The Christmas Card - Week of Dec. 15th

“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, with every Christmas card I write. May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white.”  ~Irving Berlin 

Did you know the Christmas card tradition began in 1843? Overwhelmed by holiday correspondence, Sir Henry Cole commissioned the first printed card—a simple design wishing “A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.” From that single idea, a global tradition was born, evolving from hand-painted greetings to today’s colorful, personalized cards. More than just paper, Christmas cards remain a heartfelt way to share joy and connection during the season. 

• The first commercial Christmas card cost one shilling in 1843—quite pricey for the time! 
• Early cards often featured spring flowers, not snow scenes, because they symbolized renewal. Americans send over 1.6 billion holiday cards every year, even in the digital age. 
• The largest Christmas card ever made was over 16 feet tall!
  

Our family Christmas card is a labor of love.  It is a tradition, like this blog, that seems so tedious, yet very rewarding. 

*fully magnified wording*

2025 has sped past like a winter breeze, Moments turned to memories with total ease. Winter began with Cannonsburg snow, Cam’s adaptive skiing—confidence on show. March brought respite at Indian Trails, A weekend of peace where happiness prevails. Springtime arrived with WMML swings, Baseball, friends and all that it brings. Jane’s May escape to N.C.’s mountains and more, Time with Leslie, a surprise spa and memories to store. June was special with Grandma Sue and Layna here, Family visits fill hearts with laughter and cheer. Summer unfolded with sunshine bright, Indian Trails camp—a week of delight. Miss Amanda’s fun and Ann’s tutoring with care, Fishing for Chris in warm summer air. Outdoor concerts for Chris and Jane under starry skies, Music and laughter where summer joy lies. Beach days at Oma’s, Lake Michigan’s glow, Cam’s mobile chair rolling where soft waves flow. An accessible boardwalk at the cottage too, Making dreams come true for our entire crew. And at home, a door that automatically opens wide, Cam’s new independence fills us with pride. July brought sports camp—wheelchair strong, Power soccer kicks kept Cam moving along. August called us to Mills River’s view, A family road trip with mountains in hue. Ali and Daree’s wedding, a joyful scene, So much love in the air, our vacation serene. Celebrating Cam turning eighteen in style, At Sierra Nevada—smiles all the while. Autumn returned with applesauce sweet, A family tradition that can’t be beat. Halloween at MFB, giving hearts their best, Supporting the Guild with community zest. Thanksgiving blessings with Oma and Miss Ann, Grateful for health and our loving clan. Through it all, our cousins—our laughter, our glue, Every moment with them feels warm and true. Supporting Lori’s Voice, Renew Mobility too, And Be Café’s mission that started with Brody true. From our family to yours, stay strong and bright, May Christmas bring peace and pure delight. With health, with love, with laughter near, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

It was a busy week of working, mailing packages and cards.  Our weekend was spent catching up on home projects and shopping trips.  Of course, Chris took time out to make his son laugh, which is a daily occurrence.  When Jane made a request to her husband to make rice, he immediately went outside to grab some icicles.  He put them in a pot and brought them to Cam, announcing "Mom told me to make ice!"

Camology Quotes:

Cam's sarcastic side shines through at times.  When engaging in his evening routine one night, Chris reminded him about something he had to do to which he responded:

"Okay Captain Obvious!"

The Weather Outside is Frightful - Week of Dec. 8th

"To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold." ~Aristotle

Cam's mom spent most of her school years in Michigan.  Jane has told Cam stories from her younger years about waiting to hear if her school was closed by listening to the radio or watching the tv.  

With the arrival of modern technology- text messages, automated phone calls and emails dominate the communication field of school cancellations.  There is even a School Snow Day Calculator website to determine the viability.

Even with these portals, we were all still surprised by the closure on Wednesday when we received the automated 'school is closed' text and email messages at 5:30am.  Thankfully, Cam was able to go back to sleep and didn't awaken until 8am.

The weekend brought a visit from our cousins who came to Grand Rapids for some birthday celebrations.  We dined at one of our favorite sushi spots, Ju Sushi and Lounge.  It was Cam's first time there and for some of his cousins as well.

Chris and Jane recommended the playboy sushi roll.  It contains spicy tuna, tempura shrimp, cream cheese and asparagus topped with shrimp, eel sauce, Japanese mayo, sriracha and furikake. It is delivered to the table...on fire.  It was quite the sight to see!

