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!"

Happy Camper! - Week of Oct. 28th

"Sometimes the things we do a second time around are better and hold more value because we take the time to reflect and review. Don't be afraid to try again and do-over with great wisdom, a fresh set of eyes, and a renewed hope." ~Christine Evangelou

At school, Cameron experiences scholastic learning, but also has the opportunity to engage in other activities.  A recent trip to the Wake Park in Grandville found Cam in stand-up mode, supporting his classmates and partaking in outdoor games.

Because of his power soccer experience, his physical therapist at school is leading the charge to create a soccer guard on the front of Cam's chair for his gym hour.

Thursday was Oct. 31st and Cameron's last scheduled appointment for occupational therapy at Mary Free Bed was set for the afternoon.  

Jane and her son were excited his session was that day because they knew that all of the MFB staff were in competition for the best department costumes.  When they arrived, they quickly surmised that the entire outpatient physical and occupational therapy department employees were dressed up as a part of the circus!  Cam's OTs created their own costumes.  Lauren was a fortune teller and Courtney was cotton candy.  They loved seeing Cameron's Reese's outfit and Jane even dressed up to accompany her son.  Chris wore his Sugar Daddy shirt to work as well.

Last March, Cameron experienced a weekend camp for the first time ever.  It wasn't an ideal few days for him, but thankfully, he was willing to sign up again.  

A reservation slated for a five-night camping event had to be cancelled this past summer since Cam was still recovering from his baclofen pump surgery.  He was waitlisted for the Nov. 1st weekend.  We finally received the green light that he was confirmed for camp and reviewed the packing list.  After the school bus deposited Cameron home on Friday, he prepared for the weekend.  When we arrived at Indian Trails Campground a little after 4pm for drop-off, Cam was informed that both of the counselors he knew were there again!  He had no trouble saying goodbye to his parents. Chris and Jane then made their way to the cottage for the weekend while their son experienced new adventures.

Cam's two-night stay was in the Seneca Cabin.  His favorite activity was drumming with Josh while standing up!  Cameron's favorite memory was meeting new people. His meals included pancakes and bacon, pizza and pasta.  They watched a movie, created crafts and even had a hot cocoa bar. 

Cam's friend from baseball, Daniel, was a roommate in the same cabin!
Cameron decided that his all-time favorite memory of this November weekend camp was being more relaxed than his first respite. Overall, Cam was definitely one happy camper!

Camology Quotes:

Cam has been feeling philosophical lately and reflecting. His OTs at Mary Free Bed felt such a positive impact from their time with Cameron and told him that as they said their goodbyes.  As he and his mom were leaving the location, he shared his thoughts.

"Mom, I have met so many great people on this life journey.  Not everyone has a life journey, do they?"

Falling for Fun - Week of Oct. 21st

"The circus doesn't stay in town forever. The older you get, the more you realize there's a deeper meaning. It's better to leave 3 hours too soon than a minute too late." ~Jason Witten 

"Circus is what real life should be like. It's sincerity, feeling, emotions. All real. There are no lies in circus. There are artists working together to give a smile. It's a world where people help one another. It's the only show where a family, everyone from children to their grandmothers, can sit together and all be entertained by the same thing." ~Princess Stephanie of Monaco

Even though October 31st wasn't until next week, we had plenty of Halloween activities prior to the actual trick or treat event.

Wednesday evening, we made the five-minute trek to the Fowling Warehouse.  The annual fundraiser for Renew Mobility was scheduled.  All of the youth ambassadors were expected to be in attendance as well as the board of directors.  Cam and Jane were confirmed for their subsequent roles and Chris accompanied his family.  Cam's mom had purchased a Candyland outfit to use for an upcoming trunk or treat.  She also found a couple of shirts for the guys.  Chris donned his Sugar Daddy tee while Cam rocked the Reese's peanut butter cups.  We named our team "The Candy Crew!"  Cam's buddy, Liam, is also a youth ambassador so we had fun catching up with his family too.  Our Candy Crew took 2nd place in one of the contests and we received a wooden plaque and one of the hand painted bowling pins.  The evening netted funding for our non-profit and a fun time for us all.

