A Break in Spring? - Week of Apr. 4th

“Spring, an experience in immortality.” ~Henry D. Thoreau

"April hath put a spirit of youth in everything." ~William Shakespeare 

Cam settled into his spring break week but the weather wasn't exactly "spring-like."  That didn't deter any fun planned for the time off, though.  

Ms. Ann continued tutoring Cam, working on spelling, reading and math.  Oma and Opa arrived on Tuesday to spend 4 nights with us.  Cam made up daily stories with Ms. Ann that he then read to his family each evening. 

Oma and her grandson love baking and they completed a delicious batch of homemade applesauce as well as Energy Bites.  The Bites are made with just 5 ingredients: oats, honey, peanut butter, mini chocolate chips and vanilla extract.  On Friday evening, we secured take out from JT's partaking in scrumptious fish and chips, one of Cam's newer favorites.  After an early dinner, we all gathered in the living room to watch the West Side Story movie.  Even though it was a long movie, we all gave it a thumbs up!

Saturday morning, we said goodbye to Cam's grandparents and thanked them for all of their time and help.  Right after they left, Chris & Jane and son made their way to a place they'd never been to. With an appointment to have the van's windshield replaced, we came upon the fact that a restaurant was located right next to the windshield replacement place.  

Sine Ms. Ann had been aware of our plans, she told us that this restaurant actually had the highest online ratings for Byron Center. And much to our collective surprise, it was the 76th Street Truck Stop Diner.  It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Due to its popularity, the diner was quite crowded when we arrived and met Ms. Ann.  We were seated quickly and given lots of attention.  Even though it was almost lunchtime, we all ordered breakfast and no one was disappointed!  Cam had two blueberry pancakes the size of his plate and declared them the best ever.  We all agreed it would be a good idea to return next month and try out the lunch menu.

Saturday evening, we found a family movie to watch, quite by accident.  Jane was reading an article about top movies to see as a fam and The Mitchells vs. the Machines was one of them listed.  The movie was released in 2021, is an animated film and filled with humor for all ages.  

Each of us laughed out loud and we were happy we took a chance and watched something none of us had even heard of.

Camology Quotes:

Chris loves to joke around with his son and his son believes he is the funniest human on earth.  The best part is- they truly never tire of the puns and pranks. Almost daily, Cam's dad (as he was leaving for work) would tell Cam to have fun at school at which point, Cam would remind Chris he was on spring break.  One evening upon arriving home, Chris asked Cam how his day at school was and without missing a beat, Cam replied:

"Don't ask me today, Dad, ask me next week!"

Phase 1 Construction ✅ - Week of Mar. 28th

"I think I have the coolest room in the house now." ~Cameron J. Weatherford

When a project is ongoing, it's gratifying to see stages completed.  We always say Cam is a trooper and he's proven that once again while living in a semi-construction zone.  He doesn't complain and continues to be appreciative of the efforts.

Little things can make all the difference...Cam's dad arriving home with a beautiful bouquet and outfitting his son's chair for "Neon Day" at school.

With only three days at the middle school this week prior to break, each day was designated for school camaraderie. Monday- Pajama Day, Tuesday- Neon Day and Wednesday- Beach Day.  Cam doesn't really have any super bright clothing so Chris ordered battery-operated lights for his power chair.  Tuesday morning, his bus driver Ms. Christy told him he "looked like a spaceship or a hovercraft as you were driving down your driveway!"

On Friday, Cam had his booster shot and Saturday was spent indoors on the couch since he didn't quite feel like himself.  Previously, we had planned to attend a Robotics competition at Kentwood high school.  We were relieved the event could be seen online so we could still catch the action.

Sunday morning, Cam declared he felt just fine again and asked if we could go out for a family breakfast.  His parents let him choose the location and he picked IHop.  We couldn't remember the last time we had been there.  It was a delicious breakfast and we decided we would try to go out for a morning meal at least one time every month.

With our Phase 1 of construction completed thanks to Mr. Brandon at Lakeshore Barrier Free, we were able to put Cam's room back together with pictures up on the walls and his WMML medals displayed.  Now, we wait until the ceiling track arrives and that installation will take place next.