With the treacherous weather this week, Chris put himself on snowplow duty.  Unfortunately, the heavy packed snow thwarted his plans.  The belt on the converted tractor broke and it was time for some serious mechanical endeavors in the garage.  Fortunately for Cam's dad, his son was all about trying to help work with him through the challenge.  The dynamic duo fixed the snowplow and had fun with making a photo with A.I.!  The picture on the left is the original photo and then the one with the snowman is digitized- artificial intelligence created the snowman shown in front of the plow!!

Camology Quotes:

It's that time of year when we start watching holiday movies again. Cam and his mom decided on "Deck the Halls" - a show about a neighbor who becomes obsessed with decorating his house so it can be seen from space. The neighbor rivalry escalates into an over-the-top competition, creating chaos for their families and the entire neighborhood. Cam wisely found the life lesson when they realized family mattered most.

"Mom, they were both wrong. I'm glad they figured it out."

Cheerful Singing - Week of Dec. 1st

“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”  ~Buddy the Elf (from the movie Elf, written by David Berenbaum)

A young buck awaited Cam's arrival as his bus pulled to a stop in front of his home after school in the afternoon.  With the snow sticking around, the wildlife appear to be foraging more.

Monday evening, Cam was anticipating his choir concert.  He talks about the music director, Mr. Wheaton, quite a bit.  Chris and Jane sat with Brody's family. The program was a short 45 minutes and divided into three groups as well as the entire ensemble.

Cam was a part of the Vocality section with his best bud, Brody.

The director, Mr. Wheaton, began the program saying that the kids determined what they would be singing based on choice.

The Vocality singers chose Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Ad Astra and All I Want for Christmas is You.  Cameron even had his own microphone!

The Northern Singers were next up with a trio of musical numbers, followed by the Elite group titled Chorale.  The last number included all sections and was a personal favorite of Jane's: Carol of the Bells.

The weekend marked holiday events for Fishbeck, the longtime employer of Cam's dad.  

Friday evening was the department outing for the IT staff and Saturday was the fancy holiday party held at JW Marriott.  

Amanda stayed with Cam for the first eve and Ms. Ann arrived for the Saturday's festivities.  

Cam and Ann watched the movie "The Best Christmas Present Ever" and thoroughly enjoyed it.  

Chris and Jane stayed out much later than usual and were grateful for their son's tardy wake up time of 8:30am.

Cam is still participating in his Ability Athletes class on Saturday mornings.  Each time, he tries something new and the coaches learn more about his strengths.  And his parents are reminded that their son continues to surprise them, in the subtlest of ways.

Camology Quotes:

Once again, Chris and his son were having fun with A.I. and created this picture.

They uploaded a photo of our Christmas tree and asked the A.I. engine to add presents for Cam around it. 

Even his son was surprised by the results.

"Dad, I would never have THAT many presents!"

The Holiday Prep - Week of Nov. 24th

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." ~Cicero

Turkeys were on the run in our backyard this week as we prepared for the big feast.

Before Thursday, Cam was busy.  His physical therapy and swimming sessions each Monday evening are activities he looks forward to.  His PT, Mr. Patrick has been working with Cameron for 10+ years.  They typically finish his appointment with some extended sitting practice.  

At school, Cam helped chop potatoes for homemade soup which he indicated was delicious.

On Wednesday, both Jane and her son had the day off.  After picking up Oma, a stop was made to claim our reserved fresh local turkey.  That afternoon, Cam and his mom made their way to Mary Free Bed for an orthotics appointment.  The casting was completed for replacement AFOs (ankle foot orthotics) just as snow started falling.

Our family loves turkey.  On Thursday, Chris readied our 20lb bird for baking. Cam's grandma, he and his mom worked to peel potatoes, add the ingredients for the homemade stuffing and ready the vegetables, sweet potatoes and biscuits.

Thanksgiving originates from a 1621 harvest feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts, shared between the English colonists (Pilgrims) and the Wampanoag people. While this is the event most famously associated with the holiday's beginnings, Thanksgiving celebrations were not an annual event at the time. The modern holiday traces its roots to a national proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, which established Thanksgiving as a national holiday celebrated on the last Thursday of November.  In 1941, Congress set the fourth Thursday of the November as the federal holiday in celebration of Thanksgiving. 

Ms. Ann arrived with the coveted homemade cranberry relish to accompany our feast.  We all stated what we were most thankful for before enjoying our meal.  Topping that list was each other, our family, our health, our friends and the delicious assortment of food on our table.  Dessert was a surprise Jane had planned.  She pre-ordered mini Crumbl pies.  Six were delivered on Wednesday and everyone had at least one bite from each.  The french silk pie came in first followed by the Reese's chocolate peanut butter, then a collective tie for raspberry, pumpkin, oreo and brookie.