On Friday, Jane picked up Oma to spend the weekend with us.  That afternoon, our agenda had us going to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, where Jane was in charge of the committee for the Guild Trunk or Treat entry of Candyland.  Three Guild members joined in and Oma was a huge help setting everything up.  Chris and Cam arrived a bit later.  One of the best costumes we saw were the "three little old ladies" who gave each of us a hug after receiving their treat.  Our Guild committee created customized treat bag for those individuals who signed up.  The bag itself is especially made for use with wheelchairs.  The windy evening didn't deter anyone from experiencing all of the different festivities set up.  Along with all of the trunk decorations, the therapy garden was turned into a "Scare-Apy Garden" for everyone to see.  We were all pretty worn out when we arrived home and thankful for a sleep-in day on the weekend.

Saturday morning, Cam enjoyed a new concoction for breakfast consisting of a waffle wrapped up with bacon, ham and cheese.  

That afternoon, Jane and her son took Oma to one of their favorite pumpkin patches called Deep Roots Produce.  We saw the goats and llamas, pigs and chickens.  They have a large building filled with all kinds of goodies, including fresh produce, donuts, pastries, meat and the largest assortment of candied apples we have ever seen!  We purchased a few apples, as we decided it was best to sample something new.  The peanut butter, chocolate caramel was the clear winner of the bunch.  A homecooked meal rounded out our evening.

Sunday morning, we were all ready for the annual photo shoot with Ryan Gauper.  He was due to arrive at our home right at noon.  The quick picture session included Cam's grandma and the fall colors in the backyard shone through.  We were all in the van by 12:30p on our way to downtown Grand Rapids.  Jane had pre-purchased tickets for the new Ringling Circus set to begin at 1pm.

Thanks to Cam, Jane had researched the best place to park as well as the door to access with the most direct route to the accessible areas. We arrived with time to spare and found our seats easily.

We weren't certain what to expect since this was the first circus tour without animals. The show was advertised as including 75 performers with 18+ countries represented, all showcasing awe-inspiring acts including aerial, acrobatics, world dance, music, comedy, and jaw-dropping thrills.

The acrobatics was a top favorite for us all.  At the end of the show, a girl known as the human rocket provided the grand finale.  She was catapulted across the arena reaching a speed of almost 65mph!

The circus truly is an experience for all ages, and we were the absolute best proof of that!

Camology Quotes:

An aide in Cam's classroom shared a story with Jane when she came to pick up her son at school for a PT/OT appointment. She explained that she had been searching for Cam's glasses in his backpack and couldn't find them.  Cam started laughing and exclaimed the following:

"Um, the glasses are right here on my tray.  I don't normally state the obvious!"

Bowling into the Weekend - Week of Oct. 14th

“Autumn, it carries more gold in its hand than all the other seasons.” ~Jim Bishop

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”  ~L.M. Montgomery

This year, the school district calendar provided a fall break with Friday and Monday off. Typically, we don't plan for any specific activity, but this time, we ended up with two unique outings.

Cameron's parents hadn't received their absentee ballots in the mail, so they decided to take their son over to our local township clerk's office on Friday morning.  They quickly obtained their ballots and then noticed something else.  

Cam actually saw it first and asked what it was.  One of the clerks explained the Assistive Technology voting application is available for all residents who needed to use it.

Cam was very impressed our area offered the option and was proud to see the setup.  He was also excited about being able to use it himself when he can vote in the next election!

Later that afternoon, Jane and her son had an appointment scheduled at Renew Mobility.  Youth Ambassador Cam was asked to paint a bowling pin for the upcoming fundraiser.  The painted pins are given away with prizes to costume winners.  The finger painting was a blast and with Cameron's increased flexibility, he truly enjoyed the experience.  Jane appreciated the washable paint and the finished pin looked pretty cool.