In the meantime, Cam has been enjoying his new expansive space and Jane, who works from home, is most thankful that this first round of construction came to an end. 😉

Camology Quotes:

Chris and his son love to play pranks.  On April 1st, we said Good Morning to the Amazon Alexa as per the normal routine.  After providing the weather forecast and daily information, Alexa indicated that a new feature had been added called "what's that smell?" using new smell technology.  Alexa asked us to imagine bacon cooking and then did a countdown 3..2..1 and we heard a whoosh sound.  Alexa said "did you smell it?" We all said "No!" Alexa continued with 2 more smell technologies, both of which we indicated we did not smell.  After a short pause, we then heard Alexa say...

"April Fools!"

Cam's Secret Passage - Week of Mar. 21st

"The road to success is always under construction." ~Arnold Palmer              

"The shortest distance between two points is under construction." ~Leo Aikman

The week arrived to begin construction in Cam's room and bathroom.  This first step of preparation is in anticipation of the ceiling track to be installed next month.  The track will transport Cameron from his bedroom to bathroom and back via a ceiling-attached apparatus and a remote control.  The goal this week was to remove the bathroom cabinets and then "break through" the wall separating the two areas.  After clearing out the cabinets that would be removed and protecting the areas that needed to remain in place, the work commenced.  Jane was the only one at home for all of the increased activity, but it wasn't nearly as noisy as she thought it would be.

At the end of Day 1, the open space was revealed!  Seeing the cabinets and wall completely removed made the space look so much bigger.  Being able to easily traverse from one place to the other without going around the corner was a brand-new experience for us all.  

Chris declared the new entry "Cam's Secret Passage" and wrote that on the floor, which would eventually be covered by new flooring.

Friday evening, father and son took a road trip to Allendale to deliver their 3D printed tourniquets to help with the effort overseas.  They found the drop box and deposited their 4 sets that would be sent internationally to Denmark and then subsequently to Ukraine.  It was a contribution, no matter how small, to help others.  

When Cam rides in our van, he is in "the middle" of the back seats thereby giving him an eagle eye view of the dashboard.  He was rightfully a bit nervous when he noticed the low gas gauge warning. His dad assured him they would make it to the Costco gas station.  Sure enough, they did, much to Cam's relief.

The weekend was a bit chilly and dreary, so inside work dominated our time.  As a family, we watched King Richard and we all thought it was a good movie.  

Cam and Jane decided it was a perfect day to make their homemade banana bread with mini chocolate chips.  Chris perfected the recipe long ago and it makes 4 mini loaves plus a large loaf.  There was just enough for one rounded muffin top for Cam to test out for his snack. He highly recommends spreading creamy peanut butter on top of a warmed piece.

Laundry is not Jane's favorite activity but since two guys are always willing to help, it isn't as awful as it could be. 

As an extra added bonus, Cam still loves the warmth of clean sheets when they exit the dryer!

Camology Quotes:

Stella was a bit off kilter this week with the construction.  Chris was attending an evening meeting and Jane and Cam were eating dinner at the dining room table.  Jane was looking at the staircase and noticed Stella sniffing everywhere by the door and on the rug. Cam wasn't looking at Stella since he was concentrating on his meal.  Jane realized that their cat was trying to determine who the individuals were that had created all of the new scents in her home.  Cam's mom then announced,

"You know cats are really curious."

"That is a really random thing to say, Mom."

Shamrock Shakes - Week of Mar. 14th

The Shamrock Shake® was created in 1967 by Hal Rosen, a Connecticut McDonald's Owner and Operator who made the delicious, mint shake in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. It debuted nationally in 1970 and was an instant success across the country.

At school, Cam's class made their own version of the shamrock shake to try.

Tasty Shamrock Shake

• 3 large scoops vanilla ice cream (about 1/4 cup each)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 6 drop green food coloring
• Whipped Cream for topping
• Maraschino Cherry (optional)

In a blender, mix vanilla ice cream, heavy cream, peppermint and food coloring until completely smooth.  Pour into glass and top with whipped cream and cherry.  Enjoy!

In all fairness, Cam decided he needed to compare the one from school with one from McDonald's.  Since Friday was a half day, father and son went to the drive-thru that afternoon to obtain the official Shamrock Shake at McD's.

The official result from Cam: the McDonald's shake is tastier than the homemade one.

Our weekend was spent preparing for next week's construction in Cam's room and bathroom anticipating the ceiling track that will be used to transport him from his bed to bathroom and back again.  

A local news story we watched Saturday morning talked about making plastic tourniquets on the 3D printer for the people of Ukraine. See the link to the story here: https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/a-kenowa-hills-high-school-student-is-using-a-3d-printer-to-make-tourniquets-for-ukraine

The blueprint was posted on the website and Chris and Cam downloaded the schematics and got to work printing!