After dinner, Chris and Cam had a bit of fun with AI by embellishing some photos involving a turkey and a rocket, respectively! 🤣

Friday afternoon was spent decorating the Christmas tree and the surrounding area.  It always feels like such a big accomplishment to have it all done.

We collectively took a break that afternoon, relaxing and watching a movie.  Each of us ended up using a separate blanket to make things feel extra cozy.

Friday evening, we treated Oma to an early birthday dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants, Cascade Roadhouse.  Cam and his grandma split the perch dinner.  We felt fortunate to be able to sit in the outdoor enclosure next to the fireplace.  We even met another family who was on the other side of the fire and had a nice time getting acquainted.

A winter storm warning was in place for Saturday evening and Sunday, so Jane drove Oma back to her home in the afternoon.

We took our customary family pic in front of the tree.

Although we had planned to have Oma until Sunday, we all agreed it would be easiest to have her return a little early with the incoming weather.

Jane and her mom worked to trim the tree at Oma's place prior to heading back to GR.  Cam was happy to know that his grandma's place was decorated too!

By Sunday morning, the white stuff blanketed everything. 

We knew we had made the right decision based on the amount of snow that covered our neighborhood!

Camology Quotes:

Cam brought home a school assignment that was labeled 'I'm Thankful For' in honor of Thanksgiving.  

He chose the word "Family" with a further description using this format:

• Funny
• Awesome
• Mellow
• Inclusive
• Loving
• Yappy
  

I Belong - Week of Nov. 17th

“Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same.  Fairness means everyone gets what they need.”  ~Rick Riordan

It's tough to feel left out.  At one point or another, each of us has felt that pang of not being included.  

Cam doesn't complain about missing activities but he is aware and it's always noticeable to his parents.

When Brody's mom reached out about the Cross Fit opportunity in Ada, we had high hopes but low expectations.

We were all pleasantly surprised.  Cam attended his second session on Saturday morning with his mom.  Coach Dan and Coach Rick led the exercises.  They are eager to learn about Cam and what regimens they will create for him.

The program is officially called "Ability Athletes" and Cameron is learning about all of the different routines he is capable of.

Every Saturday morning, he is planning to attend this new, inclusive class.

Saturday evening, we had a special dinner planned at El Centenario.  Our friends, Matt and Jill, planned to meet us there for a delicious Mexican meal.

Jane first met them both at Renew Mobility where they are all on the Board of Directors together.

Matt and Jill both drive power wheelchairs similar to Cam's.  Although their stories are all unique, they are bonded by their common daily experience.  Cam looks up to these two adults especially since they live independently and drive their own modified wheelchair minivans.  It is empowering to see.

As we all discussed various topics during our evening meal, we collectively shared lots of laughs about places that 'claim' to be accessible, but in reality, are not.  For Cam, it is the true sense of belonging, specifically because the power wheelchairs outnumbered our group!

Camology Quotes:

Cam was reflecting on the Saturday evening dinner and how accommodating El Centenario was.  He shared this insight that he hopes is widely known:

"You don't have to be walking around to have a group party at your restaurant.  It shows restaurants that they have to accept wheelchair groups!"

Ready for Travel - Week of Nov. 10th

“You are the one that possesses the keys to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness.” ~Diane von Furstenberg

It is still odd to see Cam's Class of 2026 sign in our yard.  Even our senior has the sense of time speeding up the older you are.

A Veteran's Day assembly was held at the high school.  Since Chris is a former Marine, Cam had the honor of his dad being recognized in front of his peers.

This week, there was a light dusting of snow on the ground as Jane and her son ventured out for the bus one morning.  The 19 degrees felt unbelievably chilly (as Cam's look depicts) and luckily we make our trek to show up exactly as the bus arrives.

We are fortunate to be able to use an app called 'Here Comes the Bus' which shows the location tracking of Cam's daily ride to school.

When the weekend arrived, Cameron was headed to Indian Trails to spend the night with fellow friends.  

He met a new counselor named Caleb and was happy to see a former friend, nurse Jessie.  The group got to know each other and Cam had a positive experience.  He is waitlisted for some other upcoming sessions.

Chris and Jane put away things at the cottage before the real snow season arrives.  We all agreed that it was good to get away from the city and soak up the surrounding nature.

AI generated image
created from a pic of the 
Weatherford Fam!

