The Best Part of Me - Week of Sept. 13th

"Before you speak ask yourself if what you are going to say is true, is kind, is necessary, is helpful. If the answer is no, maybe what you are about to say should be left unsaid."  ~Bernard Meltzer

There was a time when we didn't know if Cam would ever be able to fully express himself with a large vocabulary.  When he entered kindergarten he was comprehending everything, but unable to find his voice with multiple words and sentences.  It seemed to Chris and Jane that Cam went from saying 3 words at a time to full and complete sentences.  Perhaps that is the reason, when fulfilling a school assignment this week, that Cam pegged the best part of him as his mouth.  His class studied and reviewed a book entitled "The Best Part of Me" and in a discussion group they had to write out/type and share thoughts.  Cam's output of his best part, his mouth, produced the following: "I can say nice things. I like to smile. I like to laugh. I can talk to my friends. I love talking to my peer helpers."

Ever since Cam was little, his parents have always thought he has an infectious smile.  Of course, they are a bit biased.  On Friday, Cam experienced his first field trip in almost 2 years.  His small class went to Frederick Meijer Gardens where they toured the indoor and outdoor exhibits and ate a sack lunch.  Upon leaving the gardens, they stopped for a delicious treat at The Pumphouse Frozen Yogurt Bar.  Cam declared it "best field trip ever!" upon his return home from school.

Saturday's schedule included a 12:20p game at the West Michigan Miracle League.  The sun was shining and the breeze was light which enabled Chris to fly the drone high above the ball field.

Ms. Amanda drove to our house to ride with us to the game.  Our good friend, Coleen, the Executive Director for Alternatives in Motion met us at the bleachers for her first-ever WMML experience.  The red batter box set up two successful hits for Cam.  Since our game was the last of the day, we stayed and chatted with Brody and his mom, Jenny, for a few minutes.  The remainder of our Saturday was filled with home-based projects.

Our family was northward bound on Sunday to visit Cam's grandparents and cousins.  We couldn't believe our good fortune for another beautiful day.  Once again, the winds were light and the drone flew high to capture some amazing Lake Michigan shots.  Surprisingly, the water was relatively warm and the first sandbar was right up to the shoreline.  Cam was so surprised how clear the water was too.

After a delicious flank steak dinner with cousins and friends at the Haroldson cottage, as well as Oma and Opa, we made our way back to Grand Rapids.  It turns out another member of the family is a bit obsessed with H2O.  Although our cat Stella doesn't swim in Lake Michigan, she is certainly intrigued with water.

Camology Quotes:

Coco and Max's daughter, Calla, is awaiting her passport in the mail.  Cam and Oma were chatting about this and Oma told her grandson that Calla was waiting for her visa.  Cam didn't quite hear his grandma correctly...  "What?!  Cousin Calla cannot have pizza!  She is too little!"