so happy grandmas here!!!!!

Walking at Kits beach.

A view of English bay.

The 43rd run down the slide.

Mittens Grandma made me!

Snuggle time.

Building Lego with Daddy.

A prayer...

“Lord, I do not attempt to comprehend your sublimity, because my intellect is not at all equal to such a task. But I yearn to understand some measure of your truth, which my heart believes and loves. For I do not seek to understand in order to believe, but I believe in order to understand.” (Anselm, Pros logion)

Big Week...

> lydia's mom comes today for a week... we'll be doing some catching up and a bit of sightseeing too...

> miroslav volf is at Regent this week... we'll be sure to take in a session... after all, it's free.

> lydia turns 27 on Friday... we're going to paint the town red on Thursday night to celebrate.

> the vancouver-regional annual nicholson family thanksgiving dinner will be held this Friday. (lydia worked last weekend... it'll be our first attempt at cooking a turkey...)

looks like a good week lies ahead.

johnny cash

i was just listening to some johnny cash while playing legos with noah and i got thinking about the video for his cover of Nine Inch Nails' song "Hurt". What an amazingly raw reflection on his life as he neared the end of it...




(it made me think of the discussion happening here on Phil's blog about art. Lian made a comment that "All the art that has most moved me to change - that has effectively shown me a mirror of myself - has been the art that exposes the artist rather than justify, exonerate, veil him." I think this is a perfect example of an artist doing just that.

higher education.

What we have learned so far...

1) a nude beach isn't what you would think. i expected to see nude sunbathers... not so. it is used more for hiking than tanning, which makes for awkward encounters walking by people wearing nothing but a backpack and a pair of hikers. we haven't been to that beach since the first week.

2) Vancouver has an all-reggae radio station.

3) Stay away from E. Hastings near China town. we walked down a block of sidewalk where we were clearly walking through the living room of about 50 junkies and homeless people. oops.

4) They say it rains here, but i don't believe it... yet.

5) When biking to the beach, if you're enjoying coasting downhill for 10 minutes straight... remember that gravity will get its revenge on the way back. (from now on we will drive our bikes to the beach, go for a ride, and then drive back.)

6) Pedestrians and buses are worshipped here. All others must yield to the greatness of buses and walkers... every 100 metres it seems is a pedestrian crosswalk and you have the power to bring traffic to a dead halt just by stepping out on the street.

time for a good old fashioned vote.

Seasons change. So do styles. So does facial hair.
so it's time for a vote, of course.

Which of the following Aarons is the most appropriate?
(or least nauseating, if you will.)
























































"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost. "
John Quincy Adams

yippeeee!.... we're coming home

we are so excited that it has worked out for us to come home for Christmas!
we will be in Sarnia Dec.22- Jan.4! yippee... a white Christmas after all!

a few scattered thoughts...

as you can imagine, i've been reading a whole lot, and with that comes the privelege of stumbling across some amazing quotes... so i'll be adding any noteable quotes to our random quote generator on the right side of the blog... and when i add one, i'll also share it with you via a blog post...

"The Christian gospel has sometimes been made the tool of an imperialism, and of that we have to repent. But at its heart it is the denial of all imperialism, for at its center there is the cross where all imperialisms are humbled and we are invited to find the center of human unity in the One who was made nothing so that all might be one. The very heart of the biblical vision for the unity of humankind is that its center is not an imperial power but the slain Lamb." - Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society

and the second quote won't make the quote generator, unfortunately, but is still worth sharing. it was my prof's response to a question related to the idea to the subjectivity of canonizing the Bible in the early church age, and even the subjectivity of intepreting the Bible, really asking how we know our tradition is right, and how can you really come to terms with some of these things...

My prof's response:

"It has been said that sausage and theology are two things you don't want to watch being made."

enjoy.

a prayer

one: God of the journey,
as you accompanied Abraham and Sarah,
stand by us this day.
The journey is long and winding;
fortify us with hope for a promised land

all: O God, the journey is long;
strengthen our steps this day...

one: O God, the journey is indeed long
and our steps falter along the way.
At times we become fatigued
as we encounter frustrations and opposition.
At times we lose hope and direction

all: O God, the journey is long;
strengthen our steps this day...

one: Lord, there are times we are tempted
to turn back, even to a life of slavery.
There are times we want to stop
with our journey half completed.
Sometimes we want to proclaim a rest stop
as our ultimate goal.

all: O God, the journey is long;
strengthen our steps this day...

one: Lord, fill us with strength and eagerness
for the road ahead.
Make us unwilling to settle for the slavery of our past
Make us unwilling to settle for the desert of our present.
Be our pillar of cloud and fire,
leading us on to your country.
Be our future, challenging us
with excellence and beauty,
and bringing us to where all people
will bless themselves by your name
and dwell in your peace.

all: O God, the journey is long;
strengthen our steps this day...

