Summer in Session - Week of June 9th

There are days when we seem to hear the beach calling our names....

Although Lake Michigan isn't quite tepid enough for the average swimmer, it still makes a good spot for sand castle engineering, hole digging, and water splashing!

Cam believes that any time spent with his Oma (Grandma) is the best time.  She's always willing to create a play atmosphere no matter where the duo are.
As it turns out, when you're on the beach, toys aren't required, but they do come in handy for sand craftsmanship.

Cousin Annie walked down to the shore to hang out with us for awhile and Cameron was happy to see her!  She's excited to take Cam swimming once that lake temp creeps up quite a bit.

Another cousin was our house guest overnight all the way from Texas.  Cousin David, an accomplished musician, played a mini concert for us and left one of his band's cd's for Cam to listen to.  David plays coronet and clarinet, specializing in jazz.  Cam preferred listening to the clarinet.   David's visit was over far too soon- we look forward to seeing him again in September!

Jane celebrated her birthday this week (a few digits past 29) and although she was nursing a double ear infection for the week, her family and friends made her feel so very loved and special for her big day.

Oma secretly dropped off a birthday cake from Jane's favorite bakery, Ryke's.  Miss Ann came and hung out with Cam for the evening.  Chris and Cam toiled away in Jane's office setting up new monitors for her computers and they also gave her a new beach chair.  Cam had to test it out, of course, doing his best pose for the camera!!

All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much. ~George Harrison

End of Kindergarten & First Baseball Medal! - Week of June 2nd

Summer fun presents from teachers,
aides & therapists
(Thank You- Ms. Barbara, Ms. Cris,
Ms. Kate & Mrs. Webb)

“How did it get so late so soon?” ~ Dr. Seuss

This week marked the end of Cam's kindergarten year at Meadow Brook!  Cameron is fortunate enough to have two amazing teachers- Mrs. Sluiter and Mrs. Freyling.  Mrs. Freyling, his kindergarten teacher, had a certificate event at the school.  Jane and Ronda attended and Cam was super excited to see them there.


When Mrs. Freyling gave a certificate to each child, she read an excerpt from a personalized message for each kid as well as this common poem: "You're a very special person and I want you to know, How I loved to be your teacher- how fast the year did go!  Please come back to visit me a through the years you grow.  Try hard to learn all that you can- there is so much to know!  The one thing I tried to teach you to last your
whole life through, is to know that YOU are special....just because, you are you!"  Cam's first day of kindergarten seems like yesterday when he was so excited to find out that Mrs. Freyling liked Curious George just as much as he did!

From right: Ms. Kate, Uncle Ray &
Aunt Mary, Kate's hubby,
Scott & son, Noah

From left: Forest, Ms. Kathy, Oma & Opa
baby Noah & Ms. Kate, Kevin, Chris & CAM

On Saturday, we ventured over to Cam's last baseball game for the WMML spring season.  And Cam enjoyed his largest fan section to date!  Aunt Mary and Uncle Ray were cheering loudly as they watched Cam get a hit and make it to first base!
From his Head Start school, Ms. Kathy and Ms. Kate arrived with their families.  Ms. Kathy and her husband, Carl and his son Forest joined Ms. Kate, her husband, Scott and baby Noah.  Oma and Opa and cousin Kevin gave a shout and clapped each time Cam moved to the next base and went up to bat.  It was a beautiful day for baseball.  We were all thankful for the 10am game as the sun was already beaming.  When the game ended, Cam received a medal (shown around his neck) for playing this season.

We are so proud of the confidence he gained and look forward to signing him up for the fall which will commence right after Labor Day.

From left: Oma & Opa, proud
parents & Cam

Many Thanks to everyone for making it to a game- as a family we are humbled by your support and love.
Cam couldn't have been happier to see each of you in the stands!!

A Birthday, Boulder Ridge, Baseball - Week of May 26th

When you're young, birthday celebrations are a highlight, especially when you can share it with a best buddy.
On Memorial Day, Jane took Emma and Cam to Boulder Ridge.... Park Website

Cam wanted to have a special day to celebrate Emma's birthday which was on Tuesday.  The park provides a setting easy to navigate and also allows one to get as close as can be to the animals.


