Soccer Power - Week of Oct. 9th

"There’s not a word yet for old friends who’ve just met." ~Jim Henson

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, for in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed." ~Khalil Gibran

As we begin to slip into our fall routine, the sunshine can be a bit elusive.  Catching the sunrise and seeing the glimmer of vibrant rays gives us a hint of incoming sun.

Power Soccer practice started this week for Cam. Power soccer is played by people who use power chairs for daily mobility; it’s one of the fastest growing sports in the nation on four wheels. It’s also the fastest growing sport offered in Mary Free Bed’s Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports program.  

Every Wednesday, kids who signed up for the program meet at the Mary Free Bed YMCA for 2 hours.

Cameron attended a few practices at the end of the last season and decided he was all in for this fall.  The benefits go beyond being involved in a team sport.  Chris noted that Cam was chatting away with a newcomer during a break.  The social aspect definitely increases confidence and the ability to meet new friends.

Most weekends, if there are not other activities scheduled, Cam can be found helping each of his parents independently.  During a computer session with Chris, his son expertly navigated an app, indicating which areas to access to modify the content needed.  One of Cam's best qualities is his ability to encourage others, especially when you're doubting yourself.

Sunday afternoon, Jane and her son decided to drive to Grand Haven to check in on Oma and Opa.  Since it had rained all day Saturday, it was nice to see a break in the weather.  The fall colors on the tree-lined highway provided a beautiful backdrop for the commute.

We busied ourselves with organizing and checking in on a few technical questions.  After our time together, we were happy to be heading out with some bags of donation items.

Cam and his mom were able to say hi to some of Oma and Opa's friends in the building.  Our two-hour visit went by much too quickly.

Back in Grand Rapids, the wildlife continue to visit, inching closer.  The turkeys, though, should be a bit more wary with Thanksgiving right around the corner!

Camology Quotes:

Cameron, as most teens, has become a little more argumentative with his parents.  Normally, though, it is in a joking way.  Cam was questioning the order in which Chris was carrying out a task.

"I'm not sure what you're doing, Dad, but you do you!"

We All Benefit - Week of Oct. 2nd

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." ~Winston Churchill

“It's easier to take than to give. It's nobler to give than to take. The thrill of taking lasts a day. The thrill of giving lasts a lifetime.” ~Joan Marques

One of our anticipated fall events finally arrived this week: the Brody's Be Cafe Benefit!  It is the only annual fundraiser for the cafe where Cam held his first job this past summer.  Many items were ready for the live and silent auction.  A recap of the listings can be viewed here: https://bebenefit.cbo.io

Cameron was very proud to have a basket created in his honor.  Each "Berista" had a silent auction created for them based upon their favorite things.  Cam's signage read: 

Hi my name is Cam!

I started working at Brody's this summer and love working the hot dog cart and greeting lots of people. I'm told I have a smile no one can match.

Some of my favorite things are my nonprofit work at Lori's Voice, Brody's, & Renew Mobility. 

I love to hang out with my friends, play baseball and eating at Culvers.

Did you know I play on a Miracle League Baseball Team?

Oma and Opa braved the rain to make their way to Grand Rapids Thursday afternoon for the big event.  Cam was so happy they could attend.  Jane is a board member and was busy printing materials over the past few weeks and assisting with setup.  Chris was assigned to help out with audio and visual.  Cameron had the honor of greeting people as they made their way into the live auction setting at the community church adjacent to the cafe.  Food and drink were catered by local establishments and thankfully, the rain subsided for our event.  

There were over 300 attendees and 94 items to bid on. The entire evening was a big success and our family was a part of the memorable experience. Cam's basket had a winning bid of $210!  Oma tried take it home, but she was outbid. Since it was a late evening, we all slept in the next morning and drove Cam to school so he wouldn't have to wake up too early.

It felt like fall on Friday with the temperatures taking a dive.  Oma and Opa stayed with us for two nights and we enjoyed white chicken chili and cornbread for our Friday night supper.  Cam's last baseball game was scheduled for Saturday a.m. but it was canceled due to rainy, windy conditions.  In the early afternoon, Oma and Opa headed back to Grand Haven and we were so thankful for the extra time with them.  Chris, Jane and their son were on their way northward to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving with our cousins and family friends.

Many of us tried our first bite of a Canadian staple, poutine.  French fries, cheese curds and hot gravy make up this popular dish. They even serve it at McDonald's and Burger King in Canada.

