Christmas Season Fun

I wanted to share some pictures of the boys and what they have been up to this Christmas season. Enjoy! Andrew was a shepherd in our Christmas Program. He also played a chime with the children's choir.

Elijah is very strong, even though he is still so little! He loves playing with toys and rattles.

Andrew and I have been working on a gingerbread house. Andrew likes the icing!
Elijah is fascinated with his feet right now. He is quite limber!
Here are the boys at church this morning. We had a very worshipful service and are thankful for a place to serve God's people. We hope you all have a wonderful, worshipful Christmas!

Christmas Season

Christmastime greetings to you all!

This is the first year that Andrew is really excited about Christmas. We have been reading regularly stories about the birth of Jesus. Andrew's favorite part is when the shepherds are told by the angel "Do not be afraid," and then say "Glory to God in the highest! And on earth peace, among those with whom He is pleased". Andrew is very aware of the gift-giving process, but has remained conservative in his asking for presents. "Lightening McQueen trucks" are at the top of his list.

Elijah is growing so fast and is enjoying the Chrsitmas lights. He has found his voice and will sing along with us... usually in a one-tone "Ahhhhhhh". It is a beautiful sound.

Micah and I are so thankful to be settled in to our new home this year. On Friday, December 15, we are hosting a open house for all our friends and church family here in Kentucky. We are so thankful for the people in our lives here~ but still think daily of those close to our hearts in North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Louisiana.

Update

It is amazing how time flies... the year has come and almost gone. We in the Childs household are looking forward to good holiday food and the basketball season (go Heels! ~don't tell Micah!!!). We have also enjoyed the cool weather and beautiful fall foliage. Anticipating the business of the approaching holidays, I recently pulled out my Christmas decorations so I could get ahead. Andrew loves the nut"crackers" and lights. ~Yes Cara, it gets earlier and earlier every year!


Micah has just a couple of assignments to complete and finals and his semester will be over. Yeah!!! Until he begins again in the Spring~


Andrew's favorite phrase right now is "I know, Mommy". He really does think he knows just about everything, so he says. How does he have such confidence? I know from experience, it must be in his genes. He had a good time at our church's fall festival last week. He enjoyed the cake walk and winning prizes-- one prize was a pack of plastic bugs. He loves these ugly bugs. If you don't already know, I am terrified of bugs and having these things greet me in random places around our home is making me crazy. I am sure that soon I will pick one up, thinking it is a plastic one when in fact it will be real. No girls besides me in this house, that's for sure!



Elijah is growing and growing. When he smiles, he smiles with every inch of his little 13.5 pound body. He is at a precious age.



The boys and I will be traveling to NC the day after Thanksgiving to celebrate my brother, Matt being recognized as an Eagle Scout. Congratulations Uncle Matt!

We're Back to Blogging!

To all of you, five or so, faithful members of the Joy In Our Journey fan club, I will begin by apologizing for my lack of updating this blog. To be honest, the latest news will be to most of you, I imagine, will be kind of, well, boring. Anyway, the big Childs news is that Andrew has been making steps toward becoming a young man this past week. He has almost mastered the fine art and skill of using the lavatory... or as he understands, the potty. I know at this point, I have probably lost most of you, bringing down our number of fans to maybe 2. Just hang in there with me for a minute, while I attempt to, as faithfully as I can~ with sentiment, explain why this has been such a big deal.

Apparently, learning successful ways to appropriately handle this need and necessity of ours to... well... use the potty is something whole books, websites, and parenting classes are focused on. I had no idea why... until now. From toddler (or sometimes baby) boot camp to "Oh, he will learn before he is twelve, so don't worry" opinions, come a plethora of advise for training. I will spare you the details of our specific journey, but will say that after four days, things are looking hopeful. I have acquired a new position in my home, one that doesn't hit far from past experience, the potty cheerleader. Thanks to grandparents, I do not hold this position alone (Thanks Mimi and Nana!!!). This has been pretty consuming the last few days, and I am sure it will continue to be for a while. In the life of our young Andrew, this change has been drastic and life-altering. He now has a major responsibility~ one he has to perform on his own. One more step toward independence... and leaving. Maybe mellow-dramatic for you, but for me the implications are all too real. I train, teach, and cheer for him to get it and move toward being a big boy, and then a man; responsible and socially acceptable. The hard part for me is that I like him being dependent on me. I have seen how quickly children grow. But what honors God is that I prepare him for independence- and at the same time dependence on his Creator... the One who designed all the growing up in the first place.

Our sweet Elijah is doing great. He is so sweet and can be talked into almost anything easily- which is a good thing for a three month old. He loves to smile and laugh. He has his brothers heart. Andrew can't wait until he is old enough to wrestle. It is amazing how quickly he has changed.

In contrast- I am taking Greek class for Seminary wives on Thursday nights. I am not sure how these two things have entered my life at the same time, but I find it interesting and quite humorous anyway.

