a job that allows me the flexibility to do that with them. As for Baby G4, I guess I figure we need to keep up with cell phone data speeds so since everyone is using 4G now, we needed to introduce G4 in return. Sara and I were indeed planning on having a “one more baby” conversation but I guess God had His own opinion about the matter and wanted to make sure we heard it right. We are indeed blessed parents and I can only wonder what one more will be like!

As for me (Sara has resumed control of the letter), well…I am staying pretty busy, too!  I am so thankful that I am able to stay home with our kiddos and not have to rush everyone out the door in the morning, but instead able to enjoy these precious years of them being young and wanting to be around us.  This past year, I have been able to co-host quite a few baby showers at our church.  I am thankful that I have a husband who encourages and supports me to do something that I enjoy.  I also have been enjoying going to my MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) group twice a month.  It is a time to grow as a mom and to have someone to walk with during these early years of raising our children.  In my extra-extra spare time, I enjoy discipling five women from our church.  It is such an encouragement to see how God is working in their lives and being able to be a part of their journey.  Often times, the Lord teaches me something about myself and stretches me to grow in my relationship with Him.

 Much love,

Chris, Sara, Josiah, Sophie, Kyrie and G4

Thanksgiving 2012

Well, we had a very quiet Thanksgiving this year...it was just our little family.  We were very thankful to be able to spend the day together playing by the fire, cooking YUMMY food and not have to rush off somewhere or get our house all fixed for company.  We stayed in our pajamas all day...yes, we even ate our dinner in our pajamas.  We did take out our nice dishes and flatware, but decided that we just didn't want to get all dressed up.  It was perfect for our little family.  Chris cooked a beautiful...and tasty turkey.  I did all the sides--green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing and rolls.  The amazing thing of the night was how much Kyrie ate!!!  Chris and I decided that she ate more than everyone else when you consider her age and her size.  I am telling you, this girl can eat!!! 

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving...and now let the CHRISTmas season begin!

9 weeks

Well, we have been growing buddies for 9 weeks now and my waist is already showing it.  The last week or so has been kind of rough for Mommy....I am very tired...all.the.time....and have been so nauseous...all.the.time.  Whoever came up with the word morning sickness doesn't have a clue...I think I would name it morning, noon and night sickness...or MNN for short.  When I have my moments of being frustrated with feeling yucky all the time, I just remember that this MNN sickness means that you are growing and doing what you need to do.  We go to the doctor on Monday, and I can't wait to hear your heartbeat for the first time...that sound never gets old...no matter what number child you are.  After our appointment, we will call our siblings and let them know that they are going to be an aunt and uncle again and we will let your siblings know...it is a careful balance of not telling them too soon...we don't want them to spill the beans!   Then we will let our church family know on Sunday.  It has been super hard hiding my growing waist line...thankful for over-sized sweaters and the fact that it has been cold enough to wear them! Well, know that we are excited and can't wait to meet you and to see who God is creating you to be.

Unexpected Blessing #2

Well, I’m sitting on the couch listening to the monitors as your brother and sisters drift off to sleep.  Still in shock of the news your Daddy and I received today.  I hadn’t been feeling well the last couple of day…feeling a little nauseas, but then at the same time feeling extremely hungry.  I just shrugged it off as having a stomach bug and not really eating much.  Last night, I couldn’t sleep very much…I kept waking up and thinking, “What if we are pregnant?”  Again, I shrugged it off because there was NO WAY that we could be…we were being very careful.  I had been thinking most of the morning, “Could I be?  No, I can’t be.”  After doing that for a couple of hours, I decided that I was going to go ahead and take a test to just confirm that I wasn’t pregnant, so I wouldn’t keep worrying until I started my cycle.  Well, you should have seen my face when the pregnancy test came back positive!!  Your Daddy and I were waiting until Kyrie turned one…in just a week…to talk about Baby #4…whether you were going to be natural or adopted.  I guess God has given us the answer…He wants Baby #4 to be from Mommy and Daddy.  So even though we are totally surprised, we are so very excited to have you coming.  As we have learned over the years, God’s timing is PERFECT.  So we can’t wait to meet you, we pray that you will stay put and continue to grow strong and healthy.  We love you, Little One…our other unexpected blessing!

Be still

Well, I was sitting at the computer after finishing my Bible study and realized that it has been FOREVER since I have done an update!

