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Post by chasesmom on Aug 6, 2007 0:14:53 GMT -5
;D 8-)I an't even begin to know where to start but let me say MB is awesome and if she doesnt come here to post for a month it is because she is home sleeping off the exhaustion she must have!!!! She did a STELLAR job, no that word doesnt even fit the spectaular hard work she put into everything! It was perfect!!! I have not been to one to compare but I cannot imagine a nicer conference ever!!! It rocked! I was forever choking up with warm fuzzy feelings! Everyone fit it, no one stared, if there wa a nuaghty child, we would smile and nod our heads and all say ah yes we have been there or help. The babies wer beautiful, the toddlers were beautiful, the kids, the teens the adults were beautiful, the parents, the sibs, grands, aunts uncles, friends wer all beautiful. I have never felt like I belonged anywher in my entire life like I felt I belonged there!!!! It was one huge family and there were no strangers...everyone talked to one another so if you were shy, it didnt matter, people just came up and talked to you!!!!!! Yes, the next years NDSC IS in Boston!!!! And I will be taking Chase and Zachary, they will so well fit in, there was so much for all the kids to do, I had wanted to go alone the first time to check it out but by the second day I was so wishing my boys were there. Let me see..there is so much I want to say and I know I will forget tons....hopefully the girls will all help me with what I forget! Laura and I were greeted at the airport by a LIMO MB sent for us!!!!! It was first class all the way! We were greeted at the door as we arrived by none other then her son welcoming us, oh my is he a charmer, he had me cracking up!!!! Remind me to tell you how he put me in my plae when I asked him to dance with me later at the dance! MB followed suit and was there to greet us herself just like royalty! She is every bit as wonderful in person as on line, maybe more so!!!! OUr bags were taken up to our room and MB had a shuttle take us right to a certain ummmm """" store"""" evern though the driver explained we must be VIP's as they dont drive people to those stores but if MB says do it for us...he jumps!!!! thus he knew we were very important people!!!! Wow did we like the VIP treatment! Oh yes, remind me again to tell you another story of MB breaking her cardinal rule and rewarding Laurasnowbirds bad behavior!!!!! ROFL We all met once everyone was thre and had a wonderful time outdoors eating huge ice cream sundaes and having drinks while the kids splashed and played in the water. Friday we had FANTASTIC sessions, I got to spend the day with Dr Capone....I thought I had died and gone to heaven...I WILL find the money and a way to get to Maryland to see him with Chase...the man is a DS guru, if only we could clone him! Opps backing up.....MB knew Susan was sharing her room with me and upgraded our room to a HUGE suite so we had two rooms and three beds, two bathrooms, a couch chairs, two balconies, a bar, two sets of tables and chairs, it was unbelievably wonderful and made a great spot for the other families to come hang out and get together with none of us have tight quarters! I tell you, she deserves an award!!!!!!!!!!! We love you MB!!! Friday after the all day session we had tme to do a little shopping, the hotels were FULL of shops, it was like a mall!!!!! Then we met MB and her husband and son at a wonderful restaurant to eat, complimants of MB and her wonderful husband who was a fantastic man, just as friendly and kind as MB!!! The food and beer was spectacular. And there was so many of us.....I am going to let someone else name everyone because I just know I am going to forget someone...also it is wayyyyy past my bedtime...so whose is going to pick up this post and go on from here where I left off with what we did? If not, I'll finish it in the a.m. hugs and love, Robin
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Post by hannahph on Aug 6, 2007 7:21:26 GMT -5
I am so glad you had a great time! I am a little bit jealous though. SOOOOOO happy it's in Boston next year though, that is a five hour drive for me so I am so there!!!!!!
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Post by Emilysmom on Aug 6, 2007 8:07:20 GMT -5
I didn't get home till 4am, so I'm not trusting myself to do a decent post on just how spectacular the conference was..............I'll do that tonight after work. But, as Robin said "MB ROCKS"!!!!!!!!! The sessions were great, the people I met were great. Just a wonderful experience all the way around!
And.........for ALL of you who took turns pushing me around in the wheel chair (and for some who took MORE than their fair share of turns!), I can not thank you enough! It made all the difference in the world for me! And a special thanks to Laurasnowbird, who gave me a "special" ride...........RUNNING through the hallway of the hotel, back and forth with the breeze blowing in my face. I don't know HOW she did it, but it was fun! I am SO glad I didn't let my old knee keep me from going to this conference, and so thankful for ALL the help from my friends here.
Susan
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Post by char on Aug 6, 2007 8:21:46 GMT -5
Sounds WONDERFUL and you can color me green with jealousy!
Char
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Post by wrblack on Aug 6, 2007 9:26:10 GMT -5
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Post by Haleysmom on Aug 6, 2007 9:54:28 GMT -5
I'm sooooooo excited to hear it's in Boston next year - I'll definetly be able to get to that one! Sounds like a great time was had by all!!!
