CHARGE Syndrome Conference

On my WILD Friday night, I did a bit of research on what it would take for the three of us to fly to Phoenix this summer to attend the annual CHARGE Syndrome Conference.  It's being held in Scottsdale at the end of July.  I like it hot, but, that I imagine will be a glimpse of hell.  My research had me scratching my head and rubbing my butt... OUCH!  *expensive!*  On Southwest airline, it would be a little over $1000. for us to fly down there.  It will cost Daddy Bean and I $500. to attend conference ($250. per person, Andi is free), and the resort hotel - which looks pretty dang plush, is the cheapest aspect of the trip, surprisingly.  So, that would be our "vacation" for the year.  I really, really want to go though.  Not necessarily to learn more about CHARGE Syndrome, but to surround ourselves with "friends" we've made through the Facebook group.  Hanging out with some of these Moms, and getting to meet kids we've followed for over a year, would be the biggest joy I can think of.  These kids and families, inspire me.  They make me better, stronger, and without sounding too cheeseball, they make me feel whole.  We've all been through layers of trauma and PTSD, and for once, I would like to hang out with a fellow survivor and their little warriors!!!

Annoyed though, I shut down the airline site with the frustration of cost.  We're in major savings mode as our home needs a new roof BAD.  We have a lot of dry-rot causing sag, and at one point, a nice leak racing down the back of the house walls.  It was pretty bad.  We have lots of things to fix, and need to save the money to do so.  Therefore, a trip to Arizona was looking pretty low on the totum pole, especially at that price.

Then on Sunday, I had a thought of looking at what it would cost if we used this no-name airline a friend of mine just brought to my attention.  We would drive down to Eugene and fly out of the small regional airport, and fly into a small airport in Phoenix/Mesa.  In doing so, we found it to be half the price of the big airline.  I brought this to Daddy Bean's attention and he said two words, "book it!" 

Daddy Bean has family down there, and he used to live down there, so we're planning on making more of a trip out it, than just attending conference. One of my bucket list items is to see the Grand Canyon.  I've gotten a few hours away when I was driving from Atlanta to Portland, moving here 17 years ago.  But, I have never seen it.  Therefore, we're definitely going to do that! 

So, when it's hotter than hot in Arizona this summer, we will be there sightseeing and schmoozing!  Sounds like fun, no?!