The kids held baby bunnies, baby chicks, a young wallaby, and all kinds of birds in the aviary.
Carrots and treats can be purchased for a nominal fee.  You can even feed the giraffes!
Emma's favorite area was the aviary where, at one point, she had almost ten birds covering her arms.
Cam's most memorable part was the safari ride on the bus- the guided tour provides interesting facts about the animals, how much they eat, their habits, etc. Zebras, emus, ostriches, bison, wildebeests and many others can be seen.
Emma's official bday party was on Tuesday evening.  Cam picked out a new soccer ball for Emma and a craft set.



On Saturday, Cam couldn't wait to go play ball again at the WMML field.  It couldn't have been a more perfect day for baseball!

Ronda, Katherine & Paul as well as Oma & Opa were all cheering Cam on!!
A big thanks to Emma for having a birthday and to Cam's fan base for making it to the game!

Overnight at the Lake - Week of May 19th

Memorial Day weekend has always felt like the kickoff to summer.  On Saturday morning, we headed to Lake Michigan to stay with Oma and Opa.  We couldn't have asked for better weather.
Oddly enough, the big lake was incredibly calm the entire weekend.
We spotted this paddleboarder (a rarity on Lake Michigan) with his dog- very impressive that the pup stayed so still.

We happily headed down to the beach for the afternoon and had some company with us- Molly, Gordy and his girls, Kendall and Kiley.  Although the water was a bit too chilly to swim in, playing in the sand was a blast. Cam couldn't get enough of digging holes, playing with the bucket, and putting his toes in the water.


After all of the sand construction work, the group headed up to have dinner on the deck.  It was a perfect evening, complete with a lake breeze.
Someone noticed that Gordy and Cam had similar plaid shorts on, so we had to capture them together.  Gordy loves to give Cam tickle attacks and make him laugh hysterically.
Not only did the shorts match, but it turns out, Opa and Cam were actually wearing the exact same shirt- Lake Michigan Unsalted!
Please note, these parallel wardrobe choices were completely unplanned.
Saturday was Cam's first overnight at Oma and Opa's since last year.  He almost made it through the night without waking up, but it is tough to be away from your own bed.

Even with interrupted sleep, though, Cam was ready for a beach day again on Sunday.  Aunt Joyce brought Cam some of her beach "treasures" to play with (this term "treasures" comes from finding a bucket or shovel or beach toy during the off-season while walking).  After a day of plastic boat races and sand castle design, we made our way back to Grand Rapids.

We are left with the comforting realization that the beach, the lake and more beautiful sunsets await us...

Fans in the Stands - Week of May 12th

"Trying to sneak a pitch past Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak a sunrise past a rooster."

This was the one week when our family could attend Emma's soccer game in the a.m. and still make it to Cam's baseball in the afternoon!
Emma played defense in the match and her buddy, Cam, cheered her on excitedly from the sidelines shouting "Yay Emma!" and "Emma Yay!"

After a quick lunch and some added sweatshirts, we all headed out to the ballpark.  The league has had something unique for each game day- this Saturday, we were greeted by our minor league team, the Whitecaps! The players volunteered their time to help out with the game and happily posed for pictures, mascots included.

It was a bit chillier than we all would've liked, but the fans had a warm welcome for the players.  Cam had a big contingency of cheering spectators from relatives and best buddies.  Karen drove all the way from Chicago to be in attendance and proudly wore a purchased sweatshirt in support of the league.  Aunt Joyce, Uncle Joe, Aunt Gay and cousin Mike drove in from Montague to watch Cam play ball.  And our dear friends and forever neighbors- Patti, Anna, Megan and Emma kept us dry with multiple umbrellas!

With each baseball game, Cam seems to gain more confidence with his overall playing ability.  We have gained more fans whom we cannot thank enough for providing Cam with an extra large cheering section in the stands!

Mom's Day 2014 - Week of May 5th

We never know the love of the parent until we become parents ourselves. ~Henry Ward Beecher

The lineup for Cam's Saturday baseball game was quite extensive.  The Astros were set to play the Yankees, the sun was shining, and important guests were headed to the game.
Kathy and Richard Verlander, Justin Verlander's parents, were at the WMML field to sign their book, "Rocks Across the Pond."  Being the parents of a Detroit Tigers pitcher and West Michigan Whitecaps right fielder, the Verlanders graciously signed a personalized copy for every player on the WMML league!
In Cam's fan club at the game were some more famous people, in Cam's life...Oma & Opa, Auntie Jo and Will, as well as Cam's teacher, Ms. Barbara and her daughter Carly!  Wow- it was quite a crowd.
And when you gather that many people together, chances are everyone might not be looking at the camera at the same time...

Another memorable surprise was a bouquet of flowers provided for every mom of a WMML player. Cam happily presented Jane with a sweet arrangement of blossoms.