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Post by momofrussell on Aug 6, 2007 10:04:15 GMT -5
Yes... it was GREAT! I have to also first thank MB... and ditto what Robin said... she did a STELLAR job and then some!!! ;D What a peach that gal is! ;D She went above and beyond and truly made us feel welcome! It was GREAT to see many families I only get to see once a year, if that. And then I met TONS of new families I've only chatted with online...it was GREAT to put the faces to the posts and see their beautiful kids. I am on more then one board so I am A LOT of families ;D It truly was neat. I also have to say, for whatever reason, plenty knew who I was, even without my kids with me, before I knew them... it was scary but in a good way! LOL Regan was pimped out for some babysitting beyond my kids, so she was a BIG help! She made $45 total this weekend!! She even met a boy LOL.. and we will leave it at that Thank goodness I have spies LOL I will do an info recap of the workshops and what not later.... but it was a great time had by all! I even have a video of Russell looking like he is BREAKDANCING!!! MB....lookout! Your son has some competition!!!!! ;D A.
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Post by Connie on Aug 6, 2007 10:28:51 GMT -5
I did make it home before Susan....I rolled in at 2:30am so my butt and fingers are dragging this morning. This was my first conference and it was absolutely wonderful but not near as great a MB!!! Her and her family (husband and son) are just a wonder family and just plan GREAT PEOPLE. They made us/me feel so welcome. Everyone else I meet there was also Terrific and just a HOOT!!! I really am going to miss everyone and wish they lived closer. Our time together is was just way to short!!!
Connie
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Post by Cbean on Aug 6, 2007 11:52:58 GMT -5
I am soooo jealous but so glad you all had such a good time. Welcome back sleepheads!
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Post by mollysmomma on Aug 6, 2007 12:09:22 GMT -5
I'm so agog and still basking in it...as well as being pooped...not enough of me to attend all i wanted to see, so will ANXIOUSLY wait for the DVD to come out.... with suitcases in my livingroom, and im talkin MANY suitcases, because we had just returned from one trip, and flipped to go to KC! (poor sarge...he's the best hubby in the world as trip #1 involved my parents! ha!) I slept last night in my bed that im now trading in for that heavenly one i slept on at the westin! www.westin-hotelsathome.com/index.aspx?sessionID=c78ed3d2-d957-499e-b27b-e079a11c0e74 I cannot thank the one that put this on ENOUGH!! You did the state proud, and set the bar for ANYONE that is crazy enough to attempt to match it! I'll post up the individual moments...as they need to be...but will tell you i SO enjoyed meeting everyone from uno (another highlite to the whole thing, what an AWESOME get-together!!)...i SO enjoyed meeting up with parents i havent seen in awhile...and i SO enjoyed making NEW friends spontaneously ....sharing mommy info....exchanging addys....and keeping the good feeling going across the US, and beyond. I laughed when i logged on this morning, as my yahoo popped up...so did a dozen windows, and the moms have "waitin on E to upload pics" as their 'away messages" ....cracked me UP! I Bawled all through Karen Gaffny's Keynote...she is AMAZING, and the theme of her speech was "they said i couldnt do it, and i did...they said WE can't do...AND WE CAN!!" Inspriational for all parents to hear....imagine the possiblities.... We got a chance to speak with Chris Burke at length....who BLEW ME AWAY....he's just like talkin to one of my sons.... Even the hotel was running stories on their in house channels...of wonderful Self Advocates...Adrian Friendman caught my eye, and we were late to something, because I could not tear myself away from it.....WHAT A BONUS!! What DETAIL! I laughed at the young couple seated next to me at the Gaffny Keynote....she was covered in tears and snot..makeup running, then I showed her my towel ....NEVER, as a parent, attend a Self Advocate Speaking...without proper equipment! We had to chat and run, as this event was on time and running like a fine swiss watch...but even on the run, the connection was made and more new friends with babies on the way, were secured in the exchange. I Loved getting to know all the kids...i had an enhanced child introduce herself to me, tell me she was 6 years old, and what school she attended WITH her favorite classes detailed. WOW!! KNOCK ME OVER WITH A FEATHER! I learned SO much more about the Spectrum that is DS...and it is a spectrum....And the colors that make up this rainbow are freakin PHENOMENAL! All parents gathered to share the pride in our children, and compare notes...in an enviornment that promoted a unity I can't remember feeling before. People i did not know, would walk up...look at molly...and just start BLURTING out questions about potty training...walking...sitting still....WHATEVER! You KNOW they have never had the opportunity to just TALK to someone, who wasnt going to gossip, or berate them for having questions... I also learned how important it is that we take the bond in this room, and get it out there to the parents...there are SO many of them struggling on their own. One thing that is happening is www.beachcenter.org we need to all get there...and get it up and running with the same finesse we do in here! We need to SHARE IT! oh...i did say still agog..did i not??? can ya tell??? again,,, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU...the ripple effect that is coming, will be like the aftershocks of an earthquake...you have no idea of the lives that you touched, and are about to touch! Oh...and mostly?? I am extremly humbled by the generosity of our hosts....please let me help....this time...tell me where to send the $$$$ next time?? I really want to be a part of it! e *who acutally started bawling when typing this* now, to find the cards and get uploading...before i start losing friends!! ha!
