Showing Up and Giving Back - Week of Oct. 20th

"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give." ~Kahlil Gibran

It was a week of events for our Weatherford family.  

On Monday, both Cam and Jane had the day off for Cam's fall break.  Cameron's grandma had planned a surprise for her grandson.  We drove Oma back after eating an early lunch in Grand Rapids.  We arrived back at her Rosy Mound abode at 1pm.  Jane told her son that he needed to help his grandma find an activity she was supposed to attend.  Honey, the therapy dog, was due to arrive and Oma kept the info to herself to surprise Cam!  Honey was surely the smartest therapy dog we've ever met.  She graciously awaited pets from each person and made sure to even circle back if someone was missed.

Wednesday evening, we made our way to the Fowling Warehouse to support Review Mobility.  Jane is on the Board of Directors and the non-profit organization provides mobility equipment to anyone in need.  The yearly fundraiser is Halloween themed and costumes are optional. Brody and his mom met us there to show their support.  Cam's physical therapist from school, Ms. Michelle, made an appearance as well.

Pizza from JTs was served for dinner which was a big bonus for Cam and Brody!  It was fun to see the creative costumes and bid on silent auction items.  The Renew brochure features Cameron's picture so he is usually recognized at the events. With more than 100 people attending, almost $20,000 was raised.

We were back at it again on Friday.  Jane took the day off of work to prepare for the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital Treat Pathway. Due to construction for the new pediatric hospital across the street, the parking lot could not support a "trunk or treat" event.  The treat pathway provided a safe and expansive way to provide a Halloween outing for inpatients and outpatients.  41 sponsors signed up to decorate their areas and provide giveaways.  

Jane led the committee for the Mary Free Bed Guild. The Mary Free Bed Guild is a nonprofit organization that has owned Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, since 1891. It focuses on supporting the hospital's mission through a variety of activities, including governance, patient and family advocacy, and fundraising. The Guild is also known for its history of establishing pioneering rehabilitation services and for its scholarship programs for students with disabilities.

Our pathway theme was "The Paparazzi Squad" to make our inpatients and outpatients feel like real celebrities!  Chris, Cam and our buddy, Jake created a tunnel for our celebs to come through.  At the tunnel exit, Jane had a polaroid camera at the ready to take their picture and give them the souvenir print. Other Guild members gave "interviews" for a true celebrity experience and we passed out inflated microphones and candy.  We had multiple families come through a few times! Cam tested out our tunnel and assisted with greeting.  Chris was in charge of the actual tunnel set up.  Cam and his dad made an appearance at the Clock Mobility Trunk or Treat later that evening.  When they returned to assist with teardown, they commented how crowded it was.  We all concluded that the treat pathway was a much easier experience for everyone.

Saturday was a day of rest for us all!

In the early evening on Sunday, we drove over to the Ada Garage Bar and Grill where we met up with a good friend of Cam's and her family.  Madison and her parents joined us for dinner there.  Kelly, Maddie's mom, was asking Cameron if he had a girlfriend at school.  As the probing questions continued, Cam announced to the table... "Talk amongst yourselves!" 

As his parents have always known, Cam is a master deflector 🤣 

Camology Quotes:

Cameron has excellent hearing skills.  At the fundraiser, the microphone wasn't functioning properly.  At one point, Cam asked Ms. Jenny if she knew what the person was saying and she told him she wasn't certain.  His comment to her:

"You know if I can't hear it, no one can!"

Getting Comfortable - Week of Oct. 13th

The dawn of a new day
is filled with hopeful expectations.  

"The art challenges the technology, and the technology inspires the art." ~John Lasseter 

We were excited to begin our week with the announcement of new life, courtesy of our dear family friends. Sarah and Johnny welcomed their first baby boy, Gideon, into the world.  We were happy to have Johnny's mom, Vyanna, stay with us for a few days while she visited.  And in the same week, Sarah's sister Anna and Spencer shared that their second baby girl, Ava was born.

Cameron experienced something new as well on Friday.  We had an appointment at Life Beyond Barriers for the first time.  Even though it was an inaugural visit, we already knew some of the employees there. Our family loves innovation.  Back in July, one of the Life Beyond Barriers physical therapists, Jeremy, talked to Cam at Wheelchair Sports Camp.  He surmised that Cam's seating could be adjusted to fit him better.  After referrals and insurance approvals, we finally had our appointment at Life Beyond Barriers and we were totally impressed.  They use custom-fit seating developed by a company in Colorado called Ride Designs.

Ride Designs was founded by Joe Bieganek and Tom Hetzel in 1998. Bieganek is an orthotist, and Hetzel is a physical therapist, and they established the company based on their expertise from the Aspen Seating Clinic. They adopted the process of using a 3D printer to manufacture its custom wheelchair back supports, which creates more accurate, lightweight, and customizable products. This technology allows Ride Designs to accurately replicate a user's unique body shape and simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for an inner shell, which also makes it easier for clinicians to make in-field adjustments.  Hopefully, Cam will have his high-tech seating before Christmas.

Friday afternoon, Jane picked up Oma for a long weekend since Cam was on fall break Friday and Monday.  Grandma and grandson enjoyed walks in our neighborhood.  One of their favorite games inside is "Name 10" in which you pick a category to say 10 different things. 

