National Down Syndrome Congress 2009 Conference

Well we have just returned from California (2 days ago) and the National Down Syndrome Congress' 2009 Conference in Sacramento. It was truly wonderful being reacquainted with friends that I've made along my way. My husband came with me, and was a wonderful help at our exhibit during the three days of the conference. We made some really great new friends that we have already arranged to be visiting in Ohio in September! The exhibitors around us were wonderful people, and we are very grateful for having the opportunity to meet them. It was such a reminder that we all have things happen in our lives for a master reason - one that we are not always aware of at the time. We each had different reasons for creating 'things' for children with Down syndrome, and it was a beautiful thing.

I have to say, the most rewarding aspect about this conference was having a number of individuals come up and hug me, thanking me profoundly because their children were now reading as a result of my reading program. One wonderful lady had her 15 year old grandson with her. She said that she bought our program when we were in Stockton about 2 years ago (I remember her very clearly), and within three short weeks her grandson began reading - and now he LOVES to read! She was so grateful!

The next hug was from Dr. Rosanne Oggoian-Donnellan. She was just bubbling over telling me her story. Her daughter is 34-months old (with Down syndrome). She had been showing her the flashcards (from eReadingPro), and thought she wasn't really comprehending. So she set the cards down in a corner and had almost forgotten they were there when one day her daughter went over and picked them up. Then she began signing the words on the cards! Rosanne said she just about fell over! She said that she felt the size and color of those cards was extremely important, as she knows that one of her daughter's favourite colors is red. She said that even though she hasn't been as consistent as she had hoped, she has re-started the program with her daughter, as she now knows that she IS processing the information and IS learning to read. Rosanne was very, very happy to share her story with me and said that she is telling everyone she knows about how amazing our program is!

California here we come!

As many of you may know, the 2009 NDSC Convention is being held in Sacramento, CA this year. As I am preparing to attend and exhibit for eReadingPro, I am thinking about the many friends and acquaintances that I've met along my journey and am looking forward to seeing many of you in Sacramento. I'm also looking forward to taking my husband along with me and carousing through Napa and Sonoma areas exploring various vineyards after the conference!

Calls and emails are beginning to take over my office once again as parents and educators begin to also get ready for their children returning to school in many states. eReadingPro workshops are being scheduled, and the excitement begins once again about the prospect of enabling more and more children in the quest for learning to read! If you're planning to host a workshop, be sure to book early - spaces are filling up!

Summer

Well, it has been some time since my last post...!

As you can see, I've been enjoying some time at our cottage and practicing my photography skills.

While summer is a wonderful time for exploring the gifts of nature, it's also a time for planning. We are currently booking eReadingPro workshops for this fall, and are excited about our destinations over the next few months! At the end of July we will be heading to Sacramento, CA for the 2009 NDSC Convention, and then only ten short days upon our return we will be flying to Dublin, Ireland for the 10th World Down Syndrome Congress. I'm looking forward to my first European eReadingPro speaking engagement, and to introducing our incredible reading program to a whole new area! Fall workshops will include more new territory for us when we present in places like North Dakota and Bermuda. Stay posted for more exciting locations!

Parents should remember that summer is not the time to set your reading program aside. Rather, it is the time to pick off where the teachers have left off, and continue the learning process with your child! Take your program on holidays with you - it only takes 10-minutes a day!