Our 26lb turkey with all of the fixings left us all feeling a bit stuffed!

The weather didn't cooperate for any outdoor time.

Cam's younger cousins found plenty of things to stay occupied inside. Cameron also thoroughly enjoys being the older cousin and playing the self-appointed role of oversight manager.

Camology Quotes:

Cam's parents have told him a few times (or a hundred) that he is somewhat of an expert eavesdropper. Seemingly private conversations are overheard by Cameron's targeted listening skills.  As we teased him about his uncanny ability to hear things that potentially were not intended for his ears, he provided a straightforward response.

"Well, I think eavesdropping is just the nature of who you are."

September Summer - Week of Sept. 25th

“September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn.” ~Rowland E. Robinson

It's always a gift when we experience warmer weather in a time span when it is typically cooler.  

At the tail-end of the school week, Cameron's group experienced an outing to the Action Wake Park. It was a cloudier, partly rainy day but the kids had a good time.

Friday afternoon, upon departure from the bus, Cam assisted his dad finishing up yard work.

The WMML baseball game on Saturday provided a sunny welcome to the weekend. The helpers were the SIB (Sigma Iota Beta) sorority from Hope College.  Abby and Rachel were Cam's volunteers, and they were eager to see the kids play.  The awesome batting box that Cameron and other ball players use truly makes all of the difference when it comes to feeling included.

In the batting picture, Cam's photo is shown on the scoreboard behind him.  Everything always looks so professional!  Brody's mom, Jenny, requested a pic with Brody's buddy too.

Following the warm game, we were on way to the cottage.  With the pleasant temps, we remained outside for the entire duration.  The sunshine and water just made us all feel relaxed.  Cousin David paid us a visit since he had flown in from Texas to winterize his cottage.  Hanging out with the cousins is truly a favorite weekend activity.  Our outdoor dinner of chicken pot pie, veggies and fruit were a great combination.  Fortunately for us all, Calla picked out a delicious cookie dessert with frosting designs.  It's easy to see why Cam gets along with his cousins so well- the "sweet tooth" is strong with this group!

Camology Quotes:

Cousin Katie M. recommended a book for Cameron called "All the Way to the Top" which is a true story about Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, a girl born with cerebral palsy.  She is a lifelong activist for disability rights.  Jane and Cam read it together and this was his review:

"That was a really good book, Mom.  I don't know if I would've liked it as much if I didn't have a disability."

Coming Home - Week of Sept. 18th

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." ~Theodore Roosevelt

It was a challenging week in the Weatherford household.  Cam contracted a cold and retained a nasty cough for 4 entire days and nights.  He didn't attend school until Friday.  We weren't certain if his weekend activities would be a possibility, but we were hopeful.

After successfully making it through three scheduled appointments at Mary Free Bed on Wednesday, he felt much better as the week progressed.  Thankfully, he was able to purchase his ticket for the Homecoming Dance during his school day on Friday.

Saturday morning, we all slept in a bit since we didn't need to leave for the ball park until 10:15a.  Once again, there were Cam Fan surprises awaiting us.  

Brand new to the WMML experience was Morgan.  Cam met Morgan, a RN in training, at MFB Wheelchair Sports Camp.  The two of them spent quite a bit of time together during camp and we've remained in touch.  When she found an open Saturday, she let us know she'd attend the game, but we kept it a surprise from Cam.  Not only did she arrive early, but she also made a sign for her buddy to cheer him on.  

Another bonus was that Cam's buddy, April, was playing on the opposing team for his game.  At the wheelchair sports camp, April also met Morgan so she was very happy to reunite with her as well.

Coleen, the Executive Director for Renew Mobility, loves baseball and has been in attendance every season since Jane joined the Board of Directors and Cam was appointed a Youth Ambassador for the non-profit organization. 

Cam and Brody's first elementary school teacher was Ms. Barbara.  She taught both boys from kindergarten through second grade and remained a part of their community activities.  We've seen her most every season at the WMML games and she brought one of her daughters to Saturday's game. It's so hard to believe Barbara has known the boys for more than 10 years.

As sophomores in high school, the guys and their friends had the opportunity to attend the Homecoming Dance at the high school with a pre-purchased ticket.  Thanks to parent email communication, a location for pictures and dinner was scheduled for Saturday early evening.

The weather turned out to be the best case scenario.  It was warm, but not hot and the sun was shining. As the friends all gathered on a grassy hill, proud parents captured the moment.  There was quite a bit of laughter and joking around.  They were also a bit surprised by seeing each other all dressed up!

