Road Tripping - Week of Aug. 3rd

"A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles." ~Tim Cahill

We met Ms. Michelle in the summer of 2015 when she was added to our Cam Care team.  Eleven years later, we still connect with her in person at least once a year.  In Cam's graduation book, her entry reads: "The question is.. how has CAM NOT affected my life! Cam has taught me unconditional love, sacrifice, persistence, not to give up!! There is always another way to do something! Kindness is a beautiful gift! There is an invention that can solve many problems! Cam always knows what's going on! Follow his instincts! Laughing is a choice and contagious! From the beginning Cam knew his summer would be fun and I knew God sent me an angel along with Jane and Chris!! Forever blessed to be a part of your family...."  We were so happy to see Michelle on Monday in between her mission trips.  She brought Cam some graduation balloons and candy from Latvia, along with the best hugs!

Tuesday night, our van was packed up in anticipation of our early morning.  At 5:30am on Wednesday, we pulled out of the driveway.  Our destination: Mills River, North Carolina, just southwest of Asheville.  Jane's best friend from grade school, Leslie, along with her husband Wes live in a Cam-accessible home nestled in the mountains.  Our 11+hour journey was fairly smooth.  The sunrise was beautiful and we made our inaugural stop at a Buc-ee's travel center.  It was quite overwhelming and definitely lives up to its reputation for being the 
largest convenience store for travelers.  

We arrived in Mills River at dinnertime, thankful for a safe journey and comfortable beds.  During our stay, Cam and his parents have the entire lower level of the Les and Wes homestead.  The mountain views are incredible and the "swimming" hot tub made for a most relaxing Thursday for us all.  Their two cats, Earl and Sterling, are great entertainment and even joined the guys on a stroll down the road. Auntie Leslie had a great idea to use a float for Cam in the hot tub and it worked perfectly for him allowing his muscles to relax.

A big bonus for us all was the arrival of Leslie's daughters that evening.  Ali and husband Daree arrived first, followed by Erin.  

For our Friday activity, Wes had borrowed his brother's pontoon boat and jet skis so we could all enjoy a lake day.  Wes's brother, Gary, joined us to assist with transporting all of the gear.  We had to laugh because the forecast provided a few days prior called for lots of rain.  It turned out to be the perfect boating day.  The inland lake was beautiful and the water was warm and refreshing.  The biggest bonus was that Cam's power wheelchair made it on board without any issues!

A family barbeque was planned for Saturday.  Wes's daughter, Mackenzie, and her family along with Leslie's mom, her sister and family all arrived in the afternoon.  Wes smoked pork all day and we had a literal feast.  Jane transported one of their homemade apple pies from Michigan and baked it for dessert. Then, we played a most hilarious game that Erin introduced us to.  Fishbowl is a popular group communication game that only requires pieces of paper, pencils and a couple of bowls.  The moderator calls out a question and everyone writes an answer on the piece of paper provided and adds it into the fishbowl.  Then, the moderator reads all of the answers and each player has an opportunity to guess which answer was written by each individual playing the game.  The age range of 18-88 years made for a most hilarious outcome.

Sunday was our final full day in North Carolina.
Every morning, the clouds seem to hang on the mountains until the warm air lifts them away.  It is a spectacular view.

On this day, Cam's parents celebrated 23 years of marriage.  Originally, our group was going to commemorate the event by going to Sierra Nevada for dinner.  We were so relaxed, though, that ordering pizza seemed to be a much better option.  The best part of vacation is being flexible and going with the flow.  

And to make it all even more special was the fact that Cam insisted on paying with his own credit card!

Camology Quotes:

Upon arrival in North Carolina, we told Cam that he was a much better road tripper than his parents that day.  He was way more patient than his folks and at one point when his mom and dad were exasperated with technology, he rightfully asked:

"Parents, are you ok?!" (which thankfully led to laughter for everyone!)

Sports Camp for Wheelies - Week of July 27th

“The power of the group: we all want to feel a sense of belonging. This isn't a character flaw. It's fundamental to the human experience.” ~Rosalind Wiseman

Monday marked the start of Sports Camp for Cam.  It also signified the last year he could participate due to his age.

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital's Jr. Wheelchair Sports Camp is one of the longest running adaptive sports camp in the United States and has been a major part of the Grand Rapids community for more than four decades! The camp is hosted at Grand Valley State University and allows kids age 7-18 to participate.  Campers engage in activities such as wheelchair basketball, tennis, handcycling, kayaking, lacrosse, pickleball and other adaptive sports.