The most exciting arrival of the week was Cam's passport card. We recently renewed his passport and also requested the small travel card.  He was careful to point out that the picture could not show any of the card details- that's our savvy tech son!

Camology Quotes:

Each evening, Cam enjoys solo time.  With the Alexa devices throughout our home, he simply announces when he's ready for the next task.  Chris took longer than normal to meet up with us, which led his son to interject the following:

"Are you not hearing Alexa announcements because your listening ears weren't on, Dad?!"

Access for All - Week of Nov. 3rd

“Inclusion is not bringing people into what already exists; it is making a new space for everyone.” ~George Dei

Active conversation is a strength for Cameron and he often comments on local news stories and information relayed during the school day.

Cam took a student interest survey at school this week.  These were the results:

• Favorite movie: Out of My Mind
• Favorite book: Out of My Mind
• Favorite Animal: Cat
• Favorite Team: Tigers baseball
• I am really good at: being flexible on the first day
• I want my teacher to know: change makes me anxious
• I like to: help people and learn about me

Chris attended a non-profit fundraiser this week for Disability Advocates.  At the event, everyone was given a decal to place over a handicap button.  Chris couldn't wait to show his son!  Our home push-button operated door is now adorned with an "Access For All" depiction.  At the fundraiser, they explained how they want to take away the hesitancy for people to use an accessible door.  The picture shows someone carrying a heavy package and someone with a stroller- both of which are other advantages of an accessible door.

Saturday evening, Chris and Jane were headed downtown for the evening to attend the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital Gala.  The annual occasion is one of the largest functions that Cam's parents attend.  With over 1,300 guests, a video (MFB 2025 WoW moment!) is shown on multiple larger-than-life screens. One of Cam's friends, Dom, stopped to take a picture with us to show Cam.

On Sunday, we had an invitation to meet at the Ada CrossFit facility for a unique reason.  Brody's mom had contacted Jane about an opportunity.  Her former principal was working with the team to create classes for people with different abilities.  They were hosting an open house for special attendees by invite only.

Chris and Cam met the group at 3pm.  Brody and his mom, Jenny, were there along with other people Cam knew.  The large group worked together and separately testing out equipment as the coaches made note of what people were capable of.

Jenny assisted with Cameron's routine.  They put elastic bands around his knee blocks and then he pulled the bands towards his stomach.

He also held small weights and tested out a weighted ball.

Jenny was super excited when Cam told her that they really improvised and it meant more to him than anything he has done and he has never gotten to work out like this!  The classes will officially start in January, but we will head over on Saturdays beginning Nov. 22nd.  Once again, our community is providing an option for people with different abilities and we are grateful for the opportunity!

Camology Quotes:

When Cam arrived home after the CrossFit gym experience, he couldn't wait to tell his mom all about it. After explaining to her all of the different things he tried, he commented:

"Who knew going to the gym could be so impactful?!"

A New Buddy - Week of Oct. 27th

Flowers given by
Sarah's mom, Patti 😊

"So, the first time you hear the concept of Halloween as a kid, your brain can't even process the information. You're like 'What is this? What did you say? Who is giving out candy?...

Everyone we know is giving out candy???...

Yes, I can wear that!" ~Jerry Seinfeld

This week we welcomed houseguests from the state of New York.  They drove across the Canadian border to meet their new grandson/nephew, Gideon. Gideon's parents are Sarah and Johnny and Johnny's family was staying with us until Sunday.

At school, Cam had spirit week for Halloween.  One day was "Anything But a Backpack" and you come to school with your belongings in something else.  We picked a dry cleaning bag and Cam told us it was a big hit.

It was a busy week and fun to have our friends in the lower level of our home.  Wednesday, Cameron was back at power soccer practice in the evening.

Our family was treated to a most delicious homemade dinner made by Vyanna and her boys! 

Each day we found time to connect with everyone and even had some extra time to spend with new buddy, Gideon and his parents.  On Halloween, Cam's parents enjoyed an evening out while Amanda and Cam hung out together.  Not a single trick-or-treater made their way up our long driveway, so we did partake in some leftover candy.

Throughout his life, Cameron has shown us that even though he doesn't have the gift of a sibling, his cousins and friends have always been like brothers and sisters.  

And the more friends that come into our lives, even as adults, feels like our family expanding.

Animation made from 
Google photos

Camology Quotes:

Cameron often gives second chances. However, a local restaurant that used to be a takeout favorite has fallen from his grace.  After seeing a commercial on tv, he commented:

"Qdoba is trying to redeem themselves by having an ad!"