Standing Tall - Week of May 25th

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." ~Winston Churchill

Adults tend to over-complicate things.  Kids look at the simplistic aspect.  When looking for a new show on Amazon one evening,  Cam said "Mom, search on wheelchair."  And yes, a variety of shows, specials and a movie appeared.  Sometimes you just need to get back to basics.

On Thursday, we headed to Mary Free Bed so Cam could test out his new wheels and be fitted for custom seating and controls.  We've been through this once before so we knew the drill, but it was more exciting this time around since for the first time ever, Cameron would be able to use a sit to stand powerchair!  The appointment is roughly 3 hours long and measurements and button testing are performed.  Cam is very patient with the entire process.  From the time we had our first consultation, it was a little over 6 months for this day to get here.  In less than 2 weeks, we will head back for final pick up.

Saturday brought us to Brody Be's Cafe to hang out and hear a live band!  We thought it may be too loud for Cam, but he thoroughly enjoyed the music and declared it was just right as far as volume.  We were able to see Brody and his family as well as one of Cam and Brody's bus drivers, Mr. Jim.  Jim really missed the boys and their fun trips to school.  We're hoping he's able to have their bus route in the fall.

On Sunday, we were on the road headed to Oma and Opa's for beach clean-up duty.  So much wood had drifted in and dried grass, it made it difficult to walk to the shoreline.  Before working, though, we feasted on a delicious brunch, made by Cam's grandparents- homemade sausage breakfast casserole, Oma's famous coffeecake, and fresh fruit.

It was a picture perfect day, cooler by the lake, but the sunshine warmed us all.  To be rid of the brittle vegetation, Chris used a firepit to quickly burn the excess pieces.
We were actually surprised by the amount of beach since there has been so much erosion along the Lake Michigan shoreline.  It is very unpredictable and in a single week it is not uncommon to lose six feet of beach.
The fresh water isn't nearly warm enough to swim in yet, but it sure does look inviting. 
Cam is always interested in learning new facts and one we looked up this week was the depth of Lake Michigan and where the name came from.  The deepest part is measured at 922 feet!
The word "Michigan" is believed to come from the Ojibwe word michi-gami meaning "great water."  We certainly look forward to balmy temps, sand in our toes, and some great warm water to play in!

Camology Quotes:

Cam is using video with Zoom and FaceTime calls on a daily basis.  He especially likes to test out calling his parents, even when they are in the same room.  On FaceTime, Cam likes to experiment with different effects, adding symbols and changing filters to change the look of someone.  He took this picture of his mom in black and white while they were connected.
"Mom, this is what you are going to look like when you are old."
"What do you mean, Cam?"
"You are black and white, like an old person."

No Hugging is Hard - Week of May 18th

"A hug is like a boomerang- you get it back right away." ~Bil Keane

"They invented hugs to let people know you love them without saying anything." ~Bil Keane

Family Circus is a favorite cartoon of many and Bil Keane, it's creator, certainly understood the power of a hug.
During this time of social distancing and being six feet away from others, one of the things we miss most is hugging our friends and extended family members.
We welcomed Oma and Opa on Tuesday, complete with face masks and it was so good to see them after such a long time!
Wednesday afternoon, we surprised Cam's best buddy Brody with lunch from Culver's. We dined in Brody's front yard near the ultimate birthday sign.  After eating, we moved closer towards the roadway as suddenly Brody realized that a car parade to celebrate his day was beginning.  When Cam saw his teachers driving by, his loud screams of pure joy could most certainly be heard throughout the neighborhood.  Seeing friends and teachers in real life is far better than video chats.

An excessive amount of rain fell in our area and some flooding occurred in nearby Ada.  Cam and his mom went to investigate and couldn't believe the entire baseball field was under water along with a sidewalk next to the river.

A good friend and teacher helper at Cam's school requested a short visit with one of her favorites.  We didn't tell Cam and wow, was he shocked!

