Silent Night - Week of Dec. 23rd

"It's not what's under the Christmas tree that matters, it's who's around it." ~Charles M. Schulz"

"Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting." ~Brian Tracy

Pooh says, "Christmas is a together sort of holiday."  

We knew this year would be a bit different as our first time without Opa.  We had a packed agenda to fill our time.  Monday afternoon, Cam and his mom made their way to Rosy Mound.  Jane and son were scheduled to give a presentation all about Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) to the senior community.  Since it was Dec. 23rd, they really didn't expect much of an audience.  They decided Oma should be hired for all community outreach since more than 25 people were in attendance!  Jane and Cam brought treats and prizes and had a great time teaching everyone about A.I.  After the session, Oma gathered her things and traveled with her daughter and grandson back to Grand Rapids for the next five nights.

Oma brought her homemade sugar cookies and peanut butter/chocolate bites and on Tuesday, we made her famous candy cane cookies.  While Cam's grandma claims they are easy to make, it is a work of art to watch her twist the dough into canes.  These Christmas treats remain as Jane's all-time favorite.

In the early evening, we drove the short distance to Thornapple Covenant Church for the Christmas Eve service.  We joined Steve and Patti there for the beautiful service.  For dinner, everyone met back at Cam's house for homemade chicken noodle soup with homemade bread.  Fruit was abundant along with an enormous amount of Christmas cookies and chocolates for everyone to choose from.

We all decided to sleep in a bit on Christmas morning.  We didn't start on our stockings until almost 10am.  Presents were sorted and couch spots were reserved.  Since Cam's baclofen pump surgery, sitting and relaxing on the sofa is a more regular occurrence for him.  Cameron's stocking is very special since it was crocheted by Auntie JJ, Jane's cousin, when he was a baby.

There were many highlights in our gift giving- the photo calendar for Oma (Cam's tradition), a photo blanket for Chris, KitchenAid mixer for Jane, and a robot vacuum for the house, nicknamed McCleaner.  The most impactful present for Cam, though, was a set of handicap buttons with door modification destined for the inside door entrance from the garage.

We all watched a movie together and made a trip close to home to see some Christmas decorations.  One of them had music from a radio station synchronized to their light display.  It's so much fun to see the elaborate twinkling illuminations.

Oma and Jane laughed about the fact that they bought each other matching sweaters because they liked them so much.

Friday afternoon, we welcomed Ms. Ann and Auntie Jo for some holiday cheer.  We all opened gifts and ordered pizza from our local JTs.  After dinner, we carefully chose the Christmas cookies and chocolates to partake in.  

Like Winnie-the-Pooh, we all agreed that Christmas is about togetherness and we were very happy to be surrounded by so many special people.

Camology Quotes:

One of Cam's favorite presents he gave to Chris was a "Dad Joke" button which promised 75 'Bad Dad Jokes' in its description.  Chris has chosen to place this button on the kitchen counter so that he can press it every time he passes through.  So far, the collective favorite was: 

"How did the computer catch a cold? It left a window open!"  

"Good one, 'Dad Joke button'!"

A Powerchair Party - Week of Dec. 16th

"My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn't prevent you from doing well, and don't regret the things it interferes with.  Don't be disabled in spirit as well as physically." ~Stephen Hawking

To some degree, we all yearn for similarities in others.  We find commonalities, familiarity and comradery. For Cameron, this isn't an easy task.  There are very few people in his high school in power wheelchairs.  In the community, he rarely sees anyone else with mobility devices.  Perhaps that is why Friday evening was so special.  

Jane has been on the board of directors for Renew Mobility for more than five years.  During that time, she has gotten to know Matt and Jill who are also board members.  We had chatted on numerous occasions about the two of them coming to our home for dinner.  We finally made it happen.  

Our gathering began at 5p with a surf and turf grilled meal.  Jill made a peppermint chocolate cake with homemade frosting for our dessert.  It was Cam's first official start of winter break after surviving his last half day of school.  His early morning got the best of him and he said goodnight close to 9p.  Our friends remained until after 10 and Cameron told us the next morning that he would definitely stay up later next time.  We all determined that a next time had to happen.  It was the very first time in Cam's life that the powerchair users outnumbered the non-powerchair people in his house!