The Mary Free Bed (MFB) photographers are there all week to snap pictures and post them in an online gallery...we appreciate this so very much!  

Tuesday was Cam's kayaking day.  His favorite nurse, Morgan, accompanied him on the journey around the lake.

The group picture was taken on Wednesday.  Cam's parents attended their first concert at the new Acrisure Amphitheater. Chris surprised Jane with VIP seats and they both highly recommend the experience!

Thursday is one of the best days for the "wheelies" because the Allendale Fire Department arrives in the afternoon.  A water fight ensues between the firemen and firewomen as everyone gets completely drenched!  Thankfully, it was a beautiful day with sunshine in full force.

Friday marked the final day for the Sports Camp.  After morning activities, a luncheon followed by a short ceremony and award certificates closed out the successful week.  Although Cameron knows it was his final session, he was happy for the opportunity to be a part of it all.

Friday evening, our family was at the cottage together until Saturday afternoon. The weather wasn't too cooperative during our stay.  Cam's grandma and mom were able to enjoy a nice sunset together Thursday evening.

For our early Sunday dinner, we met up with our good friends, Matt and Jill.  Cam had never been to Pietro's and it is a local Italian favorite in Grand Rapids.  He especially enjoyed the warm homemade bread that was brought to the table immediately and complemented with olive oil and spices for dipping.  Any time food is presented asap, the rating rises accordingly for Cam!

Camology Quotes:

Cam will typically take note of the cost of the things. During a recent shopping trip to Costco, there was a gigantic Guess Who game.  He noticed the high price associated and commented to his dad:

"Um, that is a bit extreme!"

Beach Time - Week of July 20th

 "At the beach, time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted." ~T.S. Eliot

Cam's former teacher, Miss Kathy, once commented that "Some people collect things.  Cam collects people."  This statement has become more true with each passing year. The older Cam gets, the more people he gathers into his life through genuine friendships, meaningful connections, and a sincere interest in others. His ability to make others feel valued and welcomed has created a growing community of people who are drawn to his kindness, authenticity, and enthusiasm for life. 

We had a surprise visit from Auntie Karen on Wednesday as she was traveling back to her Illinois home.  Karen worked with Jane for many years, but truly wanted to see Cam more than his parents. 😉

Cam attended his CrossFit class on Thursday evening, happy to see his coaches and pass out thank you cards for attending the grad party.

On Saturday, Jane picked up Cameron's grandma and we all headed to the cottage.  We love spending time with Oma, especially on the big lake.

Our best beach day was Sunday.  Cousin Steff and her son, James, arrived in the afternoon to spend some time by the shoreline with us and extended family.

We've come to realize that even if it's not the sunniest day on Lake Michigan, any day to see the water, be in the sand, and be with each other makes for a great day!

For Cam, his mom and her niece Steff, the cottage is all they've known in the summertime for their entire lives. 

Auntie Karen sent this screenshot of Cam 12 years ago as a reminder!

Camology Quotes:

Cam, along with parents, have been dealing with the Michigan Dept of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) for Cam's benefits as an adult with CP. However, he has become increasingly frustrated when they don't respond and had the following commentary:

"They should extend the same common courtesy to us and send a notification like we send thank you's!"

Apple Overload! - Week of July 13th

“If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.” ~Carl Sagan

When a tradition is passed from generation to generation, it seems timeless.  It's something that has always been done by a member of your family.  Making homemade applesauce and apple pies is that tradition for us.  The apples used are special and specific: early transparent.  As we've come to realize, not too many farmers harvest these apples.  They are a bit finicky from a grower's perspective but, in our humble opinion, they make the best pies and sauce we've ever tasted.  

Miss Amanda connected us with a friend of hers who sells the green early transparents.  

This year, we picked up the largest order yet- 3 bushels!  Believe it or not, this was close to 500 apples! Six crates that were filled to the brim lived in our laundry room all week.  Slowly but surely, our containers of applesauce were deposited into the garage freezer and five apple pies were frozen and two were made and given away. By the end of the week, only a portion of two crates remained.

Between rounds of applesauce and pies, Cam began the arduous task of thanking everyone for coming to the graduation party/open house.  

He designed his cards for printing and indicated what he wanted to say to thank each person who attended.  