(a prayer read at Regent chapel) (author unknown)

a long awaited reunion with the nellis family...

i finally got to meet uncle phil, auntie ruth, and my good buddy sylas!
(and it was nice for mommy and daddy to meet sylas and see phil and ruth after 2 years!)

please tell me i'm not the only one...

2 ways to tell you are a grad student (or just very busy)...

1) a couple times in the past 2 weeks i've crawled into bed and said, "shoot, i forgot to shower today."
2) i have noticed that lately i have developed the habit of walking around with my fly down. (either my mind is elsewhere or i'm too rushed to take time to zip? who knows.)

Lord help me.

ps- and help those who have to be near an unshowered, unzipped, unshaven me.

on being human...

so after 2 weeks of class i'm feeling overwhelmed in both the positive and negative senses of the word. i'm taking Intro to New Testament Greek, which in many ways is totally kicking my [hind-quarters] and i come away from that class wondering, "What the heck am i doing here?"... i'm waiting to settle into a good groove with that one... the first two weeks there is a lot of information dumped on you all at once. but then i have the opportunity later in the day to be in a class called Christian Thought and Culture I... this class is blowing me away. first of all, the format is amazing... there is a different lecturer each day (choice regent faculty) who are speaking within their realm of expertise. not only are they giving their best in the lecture because their lives are devoted to the subject on which they speak, but they are speaking in front of another 6 or 7 regent professors as well which, i'm sure, provides a little more motivation to be on their "A" game... so this class tracks Christian thought (as the name suggests) from the early church ages until the reformation and we have had some amazing lectures already. (and the class not only consists of lectures, but mandatory weekly tutorial sessions led by a professor that consist of about 12 students discussing and grappling together with the reading and lecture from the previous week.) needless to say, i'm thoroughly enjoying the class and am being stretched in amazing ways already.

today we focused a lot on the greco-roman philosophies that were dominant during the time that Jesus walked the earth and throughout the first couple of centuries, while the early church was being established. it's amazing to see how Gnosticism has affected our beliefs as Christians, even to this day. (namely the dualism of soul and body, and the elevation of the soul over the body)... and i guess it's true: i've always elevated "soul" over "body"... it was argued today that this is a Gnostic thought and that they two can't even be separated (monism)... interesting fodder for thought, that's for sure.

anyway, along the course of our tutorial discussion, our prof brought a poem to our attention that i think deserves sharing...

On Being Human

Angelic minds, they say, by simple intelligence Behold the Forms of nature. They discern Unerringly the Archtypes, all the verities Which mortals lack or indirectly learn. Transparent in primordial truth, unvarying, Pure Earthness and right Stonehood from their clear, High eminence are seen; unveiled, the seminal Huge Principles appear. The Tree-ness of the tree they know-the meaning of Arboreal life, how from earth's salty lap The solar beam uplifts it; all the holiness Enacted by leaves' fall and rising sap; But never an angel knows the knife-edged severance Of sun from shadow where the trees begin, The blessed cool at every pore caressing us -An angel has no skin. They see the Form of Air; but mortals breathing it Drink the whole summer down into the breast. The lavish pinks, the field new-mown, the ravishing Sea-smells, the wood-fire smoke that whispers Rest. The tremor on the rippled pool of memory That from each smell in widening circles goes, The pleasure and the pang --can angels measure it? An angel has no nose. The nourishing of life, and how it flourishes On death, and why, they utterly know; but not The hill-born, earthy spring, the dark cold bilberries. The ripe peach from the southern wall still hot Full-bellied tankards foamy-topped, the delicate Half-lyric lamb, a new loaf's billowy curves, Nor porridge, nor the tingling taste of oranges. —An angel has no nerves. Far richer they! I know the senses' witchery Guards us like air, from heavens too big to see; Imminent death to man that barb'd sublimity And dazzling edge of beauty unsheathed would be. Yet here, within this tiny, charmed interior, This parlour of the brain, their Maker shares With living men some secrets in a privacy Forever ours, not theirs. C S Lewis

there is a certain beauty in being human, isn't there? i mean, in having bodies... each one distinct, beautiful, and significant. and Christ chose to be embodied as a human...
anyway, i'm still processing.
any thoughts?

another update...

