Update

I have two updates for you all. First, I've been getting numerous inquiries about Simon's health and figured I'd post this once and save myself many emails and phone calls lol.

Simon is much better, priase God! We are now sleeping through the nights again and starting to feel somewhat normal.

All the test results came back normal. Heart is healthy, lungs are healthy etc. We still don't know exactly what was causing these chest pains and radiating pain throughout his left side, but they have ceased and for that we are grateful.

Simon's pediatrician and I are tending to lean towards the thought of it all being stress related.

With Jay being gone so long, changes in schools, discovering what it's like to be bullied and then coming home to be homeschooled again, add in the accident he had in January at one school that sent him to KGH etc etc. I think this was perhaps more than his little mind and body could process in such a short period of time.

As I've said, we don't know for sure what was causing all his pain in March, April and May, but he's back to normal (for a 9 year old) and apparently as physically healthy as a we would want him to be.

In the meantime, I am spending more time with him one on one, cuddling, opening up conversations with him to see how he's feeling about things, that sort of thing. He seems to be responding well and appears to be much happier and secure.

He got a new (to him) computer yesterday(thank you freecycyle!) and is very happy to have his own now to do his schoolwork on and play games. Amy's thrilled because now she won't have to fight to keep him off of hers.

Update #2

JAY'S COMING HOME!!!!!!

Finally after 8 very loooong months he's coming home. He'll be home on or around the 27th of July. The guy he went out to Calgary with is wanting to come home and so, they have both decided to pack it in and return.

As some of you know, Jay was offered a permanent job in Calgary. After much prayer, tears and more prayer, we have decided that it wouldn't be in ours or the kids best interest to move so far away from our friends and families here.

I was telling a friend that yesterday while driving on Hwy 33 back into town, I was looking around me at the beautiful scenery, trees, fields and blue skies. I started to get this feeling inside that it was all WRONG to be thinking of leaving our home.

I have been torn about this decision. There are pros and cons to moving away and staying. Calgary has great homeschooling laws and support, even financial support! There is a wonderful Free Methodist homechurch there that Jay has been attending and been welcomed into.

But, that is all I can think of. Unless you want to count in the beautiful Rocky Mountains only an hours drive away.

However, here in the County, we have all of our family and our friends whom we love so dearly. We have an awesome church that is balancing on the verge of something wonderful happening in it. We have Wesley Acres, fresh asparagus and produce throughout the summer. Our children were born (okay, they were born in Kingston) and raised here and this is their home.

We can't leave.

And here we are, taking a HUGE step of faith. Jay informed me last night that he doesn't feel it's the right decision to move us out there. So he's coming home to no job, no income and no immediate prospects. However, I have more peace about our decision to stay than I ever did about leaving.

I know it will all work out in the end, after all I have His promise :)

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Rom 8:28

Fresh, Chewy Homemade Pretzels..yummm!

Amy and I made homemade pretzels this morning to take to Family Camp. Here's some pics of them being made and then after they are cooked. We tried one fresh out of the oven and oooh it was good, but not chewy ? However, now that they are totally cooled, they are perfect, nice and chewy and salty.















Anyone want the recipe, just let me know and I'll email it to you :)

Very Scary...and here I was worried I was doing something wrong.

As a homeschooling mom I am constantly second guessing myself and worrying about the quality of my children's education.

Am I doing the right thing? Am I teaching them properly? How do we find enough hours in the day to cover everything we need to?

Some of you know of Amy's math challenges. We had Amy evaluated a couple years ago to figure out why she has such a hard time retaining certain information and discovered that she has a strong cross-dominance issue. Simply put, info goes in on the wrong side of the brain and has to travel to the other side to be processed. This can cause delays in her reasoning process and incredible frustration for her and me :(

Amy is a brilliant child. Artistic, creative, curious, funny and strong willed. After the evaluation we were able to adopt and adapt different coping strategies to help her with her lessons. We have had great success.

She has managed to move ahead a couple of grades in her math skills this past year alone and we are all very pleased and proud of her accompishments. I have no doubt that she will eventually develop a functional use of mathematics that will see her through her adult life. No, she will not be an accountant or mathematician, but she will be able to balance a chequebook and perhaps even run her own busines with the help of appropriate business software. That is my goal. To give her confidence in her abilities to live a full and rich life, not one tinged with confusion and embarrasement as it is right now when she deals with simple money issues in a store.

This brings me to the reason for this post. I receive a newsletter everyday (roughly) from Sheila Wray-Gregoire, author and fellow homeschooler. This morning her blog post redirected me to a YouTube video that just floored me. Take a look and see what you think.