The summer continued to be very busy, but so worth the time we were able to spend with the youth.  It was sad to see the unexpected visits come to an end, but at the same time it is nice to get back into a routine again.  Just because summer is over doesn't mean we aren't busy...it is just a different kind of busy.  At the end of August, Chris and I sat down and re-worked our schedule...I just felt like I had a lot on my plate...trying to keep up with kids, housework, discipling, cooking, ministry, spending time with Chris.  I was having a rather hard day, and I just kept saying to the Lord, "I just wish he (Chris) would come home...I just need to share with him how unhappy I am with how things are...how overwhelmed I feel."  So at lunch time, I hear the door rattling...I panicked for a moment because Chris is supposed to be at work.  When the door opens, I feel relief to see Chris walking through it...for a couple of reasons...not some CRAZY person breaking in to our house and that my prayers were answered.  I asked him why he wasn't meeting with the guy he disciples...he informed me that he just felt like he needed to cancel and come home.  We put the kids down for their nap, and we had a good talk about what was going on with me.  That night we sat down and looked at what we have going on weekly and came up with a new schedule that has been working GREAT!!!  I feel like the Lord gave us this schedule and helped to prioritize what is important.  I have to admit there are times when I want to stray from the schedule...like clean (yes, I'm a cleaning junkie, but I am working on letting things go) when I am supposed to be hanging out with the kids or be on the computer instead of having some time with the Lord.  We have been doing this new schedule for a couple of weeks now, and our home seems to be running so much more smoothly...kids are happier and Mommy is way less stressed!  As I reflect on the changes, I don't know why I didn't sit down sooner and pray...I mean REALLY pray which requires more listening than talking...about our daily schedule. I mean we have to eat, our house needs to be cleaned, our kids need to learn, but I never slowed down long enough to hear the answer to my question, "When should we do this?"  So I praise the Lord for being faithful yet again...where He was willing all along to be my guide and strength...I just needed to be still long enough to hear His answer. 

Summer Time Craziness

WOW!!!!

I didn't know how else to start this journal entry...life has been SUPER busy for us...it is summer time and youth ministry is in full swing!!!

Since we have gotten back from our trip, life has gotten very busy for us.  We started our SNL (Sunday Night Laughs) at our house.  This is the night when the youth come over to hang out.  The first night we had 23 people in our basement and the next time was 21.  We have had to strategically figure out how to fit them all in there.  Sophie has started "Baby Ballerina"...a dance class that is SO cute. Both Josiah and Sophie did a swim class for two weeks and will do another in August.  My niece, Tay, came to stay with us for 11 days.  While she was here, we celebrated Josiah's 4th birthday and Kyrie's baptism.  We had all the grandparents except for my dad here for those two days.  The night of Josiah's birthday, there was a crazy storm that went through VA...it was 80 miles wide and had winds that were 80 mph.  Quite a few people and businesses lost power...some for several days.  We were blessed that we never lost power...the lights only flickered a couple of times.  The church did loose power though, so Kyrie's baptism a little hot...OK, a whole hot since we were in a heat wave, too!   But it was humbling in the sense that thousands of Christians around the world go and worship in a church that has no A/C every week.  When I realized that, my complaining thoughts quickly disappeared.  We also had some of the youth girls over to our house a couple of nights to hang out and other night to decorate t-shirts for the mission trip.  We went into DC one day, so we could take Tay to the Museum of Natural History...I must admit we were so totally annoyed by all the evolution comments...but I won't say any more than that.    Chris and I celebrated our 10th anniversary...yes, 10 years!!!! Some of our friends came over for about an hour to watch the kiddos, so we could go get dessert.  We are going to go away for a night in August, so we will do a BIGGER celebration then.  On Monday night, Chris and I were so exhausted and wondering where our summer has gone.  We reflected on the last two weeks and realized that there were only two nights when it was just the Greenwood Family alone out our house....no wonder we were SO exhausted.  We have LOVED every minute of what we have been doing and wouldn't change a thing about it.  We love all of the youth and look forward to summer time because this is when we get to hang out with them...the last two summers, we have hated seeing the school year begin because we knew there wouldn't be any unexpected visitors knocking our door to just hang out.  I am already getting a little sad thinking about summer starting in just a few weeks.   

Our summer isn't even close to slowing down.  My mom arrives on Saturday because Chris will be leaving on Sunday for a week to take the youth to Chicago for a mission trip. She will be staying to help with the kiddos...Josiah has a TON of things already planned for his Mimi to do with him.  He gets back Sunday night and on Monday morning we pack up the car to head to NC for a few days to see Corey and her family.  We get back and then I have a shower that I am hosting plus we have youth camp starting.  Then I have another shower that I am hosting, then school starts.  I am just tired writing all that!!!    Please be in prayer as we stay busy the next several weeks. That God will give us the energy to complete the ministry He has called us to.  He has been faithful thus far, and I know He will continue to be faithful to us.