Leavin' On a Jet Plane

Okay, so did that make you think of the movie Armageddon?  All I can think of is the scene where the tough guys all start singing that song... or maybe that was the scene with Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler.  So obviously I haven't seen it in awhile, but man I loved that movie.

Anyway, I am.  I'm leavin'.  On a jet plane.  Well, maybe it won't be a jet plane.  What is a jet plane anyway?  Just a regular plane?  A faster plane?  

Tomorrow I am flying to Sacramento, California for the 37th Annual National Down Syndrome Congress Convention.  And I am pumped.  (Do kids use the word "pumped" anymore or did I totally age myself?)

My first convention was in 2006 in Atlanta, GA.  Talk about meeting amazing people, listening to incredible speakers, and feeling an overwhelming sense of family & community.  

It was there that I met this guy...

Does he look familiar?  Well, if you were a fan of Life Goes On, a TV series that ran from 1989 to 1993 (don't think I have that great a memory... I just use "Google" to make it look that way) you will know him!  This is Chris Burke, who played a character named Corky.

I left that convention vowing to never miss one.  

In 2007, the convention was in Kansas City, so Jeremy, Jordyn and I all attended.  What's so great about the convention is that they have 3 simultaneous conventions going on... one for adults/parents/grandparents/professionals/etc., one for siblings of individuals with DS (starting at 6th grade) and one for self-advocates... individuals with DS (starting at age 15.)  Jeremy was equally as impressed as I was with the convention, and we had a great time! (Please excuse the lousy picture taken by a less-than-wonderful point-and-shoot camera!)

Jordyn loved meeting new friends, and still keeps in touch with one of them (through text-messaging and Facebook!)

We all left there, vowing to never miss another convention.

In 2008, we broke our vow.  The convention was in Boston, and we just didn't make it.

Now, it's 2009 and I'm headed to Sacramento.  Jeremy and Jordyn are bummed they aren't going, and though it would be another fabulous time with them, I can't lie.  I'm looking forward to some "me" time!  I am rooming with a friend I meet in Atlanta and have kept in touch with ever since.  She has a daughter who is very close in age to Rylee, so I'm sure we're going to be up late swapping stories about our girls!

I know I will miss the kids immensely -- thanks to my mom, who will be staying with the kids when Jeremy's at work, I can leave knowing they are in great care. When Grandma Cindy walks in the door, Rylee will immediately say, "Bye Mom" and ask Grandma to "go eat." (Grandma apparently is a much better pretend-restaurant-eater than I am.)  Carter might fuss a little, but he will quickly be off doing something fun with "Grah-pa Cin-ee" (yes, he calls her 'Grandpa Cindy'... thank goodness Mom thinks it's adorable and isn't even remotely offended!)

And as for Jeremy... he's good at picking up the slack when I'm gone   though they may not be bathed for 4 days.   

So, there you have it -- leavin' on a jet plane.  Or whatever kind of plane it is.