Post by Jackie on Aug 7, 2007 9:46:31 GMT -5
This was probably our 15th conference and it was ABSOLUTELY the best ever!!!! Everyone I met from KC told me that MB was totally awesome...and I agree. In fact EVERYONE I met from the KC group was fantastic.
It was really fun for me to finally put faces to names from UNO. I knew A and Susan...but don't think I had met anyone else before. I have only met the "gamblers" in the group when we went to Vegas.
I feel a bit bad because I was also meeting people from the teens and adult group...and old friends from past conferences. Almost too many friends to get in a quality visit with anyone.
Now ....where was MY suite!!! ;D. I managed to get rid of one handicapped room so that Katie and Em wouldn't have to share a bed...and after one night in ours....when the shower which is for a roll in wheelchair flooded the bathroom floor...managed to ditch the other. But... much to Emily's dismay...it connected with their room.
I was also interested in sort of following Katie around as she enjoyed her first conference as an Adult. That took up a lot of our time as well.
It was also a new experience for me because for a number of years we have more or less checked in and Emily has gone her own way...but this year she hung out a lot with Katie...and I think from what Katie has said...felt we were a bit too much in her face...LOL.
I think this is one of the best Y and A events they have ever had too. It was well organized and their time was filled to the max.
I got to the Uno party late because our sharing session was long and it was rude to leave early ...although we finally did!!! That was a bummer because people started leaving before we did...but did run into some unexpected old friends...like Judi Grossman with the twins who used to post here. I had no idea that MB and her wonderful hubby were treating us until we tried to pay our bill at the end. What a terrific surprise.
I like to have Ed come with me...but really enjoy coming alone more I think cuz it gives me a bit more freedom. We didn't go to all the sessions we would have liked to...because some of them were quite a hike and although they later added a shuttle to get there...it had not happened when the ones we wanted took place.
I did attend Ann Turnbull's info gathering session on her on line families project...which I was already a participant in...and loved the talk on THE MISSION PROJECT which is a private program that some parents in KC have set up to provide independent living and a social life for their kids.
Ed was really fascinated with the Stanford mouse model program and plans to communicate with them about it.
I also liked the final keynote speaker on Sunday who addressed the issue of prenatal testing. I liked her reminder that our mission is not to make our kids "normal" but the make them.....themselves...maximize THEIR OWN potential.
Since Emily is older I really loved seeing, talking to and laughing with so many of the adults with down syndrome that were there
We have gotten to know quite a few of them through the years and its fun to see them bloom.
And of course there are always those parents who have DONE IT ALL...beaten the odds in their minds...have the BEST AND BRIGHTEST there...LOL. But this year it didn't make me as angry as it usually does...I think I had a bit more of an "oh well" attitude about it...LOL.
I think Katie was totally hooked...and I bet she joins us here. She was really complimentary about you guys...said she REALLY enjoyed talking to you at the dances and all...and she really is close to many of you in age.
We had a few tense moments before the banquet when we discovered that the skirt we had bought Emily 2 months before wouldn't stay up due to her initial wt loss...but...fortunately I still had a cleaners tag on a sweater with a safety pin in it...LOL
It was fun to see Susan's Emily come alive as the weekend went on...she seemed to have several admiring young men following her around, too. She is such a pretty young woman.
We just got home last night after going to visit Eds parents in Lawrence...his mom is not doing well so we wanted to make a stop there since we were in the area.
I am sure I will think of more to post when I finish unpacking my bags.
Oh YES MB...when you read here...we DID make it to Winsteads for my favorite burger and eating experience in KC....for those of you who don't remember...I was born in KC...spent all my summers there, went to KU, and Ed went to med school there for 7 yrs...so its my REAL home...despite the fact I have lived in Texas off and on now for over 40 years.
Jackie
It was really fun for me to finally put faces to names from UNO. I knew A and Susan...but don't think I had met anyone else before. I have only met the "gamblers" in the group when we went to Vegas.
I feel a bit bad because I was also meeting people from the teens and adult group...and old friends from past conferences. Almost too many friends to get in a quality visit with anyone.
Now ....where was MY suite!!! ;D. I managed to get rid of one handicapped room so that Katie and Em wouldn't have to share a bed...and after one night in ours....when the shower which is for a roll in wheelchair flooded the bathroom floor...managed to ditch the other. But... much to Emily's dismay...it connected with their room.
I was also interested in sort of following Katie around as she enjoyed her first conference as an Adult. That took up a lot of our time as well.
It was also a new experience for me because for a number of years we have more or less checked in and Emily has gone her own way...but this year she hung out a lot with Katie...and I think from what Katie has said...felt we were a bit too much in her face...LOL.
I think this is one of the best Y and A events they have ever had too. It was well organized and their time was filled to the max.
I got to the Uno party late because our sharing session was long and it was rude to leave early ...although we finally did!!! That was a bummer because people started leaving before we did...but did run into some unexpected old friends...like Judi Grossman with the twins who used to post here. I had no idea that MB and her wonderful hubby were treating us until we tried to pay our bill at the end. What a terrific surprise.
I like to have Ed come with me...but really enjoy coming alone more I think cuz it gives me a bit more freedom. We didn't go to all the sessions we would have liked to...because some of them were quite a hike and although they later added a shuttle to get there...it had not happened when the ones we wanted took place.
I did attend Ann Turnbull's info gathering session on her on line families project...which I was already a participant in...and loved the talk on THE MISSION PROJECT which is a private program that some parents in KC have set up to provide independent living and a social life for their kids.
Ed was really fascinated with the Stanford mouse model program and plans to communicate with them about it.
I also liked the final keynote speaker on Sunday who addressed the issue of prenatal testing. I liked her reminder that our mission is not to make our kids "normal" but the make them.....themselves...maximize THEIR OWN potential.
Since Emily is older I really loved seeing, talking to and laughing with so many of the adults with down syndrome that were there
We have gotten to know quite a few of them through the years and its fun to see them bloom.
And of course there are always those parents who have DONE IT ALL...beaten the odds in their minds...have the BEST AND BRIGHTEST there...LOL. But this year it didn't make me as angry as it usually does...I think I had a bit more of an "oh well" attitude about it...LOL.
I think Katie was totally hooked...and I bet she joins us here. She was really complimentary about you guys...said she REALLY enjoyed talking to you at the dances and all...and she really is close to many of you in age.
We had a few tense moments before the banquet when we discovered that the skirt we had bought Emily 2 months before wouldn't stay up due to her initial wt loss...but...fortunately I still had a cleaners tag on a sweater with a safety pin in it...LOL
It was fun to see Susan's Emily come alive as the weekend went on...she seemed to have several admiring young men following her around, too. She is such a pretty young woman.
We just got home last night after going to visit Eds parents in Lawrence...his mom is not doing well so we wanted to make a stop there since we were in the area.
I am sure I will think of more to post when I finish unpacking my bags.
Oh YES MB...when you read here...we DID make it to Winsteads for my favorite burger and eating experience in KC....for those of you who don't remember...I was born in KC...spent all my summers there, went to KU, and Ed went to med school there for 7 yrs...so its my REAL home...despite the fact I have lived in Texas off and on now for over 40 years.
Jackie