Jamming Cam - Week of June 22nd

"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving." ~Mother Teresa
"We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give." ~Winston S. Churchill

Many have asked us over the years why we don't have a dog.  Perhaps because Stella, our cat, seemed to make her claim as Cam's protector soon after we brought him home from the hospital.  She still follows him around and has complete trust that he will not run her over with his power wheelchair.
Cam is definitely a dog magnet of sorts, though.  Ms. Amanda was pet-sitting this week and her trusty sidekick, Cam, was happy to help her out with check-ins.  Roxie, the boxer, and Cam were introduced a few years ago.  Roxie loves jumping into the van and saddling up right next to her buddy.  Lola is Roxie's new sister and eagerly hopped in as well to meet the new guy.

We always await Michigan's strawberry season with eager anticipation.  It's one of the most popular fruits of the summer and has quite an interesting history.
Today’s cultivated strawberries came from an accidental cross between two wild strawberry varieties in France around the 1700s. In Ancient Rome, wild strawberries were seen as more than just a simple snack, but as a symbol for the goddess of love, Venus, due to its heart shape and red color. Medieval stonemasons would actually carve strawberries into their altars and pillars of cathedrals to symbolize “perfection and righteousness.” One of the oldest varieties of strawberries in France was known as “la princesse royale” or royal princess. The symbolism of strawberries is almost as sweet as their taste.

We reserved a flat at our favorite Heidi's Farmstand and came back with 8 quarts of the hand-picked red berries.  Now that we've made the jam for a few years, we have a solid process in place.  We used over 10 pounds of sugar, 9 packs of sure-jel and 48 containers to finish our freezer jam.  And if you pay us a surprise visit, you'll be taking home a container for yourself!

Once in awhile, an opportunity comes along that was just meant to be.
Alternatives in Motion is a non-profit organization whose mission is "To enhance independence through access to mobility equipment." Their vision is to be the central hub in West Michigan for recycling, distributing, and maintaining mobility equipment for those in need. They believe that access to mobility equipment is the path to independence. They respect and appreciate each person’s unique abilities and contributions.  Alternatives in Motion serves persons with disabilities and bring together people, ideas and resources to break down barriers to sustain a healthy community.
This organization was responsible for providing Cam with his first power wheelchair to practice with.  The wheelchair was free of charge and we still use it as a spare when needed.
This week we "gifted" our old handicap-accessible van to Alternatives in Motion.  They are so excited to have another vehicle to use for transporting people and delivering equipment to others in our community.  Cam met one of the board members, Matt, while we were there.   The old Dodge Caravan fulfilled our transportation needs for more than 6 years.  It was our first accessible vehicle.  When we asked Cam if he would miss it, his response was one we were all in agreement with.  "I will not miss that old van.  I like our newer one better because I can hear you when you are talking in it!"

Camology Quotes:

Even though school is on summer break, Cam can still send video messages to his teachers through an app they use.  Each and every video contains almost the exact same sign-off from our son. 

"I hope you have a great day!  Peace out!"