The cards and gifts he received nearly covered the entire dining room table!  It seemed like every day we talked about a memory from the party reminding us how special it was.  

The wildlife have been back in full force in our backyard.  The young fawns appear almost daily and are very curious.  Baby turkeys are sporadically in abundance too.

Even though they tend to munch on our flowers, it does make us smile to see the animals on a regular basis that aren't typically found in the city.

Camology Quotes:

Cam communicates with A.I. daily using his Amazon Alexa devices.  Each morning, he'll typically request the daily forecast and then verify with the local news and other sources. One day in particular, he performed a triple check of the weather data and declared:

"Alexa is spot on!"

Best Buds Party! - Week of July 6th

"I am thankful for the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends.” ~Nancie J. Carmody

An impending event can bring up a host of emotions.  Some may feel excited, anxious and overwhelmed.  Cameron knew his official graduation party "open house" was forthcoming but it did seem to creep up rather quickly.  

It turns out that Open House Graduation parties are rather unique to the Midwest part of the country.  The term "open house" is widely referred to as visiting a home that's for sale.  Many people in Michigan attend multiple open house/grad parties in a single day with the knowledge that you can arrive when it suits you and leave as soon as you're ready to head out.  

Prior to the Best Buds Celebration, though, there were a few more surprises in store...Wednesday evening, our dear friends, the Flegel's requested to stop by with Cam's graduation party present.  We were a bit puzzled and couldn't imagine what they were dropping off.  Craig and Cara have an expansive garden at their place and Chris and his son often head over to load up on vegetables.  We were all collectively surprised when they appeared with two huge potted tomato plants!  Each had its own personal metal customized "tag": Cam's Cherry Bomb Corner and Cam Lord of the Vine.  The cherry bomb and yellow tomatoes respectively are his absolute favorites!

Friday morning, Ms. Barbara, Cam & Brody's very first grade school teacher stopped by to drop off cards for her former students.  She told us she had a wedding to attend on Saturday so she wanted to ensure they both knew how much they meant to her.  Barbara hasn't missed a baseball season for the best buds since they began playing!

Friday also marked a big birthday for Cam's dad...Chris was officially 50!  He opened some funny shirts from Cam and gifts from Jane.  (Throwback photo included in the collage on Chris's bday in 2013 of father and son).  In the early evening, Cam's mom had a surprise for both her son and husband.  Jane had secretly planned for Ms. Ann to hang out with Cam while she took Chris out for a dinner at MDRD, located on the top (27th floor) of the Amway Grand downtown. Then, Cam's parents were very surprised when a close friend (Jane's colleague) treated them both to their dinner all the way from New Jersey!

Saturday was the day of the highly anticipated Best Buds Graduation Party!  The open house time was scheduled from 3-6pm but we had some work to do before that.  Brody and Cam were both ready to pitch in. Chris and Cam picked up the 200 bundtini cakes for dessert.  Decorations were assembled and arranged, the tent and tables were put in place and the delicious food arrived from the Garage Bar.

We've often said that Cam and Brody are a great pairing.  Brody is carefree and sometimes "bends the rules" while Cam is typically routine-driven and concerned about going "outside of the boundaries" as it relates to anything with rules.  The two best buddies provide balance.  

Ever since kindergarten, they've had each other's backs, celebrating the victories and sharing in life's sorrows, exemplifying what it is to be a true friend in the purest sense.  And thankfully, their families gel together quite nicely too.  Sharing this event with the Cole family felt like it was meant to be.  The warm sunshine met a slight breeze and the food was kept inside the air conditioned cafe.  

Overwhelmed and thankful were the chosen emotions of the day.  Each family member, godmother, close friend, teacher, helper and physical therapist showed up!  Cameron couldn't believe all of the people who came and how many of those people he and Brody had in common!  We may not have captured pictures of every single guest, but the endless conversations the remainder of the day (and many to come) reminded us of the presence of each person gathered in celebration.

On Sunday, although a bit weary, we made our way to another grad party for Caden, Madison's brother.  The dessert and coffee display there were a special treat for Cam and Brody since they missed out on the bundtinis at their own event.  It was nice to relax and chat with the families.

When we returned home, our dear friend Molly stopped in to drop off Cam's graduation gift.  The two shared some serious laughs, as they always do.