Chris stayed home, attempting to rid himself of a cold he picked up.  

After the photo shoot, many of the parents and all of the friend group dined at a nearby restaurant.  The dance was scheduled from 8-10p.  By the time the group wrapped up dinner and made their way to the high school, it was after 8p.  The line to enter the school was quite long and the friends didn't make it onto the dance floor until close to 8:30p.  For the duration of time, Cam declared it was fun, but really hot in the area where everyone was dancing.

Although the dance experience for Cameron is different from his friend group, his parents didn't hear a single complaint.  He even practiced his dance moves while waiting for pictures.

Our tenth grader was simply excited to be hanging out with his friends in perhaps one of the largest social settings they'll be a part of in high school.

Camology Quotes:

With the multiple of MFB appointments on Wednesday, Jane decided she would visit one of his specialist's office in person to discuss a billing issue instead of calling on the phone.  Cam has heard (numerous times) his mom contacting organizations to review such things.  When Jane told her son she'd catch up with he and Chris after the billing chat, his immediate response was:

"You'll ask for the manager, right?" 

What Makes You Happy - Week of Sept. 11

"For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things." ~Henry Ward Beecher

We often hear people tell us that Cam always looks so happy.  The simple response: he typically is.  

This week, Chris traveled to Cincinnati for a few days to check in with other work offices and employees.  During some downtime, Jane and her son explored new programs to watch.  As a rule-abiding kid, Cameron has always enjoyed tv shows dealing with law enforcement.  We stumbled upon Louisiana Law which follows the men and women of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.  It is a documentary showing the officers on patrol and what they encounter.  Most interesting to Cam are the behaviors of the individuals being questioned as well as their subsequent consequences.  Another request was a show he'd only watched a few times with his mom- Hoarders.  The different programs provided opportunity for lots of conversation.

Friday evening, Cam and Ms. Amanda made dinner and watched a movie at home while Chris and Jane attended a non-profit event for Lori's Voice.

Saturday morning, we welcomed Oma and Opa at our house.  From there, we all traveled to the ball park for the second game of the season.  We were greeted by so many Cam Fans, we couldn't believe it! Ms. Kathy, her husband, Kevin and their two granddaughters were the first ones we ran into.  Ms. Kathy was an elementary school teacher for Cam and Brody.  She has never missed a West Miracle League season!

Mary Jo used to hang out with Cam and Brody when they were younger and a memorable outing for them all was to the Lowell Fair.  She and her mom, Ms. Cris, along with one of her brothers were all spotted in the bleachers.  Ms. Cris was a classroom aide for Cam and Brody in elementary school.  

Patti and Steve, our close friends and even closer neighbors also made the trek to Rockford.  When their daughters were younger, we tried to be in attendance for many of their soccer games.  They have, in turn, made it one of Cam's games most every single season. The connections seem endless sometimes.
Oma and Opa love cheering on their grandson.  We know Cameron is so fortunate to have them at a game and he is always so proud. 

We were happy they could spend the night with us.  Our flank steak dinner with veggies and potatoes tasted extra yummy from our backyard grill.  

Sunday was relaxing, hanging out with Cam's grandparents and catching up on some football.  The weekend went by much too quickly, as most do.  

And although Cameron does appear to be in a great mood most of the time, he does and will request that his mom stop taking pictures😉

Camology Quotes:

Jane was wondering what made Cam wanted to watch the show, "Hoarders." Some people find it depressing to see a documentary-style program depicting a real situation of someone's compulsive need to fill space with an excessive amount of things.  She asked him why he chose it?

"Because Mom, it always ends up happy."

Broncos Baseball - Week of Sept. 4th

"None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things with great love, and together we can do something wonderful." ~Mother Teresa

TEAM: Together, Everyone Achieves More

It was that time of year once again- West Michigan Miracle League baseball!  This fall season, Cameron and Brody were assigned to the West Michigan Broncos team with their favorite coach, Mr. Mark.  The Hope College Women's Softball team arrived as the designated helpers. The sun shone brightly for the WMML Opening Day of the fall season.  

Auntie Jo was our Cam Fan in attendance and loudly cheered for her godson.  When Cameron's name is announced, we always hear "Cam the Man Weatherford!" which consistently brings that awesome Cam grin into the forefront.

The League has honored our request to keep Cam and his best bud, Brody on the same team, season after season.  Once again, this September was no exception.  These two definitely cheer the loudest for each other.