Just a quick update... Noah had his first day with his sitter today, Michelle, and her daughter Madeline. They played so great together and all went very smoothly. We are so so thankful for how well this has worked out, God has been so sweet to us!
Aaron started classes today, and dropped one class. We have already been feeling a bit overwhelmed with the load on both of us and felt this was the best thing to do. Aaron is still considered a full time student but taking a lighter load. We feel so at peace about this and have decided we really need to remember we want this to be as much of a sabbatical as it can be. Aaron really enjoyed his classes and going to chapel.
I am going through orientation for my new job right now which is going really well. The only thing is my back is very sore? - I have never had a sore back before and am now able to sympathize with those who have! IT SUCKS!!! please pray for healing... i can't imagine doing a 12 hour shift next week if it doesn't get better.

All in all things are good! Slowly getting settled... we all road the bus yesterday and survived. Was actually pretty fun! Noah loved it! That's it for now. Miss you all!

our new pad...

1 little monkey jumping on the bed!

Hi Everyone!!!! Let me take you on a tour of my new house!!!

This is the front. Our house is the first 2 floors and the courtyard is all for me... well except for the bbq. Daddy has been trying to get me to laugh "roaring" the bbq... but noone can do it quite like grandpa!

Around the corner is another courtyard where all the kids in the community come to play. I have met some new friends there! (With lil' irish and english accents :)

This is where mommy and daddy cook my food! Not much other than cheese sandwiches lately, but that will change now because all the pots and pans came yesterday!!!

Mommy says this is daddy's new wife (the study).... but she is just kidding! (haha) - smart boy!!!

I wonder what daddy will think about pictures of him sleeping all over the internet?

Well that's it for now... lots of room for visitors and I miss you all lots... so start saving your pennies and we'll see ya soon! Virtual hugs for now!

we've done a lot in a week...

well, it's now been pretty much a week since lyd, noah, and i arrived here in vancouver. we pulled up to our new place with anxiety and anticipation, feeling ambivalent toward this new adventure that lies ahead of us. as i'm typing i just thought, "wow, has it only been a week? we've done so much!" i guess time flies when you pack so much into your day/week/life...

so what has happened since we've been here? let me highlight a few things...

lydia's best friend, jen, met us here on Friday when we came to our new place and we did a lot of sightseeing with her, which was a great time. she was visiting friends elsewhere in BC and decided to come help us unpack for a few days. thanks, jen, for the offer-- but we quickly learned that it would be nothing more than an empty offer as it's been a week and the movers still haven't arrived with our stuff. our belongings are supposed to be arriving on saturday. i've never wanted to see my bedsheets more than i do now. we have been fortunate, however, to be in a place that is partly furnished (we have appliances, couches, beds... enough to get by) and are constantly asking ourselves, "what can we cook for dinner that would not involve any appliance other than a microwave or oven, doesn't use pots/pans or baking dishes, and can be eaten with plastic utensils?" if you figure out an answer to that riddle that doesn't begin with "P" and end in "izza", let us know.

orientation has been amazing at Regent. from tuesday through thursday we sat in the chapel with probably about 100-150 other newbies at Regent (i say "we" because one thing we llove about Regent is that it is a family-oriented community and they provided childcare for families so spouses could attend the orientation as well) and listened to all of Regent's profs share their personal stories, what classes they were teaching, and felt the passion with which they spoke. i feel both blessed and intimidated to be studying under such scholarly and spiritual followers of Christ. the orientation also consisted of worship times that were fantastic, and a lot more "get to know the school" type of things. we also learned how to use the library for research and i quickly learned that i had completely faked my way through undergrad, never having used the library in any way it was intended to be used. i'm not sure i can do the same here...

we're living at St. Andrew's Hall and have been able to connect with some other families here. one particular family is from Ireland with a son a little older than noah, and another family we met is from England with an older daughter and a son around noah's age. Our neighbours moved here from Taiwan a few weeks ago with their 14 year old son. The dad, JZ (yes, we live next door to JZ!) will be studying at Regent. This place is great for families, because the entire courtyard at this townhouse is completely overrun by toys. it's toddler heaven... slides, a play stove, tricycles, balls, you name it. we have taken advantage of that a few times...

we signed up for a community group today, which will meet on tuesdays after chapel. we're both really looking forward to tuesdays, as we have weekly chapel, community groups, and then those who are interested stay around and eat soup and bread together... it's great to be in a place that is intentional about developing a relational environment.

i bought my books for all my classes yesterday and came home a little overwhelmed. 16 books for this semester... and the semester is 13 weeks long. i'm no mathematician, but between reading, tests, learning greek, and writing papers-- i think i may be kinda busy this semester. i'm definitely excited to be reading these books though. they look like fantastic reads, though some of them may be a slower read than others.

i think that's it for us now... sorry about all the details... i know there are a few out there who are interested in all the ins and outs... for the rest of you, just skim or skip this post and no offence will be taken!