Saturday afternoon, Jane and her son made their way to Oma's home.  Steff and her son, James were scheduled to meet us there for a Christmas exchange.  It was so good to see them and catch up on things.  Cam received a very cool stress ball with a stand in the shape of a baseball.   After opening presents, we taste-tested Oma's homemade holiday cookies and they were just as delicious as always.  Cameron's grandma had made five dozen cutouts for a cookie decorating event with the grade-school children who were there on Friday.

Our fun-filled weekend ended with a beautiful performance of The Nutcracker.  Ms. Ann's granddaughter, Sophia, played two parts in the production and her mom, Katherine, worked on the crew behind the scenes.  Sophia's cousin, Ella, was also in attendance and helped Ms. Ann sell items from the special Nutcracker boutique.  

The auditorium was filled for the final performance.  Much to everyone's delight, the next day was the first official weekday for school winter break which equated to a bit of sleep-in time for us all!

Camology Quotes:

Cam kept thinking of questions to ask Matt and Jill.  It was easy to see he wouldn't run out of inquiries any time soon.  Here were just a few examples:

"What is the most accessible restaurant in Grand Rapids?"  "What do you do if you can't get in somewhere?"  "Does your service dog know how to help you do everything?"

Oh, The Weather Outside... Week of Dec. 9th

"I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt." ~Lewis Carroll, “Through the Looking-Glass”

And just like that, the white stuff returned on Wednesday evening and by Thursday morning, almost every school in the area was closed that day.  Cam's parents are fortunate to be able to work from home, especially when the roadways are a bit treacherous.  Cameron went back to sleep and enjoyed a relaxing day at home.  

A humorous occurence did happen that morning, when each of us decided we would send our own messages to our dear friend, Mrs. Festian to wish her a happy birthday.  When Cam was recording a video message, his dad decided that was the exact time he would send one as well..on Cam's iPad screen is a video of himself.

That afternoon, Cameron requested to help with a project, if possible.  While Jane finished up a meeting, the guys were busy making energy bites.  Energy bites are a scrumptious mixture of oats, peanut butter, vanilla extract, honey, and chocolate chips or m&m's.  Mix together, scoop out, chill in the fridge, and then taste test!

By Friday morning, the roads were cleared and school was back in session.  This was a relief for Cameron since a Target Christmas shopping trip had been on the class schedule for weeks.  

With peer helpers, he worked on choosing gifts for his parents and grandma.  He paid with cash and then back at school, he and his classmates wrapped the presents and the entire crew enjoyed a pizza party.

Late Saturday afternoon, we were on our way to the Double JJ Crazy Horse Restaurant.  We were meeting our cousins for a double birthday celebration.  It was Arthur's 2nd birthday that day and his mom's was the day before.  We actually celebrated Cameron's 17th birthday at this same location so we knew we were allowed to bring in our own special dessert. Our simple cake was placed on a white cloth draped over a tray making it look very official.  

Our dinner was most delicious and the dining area was beautifully decorated and looked so festive.  On the drive home, we took turns choosing songs to play and the trip back seemed to fly by.

Sunday morning, Chris wanted to make a special breakfast for his son.  Cam's dad decided to add food coloring to the waffle mix- red and green in honor of the upcoming holiday.  Cameron, however, did not believe it looked very appetizing!

Camology Quotes:

Jane was working on creating picture puzzles via the local Walgreens store. Oddly enough, she was unable to complete her order one evening.  Cam immediately offered his best technical advice...

"Mom, did Dad change anything on the network?  Is it our firewall? Did you try an incognito browser?"

Festively Snowing - Week of Dec. 2nd

"The snow did not even whisper its way to earth, but seemed to salt the night with silence." ~Dean Koontz

"Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together." ~Vesta Kelly

In Michigan, the change of seasons tends to sneak up on us.  One day, you're enjoying a brisk fall day in mid-50s and suddenly, the temperature drops more than 25 degrees.  