Last, but most certainly not least, Micah is almost finished with his fall semester. He has been taking a class challenging him to be more spiritually disciplined and a class on developmental psychology. Both so profitable, they have offered he and I many topics of conversation as he attempts to reconnect me with the outside world at the end of the day. We will be celebrating the 13th anniversary of the day we met in a few months, and I am so thankful for his friendship and devotion. I give God the glory for sustaining us this long, and pray we have much time to go.

Time Away from Home

We were all so glad to have some time together, uninterrupted. We drove through the tourist haven of Pigeon Forge, TN on to Gatlinburg, a somewhat less touristy area in the beautiful Smoky Mountains. It was a beautiful place to spend a few days.

One of Andrew's favorite places we visited was the Aquarium. Yes, it is an odd combo, mountains and salt-water creatures, but it was perfect for us; mountains for the adults and sharks and "nemos" for the kiddos.

We spent the better part of a day driving to NC where we visited family. The boys and I stayed on and then returned safely home via airplane, much to Andrew's delight. I heard "Mommy, this is excited!" many times on the way home.

Outings

We recently went to the Kentucky State Fair as a family. The whole thing was somewhat nostalgic. We saw the animals, ate all the food we could, and then settled down at Cardinal Stadium to hear Brandon Heath and Michael W. Smith (talk about nostalgia). We have been to the fair almost every year since we arrived in Louisville. Evey year, we have had changes as a family. From our arrival as a family of two, to our awaiting the arrival of Andrew the following year, to taking Andrew the year after that, to this year as now a family of four. It was quite different from the first year. We arrived with enough supplies to have lived there several nights quite comfortably packed in our double stroller- the equivalent of a stroller Cadillac. I say all of that to say- how very blessed I felt to have been in such precious company. How we have changed in our years here- and multiplied- by the grace and gift of God!




The boys and I were treated to a trip to the Louisville Zoo as well. We have done alot of walking this week! Andrew loved seeing the animals- but his most exciting memory was of the model Thomas the Tank Engine train set.

Waterfountains, Saddness, and Blessing

As the weather turns cooler (the heat index has been over 100 the past couple of weeks) and I (Tiffany) get more and more brave getting out with both boys, we have attempted to soak up the last drops of summer. One of our recent adventures was at Louisville's Waterfront Park. Andrew loved the water fountains. We were accompanied by our dear friends, who are leaving Louisville on Sunday to begin a new season of life in Louisiana. We are fortunate to have shared the last 5 years with the Meyers. Micah and I are sad to see them go, but excited and thankful for God's hand on their life. I hope for each one reading this that you have or will at some point in life experience friendship that is as much a blessing to you as our relationship with the Meyers.

Micah is back in school!!! My dear husband goes to school, but I can say with certainty that his life isn't school. He makes his family his first priority, beyond his relationship with God. His love and devotion to taking care of me and our children is evident in the choices he makes. He recently turned down a substantial gift because the cost of it on his family was too great. I am proud and honored to be his wife.

Like Father, Like Son

Our kitchen is at the back of our house, and as I was cooking the other evening, Micah and Andrew were mowing. Actually, if you were to ask Andrew, they were "playing- mowing the grass". I think today, I will "play- doing the laundry and cleaning the house" and see if it helps my attitude about doing chores!

Everyday Life

Today I am trying to acclimate myself to this new season of life... trying to figure out how I am going to remain an honorable wife to my husband and raise these precious boys and at the same time not fade into a world of matchbox cars and Clifford the Big Red Dog. I was just speaking to a dear friend this morning about how our minds as moms dull due to sleep deprivation and the constant decision making staying at home with children demands (ex. PB & J or cheese toast, re-clean the kitchen or pick up the living room~again, changing diapers or clothes, on someone- which one... or both!). I thought throughout the day about our conversation and about something I had examined before but am especially thankful for on a day like today. Amid life's changing seasons, God is never having to adapt to anything. He is as He has always been. The fact that I don't even have the mind to acknowledge Christ's sacrifice on my behalf doesn't lessen it's power to sustain and continually change my life. I am so thankful it doesn't depend on me. That in and of itself is holding me up today and giving me hope for tomorrow and the remaining seasons of my life.

Enough about me! The boys are doing great. I am so thankful Elijah is doing so well. He is already over 7 pounds! His official due date was yesterday (July 21) and he made sure I knew he is ready to enter the world. He has been more aware of his surroundings and eager for his voice to be heard! Andrew loves him so much. Micah and I are amazed at how easy a transition adding a new member of our family has been for Andrew.

Andrew starts his first week of VBS tomorrow!

Elijah Haddon Childs

On July 2, our sweet baby Elijah Haddon Childs was born. He made his way into the world at 9:22 a.m. weighing 6 pounds, 5 ounces and was 19 inches long. We are all so thankful to God for giving him to us. His big brother, Andrew, is especially thankful for him and loves to touch his "little fingers" and "kiss his head". He cannot wait until Elijah is able to "play train table" with him.