Visiting the Walkers....

1. Daddy with Peyton
2. Ethan and Noah
3. Jace, Noah, Ethan
4. Cuddle time with the twins :)

our first experience at the aquarium

in awe of the beauty...

We went for a stroll today to the ocean. These pictures are taken at wreck beach which is a mere 5 min walk from our house (not including the CRAZY stairs down... which are a workout to say the least!!!)
We arrived in Vancouver yesterday and are so pleased with our new home. We are anxious to get our stuff, but have recieved news it won't make it here until the 8th.
We will post some new pixs of the house soon... but not until our things are here and we have nicholsonized it!!!
Lydia's best friend Jen is visiting until Monday.
Noah is doing so well, and we are so excited to establish home for him again.
p.s. did i mention wreck beach is a nudist beach?

for all you bargain shoppers and swappers...

maybe i'm the last one to find out about this, but in case you don't know about it-- i was just introduced to the Freecycle Network... a local egroup you can sign up for to swap stuff with other people who are looking to get rid of the stuff. the only catch is that everything must be absolutely free... so if you have something to post, or are looking for something... it may be a good resource to tap into. there are almost 600 people on Sarnia's Freecycle and i plan on tapping into the Vancouver one. check out the site for your local one... and enjoy!

New Baby!

Congratulations Jesse, Tawyna and Jacob! Olivia was born August 28, 2006!!!
So so excited to meet our new lil niece soon!

Having a hay day in Alberta!!!

the lovely Bismarck, North Dakota...

just a quick update from the road...
we've stayed a night in Ludington, Michigan... taken the ferry across lake Michigan, stayed in St. Paul, Minnesota, and now stopped over at Bismarck for the night. i think this is one of the biggest cities in North Dakota, but Lydia and I took the driving tour of the entire city in about 5 minutes...

noah is doing SO well on the drive... we did a 6 hour day yesterday and he was quite content the whole time. so, as a reward, we allowed him to walk through the hotel in nothing but his underwear.



















(just kidding... we were actually on the way to the pool, which we all thoroughly enjoyed.)

and now it's off to Regina, Saskatchewan for the night...

busy bees!

just wanted to say sorry for the lack of content on our blog lately!
we have been busy, busy... and to my credit, i have been on dial up internet (yes it still exists) which makes downloading pictures a big commitment
... but, stay tuned.
we have great intentions of becoming faithful bloggers... pictures included... in the near future as we enter the world of high speed.
also... the run down of the next while
Aug. 21- on the road to...
Ludington, MI
St. Pauls, MN
Bismarck, ND
Regina, SK
Medicine Hat, AB
Calgary, AB (for 5 nights to see the Walkers!!!!!!! and friends)
Kamloops, BC
Sept 1 - arrive in vancouver!
we no longer have the cell (church phone) but email us to be in touch!

feeling the feather flow...

Although short lived, i did enjoy feeling out the mullet.... so much so i broke into a metalica ballad! (okay maybe not... but man would that have been fun).

Two years ago...

Celebratory Bookends
by Penn Kemp
August 21, 2004

My brother's son was born
days before my father died.

Before, thank heavens, because
grandfather/ child are so alike I
might have come to believe
in instant rebirth.

Twenty-one years later, this
same son is married
near the eye of Florida

hurricane, two days after
his other grandfather slipped
away.

Marriage followed by
funeral. But in the eyes
of this Christian family,

marriage followed by
heavenly marriage

where the grandfather
passes on home
is recieved as Bride

walking hand in hand
with his Lord, leaving
his widow behind.

So many forms of union.

Happy Anniversary Jonathan and Stephanie!
Remembering your warm hugs and love Grandpa!

only 3 weeks left

getting packed
having small anxiety attacks ;)
and longing to see the "big" trees...

Noah's new hat...

Answered Prayer

God has been so sweet and gentle with us. Every step we have put our worry before our faith, but He has been so good to bring us back and show us whats really going on!
Just for sake of praise I wanted to share some answered prayer... from the beginning of the journey continuing on to just yesterday...
1.) Clearly guided us to Vancouver, and to Regent College
2.) Provided me a job (4 months in advance)
3.) Provided us a place in family residence (when we were 6 months late applying)
4.) Provided an amazing family for both our kitty (August) and dog (Nala)
5.) Sold our house... and provided pretty much the exact amount of money from profit, for Aarons tuition for the next 2 years.
6.) Given us amazing affirmation from our family, friends and church.
and just yesterday
7.) Provided childcare for Noah (what a big relief)
8.) Worked out the details for my nursing lisence... which was looking grim for a few days!
-there are so many more... those are some of the biggies that came to mind.