Saturday evening, we had a planned mission with Cam's best bud, Brody, and his mom.  Our early eve began with dinner out at Uccello's, one of the boys' favorite places to eat.  Following a tasty meal, we were made our way to the AMF Bowling alley located just a couple of minutes from the restaurant.  

Cameron and Brody both love bowling and the location offers accessibility to the lanes.  The outing was all Brody's idea and Cam is so fortunate to have such a great friend who thinks of activities that include both of them.  In addition to Cam being able to drive his chair down to bowling lane itself, there is also a ramp to assist those who cannot hold the ball independently.  With the bowling ball on the ramp, Cam held on with one finger and let it go.  The first game winner was Cam!  His final score was 123 with his dad close behind followed by Brody, his mom, Jenn, and Jane.  The second game found Chris in the lead with the rest of the crew trailing.  The best part of the evening was that everyone was included and had a great time!

Sunday afternoon, we made a quick trip northward to visit our brand new cousin! He is a beautiful boy and so sweet.    

After a short visit, as we were headed out, our cousins had let us know about an animal by the barn.  To our surprise, the opossum remained on the fence checking out all of the activity, or perhaps he was an unofficial security guard for our relatives!

Camology Quotes:

Cam is almost at the end of his PT and OT appointments at Mary Free Bed.  His occupational therapist, Courtney, told Jane and her son that Cameron was one of her favorite patients because, unlike most of her patients who finish therapy and don't continue on their own, he shared the following thought with her.

"Ms. Courtney, I will keep working on all of my exercises because they are helping me."

A Feast for Canadians - Week of Oct. 7th

"This is the power of gathering: it inspires us, delightfully, to be more hopeful, more joyful, more thoughtful: in a word, more alive." ~Alice Waters 

Thanksgiving has been officially celebrated as an annual holiday in Canada since November 6, 1879. While the date varied by year and was not fixed, it was commonly the second Monday in October. On January 31, 1957, the Governor General of Canada Vincent Massey issued a proclamation stating: "A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed – to be observed on the second Monday in October." 

Cameron's great grandmother, Mary, on his dad's side, is French Canadian. We also have cousins with Canadian lineage so we were excited to officially celebrate by gathering on Saturday.

Friday evening, our household was full of baking activity.  We made mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, gathered fruit and appetizers and made a dessert.  Chris and his son were in charge of Oreo truffles.  This came about because Cam claimed the Oreos were "getting stale" and since there were quite a few left in the package, a truffle recipe seemed to be the appropriate action to take.  After pulverising the Oreos in the food processor and adding cream cheese, they were ceremoniously dipped in dark chocolate.

Saturday was the scheduled day of our Thanksgiving feast.  It was warm enough to be outside for most of the afternoon.  While the turkey and duck baked in the oven, we soaked up the rays on the deck.

Canadian Thanksgiving dishes follow the same format of offerings as in the U.S.  The only exception is poutine.

Poutine, a dish of french fries, cheese curds, and gravy, originated in rural Quebec in the 1950s. It became popular across Canada in the 1980s and 1990s, and is now a symbol of Canadian culture.

It has also become a staple at our Canadian Thanksgiving dinner.  We were all completely stuffed by early evening after partaking in all of the delicious food. Our dessert options of pumpkin truffles, Oreo truffles, homemade apple pie and ice cream topped off the meal.

Since the sun has been setting before 8pm, we were fortunate enough to see the colorful sky before heading back to Grand Rapids.  We all agreed we would definitely be having a late breakfast the next morning!

Camology Quotes:

Having technology-minded parents can be beneficial...or not.  Cameron has a school chromebook to use at home for any homework.  When he logged in on Sunday, there was a window indicating that his password was recently changed.  He was on full alert...

"Dad, I've been hacked!  I did not change my password.  We need to contact the school IT department immediately!" "Mom, I need you to send a picture of my screen to my teachers!"