After finishing the early game by 11am, we headed northwest, taking a different way to the cottage since we were traveling from Rockford.  We made a quick stop at Jimmy John's to pick up two loaves of bread for our BLT dinner with the cousins.  

Although it wasn't a hot, sizzling beach day, we still had time by Lake Michigan.  None of us went swimming but it is always good to hang out by the water.  It was discovered in the late afternoon that one of the dogs confiscated a loaf of the bread we had picked up earlier, so we improvised and used sliced bread in addition to the remaining Jimmy John's for our BLT meal.  

Jane and Coco had been eager to try a s'mores recipe all summer and they determined it was time.  In a greased cast iron skillet, a layer of hershey's chocolate was placed followed by spaced out marshmallows.  In a preheated 400 degree oven, the mixture baked for 5 minutes.  The gooey marshmallows spread out and turned a golden brown.  After depositing the delectable dessert in a bowl with graham crackers, we made our way to the lower deck.  We all agreed that the s'mores dip was truly divine, easy to eat, and the perfect treat to pass around.  With an earlier sunset, we all watched sun disappear into the water.

As is now the tradition, Cam's younger cousin insists on helping him into the van and makes certain he is safe and buckled in for the trip home. It is always bittersweet to leave, but devouring a sweet dessert before departure definitely makes the trip more bearable!

Camology Quotes:

At dinner one night, we were all talking about communication and how you keep you in touch with each other.  Cam was telling Chris that he may not be the best at letting his family if he's going to be late...

"I seem to recall that you did not text Mom about when you were going to be home."  

"You think I should text your mom every day when I leave the office, Cam?

"No...not every day, just when you are picking up dinner for me!"

Pontoon Cruising - Week of Aug. 28th

“Shells sink, dreams float, life’s good on the boat.” ~Jimmy Buffet

“Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.” ~Brooks Atkinson

It was a short school week for Cameron due to the Labor Day holiday weekend.  He thoroughly enjoyed sleeping in Friday morning.  Ms. Amanda joined her buddy for the day since her kindergarten students had the day off too.  
At the beginning of the summer, Cam had asked Amanda what shows she watched as a kid.  "Full House" was one of her favorites so during their down time, they began watching the old series from the beginning. Since Amanda didn't see Cam on his birthday, she brought him a present.  The dvd of the first season of the sequel to the original show is Fuller House and Cam is now the proud owner.  That day he also wore his "Rocky Raccoon" shirt which was a gift from his Uncle Jon and Aunt Betsy.  The Beatles song is one of his uncle's favorites. 

We were excited for the weekend and Saturday morning, we packed up the van to travel to Whitehall.  

For Cam's 16th birthday experience, we had reserved a pontoon boat for two hours.  Chris and Jane talked extensively to the owners about the possibility of their son being able to drive his powerchair onto the boat.  Cam's chair is 450lbs and there is a weight limit for any lake vessel.  After gaining concurrence from the owners, we were anticipating this first-time experience for our son. 

KAC Boat Rentals was our destination.  Oma and Opa met us there to enjoy the cruise as well. After a minor snafu with our reservation, we were on the water and cruising around White Lake!  Even though it wasn't very sunny, the ride on the pontoon boat was so much fun.  Chris was our captain and expertly navigated us from one side to the other, slowing down to take in the view.  The time went by quickly and upon our return, one of the owners had balloons, a card and candy for Cam to commemorate his birthday and first pontoon ride in his powerchair. 

On Sunday, we headed north once again since the forecast called for a perfect beach day.  The wind and waves felt refreshing and the sunshine was in full force.  Oma and Opa stayed at the cottage and enjoyed the sand in the afternoon too.  Cam's beach chair kept him comfortable at the shoreline.  Our youngest cousin decided to nap close to the sand.  Our outdoor dinner that evening was most delicious as we devoured grilled burgers and hot dogs with all the fixings.  Since Monday was a holiday, we stayed later.  The Haroldson family gave Cam an Old Channel Inn sweatshirt for a bday and end of summer present.  We had to say goodbye to JJ and Jeff since they would be headed east in a few days.  

Somehow, when Labor Day weekend arrives it feels like summer just started.  Seeing the Lake Michigan sunset on Sunday evening was the perfect farewell gift to our favorite Michigan season!

Camology Quotes:

Cam was telling Jane about his classmates at school and decided to give his own philosophical viewpoint.

"I am nice to my friends. What comes around goes around."