Here is a little exert from a journal entry in early April, please don't critique my writing (ha ha)... just wanted to share part of the journey:

Darkness, confusion, lost
unable to get my barings
unable to see the small compass needle
that will lead me.
"Just go North", loses it's significance
when North is unseen.

But you take my hand,
entwine your fingers within mine,
and lead me gently.
Darkness remains, yet peace falls.
"I trust You", I say, not even knowing Your name
Am i trusting or lying?
unsure i just continue,
for the new peace feels warm and homelike.

... and your hands, so strong, so tender.
I want to look up and find your face in the darkness,
and ask... "what's next papa?"

here's one idea of how to fight gobal warming...

anyone up for re-routing the earth's orbit around the sun?
hmmm....

Jehovah-Rapha (pt. II)

sorry about the lack of action on our blog lately. we've been consumed with packing, worrying, obsessing, and downsizing over the past couple of weeks. we've been getting ready for our good old fashioned yard sale on the 15th, which means going through everything we own and deciding whether it's worthy to "keep", "store", or "sell". nevertheless... time moves on and we are a mere 6 weeks from our impending departure. wow.

in a previous post we asked you to pray for a little baby girl in our life with health concerns. it's my little niece, Peyton, who is one of the twins born to my sister in early March. Her brother, Jace, is doing great and packing on the pounds like a Nicholson can only do. Peyton has been eating well and gaining weight as well, but a few weeks ago my sister began to have a few developmental concerns with Peyton. Long story short, she was wondering if it would be Cerebral Palsy or some other neurological disorder. An MRI and several doctor's appointments later they discovered that it is Joubert Syndrome. The website does a better job of describing exactly what it is, so i'll step aside and quote directly from the FAQ page...

What is Joubert Syndrome?
Joubert Syndrome is a very rare genetic disorder in which there are congenital problems which fit into a recognizable pattern of features.

What are the characteristics of Joubert Syndrome?
The most typical features of Joubert Syndrome include:

Absence or underdevelopment of part of the brain called the cerebellum vermis which controls balance and coordination.
A malformed brain stem, which may cause an abnormal breathing pattern called episodic hypernea, in which babies pant, and may be followed by apnea (cessation of breathing).
Abnormal eye and tongue movements.
Decreased muscle tone. It can be marked in the neonatal period and in infancy.
Seizures (less typical).
How is Joubert Syndrome diagnosed with an MRI?
Please see the "Molar Tooth" MRI scan on the Diagnostic section.

How is Joubert Syndrome inherited?
Joubert Syndrome is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Both parents are carriers of the gene. Genetic testing is not currently available to detect this condition. Parents who have a child with Joubert Syndrome have a 1 in 4 chance of having another affected child in another pregnancy. Prenatal testing with a level 3 ultrasound may be possible.

What is the prognosis for Joubert Syndrome?
While global developmental delay is frequent, health and growth are usually not severely affected. Commonly there is a degree of mild or moderate retardation. Severe mental retardation is uncommon. There are a few cases of affected individuals with normal intelligence or learning abilities.

What is the treatment for Joubert Syndrome?
Infant stimulation, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy are valuable. Somewhat less traditional therapies such as auditory training, sensory integration, horseback therapy and water therapy have also been found to be very beneficial. Infants with abnormal breathing should have apnea monitoring.

Needless to say this news has been crushing for our family, and devastating to my sister and brother-in-law. The effects of this disease can really range from a minor learning disability to physical and mental handicap. The Ultra Sound just revealed that her kidneys are perfectly normal, which is a huge answer to prayer. So at this point, it's just a bunch of tests, waiting, more waiting, and even more waiting to see how she develops. The good news is that some of their initial concern was based on the fact that Peyton wasn't smiling or laughing and she just did for the first time last week.

Lydia and I have bought a candle that is our reminder to pray for Peyton. We light it as we're praying and it serves as a visual reminder and tangible way that we can see our prayer time being logged on a candle burning down to nothing. (i think we got this idea from Phil and Ruth back in the fall when Todd died?)...

as a parent this stuff really causes you to step back, question, get angry, grieve, hope, pray, wait, and every other emotion under the sun.

will you send up a quick prayer for Peyton?