"How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." ~A.A. Milne Our Arizona family headed to the airport Monday afternoon. It is always tough to see them go. It is especially difficult for Grandma Sue. Cam commented a few times that afternoon how much he missed everyone. The house definitely seemed abnormally quiet without all of the activity. Fortunately, there were quite a few things on the agenda for the rest of the week.
We had to delay Cam's work day at the cafe until Wednesday. But Tuesday after dinner, Chris decided to see if he could still rollerblade. He was a bit hesitant and asked his son if he would provide assistance while he reacclimated to the blades. Of course, Cameron couldn't wait to help out. He cautiously drove his dad around the driveway and thankfully, they both decided not to tackle the steep hill.
Wednesday afternoon, Amanda drove Cam to Brody's Be Cafe. Cameron wasn't certain he would have much to do. He couldn't have been more wrong.
Cam was busy delivering drinks to customers since his cool carrier can handle multiple beverages. He also drove a load of garbage to the dumpster via his powerchair. The weekly engagement with customers and staff definitely seem to be improving his confidence and ability to understand that he can be a valued employee. The Cafe's program director declared his delivery service a 10/10!
For the remainder of the week, Ms. Amanda was on vacation. Thursday began with a trip out to Heidi's Farmstand for Jane and her son. Their favorite worker there, Ms. Pat, was excited to greet them and see her buddy.
As a surprise for Cam, we welcomed Ms. Michelle (a former summer nanny) and her granddaughter, Ada, for lunch. Michelle had recently traveled to Lithuania and Latvia to learn about her ancestry. She brought Cameron some chocolate in the shape of the country and shared so many stories. Our favorite was about the Lithuanian language. "Achoo" in Lithuania means "Thank You!"
That same evening, Ms. Ann stayed with Cam while his parents attended an outdoor concert at Fredrick Meijer Gardens. Fortunately, the rain showers had subsided and it was a beautiful evening to see Ben Folds Five performing with the Grand Rapids Symphony.
Friday, we were on the go again... Cameron was scheduled for two sessions with the Grand Valley State University PT graduate students. The time is a win-win since Cam is able to explain how his muscles feel with different exercises and he appreciates the opportunity to be a teacher. The students work with a real 'patient' that they can question and begin to understand how muscle tone and spasticity are different in certain individuals. Cam also saw his friend, Onji, who is always happy to see him.
After leaving GVSU and heading back home, we were quickly on the road again after grabbing Chris. Plainwell was our destination and a birthday dinner party for Auntie Roe was the reason. It had been a very long time since we'd seen her and surprising her on her special day seemed like a great occasion. Her husband, Mike, planned the entire event reserving a room at a Mexican restaurant. Our dinners were delicious and the waiters brought a sparkler out to the table while singing. Cam wasn't too certain of its fiery safety and told his parents that he would not want that for his own birthday. It was such a fun evening and we were all happy to catch some extra zzz's that night.
Saturday afternoon, we gathered up our things and drove north to spend time on the beach. Oma and Opa met us there and enjoyed the sunshine too. It was the first time they were able to see Cam's new beach chair in action. We shared a delicious dinner and some delectable dessert with our family and friends. 
These summer days seem endless. We know all too well, the season goes by much too quickly. Our goal is to squeeze in as much beach time as possible!
Camology Quotes:
Cam is a pretty observant person. He will notice if Jane has moved any furniture or if something isn't placed where it normally is. Our family shares an inside joke about his observance perhaps being a bit more astute than his dad's, at times.
"Mom, did you get your hair cut today?"
Yes, I did. Thanks for noticing!
"Cam, you need to give your dad a heads up first!"
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