Garden d'Lights

Excellent time at the Garden d'Lights in Bellevue this evening. It was worth the full $5 suggested donation, despite our original doubts. Not bad considering all the lights were done by volunteers.

The only challenge was the "look, but no touch" policy for the Joel. Aside from that, a solid family outing. Certainly more fun than a botanical garden without Christmas lights.

Gloria Ruth Nickerson

At 10:14 AM on Friday, October 30th Gloria Ruth Nickerson was born. She was a very healthy 9 lbs, 19 inches. Melissa did amazing, and Gloria came after just 30 minutes of pushing. We're home now, and praising the Lord for his graciousness to us!

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

Psalm 34:8-11

The Main Thing to Rejoice About in Ministry

I (Melissa) just read this post from the Desiring God blog & thought it was great. If I post it here, I'll have it to refer back to. Enjoy.

Our big boy is two!

Yes, this is my first blog post & I have no idea what I am doing! But I had to get in on the fun & what better day than Joel's second birthday?

Dustin had important meetings & youth group tonight & Joel & I had our morning community group this morning, so we did a birthday breakfast at McDonald's. Dustin & I enjoyed egg McMuffins & espresso while Joel enjoyed an orange juice & a bite of hash brown. We were basically the only people there & had had a lot of fun. We tried to get a photo of the three of us, but gave up after 3 bad attempts.

This was one of the attempts & proves that Dustin was there.

It seems we get the best photos of Joel while he is drinking something.

I love Joel's face in this one.

It has been a wonderful two years. Joel, you were born with a ton of neck control; I'm convinced it was mainly because you spent the last month or so inside of me trying to back arch your way out. You have always been so curious & once you could move you would immediatly go to whatever was out of place in our living room each morning. You were a chunky boy from birth & we literally sat on our couch for the first month of your life as I recovered from having you.

Now you love "guitars," "drums," & "drum steaks," & constantly want to play. Your air guitar & air drums are hillarious & you take them very seriously. You also like to go "outside" & play "golf," which you aren't very good at, but still enjoy.

Now when you wake up & I come to get you you say, "Dad? Church." wether or not Dad is home. You kind of understand that you have a sibling on the way & like to say "momma baby" & "baby momma" which is especially funny.

Your name means "The Lord is God" & we dedicated you with Habakkuk 3:17-19.

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food,the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places."

We can't imagine life without you Joel & are so thankful for this time with you. Happy 2nd birthday!

An event so big, it warrants a t-shirt

Family Vacations...whew, where do we start?

We recently returned from the Hoglund variety of family vacation, one that came complete with matching t-shirts (designed by Melissa, zealously support by Grandpa Dave, rebelliously protested by April, and nonetheless worn by all). We spent half the time in Yosemite, and the other half in Lancaster, CA. Despite feeling right at home in Lancaster, needless to say, Yosemite gets the nod.

The round up of the trip includes some high-highs, and some low-lows. Back-to-back birdies on the golf course one day, a 24 hour flu bug that rampages through the family the next. Enjoying a good read on the couch while the baby is sleeping one moment, flooding the kitchen due to putting the wrong kind of dish soap in the dishwasher the next. Throw in some great times at the pool and beach, being electrocuted while trying to get a free game on pinball, lots of games, and some epic thrift store shopping...well, it's hard to ask for more.

Seeing family that we don't see nearly enough was, by far, the highlight. Jon, Andrea, and Joy being back from Ukraine, Sarah returning from her recent trip to Japan and China, seeing April right before she heads to Tunisia...with a family running around the world like that, it's a rare treat to all get together. We enjoyed it almost as much as Joel enjoyed the below fruit smoothie.



Looking forward to next time.

-the Nickerson's

Catching, throwing, surgery, serving...and oh yes, a first birthday!

Well, we can't brag about our 'post something every 4-6 months' blog, so instead, we'll brag about Joel showing off his catching and throwing skills in the video below.


And don't mind that big-nasty boot Dustin is wearing. His anti-arthritic ankle surgery on May 21st went well, and he's thrilled to be done with the hard part of the recovery. And despite all the pain and nausea, he wouldn't have traded places with Melissa for a second, who faithfully took care of a very needy baby and an even needier husband. Praise Jesus for her!

And oh yes, on May 13th, Joel turned one!

Yes, it was over a year ago (on Mother's Day) that God gave us little Joel. It's been such a joy to watch and grow, and of course, be stretched and grown alongside him.

We had some friends and family over, and Joel participated in what seems to be an unofficial American tradition. That is, mom throws down a piece of cake on the tray of the high chair, and 1-year old dives head first into a sugary bliss. How much of the cake ends up in their stomachs? Not much, at least compared to the amount on their face. Fun for all involved, and what a photo-op.

Dreaming of a green Christmas...

...that is, green because we're doing a Christmas blog as opposed to sending out Christmas cards. You paper-wasting mongrels...Merry Christmas to you all!

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy. The first of Joel in his Christmas sweater (that's a little too big, but we only get a couple more weeks out of it), and the other a shot of us at the Mars Hill Staff Christmas Party at Hotel 1000 downtown.


Hope all is well everyone. Love you all.

Dustin, Melissa, and Joel