Saturday evening, we were happy to see some of our Raisch fam friends for a fish dinner.  Mr. Steve, Patti and Sarah brought Steve's perch and Jane baked cod.  We had an assortment of veggies and fruit.  Afterwards, we settled in to watch the U of M NCAA men's basketball game.  Cam and Sarah definitely found the most relaxing positions. The game was exciting and Michigan pulled out a win!

We know spring is in the air as we watch the squirrels become more active in our yard.  Even after Chris added grease to the birdseed pole, the acrobatic rodent is still able to scamper up and somehow hang on.  

Sometimes it seems if you work that hard for something, you just might deserve the prize 😉

Camology Quotes:

Some evenings after Cam goes to bed, Jane settles in to relax on the couch and watch a little tv. When Cam announced he was ready for his nightly routine, he informed Jane of the following::

"Mom, you can watch something inappropriate now.  I am going to bed."

Go Go Go Joseph, I Mean Cam! - Week of Mar. 7th

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. It was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly. The show has only a few lines of spoken dialogue; it is almost entirely sung-through. Its family-friendly story, familiar themes and catchy music have resulted in numerous stagings.  Forest Hills Northern High School added to that list of performances.  

Cam, along with the 7th/8th grade choir had been practicing the music for months.  The high school theatrical group endured their own lengthy practices involving singing, choreography and set design. This was the week of final rehearsals and the actual live performances.  Rehearsals were 3 hours long and the choir kids had to sign up for 1 evening.  They were to be dropped off at 5:30p and picked up at 8:30p.  That is a long evening on a school night especially when you're typically in bed by about 8p.  Cam persevered and even woke up for school in a great mood on Wednesday morning after missing out on more than an hour of sleep.

Oma and Opa arrived on Thursday afternoon, anticipating their grandson's weekend performance.  We were relieved Cam's grandparents were able to drive in Thursday because much to our surprise, some snowflakes accompanied by frigid temperatures filled the day on Friday. 

Jane was able to secure front row seats, directly within eyeshot of where Cam would be.  The middle school choir was split into two sections- far stage right and far stage left.  

At the Friday evening event, we saw Cam's teacher and classmates, Cam's favorite aide, Brody's family and others.  We were impressed by the high school talent comprised of singing and dancing along with the middle school melodic choir.  Cam's choir teacher is pictured with him and made certain he had the full experience of the performance.

As we were leaving, a fourth grade teacher approached Jane and told her that Cam had grown so much and it was great to see him in the show.  She also said that our son made such an impression on her when he was in elementary school and she will never forget him.  

After a successful evening, we spent Saturday cooking meals, playing games and enjoying time with Oma and Opa.  That night we all watched the new Disney movie, "Turning Red" and gave it a thumbs up.

Oma and Opa were headed back home late Sunday afternoon.  In the early eve, Jane and Cam were watching a show together when Chris quietly called to them from the sunroom.  He almost tiptoed into the living room to show them a picture of a visitor on their back deck.  Cam and his mom were so shocked to see the majestic-looking owl looking right at Chris!   

Camology Quotes:

Jane's mom was telling Cam about her own experience with Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  She told him that her hometown (Indianapolis, IN) youth choir had such great feedback that they took the show "on the road" and their first performance was in Grand Haven, MI!  Cam looked a bit perplexed and asked:

"What road did they shut down in Grand Haven?"

Jane chuckled and chimed in: "Cam, when Oma said they took the show on the road, it's an expression meaning that the show will be performed in another location.  They didn't actually shut down a road to perform it on an actual road." 😁

Husky Hustle - Week of Feb. 28th

"To me, the body says what words cannot.   I believe that dance was the first art." ~Martha Graham

"The subject says: I see first many things that dance...then everything gradually becomes connected." ~Jim Morrison

There are many "firsts" we experience growing up and even into adulthood.  A first can be met with hesitation, anxiety or anticipation. 

Cam's 8th grade class announced the Husky Hustle, a spring dance for eighth graders only.  Forest Hills Northern (FHN) has been the school system Cam has attended since kindergarten.  Their team name is the Huskies.  Leading up to Friday evening, our teenager wasn't certain he would attend.  

Once he knew his best bud, Brody, would be there as well as his teacher who had volunteered to be a chaperone, he decided it was a go.  The event was scheduled for 90 minutes from 6:30p-8p and parents were not allowed.  Cam made certain Chris and Jane were aware of the parameters as well as the requirement to have a school ID to enter.