The weekend found us in project land once again.  With our super long driveway, Cam was a lifesaver transporting a full bucket of water for his mom to give the flowers by the mailbox a drink.

The outdoor LED project between father and son was marked complete!  Cam worked with Chris to program the different options through the app.  Click on this link to see a 1-minute video of the display.
Weatherford Outdoor Lights

Some unusually warm weather found its way into Michigan and one of the activities on our list was to test the underground sprinkling.  Cam's job was to let Chris know if the sprinkler was working and a side effect was attempting to quickly get out of the way of the water stream.  It turns out, though, the cooling spray was quite refreshing.

We did enjoy some down time in the evenings, hanging out and watching a movie.  Even Stella joined us and although the show may not have entertained her, the pets and attention she receives are welcome and appreciated as noted by her extra loud purring.

Camology Quotes:

Cam is on the horizon of receiving his new power wheelchair.  Thankfully, he has reminded Jane to check on delivery dates and appointments.  Along with the new chair, we explained to Cam that a 'newer' van may be required.  As we were searching online for different options, Cam asked what would happen to our old van and had his own idea about its fate.
"Mom, remember the boy who had to be picked up by Mary Free Bed Security for the Halloween Parade?"
"Yes, Cam.  His name is Mowqar and he was in our Halloween Heroes Parade 2 years ago."
"Could we give the van to his family?  He did not have one because Security had to pick him up and drop him off.  I think they could really use it."  

Plenty of Projects - Week of May 11th

"Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning." ~Winston Churchill
"Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work." ~Peter Drucker

Two weekly Zoom meetings with classmates and teachers have become one of the highlights of Cam's week.  He always logs in at least 15 minutes early and cannot understand why everyone isn't as anxious to start as he is.  Although video conferences can't replace in-person interactions, it at least keeps the kids and teachers connected.

Every Saturday, Cam rallies his parents into action to begin projects for the weekend.  Chris and his son are diligently continuing their outdoor light project.  The led lights are being installed around the front of the house at the roof-line.  The wires that provide power to the lights are hidden by handmade channel housing units that have been painted the same color as our home.  It looks very professional, but is quite the tedious project.

Saturday afternoon we headed over to Brody's Be Cafe to take down the outdoor plastic igloos.  There was a small team of volunteers wearing masks and social distancing.  It was a group effort to first remove the sand bags, then the plastic dome, then the plastic connectors.  Everything had to be sorted according to size and since there were two igloos, it was double the effort.
With everyone pitching in, including Cam, we finished up in a couple of hours.  The Cafe will open again in a few weeks, so everything is in preparation for the return to business.
Cam has also become an expert helper for house cleaning on the weekends and does a very nice job of splitting his time between his mom and dad.  Typically, we will hear him heading inside or outside, parent dependent, indicating "I have spent enough time with mom/dad, now I need to help you!"
We are thankful for his desire to get things done and see them through.  Without his insistence, we are quite certain our project list would continue to grow or remain stagnant versus items being crossed off and mini celebrations being held for the accomplishments.

A family member who isn't holding her own as it relates to pitching in is our cat, Stella.  She is quite content to watch all activity from a blanket on the couch, sporadically meowing her approval.

Camology Quotes:

It seems that even everyday conversations can lend themselves to some type of teaching.  Cam and his dad had this exchange.
"I am going to have fun tomorrow.  Like a million times fun or even thousand!"
"Well a million is a lot more than a thousand... it goes 1, 10, 100, 1000, 10,000, 100,000, 1 million, 1 billion, 1 trillion.  I'm not sure what comes after 1 trillion."
~without missing a beat~ "Two trillion, three trillion, four trillion Dad!"  

Donut You Worry - Week of May 4th

"A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you." ~Joyce Meyer

Some days, you just need a 'pick-me-up' to brighten your outlook.