That was the case this week when it seemed a winter weather storm warning appeared out of nowhere.  As we all watched the weather map Wednesday evening and the snow began to accumulate, the school closings did too.  Cameron's school didn't close until 5am on Thursday a.m. but luckily, we all went back to sleep for a bit.  The afternoon sunshine helped the white stuff dissipate pretty quickly. 

The snow was around long enough for Chris to pull off a funny for his son.  In the afternoon, Cam's dad asked if he wanted a milkshake for a tasty snack.  Cam requested a surprise ingredient, since Chris is fairly masterful at creating unique milkshake creations.  What Cameron wasn't expecting, though, was a handful of freshly packed snow to top off his treat!

Friday evening, Ms. Amanda arrived to hang out with Cam.  Jane and Chris were destined for a downtown outing with Chris's employees- dinner and a hockey game.  Cameron and Amanda watched Cam's new favorite movie, "Out of My Mind." Even though our Grand Rapids Griffins didn't have a victory, the evening was a winner for everyone.

Saturday morning, we were committed to be participants in the Ada Christmas Parade.  We've been a part of this event since 2019 and it is hosted by the Ada Township Fire Department.  

Typically, chilly temps accompany the line-up beginning at 9am.  The 28 degrees was bearable and we were representing Brody's Be Cafe.  The parade was led by the Forest Hills Northern High School Marching Band and kicked off at 10am.

Local businesses and schools decorate floats and vehicles and everyone in the parade procession passes out candy and other fun items.  Afterwards, hot cocoa was on our agenda!

Our relaxing afternoon was spent working on our holiday card and figuring out some gifts.  That evening, Ms. Kaylee arrived to hang out with Cam while his parents attended the formal holiday party for Fishbeck, where Chris is the IT Director.  

Sunday afternoon, our temperatures rallied and it was warm enough for Cam and his dad to convert the lawnmower into the snowblower for the winter season.

With the longest driveway in our neighborhood and the steep incline with curves, it almost doubles as a luge run!

Camology Quotes:

During Kaylee's time with Cam, the ceiling track lift wasn't functioning the way it was supposed to. Cameron calmly stated:

"Ms. Kaylee, let's improvise."

Give Thanks - Week of Nov. 25th

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." ~Cicero

William Arthur Ward said "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."  We absolutely shared our thanks for family and friends this week.

Wednesday afternoon, Cam and his mom traveled to pick up Oma to spend the holiday with us.  This year, we were invited to our cousins' cottage up north for Thanksgiving.  

Thursday morning, we packed up our two homemade apple pies, tasty appetizers and some goodies for the kiddos.  It was a blustery day at Lake Michigan.  Many of our cousins had traveled by car from the east coast and we were so excited to share the holiday with them.  Cousin Katie and Cam shared a funny moment when Cam realized she had said something that had double meaning.

Cameron's youngest cousins always play a part in helping secure his powerchair in the van.  They are all so proud of knowing what to do and how it is done.  We all feasted and thoroughly enjoyed the many delicious options to choose from.

While Cam's grandma and his mom completed some Christmas shopping on Friday, Chris and his son had their own outing.  We were back home before dinner.  As per our family tradition, we also decorated the Christmas tree with all of the ornaments, some of them dating back more than 50 years.  We were still feeling a bit stuffed from Thanksgiving and had a light dinner before settling in to watch a movie on Disney+.  We highly recommend that everyone see "Out of My Mind" which is only available on Disney+.  It is based on a novel by the same name and follows the journey of a sixth-grade girl with cerebral palsy who is nonverbal.  We all loved the movie, but especially Cam, who rarely sees a film where the protagonist is in a powerchair.

Saturday was the day before Oma's birthday, so we had made reservations at Fuji Yama, a hibachi restaurant where they cook and serve your dinner right in front of you.  Joanne and Ms. Ann joined us for the celebration.  Our chef made balloon animals and gave one each to Oma and Cam.  The experience begins with soup and salad for each person, then the hibachi dinner is cooked in full view.  Noodles, fried rice, fresh vegetables and your choice of protein is expertly prepared.  

Each of us needed a to-go container and Cam actually needed two of them, because the chef chose him to receive the extras.  As we were headed out the door, Chris made one of the restaurant employees laugh so hard when he took our group picture with Cam's dad outside of the door looking in the window.

