A New Toy - Week of Mar. 23rd

"The greatest achievement of technology is not how it changes life, but how it improves it.”  ~Satya Nadella 

With spring's official arrival, the neighborhood deer have been visiting frequently, appearing in the front yard as well.

Arriving at our doorstep this week was a new 3D printer, aka "a new toy."

A 3D printer is an additive manufacturing machine that creates three-dimensional, solid objects from digital designs by laying down, or printing, successive thin layers of material (like plastic, metal, or resin). Often operating like a precision, robot-controlled hot glue gun, it builds items from the bottom up, allowing for complex, customized, and lightweight parts.

Creating items with a 3D printer helps fill the gaps where mass-produced products fall short. When replacement parts, custom tools, or niche accessories aren’t readily available—or no longer manufactured—3D printing makes it possible to design and produce exactly what’s needed, right when it’s needed. 

The first project for father and son looked like three pieces of a curved train track.  It wasn't until the pieces were locked together that the curvature card holder took shape.  Cam was so excited when he saw the finished product on the dining room table.

On Sunday, we made our way to the Downtown Market for lunch.  The Market features 20 different indoor artisan food vendors, restaurants and a bustling market hall full of unique gifts and offerings.

As we made our way around the area, we had a surprise for Cameron.  His cousins were headed to the same location and we had not told him.  He was super happy to see everyone!  

We had fun exploring and catching up for a bit before heading out later in the afternoon.

It's always fun to surprise Cam because his pure joy reactions cannot be duplicated and are always genuine!

Camology Quotes:

PSA: When watching TV shows or movies with Cam, be prepared to pause. Not only does he ask appropriate questions, but sometimes he even stumps his parents, especially during cooking shows.

"Mom, what is tamari?"  (Google lookup: Japanese sauce made primarily from fermented soybeans, water, and salt, often produced as a byproduct of miso paste. It is less salty and thicker than soy sauce.)

Memorable Meals - Week of Mar. 16th

"Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is certainly one of life’s primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul‑satisfying and eternal."  ~Julia Child

It has been said that food tastes better when shared with friends.

Friday was the final Unified basketball game for Cam and his buddies. 

Fortunately for him, one of his all-time favorite people joined in the fun day!  The players were bussed to Kenowa Hills school for the game and stopped at Chick-fil-A for lunch afterwards...see cow hat picture above.  Ms. Festian, our dear friend and an exemplary aide, met up with the group and had some quality time with her long-time buddy.

Sharing meals with people who have known you for a long time carries a rare and quiet kind of magic. These are the people who recognize your pauses, remember your stories before you finish them, and understand the layers beneath your words without needing explanation. 

Such was the case when we met up with Ms. Ann and her daughter Katherine along with her husband and sweet kiddos at JT's Friday evening.  

We were excited to have a delicious cod dinner since JT's only has it on their menu during Lent.  The Weatherfords also exchanged long-awaited Christmas gifts with Ms. Ann, which had several unsuccessful attempts prior to this date.  Katherine was one of Cam's first real full-time nanny and has truly become extended family (along with her husband and kiddos).  Cam's tutor, Ms. Ann, is Katherine's mom and met Cameron during Katherine's time with our family.  Our families have been connected ever since.

Saturday afternoon was spent making homemade chili in preparation for that evening's meal.

For Cam, spending time with people who truly understand his abilities—like navigating the world in a wheelchair—can be profoundly grounding and affirming. In those moments, you don’t have to explain why a doorway matters, why table height affects comfort, or why energy can ebb faster than expected; that understanding is already there. 

When our friends Matt and Jill arrived, there were three powerchair users in our home.  As a bonus, Jill was accompanied by her service dog, Tarzan.  Because Tarz wasn't wearing his vest, he knew he wasn't "working" and we could all take part in petting him.

Cam loves being able to ask Matt and Jill questions that only the two of them can truly comprehend. 

With good friends, meals become less about logistics and more about connection, laughter, and presence. Being with people who “get it” creates a space where dignity is assumed, accommodations feel natural rather than burdensome, and your full self is welcomed. 

That shared understanding is a powerful reminder that belonging isn’t about being the same—it’s about being seen and supported as you are. 