Take make a long story short, here I have been worrying, praying, crying, praying and worrying some more about Amy and Simon's math skills. Si doesn't have any problems, boy can that boy do mental math! Sometimes he can totally surprise me with his mathematical prowess, especially when there's money involved LOL.

The kids in the public school system really have my sympathies. IF as they show in this video, they are being taught these multiplying in parts and lattice math algorithms here in Canada, I AM so glad I am homeschooling my kids. What about mastery of math facts? What happened? Poor Amy would be totally lost and probably "identified" with a learning disability, put on drugs and held back in school. HA! To me, Amy has a challenge to be learnt, dealt with and overcome. NOT A DISABILITY.

Whatever happened to the simple math algorithms of my youth? These are what I am teaching my children and they are understanding AND succeeding. Why does everything have to be complicated?

I guess that's also true in our Christian walk...

There are so many self-help books out there. How to pray, how to read your bible, how to walk on water, how to how to how to...

When really, all we need to do to get closer to our God is spend time with him. Sure, the bible is sometimes difficult to understand and we do need some help sometimes to understand a scripture, but all we really need is to pray and ask God to open our eyes and help us to understand.

The more time we spend with God, the more time we spend on our knees simply talking to Him and pouring out our hearts, the more time we spend in fellowship with other believers, then He will help us master our walk.

Success and fulfillment, whether it be in mathematics or our walk with our Lord all comes down to Mastery. Time and commitment.

Family Music Videos

Amy, Amy, why won't you sing anymore. My heart is so sad and misses listening to your angelic voice.


When Amy was little she always loved to sing in the car. No matter where we going, you could always count on hearing her in the back seat singing Amazing Grace, His Eye Is On The Sparrow or some other hymn in the sweetest, most beautiful voice. I so miss those days.


Now I have to beg her to sing for me. I'm grateful that we recorded a cd when she was 9 years old for her grandpa's Christmas present. I occasionally pull out that cd and listen to it and remember those days. It feels so long ago now.


Will she ever get back the desire to sing publicly? Will she remember that her voice is a gift from her Lord and use it for Him? I pray so.


I've put together a few videos here to share. Hope you enjoy them as much as Jay and I do.


Singing at Wesley Acres summer of 2007.

This is Amy's voice recital from June 2007 accompanied by her music teacher Robert Martin.

Singing "You Make It Rain for Me" at Wesley Acres 2006. The following songs were sung for a fundraiser for Jon & Carol Reeds mission trip Brazil.

Wayfaring Stranger

Go Light Your World

Amy and Simon both participated in the Rising Stars Competition last September 2007. These video are their showcase performances on the last day, September 9th.

The last couple of videos are of Simon. The first one he's singing at our church. We were there one evening practicing some music Amy was supposed to sing, and Simon wanted his moment in the limelight.

Simon's voice recital at age 5 with Emily Fennell. Here he's singing the song from Pinocchio, "I've Got No Strings".

Comments welcome :-)

Just for the fun of it

I was going through a bunch of videos on my computer and found this one of Jay and Amy dancing, Simon playing on our piano and my mother-in-law dancing in the background. This was about 2-3 years ago when we were in the process of renovating our livingroom, thus the barn like atmosphere :-)

This is so cute, I just have to share. The kids are sooo young in this.

WWKIP OR Just An Excuse To Meet Up With A Friend?

Yesterday was WWKIP, World Wide Knit in Public Day. My friend Ann-Marie asked me to meet up with her so we could participate. We met at a local coffee shop to enjoy lattes, knit and talk knitting. I love spending time with AM, she always has a funny story or something interesting to talk about. Not like me. All I seem to talk about is homeschooling, my husband being away and my kids. Oh, how I have changed from the days I lived and worked in Toronto as a Marketing Specialist.

Anyways, back to WWKIP. We met, we drank, we talked, we knitted and we met a lovely lady, Michelle who came in with her hubby for a coffee and lo and behold, to knit! We had met a fellow knitter by chance who didn't even no about WWKIP.

Michelle and hubby had all kinds of questions about the area and Ann-Marie totally impressed me with her knowledge and promotion of the County. Everything from the Maple Syrup festival to the Santa Claus parade, from the future skatepark to schools, from all sorts of local attractions to restaurants and winerys...the girl is a fount of information. I used to be the Maketing Specialist (in my life before kids and the County) but I couldn't have remembered all that if my life depended upon it. Was it having children or spending years focussing on homeschooling that have dulled my brain? Oh lala, I have no idea :-(
I enjoyed our visit although it was way too short, not like the evening visits we've had where we've knit until 1am sometimes.

Knitting Projects

Okay I decided that I'm going to show off my knitting projects that I have started or completed since I taught myself how to knit last March '07.