Sunday evening, as the sun was setting and we were talking about the weekend celebrations, one thing was abundantly clear...we are truly blessed.

Camology Quotes:

As were discussing the upcoming party for the best buds, we weren't certain if Cam was serious or joking when he made the following comment:

"So, do I need to stay for the entire whole time at my graduation party?!"

Our Country's Celebration - Week of June 29th

"Laughter is the fireworks of the soul." ~Josh Billings

Cam has always been a huge fan of celebrations, but fireworks have never been his personal favorite. 

Our week was filled with multiple opportunities to gather with family and friends.

Late afternoon on Wednesday, we made our way to Holland to visit our aunt and uncle and their kids and grandkids (our cousins) at Maple Beach.  We typically see this entire crew only once a year.  Two families live in different parts of the U.S. and two other families live in different actual countries all together.  It was a very warm afternoon with high humidity.  Somehow, our cousins made everything comfortable with a cool mister, beach umbrellas, tasty drinks and appetizers.  During our relaxing time, Cameron asked his uncle for the origin story of the Jellema cottage.  It was a lively conversation with many questions peppered in. 

The traditional shrimp boil mastered by Dave is always the highlight.  Cameron loves the sausage, corn and potatoes.  He happily gives up the shrimp to his parents.  The cornbread and applesauce were good accompaniments to our feast.  The dessert of mini bundt cakes, known as bundtinis hit the spot.  That evening the U.S. was a contender in the World Cup so a large screen was set up outside for viewing.  We played one of Cam's favorite games "Guess In 10 Animals Edition" which brought on a lively discussion about hair versus fur (which still remains in question!).

Cam's new buddy, Diandre, showed up with a Culver's lunch on Thursday.  The guys hung out together for a couple of hours discussing different things and playing some games.

Later that afternoon, we were on our way to Lake Michigan!  Jane and Cameron picked up Oma on their way.  Chris drove up earlier to change out the kitchen faucet, which is much easier when no one is around.  We arrived to full sunshine and couldn't wait to have dinner on the deck.

Friday was a nice day and we enjoyed time with cousins and shared a tasty meal together.  A fun nickname we learned about was a new cousin name for Cam's grandma.  Instead of Aunt Mary Ellen, they call her "Aunt Melon" which we all instantly loved.

Jane always tells Cam that every sunset is different.  When you see a picture, they definitely appear similar but to see the sun making its descent towards the lake and morph and change in person seems almost poetic.

Saturday was the 4th of July!  Oma had a shirt for the occasion that read "Party like it's 1776" to honor our country's 250th birthday.  We had a relaxing day.  The weather wasn't as cooperative until dinnertime so we were still able to have our meal outside on the deck.  We could hear the fireworks, but couldn't see them until we went up our roadway.  Even so, they definitely subsided much earlier than the typical city fireworks that we hear in Grand Rapids.

On the final day of our extended weekend, the beach was our destination later on Sunday.  We celebrated a cousin birthday and actually went into the water to cool off.  

Cam's beach chair has to be lifted up one level of stairs so he can be transferred back into his power wheelchair.  

We were all thankful to have some Lake Michigan water time before heading back to the city.

Cam is hopeful that in his lifetime, a power wheelchair could transport him to the beach and right into the water, all under his expert guidance and driving.  Until that time, the family and friends that surround us are always willing to assist in any way they can.  For this priceless gift, Cameron and his parents are forever grateful.

Camology Quotes:

In a recent conversation, Cam learned about the National Parks Lifetime Access Pass that he can apply for since he has a disability.  Following his research, Cameron declared:

"For once, my disability is actually a positive thing!"

Another Best Day - Week of June 22nd

"The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness." ~John Muir

Being away from your daily routine and amenities can be challenging.  The bed never feels quite the same, the surroundings are filled with unique noises, and people are unpredictable.  But being at camp, away from it all, can also bring new experiences, cool people and familiarity seeing old friends.

Cam said to his parents upon camp dropoff: "You guys need a break too." Cam is definitely intuitive and we told him that he could use the distance from his mom and dad as well.

Cameron's week at Indian Trails is always themed and this one was "Decades Takeover" alluding to fun things over different past years.  Indian Trails Camp motto is "Another Best Day." Over the course of the 5-night stay, Cam made a homemade lava lamp, sunglasses, suncatcher, disco ball and other items.