Jane received a unexpected text from Ms. Mary Jo to check our mailbox for a Cam surprise.  Imagine our amazement to find a delicious treat of homemade donuts from one of our favorite places, Heidi's Farmstand!  Even more sweet than the goodies was the handmade card from Mary Jo that read "Donut worry- I'll see you again!"  In a time when we have to stay disconnected from so many, the creative ways people are finding to connect are ingenious.

Father and son have both been missing their regular barber appointments.  Over the weekend, Chris decided he would have to take matters into his own hands.  After a few failed attempts, a plea for Mr. Steve's master clippers was called in.  Cam was a bit hesitant but finally decided he really needed his hair cut too.  Upon completion, we were all duly impressed with Chris' clipping skills and Cam was so relieved to have that longer hair short again.

On Saturday, Jane was blown away with Mother's Day gifts.  The first arrived from Oma and Opa- a delicious edible arrangement filled with fresh fruit, complete with a tasty chocolate heart!  Next, a beautiful bouquet of gorgeous flowers from Cam with a printed card "You are the best, you're wonderful and you're nice! Love, Cam"

Sunday, though, brought an extra special surprise for the actual Mother's Day occasion. Chris and Cam presented Jane with the coolest handmade gift!  It is controllable via an app on the phone to change colors and patterns.  It is now proudly displayed in Jane's office where it's calming effect brings a smile to her face during even the most difficult work meeting. And the fact that it is something she can look at every day from the two people she loves most in the world makes it completely priceless!

Camology Quotes:

Cam has recently found it very funny to call his parents by their first names.  We reminded him that the most special names we have- "Mom" and "Dad" can only be used because he is our son.  Perhaps he was feeling like he needed his mom to know he remembered this when he sent this photo message in a text during the work day.
~The heart in bottom left corner says ~
"I love you mom you are the best"  
*Incidentally, neither one of his parents taught him how to add the heart with writing and actually haven't yet done it themselves*

Soak up the Sun - Week of Apr. 27th

“If all that we see are the scattered pieces of ‘what was,’ the story of ‘what is yet to be’ will never be told. If, however, we are able to envision the pieces as what they are now freed to be, the story of ‘what is yet to be’ will stand among the greatest ever told.” ~Craig D. Lounsbrough

As we continue with the 'stay home stay safe' order in Michigan, we have noticed that the skies seem clearer and the air a bit fresher.  Everything is beginning to bloom all at once as the flowering trees have opened and leaves are slowly showing their vibrant green.  The wildlife are roaming a bit more freely including the backyard turkeys and deer.

 It helps to see the sunshine outside as our daily lives inside are so very different from what they were.  As our family continues to navigate a work at home family environment, Cam requests a schedule of meetings every weekday morning asking when each of his parents will have breaks.  The juggling act has led to a few frustrating moments of homework explanation and working through assignments.

However, his Monday video call with classmates and Thursday video call with a teacher and one other classmate are bright spots in his own calendar.  Cam continues his daily FaceTime calls with Amanda and Auntie Karen as well as tutoring with Ms. Ann.  Our twelve-year-old makes certain his own activities are up to date and accessible via his iPad.  His navigation skills have increased as well as starting things up on his own.

We look so very forward to the weekends, allowing us all a break from parent work and schedules.  Chris and Cam are back on their outdoor lighting project with new homemade channels to hide the wires and an abundance of research and testing to be certain all lights are functional.  Cam is the designated safety supervisor, keeping an eye on his dad and watching out for anything that might go wrong.  When it was break time, they both came inside for a bit.  As Jane was preparing lunch, Cam looked deep in thought and his mom asked him what he was thinking about.  He replied, "I'm trying to figure out how to get Dad more power to the lights."  Like father, like son.


Camology Quotes:

We have definitely taken on a few projects that weren't on the radar, such as rearranging offices.  We all assisted with figuring out where things would best fit and then moving furniture and equipment.  Jane found some desk cleaner and got to work on a few layers of dust.  
Apparently, Cam did not find it as necessary.
"Mom, you are taking sanitary measures too seriously!"