These are what I cut my teeth on...made 4 of them in March.

Then my first pair of socks with yarn I purchased from my friend Ann-Marie's etsy shop. This colourway is called Sarah.

My second pair of socks.

My third pair of socks in the Danny Phantom colourway custom dyed for Amy.

A felted knitting needle holder for all my straights.

Melancholy Moments

I was just sitting here reading some friends blogs and started to feel all sad and melancholy like. A lovely lady I have had the privilege of getting to know over the past few years is moving away with her family. Janna is a pastors wife and where the Lord leads him she must follow, so it's off to Toronto for them.


Janna's husband was the pastor of our church, for only a few short years. I didn't really have the opportunity to get to know Janna really well until the last few months while her hubby was living in TO and she stayed home here in the County with the children.


A bunch of girls have been meeting once a week for craft nights at Janna's home to:

1. keep her company

2. get ourselves out of the house for an evening

3. eat

4. work on various crafts whether it be scrapbooking, sewing, drawing or the biggest fave knitting.


I wasn't able to make it to every craft night but when I did, I loved being there and catching up with everyones news. You were always guaranteed to go home with tired stomach muscles from laughing at Janna and Ann-Marie's "do you remember when?" anectdotes or Michelle's stories about her crazy, busy and downright exhausting life (mom of 3 teenage boys, need I say more?)


We've had chocolate fondues, fruit and chocolate trays, cookies, birthday cake, and sometimes healthy stuff too. But the most fun was Janna's birthday last week. Everyone turned out for this night. There was no crafting but lots of laughter, stories and good food.


Janna even got a gift of her most favourite item and put it to quick use.


I'm going to miss these evenings. Janna and the children are moving on Monday for their new home in TO. I know it's not really a goodbye, because we can keep in touch via emails and blogs, but I'm also realistic. When will I see these people again? It seems you find people, discover a commanality, begin to create a bond...then they move on. It reminds me of this beautiful piece:

Reason, Season, or Lifetime Friends

When someone is in your life for a reason, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. She has come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

She is there to meet a need. Then without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, she will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes she dies. Sometimes she walks (or moves) away. Sometimes she acts up or out and forces you to take a stand. What we must realize is that the need has been met.

When a person comes into your life for a season, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. She may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. She may teach you something you have never done. She usually gives you an unbelievable amount of joy.


Lifetime relationships teach you lifetime lessons. Those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. You must accept the lesson, love the person/people anyway, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.

Source: Anonymous


Whether Janna has been in my life for a reason, a season or will become a lifetime friend, I am and will always be grateful for her friendship, prayers and advice.


I've never been very good at maintaining long distance friendships. Can't stand phones, driving and goodbyes. In this case though, I think I will make an exception. It's not often one meets a person or family like this and to just lose touch would be a shameful sin. So beware Cylka's you aren't getting away that easy...from us or the people in the County who love you.


So, yes I am feeling melancholy and a little sad...but that's allowed isn't it?


Great things await this family and I will enjoy discovering them on their blog as they happen.


God bless you Clyka family.

To Purge Or Not To Purge...

There's a title to catch your eye :)

What a day! I woke up at 4:48am precisely to Simon shaking me and going "Mom, mom, I can't sleep, the air conditioner is too loud". Grrrr. That's two mornings in a row now that I've been up before 5am and the night before those, I lay in bed for hours unable to sleep.

So, being the nice mom that I am, I gave Si my side of the bed and went to sleep on the couch where he'd been sleeping. Did I mention the upstairs of our house was a furnace and the kids both had to sleep downstairs...Amy in my bed and Si on the couch? I cannot sleep with both kids so we trade off nights while Jays been away.

Anyways back to my story. I took the couch and curled up to go back to sleep. Guess what? The air conditioner IS too loud. So much for sleeping *sigh*.

It's like, "Why am I awake again so early Lord, what did I do?"

Ah, no it's not what I've done it's what I've not been doing. I got the message and climbed into my knitting chair with my bible and started to spend some quiet time with Him. I have been so neglectful of my Lord these days. Life gets so busy and full of distractions that I tend to forget that it wouldn't be so difficult if I'd just start and end my days with Him.

I'm glad for these early mornings and hope that I will remain glad should I wake up early again tomorrow.

So, back to my title.

School is almost over and I'm feeling the pressure to get things done, but not feeling the energy or drive to do it. Instead I'm feeling the pressure of clutter, disorganization and general blahs.

Every time I walk into the classroom I'm bombarded by the sight of so many books and craft items and STUFF. What to do? What to do?

I PURGED!! Yippee!!!