Camology Quotes:

The night before St. Patrick's Day, Chris jokingly told his son that he would be bringing in some green beer to school to commemorate it.  Cam texted Brody's mom and shared the joke with her and apparently, she also shared it with Brody.  At school the next day, Brody told Cam how funny that story was and Cam's immediate response was:

"Brody, why don't you keep that to yourself please!"

Volunteering Information - Week of Mar. 9th

"Volunteers don't get paid, not because they're worthless, but because they're priceless." ~Sherry Anderson 

Seeing something personalized touches something deeply human in us. It feels like being noticed in a world that often rushes past. When something is made just for us, it quietly says, “I see you. You matter.” 

That recognition can soften walls, spark trust, and create a sense of belonging that generic gestures never quite reach. Personalization carries emotion because it requires care. It means someone paused long enough to think about who we are, not just what we need. 

In that moment, we’re no longer invisible or interchangeable—we’re understood. And that feeling can be powerful. It can comfort, encourage, and remind us that we are not alone. In a world full of mass messages and one‑size‑fits‑all experiences, personalized moments stand out like a hand reaching for yours. They linger. They stay with us. Because long after the details fade, we remember how it felt to be truly seen.

On Saturday, Cam and his dad made their way downtown for the 3rd Annual Disability Resource Symposium event. 

The event is designed to connect families and caregivers impacted by disabilities with West Michigan resources, workshops, and expert guidance. It is co-hosted by City Hope GR and King's Table in collaboration with several partners, including Kent ISD and Coonen Law.

While Jane was celebrating Ms. Amanda at her baby shower, Chris and his son were happily educating others about Lori's Voice.  Many families in the area still haven't heard about all of the non-profits in our community seeking to help others.

It was quite the surprise when we checked out the website later and discovered that we easily recognized the duo on the main page!

Disability Symposium

We were very happy to see see our dear friend Patti over the weekend when she stopped over.  She's known Cam since he was born, being our closest neighbor.  Since she's an RN, Cameron will also ask her random medical questions.  And because she has the training and certification, her responses carry far more than weight than his parents!

Camology Quotes:

Our schedule-oriented son is typically more in tune to deadlines than his parents.  As noted by his daily questions to his mom and dad:

"Have you done your taxes yet?!"

Testing Patience - Week of Mar. 2nd

"If patience wasn't so easily tested, then it would hardly be a virtue." ~Amor Towles

As a Senior, there are many events that trigger a "this is last time I will..." type of moment.

On Wednesday, the Unified Basketball Seniors were being honored with their parents.  Jane was able to attend briefly to accept a beautiful bouquet of flowers from her son.  The coach also read comments from each of the participants.

Oma spent Sunday afternoon and evening with us.  She and Jane were headed to a Dancing With The Stars performance downtown that night. 

Fortunately, there was enough time for Cameron and his grandma to enjoy a nice stroll in the neighborhood in the afternoon.

It was a sunny day and even with the blustery wind, the duo enjoyed themselves outside. 

There are many things beyond our control.  In Cam's world, it means every electronic piece of equipment he uses.  The majority of the weekend was spent trying to fix a cable on Cameron's power wheelchair.  Much to our dismay, no matter what was attempted, the fix was not available.  However, Cam kept his cool about the situation citing that we could try calling people first thing Monday morning. To quote Joyce Meyer, "Patience is not simply the ability to wait - it's how we behave while we're waiting."

Camology Quotes:

Our Alexa devices were acting up this week.  Cam uses the Alexa device to announce to his parents. Over the weekend, he was frustrated that the technology was not working correctly.  He relayed to his parents:

"Oh, I am two steps ahead of you like always and I already reported it to Amazon!"

The Big Arena - Week of Feb. 23rd

"The things that make me different are the things that make me." ~Piglet (A.A. Milne)

Monday was the most exciting day of the week.  Cam was invited, along with the FHN Unified Basketball Team, to play at the same setting as the NBA Detroit Pistons.  Since it was a school event, he was excused from being in the high school building. Chris and Jane took the day off of work to bring their son to the big event.  Our destination was the Little Caesars Arena.