Upon arriving promptly at 6:25pm, Cam exited our van, with his knee blocks ready for standing, and made his way to the doors along with a sea of other kids.  Chris and Jane headed to a nearby restaurant, HopCat, to meet Brody's parents for the duration of the dance.  The time went by much too quickly for everyone as we headed back to Cam's school.  The line for kids to be picked up at 8p was quite long so Jane hopped out hoping to find their son.  When she spotted him, his smile couldn't have been bigger!  After making their way back to the van, Cam told his parents he had the best time. On the drive home, always the rule-follower, our son announced that they did not even check the school IDs!

Saturday was an unusually warm day and we spent time outdoors cleaning up and cleaning out.  Chris and Cam took a field trip to the west side of town to test out a beach wheelchair that will be donated to a family from the non-profit organization, Lori's Voice.  Even though it is an adult chair, Cam indicated it was comfortable enough to ride in.

The remainder of the weekend was a mixture of relaxation and home projects.  Jane finished an excellent book Cam is reading with his class entitled "Rain Reign" (we highly recommend!) and Chris caught her reading ahead.  We watched a family movie together.  Stella, our cat, can always depict the best example of leisure time.  Her goal is to find where the sun is shining and soak it in.

Camology Quotes:

Cam made certain his parents left on time Friday evening to drive him to the school dance.  As we arrived, our son seemed to reverse roles with us, seemingly taking on a parental tune:

"Please make sure you are here before 8 o'clock to pick me back up.  Make sure you drive our van instead of riding with Brody's parents."

Track Research - Week of Feb. 21st

Have you ever started down a path researching something and you end up finding other relevant things as well?  

Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Suess) wrote, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not."

We had planned a field trip to Zeeland on Saturday.  When Chris joined the board of directors for Lori's Voice, we met a whole new group of individuals dedicated to helping others with mobility needs.  

As Cam has continued to grow, we knew a modification to his room would be needed at some point.  We were finally able to obtain quotes for a ceiling track system but really wanted to see one in action.  Our drive to Zeeland had that goal in mind.  We met Erica, a 14-year old in a power wheelchair just like Cam.  She has a ceiling track system that goes from her bedroom to her bathroom.  Jane asked if she could sit in it and use it to understand how it worked.  Cam thought this was a great idea.  We were able to ask lots of questions and obtained plenty of information in the process.  

The house we were touring also had an elevator!  They built their home eight years ago and purposefully designed it with their daughter in mind. Erica explained that when she was little, she loved princess fairies.  An artist painted the beautiful trees and princesses you're able to see as you travel up or down. We agreed that this was the coolest elevator our family had ever been in.

While we were all chatting, we noticed an unusual sticker on Erica's tray.  It had a QR code which we discovered was for Disartnow.org. She told us all about it and we looked up the rest. 

DisArt believes that expressions of a disability culture can transform communities from awareness, to understanding, to belonging, ensuring the full and equitable participation of all disabled people. Working as a production company, consulting group, and community developer, DisArt has established and maintained a recognizable presence in the global understanding of Disability Art and Culture. With unprecedented success in artistic programming and community impact, DisArt has positively shaped and influenced the cultural and aesthetic rendering of physical and mental differences in Grand Rapids.  Cam's favorite part is an "Accessibility Map" of Grand Rapids that shows places people have tagged as inaccessible and provided a picture.  You also have the option to "tag" a location that is not accessible.  Sometimes it is so surprising when we discover a vital piece of information that we didn't have.

Erica also introduced us to her service dog, Reesa, who took a liking to Cam.  After asking our son if it was ok for the canine to be on Cam's legs, he obliged and Reesa immediately had her paws on Cam's lap.

When we said goodbye after spending a couple of hours together, we felt more informed and a bit of relief after seeing the ceiling track system in action and hearing Erica's feedback.

After all, it was Robert Boyce who said, "Knowledge is power.  Knowledge shared is power multiplied."

Camology Quotes:

This week, Cam and his mom met with Dr. Lisa, a PT professor at GVSU, in a virtual zoom session.  Dr. Lisa will be a part of a remote conference with people in Australia and New Zealand next month.  She asked if she could interview Jane and her son to discuss power mobility.  The session was recorded and we had fun answering her questions.  Cam had great insight and when asked about a grade for accessibility in the community, he gave his community a "C" but also added this input:

"I think more people use manual wheelchairs so it is easier for them to get up over curbs and into places than a power wheelchair.  The power wheelchair is an essential part of daily life for me."