My friends, Janna came by during the day and took armfuls of books away for her kids and Ann-Marie came by tonight and took away a box of books and stuff as well. I got stuff for my sil and more stuff for another friend. What a great feeling to get rid of so much and to people I know will appreciate these books and things as much as Amy, Simon and I did.

My books shelves and classroom look much more inviting and manageable now. Thanks girls!

Now, just want to show you my peonies from my backyard...Ann-Marie couldn't believe they were real. They are soooo beautiful and this picture really doesn't do them justice, but I'm putting it on anyway.

Pretty flowers, pretty smell.

Well, it's 11:30pm and if God is going to wake me before 5am, I'd best get to bed now. Goodnight all.

My recent trip to Calgary or "OUR SECOND HONEYMOON"

I went to visit Jay last month from May 27th to June 4th. What a wonderful, awesome, fun and totally too quick a trip!

We had such a great time. I got there at 9:30pm (Ab time) and after negotiating Calgary traffic, we were at Jay's place by 10:30.

Thanks to all my friends who prayed for me. The flight was so much better than I've ever experienced. Take off and landing were a breeze, although being up that high was unsettling on both my nerves and my stomach. I ended up closing the blind on my window for the flight.

WestJet was awesome and let me bring my knitting onboard, so I knitted, watched tv and listened to some homemade music cd's for the 4 hr flight.

I took 4 UFO's with me on the flight, in case I got bored with one I could switch to another (UFO in knitting terms is Un Finished Objects for those of you who weren't quite sure what I was talking about).

While at Jay's I was able to finish Simon's socks and started again on the 2nd sock of my first attempt at fair-isle knitting (which I have almost finished).

For those of you wondering why on earth I would knit while with my hubby whom I have seen only twice in 7 months...believe me all knitting was done while he was at work the Wed, Thurs and Fri (wink).

Sunday we attended church at the Free Methodist housechurch that Jay has been attending, Pineridge House. What an awesome group of people. They were very warm and welcoming to me and I could see clearly the affection they have for Jay. You have no idea how much this has set my mind at rest, meeting his new friends and pastor. There are approximately 30 people in this church including the children. The majority of the families are homeschoolers as well...too cool.

We enjoyed a lovely meal and fellowship after church (they do this every Sunday) and then went on our way. Out to dinner at the home of an old friend of mine (the place where Jay stayed when he first got to Calgary) and home.

Monday we went to Banff, Lake Louise and very briefly B.C. We missed the Lake Louise turn off and ended up in B.C. for all of maybe 5 minutes?

Pictures of our trip can be found at http://picasaweb.google.ca/VictoriaRutherford/CalgaryTrip2008
















































That trip was over so quickly and if it wasn't for the fact I have two amazing kids here at home waiting for me, I might never have come back.

Will keep you posted on what happens next...whether Jay comes home or we go to Jay.

Jay's Calgary Residence

Just some pics of the place Jay is "temporarily" calling home.

Time to jump on the band wagon...

Everyone's got a blog. Ann-Marie has a blog, Karen has a blog, Janna has a blog, Sophie's got a blog, even Chris has a blog (not updated regularly though lol), the Rutherford's...no blog. Until today.

I haven't really figured out what I will write on this that other people would be interested in reading. Can't imagine our lives being very exciting to read about, but who knows? You know the old saying "One mans trash is another mans treasure"? Well maybe our lives will provide some little "treasure" of a moment for someone else :)

I figure this will be a good way to keep family members and friends updated on our lives without sending out countless emails and phone calls. If you know me well, you know I strongly DISLIKE talking on the phone.

So what is new in our household? Not much. What may be happening in our lives? Oh where to start.

Jay's now been gone 7 months. 7 VERY LOOONG lonely months without my best friend. I miss him. If you'd told me this time last year that I would have a whole new appreciation for my husband and a stronger love I would have smiled and agreed. Of course, I would. After all, he is my husband and our marriage has been getting stronger over the years, isn't that natural?

(I am so thankful for a God that can get us through anything and won't give us more than we can handle. )

So, here we are seven months later and I have no idea when Jay is coming home. I won't bore you with all the things I have learned over these months, suffice to say, I DO have a deeper appreciation for Jay. A stronger love than I even knew I was capable of and a respect for him that has no limits.

Wow, I didn't know blogging could be so difficult. If I was journalling there are all kinds of things I could include here, however, since this is for other people, I really have to edit and control my natural inclination to just write everything.

I'm going to do a separate post of some pics of Jay's apartment in Calgary, plus some of my recent visit to him. What an awesome trip by the way!

I think this is enough for now. I will end with a picture of what else...my best friend and myself.