Let the Break Begin - Week of Mar. 31st

"Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer." ~William S. Burroughs

It was a short school week for Cam since his spring break officially started on Thursday. He was very excited at the aspect of sleeping in for the next 11 days!

One of his relaxation activities is using his iPad. He likes to search for different videos that may include favorite singers, cool hobbies and games. Cam also does appreciate a routine.  When he's on a break from school, a different agenda falls into place.

Cameron requested a daily round of sight words so Chris and Jane take turns quizzing him and there is also an app he uses to test himself.

Our Saturday adventures led us to Montague to visit cousins. There was still a chill in the air so we remained indoors for the afternoon.

Cam had fun supervising his relatives making brownies and commented on what expert taste testers they are.  

We combined our resources for dinner and feasted on pasta, salad, french bread and of course, fresh brownies for dessert.  Following our delicious meal, the younger set loves to assist with Cam's safety latches in the rear of the van.  Now that we are back in daylight savings time, we are home before it even gets dark!

Sunday afternoon, the sunshine appeared so Cameron requested some power soccer training time.

We ordered a new inflatable outdoor soccer ball for the activity and it worked out quite nicely.  Cam is increasing his skill set with each practice session. As a family, we also appreciate the increased vitamin D for us all!

Camology Quotes:

Cam likes to tell jokes, much like his dad.  Almost nightly, he offers up a new funny eager to see if it will make his parents laugh. His latest entry wasn't too bad...

"What do feet like to eat?" "Toe-fu!"

A Re-Energizing Respite - Week of Mar. 24th

"Lost time is never found again." ~ Benjamin Franklin

We often refer to Cam as "The Human Calendar" based on his ability to remember literally every event upcoming and well into the future.  

When he indicated that there was an art show at the Fine Arts Center, Jane vaguely recalled a flyer that had been sent in the last month, but not the specifics.  Cam's mom checked the online calendar for the center and nothing was there.  Jane emailed Cameron's teacher and she confirmed so off they went.  One of Cam's classmates was there too and we found a large display of artwork which included one of his works.

On Friday, Chris and Jane helped Cam pack up his things for Indian Trails Camp!  We reviewed the checklist and made certain everything was on it.  Drop-off was scheduled between 4 and 5p and our camper arrived ready to go.  He saw his friend Daniel right away as well as a counselor he knows, Miss Jess.  

Chris and Jane made their way north to spend time at the cottage and see cousins.  Sunday morning, they arrived back at Indian Trails to pick up their son.  He was one happy camper and had a report of everything they did.  The camp director told us that Cam is one of the sweetest kids she's ever met. He asked her that morning if it was possible to have another emergency contact so his parents could go away somewhere when he's at summer camp.

Miss Rachel, one of the counselors, said goodbye and told him they couldn't wait to see him in the summer!

• Weekend Favorite Activity: making binoculars
• Weekend Favorite Memory: hanging out with friends
• Friday dinner: pulled pork, tater tots, mac & cheese
• Best part of Friday: seeing old friends
• Saturday Overview: Slept good last night, french toast sticks, pizza
• Saturday Activities: Easter egg hunt, gardening, pipe cleaner flowers, fun night
• Best part of Saturday: the dance (Dance on)
• Favorite memory of camp: having fun at the dance on

Camology Quotes:

Cam uses the Alexa devices in our home to play music, set timers, request the weather forecast, and his favorite action...announcements. The announcement opens up the speaker on all of the Alexas and plays back what you've just said.  Cam thinks of everyone in his callouts...

"I wanted to give a special shout out to my mom for taking me to the art show tonight! And to my dad for giving me a good hug!"

Topsy Turvy Weather - Week of Mar. 17th

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade." ~Charles Dickens

People from other parts of the U.S. often say that those of us who live in Michigan talk about the weather excessively.  And, that's probably not too far from the truth.  Especially during the month of March, Michiganders experience "topsy-turvy" temperatures as the jumps from 60 to 30 happen more frequently.

A big event- "Forest Hills Battle of the Hills Unified Basketball Tournament" was scheduled for Wednesday at Cam's school. It is dedicated in memory of a Forest Hills Northern student, Ethan Dutter, who unexpectedly passed away three years ago shortly after his graduation.

There are three school districts within Forest Hills- Northern, Central and Eastern that all compete.  The Northern High School provides the gym as well as refreshments from Brody's Be Cafe. Jane was able to stop by for one of the games and say hello to Cam.

Two of Cam's champions, Mrs. Festian and Ms. Cris who have known him since he began his tenure at elementary school, both sent Jane a posting from Instagram and Facebook that featured a pic of our Junior.

We were looking forward to our weekend because Cam's grandma, aka Oma, was scheduled to stay with us.  Jane picked up her mom on Friday so she would be there when Cameron arrived home from school.  