On Sunday, we wished Cam's grandma an official happy birthday!  Oma opened her presents and we sang to her.  Our time with Oma is just one of the many things our family is most thankful for!

Camology Quotes:

Each Sunday evening, Cameron reminds us that he needs to do his homework. We told him that it's pretty cool how he remembers and does so without complaint.  He jokingly replied to his parents:   "Sorry for being perfect!"

Autumn Photoshoot Uploaded - Week of Nov. 18th

"Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud." ~Maya Angelou

It is a rare occasion when we spot a rainbow from our front window.  A picture never seems to capture the brilliance of the soft colors.  It all looks so magical.

This week was quieter than most and gave us an opportunity to catch up and catch our collective breaths.

Cameron received a belated birthday gift from Auntie Jo.  It always fun to open something unexpected.  Two cool t-shirts and a Culver's gift card were in the bag and Cam was very happy with the contents.

Thursday brought a surprise visit from Mr. Joe.  He works for Permobil, the manufacturer of Cam's power wheelchair.  He had ordered some replacement parts for us that were still covered under warranty.  Joe is a true angel, making house calls each and every time something needs to be looked at.  We were so thankful for his time and gratefully gave him some homemade strawberry freezer jam.

Our photographer team of ten years, the Gaupers, provided our photoshoot via digital delivery.  Each year, we marvel at the way they capture our expressions so readily and easily.  When Ryan took the pictures, it was a cool, but beautiful afternoon.  Our backyard provided the perfect fall background.

The pictures are a yearly tradition for us that we started with Oma and Opa years ago.  They become our Christmas card focus, photo gifts and they adorn the calendar that Cam and his mom create for Oma every year for a holiday present.

Thanksgiving is almost upon us and then Christmas comes up quickly.

As a sweet surprise, Cam and Chris unpacked our tree and displayed it, without ornaments, on Saturday evening while Jane was having dinner with a girlfriend.  

As with most electrical items in the Weatherford household, the tree was added to the "Home Assistant" for smart control.  When saying "goodnight" to Alexa each evening, the lights are typically turned off automatically.  When that didn't happen, Jane assumed it was a glitch.  Chris quickly corrected her indicating that "Cam made me change it.  He knew you'd like the lights on for awhile after saying goodnight because you love how it looks."

Camology Quotes:

Chris and Cam excel at thinking up new "bad dad" jokes.  Cam chimed in with two he thought of..."A D.J. likes what to eat?"  Any wrap  and "What is Dad's favorite holiday?"  Chris-t-mas!

Dad, Thanks For Your Service - Week of Nov. 11th

“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” ~James Allen

Veteran's Day was observed on Monday.

The holiday got its start as “Armistice Day” back in 1919, after President Woodrow Wilson set aside the day to acknowledge those who served in World War I.

In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a decree establishing Nov. 11 as Veterans Day, expanding the recognition to include veterans of all wars- and it's been commemorated ever since.

Cameron nominated his dad to be at the high school assembly Monday morning. As a former Marine, Chris previously served in the military for four years.  He and Jane met when he was still in the service.  Cam and his mom are so proud of Chris and Cam was very happy he could take time away from work for the short celebration of all active and former military personnel.

Friday evening, Ms. Amanda and Cam had some hang out time while Chris and Jane enjoyed a date night.  After lunch on Saturday, the Weatherford crew headed north to visit cousins and extended family in town from Canada.  Cameron was excited to see his littlest baby cousin again.  He took a turn holding the nearly month old boy.

It was a lively afternoon and also relaxing.  While our chicken pot pie dinner cooked, we prepared a salad and Sheri made her scrumptious homemade pavlova adorned with fresh fruit.  She also whipped up a batch of homemade chocolate pudding.  It was the first time our family had tried Sheri's pavlova and all of the hype was warranted.  Somehow, we all managed to snap a group pic of the entire crew.  The younger cousins were so proud to show off their skillset of helping their cousin Cameron perform all safety checks after he entered the van for our return trip.