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Post by shelley24 on Aug 6, 2007 13:51:52 GMT -5
It sounds like everyone had a great time. I am so jealous, I have been wanting to go to the conference for a few years, maybe next year. Boston is only a few hours from me so I better start saving now! Glad everyone had fun!
Shelley
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Post by laurasnowbird on Aug 6, 2007 20:17:51 GMT -5
I did have a wonderful time, and would love to share it....but Ethan has been having an AWFUL day, and me right along with him. Seems that mom can't leave town. He is HORRIBLY constipated.....he started trying to go to the bathroom every 5-10 minutes this afternoon about 1pm......and he was only just now able to go. My house is a disaster....he was withholding...then leaking.....I'm going to spend the next couple of hours scrubbing everything down with bleach. Honestly, you guys, he was just screaming in pain and shaking, and by the end of the day had these scary reddish circles under his eyes, and his temp was up to 101. BabyLax didn't work, and neither did the first enema. I think the second one did the trip, but now he is scared to death of the bathroom. I was soooo sad for him, and I was crying too (but not in front of him, didn't want him any more scared than he was)
He had been experiencing NO constipation problems since he toilet trained, until I was out of town the last couple of weeks and he had to spend several days away from home. That'll teach me. I'm afraid we are going to have major problems for the next couple of weeks until we can convince him not to be afraid of the bathroom again. Thank God our yearly visit to the pediatric GI doc just happens to be tomorrow. The timing couldn't be better.
The conference WAS awesome, and when I finish cleaning up this mess and get life back on track I'll share too!
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Post by momofrussell on Aug 6, 2007 20:37:35 GMT -5
OH Laura... that sucks!! Poor Ethan and poor mommy!!! Clean up, get some rest and come post soon!
A.
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Post by chasesmom on Aug 6, 2007 22:00:01 GMT -5
I'm back because I forgot to add that also on Friday was a dance and Radio Disney was there as the DJ's slammin' out music and the dance floor was so packed there was no way to get one more person on it!!!!! Everyone loved it!! Saturday was awesome sessions and it was so hard to choose from so many!!!! The sexuality one was awesome, I wish I could have did the all day one the day before but I would have never given up Dr capones complex needs all day session because I got so so so much out of it. Everything I went to was fantastic and our speakers were ......the best. This was the first national conference I have ever been to and I cannot imagine Boston being able to match Kansas City!!!! It was wonderful to have tears of joy and lumps in my throat that were good lumps. Saturday was the banquet and awards followed by the dance which was of course as you would expect.....SPECTACULAR ;D ;D I'd like to say Sunday was just as great but I can only guess as Laura and I had to pack and leave right away for our flight out. Next year....we book a late flight like Barb did. The sessions looked wonderful though just like the previous day's had been. We also snuck off to the Hyatt and spent lots of time going thru the exhibits, (RADIO DISNEY was there too!!!) and we played PLINKO!!!!! the exhibitors were great and I met a dr who happened to be Emily's dr from the DS clinic in Tenn who is doing a sleep study and a heart/hypertension study and got some free advice from her, spent a bit talking with her about Chase and I am really going to try hard to get him down to Tenn to paticipate in the two studies they are doing there. I need to get him into his dr now to ask a few questions and request a couple tests be done thanks to the dr there This whole exerience was just so wonderful, I have learned so much and come back with so much!!!! I made some new friends and got to spend time with some old ones...it was all so much fun. I even got to enjoy a margarita IN the pool with A while the world floated by....although I have to wonder what MB was thinking when she handed out loaded SQUIRT guns to the kids. One young man with DS found it extremely amusing to douse A and I while we were loafing with our drinks in the pool ::)Luckily his father rescued him before we had to.......LOLOL just kidding. Ok, bedtime...the day flew by but I am unpacked and Chase is unpacked. hugs, Robin
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Post by alisonzmom on Aug 6, 2007 22:10:16 GMT -5
Oh Laura, big hugs to you and Ethan....... that just plain bites for both of you!!!!
First off, huge thanks and hugs to MB!!!! You and all of the people in your local group did such an AWESOME job putting together this convention. Everywhere I turned there was someone from your group ready to tell me where to go ( and in the nicest way possible too) when I got that dazed and confused look. Kudos to you all!!!
Like everyone else has said, it was the greatest feeling to just be there..... the love and joy that was almost touchable throughout. Just can't put it into words.......
But really, the best part was getting to see all the UnoMasers!!!!
So to those of you who weren't able to make it to KC........ get those penny jars out and start filling them so we can all meet up in Boston......
Barb
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