Little Caesars Arena (LCA) in Detroit, opened in September 2017 for $862.9 million and is the home of the NHL's Red Wings and NBA's Pistons, anchoring the 50-block "The District Detroit" entertainment area. Designed by HOK and Barton Malow, it replaced Joe Louis Arena and The Palace of Auburn Hills, featuring a unique, deconstructed design with an underground practice rink.
The 816,000-square-foot venue features a "deconstructed" layout, placing the concourse, restaurants, and retail shops in separate buildings connected by a roof. It includes a 5,100-square-foot scoreboard and a below-ground practice ice rink. It was designed to anchor a new downtown district, connecting Midtown with the central business district.

We arrived at the exact same time as the other players.  We learned that the professional basketball games usually see about 18,000 fans while the pro hockey team, the Red Wings typically host 20,000.  Chris talked to one of the security guards and he told him that the Detroit Piston courtside seats go for $2800 per chair!

Our Grand Rapids Team played against a Detroit-based team.  It was exciting for us all to be in the arena where our state's professional basketball team plays!  We were super proud of Cam for participating and being a part of it all.  The final score was 38-33 with our team victorious.

We ate a late lunch with Brody and his family in the District Market, a food court inside that offered 4 different restaurants in one area. Late that afternoon, we drove back to Grand Rapids, arriving home by dinnertime.  We were all in agreement that the day away was a unique experience we were excited to be a part of!

Camology Quotes:

The AI agents continue to provide an endless array of jokes between father and son.  As we were getting ready to leave for Detroit, Chris said to Cam, "There's only one problem...how can I leave my agents alone for an entire day?!" To which Cam smartly replied:

"Ha! Are you married to them Dad?!"

Swirling - Week of Feb. 16th

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory." ~Dr. Suess

Typically, when you can ask someone which year of schooling went by at record speed and their senior year is the most popular answer.  As parents, it's odd to remember your own last year of high school while watching your child complete theirs.

Seniors have many of "this is the last time I will..." moments.  Saturday marked the Swirl Dance which is always held at the end of February.  Brody and his date Madison, along with Cam all decided they wanted to meet for dinner that evening.  Madison's mom had the genius idea to take pictures at a nearby hotel.  This was incredibly smart because the outdoor temperature was hovering around 20 degrees.

After a delicious dinner at Applebee's, the friends arrived at the dance right on time.  The gathering takes place in the cafeteria converted into a dance space.  It's unbelievably crowded, but Cam always manages to navigate the space.

The assistant principal even guided him to a secret exit so he wouldn't have to fight through the crowded front doors.

It was a later evening for Cam, so sleeping in was on the agenda for Sunday morning.  We were invited to a brunch for the Adaptive Ski Association of West Michigan.  It is a yearly celebration to thank the athletes and volunteers for all of their efforts.  An assortment of eggs, toast, bacon, pancakes, sausage, biscuits and gravy, hashbrowns, fruit and danishes provided crowd pleaser options.  A photo montage from the season played in the background and we played a round of bingo. 

As we left the building, we were all given an official ASAWM shirt to advertise our happy memories until the next season in 2027!

Camology Quotes:

Cam always keeps his language appropriate so when he does belt out a word he doesn't normally say, it's a surprise to us all and laughter always follows. Jane informed her son that his protein shake, Premiere Protein was now offering a chocolate peanut butter flavor. His immediate response:

"Holy crap! I can't believe it!"

A Break in Winter - Week of Feb. 9th

"Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax." ~Mark Black

It was a busy week leading up to Cam's mid-winter break.

Thursday's activities were split between morning and afternoon.  The "Battle of the Hills" Unified Basketball tournament took place at Forest Hills Northern High School. Teams from across the district came together for some unforgettable games full of teamwork, sportsmanship, and community spirit.  Jane made a quick appearance in between work meetings to cheer on Cam.  Our senior made it onto the Forest Hills Instagram page when someone snapped a pic of the Northern mascot, the Husky saying hi.

After Chris arrived home from work, our next destination was Clock Mobility, the leading mobility equipment provider in West Michigan.  Lori's Voice, one of our local non-profits, was setting up for a photo shoot/campaign announcing their van giveaway.  They requested that Chris and Cam be in the pictures along with the executive director Rebecca and her daughter, Gracie.  Chris is on the board of directors and Cam is included in some of the brochure pictures for the organization.