Saturday was a rainy day, so we enjoyed some family movies.  Cinderella from 2015 (live action) and Uncle Buck (from the 80s) were two very different flicks, but each one had its own merits and life lessons.

Sunday's weather perked up so Jane, Cam and Oma made their way to Deep Roots Produce.  Deep Roots is a family-owned farm established in 2019.  They expanded in 2023 and have a full-market and petting zoo, free of charge.

Inside the market, Cameron set eyes on the biggest caramel apples he had ever seen!  We made our way around the outdoor area to visit the animals. Pepper the goat was hilarious, standing on top of a crate just waiting for some treats.  Carrots and lettuce were available for purchase inside the store. Before we left Deep Roots, Oma purchased two of the gigantic apples- caramel, peanut butter, chocolate and the other was a classic caramel, chocolate and nuts.  

After a delicious home-cooked meal that evening, the apple treats (compliments of Oma) really hit the spot!

Camology Quotes:

Jane was able to meet our newborn friend, Gideon, on Monday evening.  Chris took this picture of Cam following this exchange between them:

"Mom met him?"

"Yup, are you jealous?"

"Yes, maybe a little bit."

A Feast for Canada - Week of Oct. 6th

"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

After a busy week of school activities for Cam and work meetings for his parents, Friday evening felt like a sigh of relief.

We were all looking forward to the weekend and celebrating a special event with our cousins and close friends on Saturday.  Since two of them are from Canada, we now have an added gathering in October.

Canadian Thanksgiving is different because it is celebrated on the second Monday in October, not November, to coincide with an earlier harvest season due to its northern latitude. 

Its origins are tied to earlier harvest festivals and European explorations, such as Martin Frobisher's 1578 celebration, and it is a standalone holiday without the large shopping events like American Black Friday.

The menu, however, remains basically the same.  The only added item is poutine. Poutine is a Canadian dish originating from Quebec, made of french fries topped with fresh cheese curds and smothered in a hot brown gravy.  Cousin Eric contributed the homemade french fries.  Coco made a delectable sausage stuffing and homemade mashed potatoes, along with the delicious baked turkey and roasted dill carrots. We also had salad and crusty bread. Desserts included our homemade apple pie and pumpkin spice cookies, along with cinnamon vanilla ice cream.

The best part about a get-together is being able to catch up with everyone throughout the day.

Now that the sun sets earlier, we stayed until we glimpsed our famous Lake Michigan sunset dip into the water. 

Sunday was a relaxing day for us and it seems that our friendly backyard deer had the same idea!

Camology Quotes:

During our weekend relaxation, Cam's parents told him they were going to rest for awhile, to which he responded:

"You two deserve that...go ahead."

"Oh well thanks for your permission 😉"

"I was just saying it in general terms, parents!"

A Picture for the Ages - Week of Sept. 29th

"The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been." ~Madeleine L'Engle

We continued to enjoy the most favorable fall weather this week.  More than once, our family commented that it was the perfect weather for the Be Benefit, Lori's Voice Walk, WMML ballgame and Senior Retreat and was such a gift for everyone involved!

The deadline for sending in Cameron's kindergarten and senior pics was fast approaching. We received our official digital prints from the family cottage photo shoot which included Cam's senior picture.  Holly Gauper was our photographer this year and as always, we were most impressed.  The Gaupers (gauperphoto.com) have been a part of this annual family gift for more than a decade!  It seems every year we comment "these are our most favorite ones yet!"

Friday evening, Ms. Amanda arrived to hang out with Cam while his parents had a date night downtown.  For the first time, they played duckpin bowling. Duckpin bowling is a variation of ten-pin bowling that uses smaller pins and a smaller, fingerhole-less ball, requiring players to roll three balls per frame instead of two. Chris and Jane agreed that they will bring their son to check it out some time.  

Saturday morning, we made our way to the final fall game for the West Michigan Miracle League.  Once again, the mild weather was a welcome benefit.

Our Cam Fans were in full force!  

Our longtime, dear friend Stephanie was there to see Cam and Brody.  She's known the boys since grade school and they both adore her immensely.

April arrived with her mom to say hi to her friend and watch the game.  April and Cam have been connected since 2015 due to Halloween wheelchair costumes.

Aunt Betsy and Uncle Jon drove from Grand Haven and brought Oma as well as their sweet dog, Blue.  Chris volunteered with the team since they were short on helpers.  We were thankful to our aunt and uncle for making the early game and for bringing Cam's grandma with them to see the last match of the season.  Medals were presented to each of the players before they left the field.  

Not only did Cameron keep his cool medal, he also kept his Oma with him.  Jane's mom rode with her grandson and family as we had planned an overnight stay. Upon exiting the West Michigan Miracle League field, we made our way to the cottage to check on things there. It was a beautiful windy afternoon.

We traveled back to Grand Rapids before dinner so we could eat at home.  It was movie time in the Weatherford abode and we found a comedy called "Playing With Fire" which was quite hilarious.

On Sunday, Cam and Oma enjoyed an outdoor stroll down the long driveway and our roadway before heading back.

When we were eating our early dinner that evening, we all mentioned what we were thankful for.  At the top of everyone's list was family, friends and good health!

Camology Quotes:

Cam frequently checks his email from his IPad at home.  He mentioned to his mom that he was viewing the school newsletter and then proceeded on an action to the no reply message.

"I accidently responded to this email. Oh well, no harm, no foul!"