At school, the kids made homemade hand cream, which truly smells wonderful, and Cam proudly gave it to Jane and Oma.

The Mother's Day treats just kept coming with a homemade card and very special mug that Cam picked out.  Pictured here, the words and picture on the mug only "become visible" only when hot liquid is added to the cup.  The sentiment reads "RAWR" means I love you in dinosaur."  "Rawr" is one of Cam's favorite books about a dino's insistence that roaring means I love you!


On Sunday, the Weatherford family traveled northward to see Oma, Opa and cousin Steffanie.  More Mother's Day gifts were exchanged- beautiful flowers for the gardens and pretty clothes.  Steff gave both Jane and her grandma bouquets inside of watering cans- so clever.
The big excitement for the day occurred when cousin Mike happened upon a blue racer snake.  Cam giggled as his dad and Steff tried to corner the slithering reptile. Such a fun day and being able to walk on the beach again with our feet in the sand was a gift in itself!
We were thankful to be surrounded by family and friends this weekend, to soak up the sun and to celebrate all moms everywhere!    And this guy sure makes a mom proud!!

Cam the Baker - Week of Apr. 28th

"Baking is love made visible...."

Cam ended up with a little extra time on his hands this week.  Due to the rainy weather, Cameron's baseball game was cancelled Saturday morning.

With a boy who asks to help with projects on a daily basis, this week 'Auntie' Ronda stepped in to do some delicious baking with Cam.  And Ronda's niece, Rachel, paid a visit to take a selfie with her buddy.

An inherited trait from both Chris and Jane is Cam's sweet tooth.  Chocolate of almost any kind is his favorite dessert choice.  The baker's agenda this week included homemade banana bread.  The bread tastes just fine on its own, but when the bakers add chocolate chips, it takes this treat to the next level.  The mini chips are mixed into the batter and also sprinkled on top before the loaf pans take a trip to the oven.

Of course, licking the batter before cleanup is required.
Next up on the list - a true favorite...brownies with chocolate chips.  Cam couldn't decide if the brownie batter or the actual brownie tasted better!
Our household enjoyed banana bread for breakfast and brownies for dessert after dinner.
Here's some sage advice for the week: "Strength is the ability to break a chocolate bar into 4 pieces with your bare hands and then eat just one of those pieces..."

Play Ball! - Week of Apr. 21st

 There are people who watch things happen and people who make things happen...
The story about the West Michigan Miracle League embodies people who make things happen...

It provides a place for kids with all types of abilities to play baseball together (WMML website ) on a field with a surface suitable for walkers, crutches, powerchairs, etc.  The league accepts children age 5 and over and this is the first year the WMML has hosted a spring season.
Opening Day landed on Saturday, Apr. 26 and although the day held a brisk wind, the sun shone brightly on the field.  Cam was eager to get into his orange Astro uniform complete with his name emblazoned on the back.  For a kid who has never liked to wear a hat, Chris and Jane were pleasantly surprised when Cam not only wanted to wear his Astros cap, but kept it on for the entire game!  Each player swings a bat until they get a hit, so everyone gets a chance to make it around the bases.  Chris hung out with his son on the field, while Jane snapped pics and talked to friends who had kids on other teams.  What a fun first game and we look forward to the others!


That same afternoon, Jane and Cam headed over to an open house for one our GVSU students, Ashley.  Ashley has known Cam for two years and just received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy.  It's quite a humbling feeling to arrive at a celebration where everyone seems to "know" Cam before they've even met him.  Ashley's mom had some of Cameron's fav snacks on the ready.  We're excited for Ashley to start the next chapter of her life and we feel fortunate that she'll always be a part of ours.

Cam & Liam- these two 
always make each other smile

The weekend activities continued on Sunday with a birthday party for Cam's good buddy, Liam.  Although these two friends don't get to see each other that often, it's always a great time when they get together.  Liam's family and friends met at a park with a playground and although the weather started out shaky, it was a beautiful late afternoon.  It's a tough call who enjoys playing together more...the kids or the parents.

Chris & Matt showing 
the kids how it's done

Although our two families have only known each other for 4 years, it seems more like a lifetime as we've shared in celebrations as well as life's ups and downs.

At the heart of it all, this is what speaks to both of our families: "Children with disabilities aren't given to strong people, they're given to ordinary, everyday people. Raising a child with different abilities doesn't take a special family, it makes a family special."

We...couldn't...agree...more!