As a special treat, we ordered takeout cod dinners from a local favorite, JT's.  Cam requested a cod sandwich, which wasn't on the menu.  But Cam's mom asked if they could provide a sub bun with one dinner so that we could assemble it at home.  It was warm and soft and even wrapped separately in foil.  Cam declared it most delicious! 

Our weekend was quiet, but full of good things.  Oma and her grandson had a nice stroll in our neighborhood and we watched Wicked.  It's a long movie and much easier to view in the comfort of your home.  Jane and her son were so pleased that Oma really enjoyed it.

The grazing deer made an appearance and we continue to marvel at them munching on the backyard grass, or whatever treats may be hidden in the ground.

It's always fun just to sit and chat about life, memories and current happenings.
We made dinners Saturday and Sunday evening with Oma's help.  Before we knew it, the weekend was ending and it felt like Oma had just arrived.  Jane drove her mom back home after our evening meal.  

Cam still insists on hugs from his grandma, and for this special gift, we are all very grateful.

Camology Quotes:

Chris and Jane still read books with Cam every evening, taking turns.  While Jane was reading one night, he became a bit distracted.  He requested the following from his mom, mid-sentence:

"Rewind, please. I missed that last part."

A House Call for Repairs - Week of Mar. 10th

 

"There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others." ~Mandy Hale

Ever since Cameron was born, we are continually amazed by the giving nature of so many people we've encountered. 

Cam's mom had to travel to Wisconsin for work leaving Tuesday morning and returning late Wednesday.  Friday was a day off of school for Cam due to a professional administration day for the teachers.  We scheduled power wheelchair repairs for 10:30am, knowing it would take a few hours.

The biggest bonus, besides a day off for Cameron, was the fact that the person performing all of the work offered to drive to our home and complete all of the parts replacements and adjustments in Cam's house!  We transferred our son to the couch so he had a front-row seat to all of the action.  Mr. Dewayne, the amazing technician who arrived right on time, answered all of Cam's questions and inquiries.  We learned that if you have a very large wooden block, you can tip Cameron's 450 lb chair on its side, shimmy the wood under and use it to prop the chair up so that the wheels can be changed out.  All of the parts replacements and adjustments took nearly four hours! 

Cam was very patient and once he was back in action, Ms. Amanda arrived shortly thereafter to hang out with her buddy for the evening.  Chris and Jane met our longtime neighbors and friends for dinner downtown.

For the remainder of the weekend, Jane was busy with a large work proposal while Chris and his son completed some home projects.

As many of you are aware, Cam was the first youth ambassador for our local non-profit, Renew Mobility.  As a youth ambassador, Cam helps ring the bell to start the "Wheel Run for Everyone" at the Allendale Grand Valley campus.  This year, the walk/run is being held on Saturday, April 12th.  Please sign up if you're able!  

Youth Ambassador Cam and his parents thank you!! SIGN UP/DONATE

Camology Quotes:

On Saturday, Chris spent some time at a fishing expo downtown. Afterwards, he met up with friends at a local favorite restaurant, Vitale's.  Jane and her son called him when he was driving home and he admitted he had some breadsticks.  When he walked in the house, Cam greeted him with a good dose of funny. 

"Dad, I cannot believe you just had breadsticks. It killed me to hear that... It wouldn't really kill me.  I was just being humorous!"

The Real Power Soccer Chair - Week of Mar. 3rd

"Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance." ~Verna Myers, vice president of inclusion strategy, Netflix 

Back in the 1970’s, France became the first country to introduce a soccer league for power wheelchair users. Years later, the US and several other countries joined in, and eventually formed a formal association known as the Federation International de Powerchair Football Association in 2005, and later the United States Power Soccer Association. Today, power soccer remains one of the fastest growing sports worldwide featuring athletes from all backgrounds.

This week, Cam was able to test out a brand-new professional power soccer chair during his practice time.  After adjustments and settling in, he started to acclimate to the low profile and faster speed.  We are borrowing the chair at this time and hope to be able to use it at home over the summer when practice has a long hiatus.  The power soccer chairs are $10,000 to purchase, so we would prefer to borrow.😉

At school, Cam had another basketball game with his inclusion team.  They gathered for a team picture afterwards and Jane was happy that her son requested that the photographer (a classmate's mom) send the pic to his mom.

Our Weatherford family was excited for the weekend.  On Saturday afternoon, it was road trip time to see cousins. Cameron and his parents played with the kiddos and we all shared an early dinner.

We decided to get back on the road sooner than we normally would due to the time change of springing forward.