Jane and her son introduced Gracie to one of their all-time favorite cartoons, Curious George.  With Jane's phone, they played an episode for Gracie and she really seemed to like it.

That evening, Oma joined us to stay for three nights.  Cam's mid-winter break from school was scheduled for Friday and Monday.  Jane had a scheduled vacation day on Friday.

Anne Lamott said "Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you." And that is exactly what we did.  A few strolls in the milder weather gave Cam and his grandma a lot to smile about.

For Christmas, Jane had purchased Grand Rapids Monopoly for the family.  It was the perfect time to crack open the game.  Over the course of the next three days, our group played for a few hours each session.  Oma informed us that she had never actually played Monopoly.  That was a big surprise to us all but not a surprise that she thoroughly enjoyed the board game experience.  We all laughed so much during our time purchasing property, adding houses and eventually hotels.  Cam was quite frugal and cautious with his bank account, very akin to real life.

Saturday morning, Cam requested a special breakfast for Valentine's.  Jane made homemade apple turnovers. Her son told her they were good, but not quite as good as Heidi's Farmstand 😉 

Auntie Jo stopped by on Saturday to catch up with us all and exchange Christmas presents.  We had such a nice visit and Cam received quite a few Reese's, his favorite chocolate treat along with new books and a hat/shirt from her travels.

Also for Valentine's Day, Chris arrived home in the afternoon with a beautiful bouquet of a dozen roses for Jane and a single rose for Oma and Auntie Jo.  Cam received a plant that doesn't need any watering and we can watch it grow.

Cam told his mom that she needed extra hugs for Valentine's which she was happy to accept!

Camology Quotes:

Chris and his son were headed back from power soccer practice on Wednesday evening when Chris was explaining that he had created a voice assistant for his AI agents.  He was pretty excited about it and asked Cam if he wanted to talk to the virtual voice assistant and ask it any question.  Cam resoundly replied:

"Um Dad, they are not your friends, you know.  I am your real friend and I am right here!"

A Super Weekend - Week of Feb. 2nd

"In one minute you can change your attitude, and in that minute you can change your entire day." ~Spencer Johnson

It was hard to believe we entered into the month of February this week.  The brutally cold weather seems to be hanging on a bit longer than we'd all like.  Fortunately, the weekend brought some much-needed sunshine over Michigan.

Saturday's activities were split.  Chris made his way to the Cannonsburg Ski Area to volunteer for Mary Free Bed Hospital's adaptive skiing day.  

Cam and his mom were destined for Grand Haven.  They picked up Oma in the early afternoon and made their way to the Grand Haven State Park to get a closer view of the frozen water.  Of course, on the way there they made a slight detour for some Starbucks treats!  The sun glittered on the small patches of the big lake that were visible.  It really was fun to see.  Back at Oma's apartment, Cam and his mom assisted with a few tasks before heading back to Grand Rapids.

Sunday was termed a "double-header" for the Weatherford family.

First up was the last round of adaptive skiing for the season.  It is always a bittersweet day for us.  We all agreed that this may have been our best skiing with Adaptive Skiing Association of West Michigan since Cam started 7 years ago.

Even though it was just 23 degrees, it actually felt warm with the bright sunshine and zero clouds in the sky.  The Cannonsburg snow machines were working overtime showing off a few large mini mountains of new white stuff.

Each trek down the slope seemed better than the last and before we knew it, our time was up.  Mr. Jim and his daughter, Aliya were fun and always full of positivity.  They even told us they hope to be on Team Cam next year as well!

In honor of Cam's stellar stint with ASAWM, here's our favorite video of one of his runs!

We made it back home before our SuperBowl guests arrived for the next round of fun.

Cousins and friends joined us to hang out and watch the final football championship game.  The younger kids are very happy that Cam lets them all play with his childhood toys.

Even though we may have eaten too much food and stayed up a bit later, it was worth it to have some extra time with our peeps!

Camology Quotes:

Cam seemed to be in a bit of a philosophical mood at bedtime one evening when he declared: 

"Life goes as fast or as slow as you make it!"