Our camper declared his favorite activity was being on the zipline for the first time!  His other favorite activity was eating s'mores and his favorite memory was when they were all laughing at the clothespin game. We're hoping to see the pictures posted on the camp website in the next couple of weeks.

This was Cam's first time with older campers (18+) and it definitely suits him.  He completed a mindful summer exercise reviewing his own well-being.  His thoughts on the following were: Physical- eating broccoli and tomatoes helps me feel healthy, personal situations challenge him the most and family and friends add meaning to his life.

Chris and Jane had two days at the family cottage and picked up their son from Indian Trails campground on Friday morning.  He was very chatty on the drive home and enthusiastically told us about his week!

After a very relaxing day and evening, Cam slept in on Saturday.  The next afternoon, we were headed back to the big lake to celebrate our cousin's birthday!  Cameron had a lengthy conversation with "Uncle" Jeffrey about the possibility of legal action in different matters.  We saw some fireworks thanks to our neighbors next door.

Birthdays when you're younger can be magical.  Such was the case for our cousin's bday when she and Cam each had a kiddie cocktail complete with edible glitter!  As Cameron will say: "sometimes you have to take one for the team." 😄

It was fitting that we ended our day with a sighting of swans on Lake Michigan.  Swans are a sign of transformation and personal growth which was also one of Cam's summer goals.  His ultimate summer goal, though, that he provided from his time at camp was simply: "To Have Fun!"

Camology Quotes:

There's always unknown when it comes to experiencing something different.  Cam's parents weren't certain how their son would feel after attending his first adult week for camp.  They were undeniably relieved when their son stated after pickup:

"When do we sign up for next year?  I want to go again!"

New Friends! - Week of June 15th

“There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t yet met.” ~William Butler Yeats

Sometimes, we don't have a plan.  "Winging it" is not the most comfortable place to be, but usually things fall into place as intended. 

Such was the case when the school year was over for Cam and we didn't officially have anyone to buddy up with our son during work days.

Brody's mom reached out to Jane indicating that a family friend had just graduated college and was looking for summer work.  Miss Brynn is a graduate of CMU and just hired at Forest Hills Northern as an ASL teacher.  She is energetic, positive and loves playing games.  She'll spend about 20 hours a week with Cam going on walks, running errands and hanging out.

Before school was over, Cameron made a request.  He asked if there was any way he could talk to a guy during the summer months.  Fortunately, we had recently met a pre-med student, Diandre, through a Grand Valley State University project with Dr. Lisa.  Diandre is attending grad school and working at a hospital a few days a week.  We talked to him about spending a couple of hours a week talking with Cam.  It's been such a positive experience welcoming two new friends into our home!

This week, Cam had an appointment for a new custom seat back fitting for his power wheelchair.  Life Beyond Barriers is located in Rockford and two of the physical therapists have known Cameron for quite a few years.  The process takes awhile and involves capturing a foam 3D image of a molded back.  After Cam is seated and in position, the therapists remove the air and ensure that the backside has the proper fit.  Now the wait begins as everything is processed through insurance and the order is finally placed.  We are expecting a minimum of three months to receive the new customized back cushion. 

Wednesday evening featured a very special dinner at our home with two families—our longtime neighbors, whom Cam has known his whole life.  The kids are all older than Cam now and somehow, all of the locals were able to make it with spouses, significant others and kiddos.  Anna's two daughters found some of Cameron's childhood toys and we all laughed remembering the multiple times so many years ago of all of the kids playing together.  Everyone contributed to our meal and it was a feast of pulled pork, roasted veggies, spinach salad, chips, dips, coleslaw and homemade desserts.  We're not sure when we'll be able to gather this crew again, but we were incredibly happy it worked out.

On Father's Day, we celebrated Chris in honor of the amazing dad that he is!  Cam found some funny things on Amazon to give his daddio...a pair of socks with writing on the bottom- right sock: I'm Not Sleeping, left sock: I'm Just Resting My Eyes and a small jar of Dad Jokes!😁

Later on Sunday, Cam was scheduled to check in at Indian Trails Camp.  He told us he was excited and a bit nervous. Funny enough, his parents felt the exact..same...way.

Camology Quotes:

There is a game Cam likes to play called "Name in Five- Animal Edition" and each person asks a yes or no question.  The word to guess was Rhino.  Cam was asked if you would have this animal as a pet to which he responded:

"Well, if you did, you may have to be in a mental hospital."