Sunday afternoon, the sun shone once again so Cam could take a spin in the power soccer chair outside.  It was very windy and we somehow managed to completely lose the lightweight ball he was using for practice.  We all kept joking about where the ball might turn up...perhaps Cam will spot it on his daily school bus ride 😁

Camology Quotes:

Cam wore a sweatshirt on Saturday that has an anchor displayed on the front.  It also contains phrases in Latin. "Noli in vento urinare" and "Grande Havenus Michigandus" which we knew was Grand Haven, Michigan.  The first phrase, however, was looked up online.  The literal translation is "Don't Urinate in the Wind"...Hilarious laughter followed!  And Cameron could barely catch his breath.

"I don't think I can wear this to school.  What will my teachers say?"

WMML Joins the Y - Week of Feb. 24th

My disability exists not because I use a wheelchair, but because the broader environment isn't accessible. ~Stella Young

We often talk about how fortunate we are to live in the community that we do.  Cam plays baseball with the West Michigan Miracle League (WMML) in the spring and the fall, inclusion basketball at high school and power soccer at the Y.

Most every Wednesday, Cam eats an early dinner and then we head out for power soccer practice at the Mary Free Bed YMCA.  Chris assisted this week by filling in the goalie spot near the end of the practice. 
The Mary Free Bed YMCA in Grand Rapids, Michigan opened in December, 2015. The 16,200-square-foot facility became the first facility in the world to be recognized with Universal Global Design certification. It is a universally designed health and wellness center that partners with Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. The YMCA's history reflects the commitment of both organizations to community and inclusion.

On Saturday, we were headed to a celebration Family Night for the WMML.  First, we met Cam's best buddy, Brody and his parents and grandma for dinner at the boys' favorite, Culver's.  It was a lively meal and we finished up just before 6pm.

The MFB Y was closed to members for the evening and open for WMML families who had registered to be there for the event!  The entire location was filled with WMML athletes and their invited people.

At the end of the long ramp to reach the lower level, the mascot from the the Grand Rapids Gold basketball team was ready for pictures.  On the lower level, there is a large hot tub and pool.  Jane convinced Cam to hang out in the hot tub since the larger body of water was a bit chilly.  A lift is shown to the right of Cameron in the picture.  Typically, one of these lifts is only next to a pool and rarely a hot tub.  The water was very relaxing.  We hung out with Brody and his family and saw so many other friends we knew.  The time went by quickly.

On Sunday, we made our way to Grand Haven to spend time with Oma.  We picked her up at 11:30 so we could all go out to brunch.  Two Yolks was our chosen location and we all loved our choices for our midday meal.  After dining, we returned to Oma's place to work on some projects.  As a surprise, Chris installed a new shower head with Cam.  Jane and her mom organized a large closet and before we knew it, it was late afternoon.

As we were saying goodbye, it was fun to be able to talk about seeing Oma in just two more weeks!

Camology Quotes:

The ASAWM sent a wrap up video (https://youtu.be/haqCEOFvYx0 ) from the skiing season and we were reminded of a funny story.  One Sunday, Chris made the trek to get the ski sled for Cam to use.  However, he didn't ask his son which sled it was. When he returned, it wasn't the right one.  Cam quickly commented.

"Dad, I have the #1 sled. You should've just asked me!"

Sports Rule - Week of Feb. 17th

"Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play." ~Mike Singletary

Monday was part of Cam's mid-winter break and a holiday for Jane from work.  The extra day was needed due to the cough hanging on for both Jane and her son.  Tuesday, Cameron stayed home an extra day to help the coughing subside a bit more before heading back to school on Wednesday.  Chris remained working from the house and made time for an experiment in the frigid weather.  He soaked a sheet in water and then showed Cam how it "flash froze" by holding it up.

Fortunately for Cam, Wednesday was a good day to be back in action.  That evening, the FH Northern High Unified basketball was headed to a local university, Aquinas College. 

The itinerary was set: Pre-Game: 5:20 PM: Both teams should line up with our home team for  introductions, 10 minutes before tip-off. 

Northview Unified will join Cornerstone Women’s Basketball during the national anthem and handshake line (North Side). 

Forest Hills Northern will join Aquinas Women’s Basketball during the national anthem and handshake line (South Side). 

Halftime (15 minutes): With 5 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, both teams should gather in the Northwest Corner of the gym to prepare to take the court. The Unified game will consist of three five-minute quarters with a running clock. 

Post-Game: Following the women’s game, food and refreshments will be available in the Hospitality Room. Meal provided: Pizza, pop, and water.

Cameron had a great time with his teammates and meeting the Aquinas Women's Basketball team!

It was a short school week for Cam and Sunday was our big day out.  At 12p, we arrived at a location where the Adaptive Ski Association of West Michigan was hosting a brunch for volunteers, athletes and their families.  After picking from a large assortment of choices, we enjoyed a hearty meal and then played bingo and heard about upcoming events for ASAWM.  What a great way to close out the skiing season!

