It’s a blustery Friday night in Sherwood Park. I am plunked on our living room couch beside Amanda, sipping a fizzy beverage. All is quiet, save for keyboard keys clacking, book pages scraping, and crochet needles clicking.
It’s been a few years since I’ve posted anything about my family, and there seems to be lots of change in the air. It took a grey, windy evening like this one for inspiration to strike, and I’m excited to finally share a family update.
The last thing the internet needs is another curated highlight reel (be warned: that’s what this is). Still, I don’t mean to be aloof, and I’d love to include you in what everyone is up to.
Maybe you are facing similar opportunities, events, or challenges, and we can compare notes and create synergy. I’d love to hear back from you.
So, at the risk of adding to the noise I will charge ahead. Put your feet up, and in a 5-minute read, here’s the latest from the Sutherlands!
Amanda: My ever-evolving wife recently completed her kinesiology degree from the University of Alberta and showed all the 20-year old’s how its done. I’m so proud of her.
As the final step, she is finishing a practicum at SCM Athletic Therapy in South Edmonton, where she works as an assistant athletic therapist. If you need a tune-up on your musculoskeletal system, Amanda recommends checking them out! She’ll be there until mid-August.
She debates what she wants to do when she finishes the practicum. Some days, she wants to continue on with a master’s in physiotherapy, and other days (most days), when she is sick of school, she contemplates opening a gym.
Amanda started an Adventure Club for women last year, and those adventurous ladies are having a riot. They’ve gotten into Via Ferrata climbing, cross-country skiing, canyoneering, and hiking.
Ariel and Emilie: Our oldest son, Ariel, is approaching three years of marriage with his wife, Emilie. They recently moved to Holyrood in Edmonton and purchased a half-duplex after a couple of years of living the mountain lifestyle in Nordegg. They live in the basement suite and rent out the upstairs.
In Nordegg, Ariel was part of the trail crew developing the Black Mountain mountain bike park with Starr Construction (now open, so go ride it!). Before that, Ariel and Emilie completed several Outdoor Leadership certifications at Frontier Lodge, including Professional Mountain Bike Instructor (PMBI). Emilie also has a white water certification and continues to fill in at Frontier Lodge when needed as a guide for their multi-day white water rafting trips.
In Edmonton, Emilie works at Mountain Equipment Co-op in South Common as a City lifeguard. Ariel works at the bike shop Mud, Sweat & Gears in Sherwood Park and has been accepted into the University of Alberta’s engineering program for fall 2024. But hold up, he is considering switching to NAIT’s mechanical engineering technologist program. He’s concerned an engineering job would keep him in front of a computer, and he’d rather be hands-on making stuff.
Ariel and Emilie spent a month exploring New Zealand with Emilie’s family this winter, and we all feel bad about how tough that must have been.
Judah: Our second eldest son, Judah, and his girlfriend, Dakota Sabo, have finished their diplomas in Outdoor Leadership from Prairie College (the “leadership incubator in the Rockies“) and are transitioning to degrees in Intercultural Studies from the same school. This year, the two of them will be overseas for the entire school year, circumnavigating the globe.
As if that wasn’t enough, in the middle of that, Judah will split off for a six-month solo internship in the Democratic Republic of Congo (City of Bunia) and Dakota to the Philippines. While in Africa, Judah is stoked to utilize his French and learn Swahili.
Highlights from this last year of their Outdoor Leadership diploma included a 21-day backpacking trip in Death Valley, California, and an Egypt trip featuring a 6-day trek across the Sinai Peninsula guided by Bedouins. Ariel, Emilie, Amanda, and I had the privilege of accompanying them and their classmates on that mind-blowing journey.
I can’t keep up with Judah—literally. He ran on Prairie College’s cross-country team and made it to nationals in Halifax.
Salem: Our third son, ‘Berta-boy Salem, graduated high school this year and works as a lifeguard at Millennium Place in Sherwood Park. He’s applied to SAIT in Calgary for the Aviation Mechanic program and is currently waitlisted (grounded?) for a January start.
With his earnings from lifeguarding, Salem recently bought his first vehicle, a white Ford Ranger. He and his Grandpa Del patched up the rust spots. Salem loves working on vehicles, rock climbing, biking, and playing electric guitar at Celebration Church. And Pit Vipers.
Adia: Our youngest, the sharp-witted Adia, just completed grade 11 and will start her final year of homeschooling this fall. She has perfected the” teenage girl glare” that promptly puts me in my place. We finally coerced her into doing Driver’s Ed this summer, and she will hopefully have her driver’s license this fall.
Her passion is running her crochet business. She sells her goods at local markets and online via Etsy, where she also sells crochet patterns. Our basement is a colourful explosion of sewing and crochet projects.
Until she gets her license, she gets around by scooter and stand-up paddleboard. When she’s not carrying bags of yarn from Michael’s, she is reading voraciously or baking warm, gooey desserts. It’d be offensive not to eat them, so I do.
Animal Kingdom: Rossi, the Australian Labradoodle, is 50 lbs and 5 years old. He is a bit better behaved than a puppy; however, we are not overly disciplined with him because his mischievous personality is endlessly amusing.
Notley, our outdoor cat, is 9 and somehow, simultaneously grows more affectionate and feisty.
Me: As for me, I’ve been at Qualico Properties for almost 10 years. I lead a talented team of commercial real estate professionals in Edmonton & Calgary, leasing commercial properties across Western Canada, primarily in Winnipeg, Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, and the Lower Mainland, BC.
Outside of work and family, my heart still belongs to Adventure Club, now in its 6th year. The three annual trips force us to stay in shape for alpine climbing, rock climbing, ice climbing, mountain biking, and backcountry skiing. These trips test our mettle and feed our spirits.
Between objectives, we meet most Saturdays for a ruck or outdoor workout in the river valley or a park. I can’t describe how awesome it is to be in your forties and have a bunch of friends to play with on Saturday mornings. These micro-adventures are open to anyone, so keep them in mind if you are around Edmonton.
Milestones: Amanda and I recently celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary by going to Sedona, Arizona, for a few days of mountain biking!
One final highlight has been my parents turning 70 this summer. They showed us the right way to do your sixties, and we’re all watching what they get up to in their 70’s. For my dad’s 70th birthday, he climbed with his grandkids in Jasper National Park. This camping and climbing trip became even more memorable when the recent wildfires permanently left a scar in Jasper.
That sums up the latest. Though the kids are transitioning to adulthood and are scattered from home these days, everyone gets drawn back home periodically and empties the fridge. It’s the best.
If you have read this far, thank you for your interest and for being part of our journey. These highlights, memories, and goals only exist because of the kindness of God and the communities, colleagues, friends, and family who overlook our quirks & shortcomings, and surround us with love and support.
Jeff Sutherland 