Andrew With His Cast

It is amazing that for Andrew, something like a shoulder to arm cast can become a part of normal life so very quickly. He is doing so well adapting to having the only the use of his left hand. He doesn't complain about not being able to use it as well as his right, he just does the best he can. When we pray, we have always encouraged him to fold his hands. The first time we prayed after his accident, I (Tiffany) commented that he didn't have to fold his hands as he usually does thinking that it would be too difficult for him. Little did I know, my son was going to do what he found familiar and what was right and so he reached down and grabbed his fingers as best he could. Andrew's Orthopedist says children are the best to deal with when it comes to injuries. They seem to bounce back quickly and spend their energy adapting to their circumstances instead of complaining. Once again, God has taught me such a profound lesson through Andrew.

Even though it has been heart-wrenching to watch Andrew, especially in the beginning, in pain and having to struggle, I know he has been given a precious gift. God is teaching him perserverence, building his character, and ultmately giving him hope (Romans 5:3). We are so thankful, though, this accident wasn't worse than it was and that he is healing so quickly!

Request for Prayer

On May 15, we moved into a new home. We have been so blessed to have a place of our own with a backyard for Andrew and soon Elijah to play in.

Last night, on our stairs, Andrew fell and broke his arm. He was taken to Kosair Children's Hospital and had surgery at 1:15 a.m. The Orthopedic Surgeon placed two rods in his arm to repair the break and he is now in a cast that covers his entire right extremity. It is difficult to explain to a two-year-old why he can no longer use his arm or hand. It is also very difficult to see him in such pain. Please pray for him, and for us as we deal with this trial together.

Hopefully, I will be able to post pictures of our new home soon as well as Andrew sporting his new cast when he is feeling better.

Graduation!!!

Micah graduated cum laude on May 12, 2006 from Boyce College with a B.A in Biblical and Theological studies. He has worked so diligently for the last 5 years and we are so thankful he has completed his degree, especially while balancing jobs and family. Now, he can fully commit to his Masters Degree in his schoolwork. He will continue at Southern Seminary pursuing a Masters of Divinity in Pastor Counseling.

At the same time, Tiffany graduated from the Seminary Wives Institute with an Advanced Certificate in Ministry Studies.















It was a God-glorifying ceremony that brought to mind all the ways God has sustained us these past five years here in Louisville. The graduating class and guests concluded the time together singing a hymn written for the first commencement of the Seminary in 1860 by Basil Manly, Jr., Soldiers of Christ, in Truth Arrayed. It's poignant verses point toward our work here on earth sharing the gospel. The charge is humbling and profoundly appropriate as we move from this chapter of our lives to the next.

We were thankful to have Micah's family with us for the celebration. Andrew enjoyed having so much attention!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Reflections on Parenting

One of my (Tiffany) favorite books is Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas. I am not a very good reader, but I was able to read this book slowly and contemplatively and was driven to remember much of what it said so I could recall it every day. So much of it has changed the way I consider the task of parenting. I have been amazed at how God gave me, not just any child, but the child I need to raise in Andrew. I see so many glimpses of myself in him, especially when it comes to his frustrations. I wonder how many times I have argued, kicked, and screamed, sure that my way was the best way while God in His perfect patience stood close and urged me toward self-control, sumbission, and repentance. At the end of tantrums, I pray I can show patience toward Andrew and he can find peace in obedience and am thankful that God is always patient with me.

Andrew loves to sit in the rocking chair. He and I sit and read a lot- and talk about the new addition to our family. His baby brother Elijah will be born in the next couple of months! He is so excited about baby "I-jah"~ as are Micah and I. I can't help but wonder what God has in store for me in giving us another precious little boy.

Around our neighborhood...

Andrew has been riding his tricycle around our home. He is headed for the Tour de France for sure~ if he can just master the pedals.

In our neighborhood, there are more dandelions than we have ever seen. There are some areas where there is no grass at all- just dandelions. They spread so quickly and vigoriously. We pray we can be as diligent in planting seeds around us as these little plants.

Now to give credit where credit is due-

Joy in the Journey - Michael Card (1994)

There is a joy in the journey
There's a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
And freedom for those who obey

And all those who seek it shall find it
A pardon for all who believe
Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind

To all who've been born in the Spirit
And who share incarnation with Him
Who belong to eternity stranded in time
And weary of struggling with sin

Forget not the hope that's before you
And never stop counting the cost
Remember the hopelessness when you were lost

There is a joy in the journey
There's a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
And freedom for those who obey

Easter 2006

On our first blog, it is so appropriate that Easter was just yesterday and it was our first opportunity to wear new clothes for new pictures.

Micah has been preaching from the book of Colossians at the church he pastors in Bagdad, KY. A few Sundays ago, he preached from Colossians 3:10 and encouraged us to put on our new clothes; as we now are made completely new in Christ. Yesterday was the day all of that was put into prespective and the weight of the opportunity to shed our "old"clothes and be risen with Christ was made evident as we worshiped God for sending Jesus.

As for where we are at this point in life- There are so many new things happening. I hope this blog gives you a glimpse into the life of our family as it unfolds even to us ~ As we find joy in our journey.