We had a bit of time to relax at home before heading out once again.  Our destination was the Van Andel Arena downtown.  For the last few years, we have attended the Sensory Friendly Grand Rapids Griffins game, which is typically held in February.  It has become a family tradition Christmas present.  Cam and his parents do appreciate the lower noise level that accompanies this event.

We dined at the restaurant on the main floor and then found our awesome seats.  We had a great view of the action and munched on some popcorn from a local vendor.

As we were leaving, we exited out a side door where the intercom system could be heard on a loudspeaker.  It was incredibly confusing for a moment because we all thought we were somehow overhearing a very loud conversation!  We were all laughing for quite awhile and it was a funny experience to end our evening with.

Camology Quotes:

Even though the noise level in the arena is reduced, the chatter and activities can still make a bit challenging to hear each other. When our team scored, Cam thought he heard Jane say something that sounded more like an outcome of the Olympics and then realized his error, commenting,

"Ohhh, I thought you said they got gold..but you actually said they got a goal!"

Influenza Take Down - Week of Feb. 10th

"Health is not valued until sickness comes." ~Thomas Fuller

"You're in pretty good shape for the shape you are in." ~Dr. Suess

Sometimes, even with all of the precautionary measures, sickness can still find you.

Jane was the first victim.  After battling a scratchy throat all day Monday and enduring a work training (on video) at night, she was down for the count all day Tuesday.  That evening, after a visit to the med center, she was diagnosed with Influenza A and given a script for Tamiflu.

Cameron was next.  He remained in school until mid-morning Thursday when his teacher texted indicating he didn't feel well.  Chris took his son to the med center and received the same diagnosis as Jane.  Ironically, the pharmacy was out of the prescription but would be replenished on Friday.  Cam's mom was feeling better by that afternoon and after Cameron had just two doses, his coughing was less severe.

Based on the sickness that permeated our household, all Valentine's plans were put on hold.  It's a special day for Cam's parents, signifying the day they met, the date of their engagement as well as their Puerto Rico honeymoon.  

We still managed to find some smiles, though.  When Cameron requested a sundae for dessert on Saturday, his dad snuck outside and gathered up a large bowl of snow.  He even drizzled chocolate sauce to make it appear more authentic.  Cam couldn't be fooled, though, and erupted in laughter as he got closer.  On Sunday, Chris wasn't feeling the greatest so movies dominated our household.

In honor of Valentine's we created an album of past V-Day pictures.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/63WMvfrmjWepYdqT7

May the flu bug stay away from everyone for the remainder of the season!

Camology Quotes:

Cam's flu symptoms were in full force Thursday night.  After settling into bed, he called Jane into his room with the following request due to his fever: 

"Please close the front door.  It's freezing!"

Unified Basketball - Week of Feb. 3rd

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." ~Helen Keller

Inclusion has been a part of Cameron's life from the beginning.  How can we include him in an activity? How can he advocate for himself to be included?  Recently, Cam expressed an interest in his school's unified sports team.  In the picture, he is shown assisting the coach with uniforms.

Unified basketball is a Special Olympics program that combines players with and without intellectual or physical disabilities on the same team. The goal of Unified basketball is to promote understanding, inclusivity, and friendship.

Friendships are strong with Cam.  It was spirit week at Forest Hills Northern High and our junior always wants to participate.  For twinning day, he wore his Brody's Be Cafe gear, just like his best bud, Brody.  There were multiple assemblies in the gym.  The activities were all leading up to the dance scheduled for Saturday evening.

Attending social events is Cam's choice.  He will typically ask if he should go and we always explain that it's not our decision since we're not the ones participating.  Swirl is the annual dance held in February at the high school.  Cam decided he wanted to go and paid his $20 ticket fee.  The dance was scheduled from 8-10pm and Cameron arrived shortly after the doors opening.  He met his friends there and had a good time!

Cam slept in on Sunday.  He was ready for his last session of the ASAWM adaptive ski season at Cannonsburg.

We arrived early and our skier was a bit nervous because another instructor would be guiding him down the slopes.  His hesitation quickly faded after a perfect first run.  Chris accompanied his son on the chairlift each and every time.  Mr. Noah guided Cam down the ski hill.  Ms. Jessie also took the lead for one of the last downhill adventures.  We ended the season on a high note without a single wipeout that day!

After skiing, we welcomed our cousins and friends for a SuperBowl party.  Cam likes seeing the kids enjoy many of the toys from his childhood.  What's old is suddenly new again!

Camology Quotes:

Cam sometimes struggles with a tough choice.  He is good at recognizing the difficulty.  When he finally chose, he also told us:

"I need to get better at making decisions and deciphering how I feel."