SOFT Conference

Friday 11th, Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th
Went for a run around Norfolk this morning and had breakfast.  At breakfast we arranged a ride to Virginia Beach with Mike Healey it was great even when we got a bit lost we rode along the water and saw some amazing houses.

When we got back to the hotel the new back tyre for our bike was there thanks to Mike at J C Motors!!  David went to arrange fitting while I went upstairs to our room for a while.  Then he went to do our laundry and while he was away I got ready for the baseball picnic and game.
The baseball was great fun.  We stayed till 11pm (one of the last ones there we are stayers!) and the second game was in it's 6th inning we found out later that it went to 11 innings so must have finished about 2am!!!

I love meeting new people!!  and met Bron Waechter from Melbourne which is wonderful because I had spoken to her on the phone in February and had been messaging on facebook was so good to put a face to a name.  And also managed to meet in person a lot of people that I have been 'talking' to via email/facebook some for up to 16 years!!!

The speaker at the dinner last night was Rick Guidotti a fashion photographer who also photographs 'our' kids he made himself available to do a photoshoot with each Trisomy person very very cool.

On Saturday Dave went to get the tyre on the bike while I stayed and watched Kris Holladay's annual SOFT video which always means tears some of joy some of sadness but all good!!  Saw Cooper Milham on there and let out an involuntary Aussie Aussie Aussie!!! LOL 

The ballon release and picnic is always an emotional time for everyone but a wonderful tribute to our angels I feel like we are sending kisses to heaven.  We were privileged to be able to release Louise's balloon ourselves this year and ate lunch with the gorgeous Ceci Degenova and her hubby John.

Louise's balloon my second favourite colour

Daddy holds his girl's balloon

After the balloon release we all went for a swim it was very very hot!!!!
so the pool was pretty full not very relaxing LOL

Saturday night we had dinner at the fake (LOL) Australian restaurant Outback Steakhouse with Bill, Jude & Kammie Wolpert and Kristi Plucker (Kam's caregiver) it was lovely to spend some time with them.
Then it was off to the auction everyone brings in items from their local area, handmade items or souveniers from past conferences to auction off to raise money for SOFT.  I bid on several items mostly quilts there were some stunning ones there especially the ones made by Kris Holladay's daughter.  I ended up buying a cross-stitched one with rainbow and balloon motifs.  One made by Marie Donaldson went for over $500!!! it's all fun and raises quite a bit for SOFT.
Sunday breakfast was spent with Nan Welch (Dom's Mum) and Leslie and John Carey.  And then it was good byes to all!!  Always hard saying goodbye but we will be back!!!