On Sunday, Cam helped his dad pack up for a two-day work trip to Ohio. Chris was driving there and got on the road right before lunch.  Jane and her son decided it would be a good afternoon to visit Oma and bring her a surprise. We made certain Cam's grandma was going to be home since her social calendar is always full.

Cam's grandma had recently gone through family ornaments and retained some favorites.  We knew that the tabletop tree we had given her a couple of years ago was much too small.  After a quick search on Amazon, we had found a nice pre-lit 4ft artificial tree.  

Cam was able to transport the tree on the back of his chair.  Oma was delighted with our Christmas tree surprise and we proceeded to decorate right away!  Jane's mom had recently even found a family tree skirt that was ideal for her new tree.  Cam and Jane were very happy with the final results.  Oma joked that she felt like she should have an open house to show off her holiday decorations.

On the drive back to Grand Rapids, Cameron and his mom felt just a little bit like Santa Claus and even deemed themselves jolly with the outcome of their efforts!

 Camology Quotes:

*this week's quote is not by Cam himself, but he did want to share a funny story about one of his cousins*

Living in an area surrounded by trees has its benefits, but the amount of leaves needing to be raked is not really one of them.  When Chris was in the backyard with leaf blowing duty, Cam and Jane were making a quick video to send to their little cousins.  These cousins actually live right in the heart of the city out East. In our video, we talked about how Chris was outside and that our family needed help to rake our yard.  After sending our video, the mom cousin responded that her "city girls" asked the following question after seeing the video sent by Cam and his mom:

"But why would we want to help break their yard?!" 

Fall Feelings - Week of Nov. 4th

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree." ~Emily Bronte

"There is harmony in autumn and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not seen or heard." ~Percy Shelley

Barry Schwartz is the author of The Paradox of Choice. He says “Learning to choose is hard. Learning to choose well is harder. And learning to choose well in a world of unlimited possibilities is harder still, perhaps too hard.” 

This is typically a real dilemma for Cameron.  We know a big part of the indecisiveness stems from not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings.  Monday was Cam's first official day back for swimming and PT at his mainstay therapy location near our home.  He was excited to see his physical therapists but also remiss that he would no longer see the Mary Free Bed team on a regular basis.

Tuesday, however, we were back at Mary Free Bed to assess repairs for Cam's power chair.  During the session, his customized seating was also reviewed.  Since his surgery, Cameron has indicated that his cushion is not quite as comfortable as it used to be.  The foam does break down after a period of time, so the goal in determining a new seat is assessed by choosing different layers of varying degrees.  It was a process that took some time, but Cam was very patient. Now it's his parents' turn to be patient while they wait for the insurance approval process, parts ordering and finally, arrival.

Cameron is back to attending power soccer practice every Wednesday evening for Mary Free Bed.  Their team name is Overdrive. The teamwork and comradery are such positive aspects.  Power soccer is played on a standard-size basketball court.  Each team is allowed four players on the court at one time, including the goalkeeper.  A match consists of two 20-minute halves.

A local tournament was scheduled for Saturday.  Even though Cam wasn't playing in the event, he did want to support his teammates.  The Forest Hills Central Middle School hosted the Power Soccer Invitational and was a mere ten-minute drive from our home.

In addition, Brody's Be Cafe was asked to sell coffee and muffins, so we arrived before 9am and Cam was ready to work!  His coffee and water tray were a bit hit! Six teams competed and the Mary Free Bed Overdrive won both of their matches on Saturday.

That evening, we welcomed Ms. Ann to hang out with Cam and enjoy a Culver's dinner.  Chris and Jane were headed to the elegant Mary Free Bed Gala in their black and white outfits.  Cam's mom had her wedding dress altered to remove the train and Cam's dad wore a fancy tux. The best part of their evening was seeing all of the physical therapists and occupational therapists that have worked with Cam.  It seemed all they wanted to talk about was awesome Cameron was!

Camology Quotes:

Chris and his son were running some errands on Sunday afternoon.  Cam asked his dad if they could go to D&W, our local grocery store. Chris jokingly responded (in "bad dad joke" style): "You want to go to both? Two places?"

"Dad, it's one store, D&W!"