The Friends for Life conference was a definite success for us. This household gives it five thumbs up. Of my three children, two think it was equally fun as going to the theme parks. One thinks it was even better (and yes, you can probably guess which one that is).
One of the highlights of the week was D-Coaster Day (thank you Martin for coordinating!) It was so awesome to meet so many more tweet-peeps in person. Have I mentioned yet how tall Scott is and that he is indeed as incredibly good-looking as he claims? I have a hunch that with my sunglasses and pig-tails, I was a little unrecognizable at first and they just thought I was some strange lunatic running up and hugging them.
Now backing up a minute to the trip to the park: the bus was PACKED! Dave and I got split up amongst the many people squeezed on board. I chatted with the person next to me oblivious to those that boarded after us, and a little distracted by the Blunt Lancet t-shirts I saw on some of the people who were left at the bus stop because it had filled up (see shirts in above picture).
Dave tweets to me:
We had already noticed each other and were chatting it up – as much as anyone can chat it up when you have so many people packed between you. Michelle told me that Mason and husband, Matt, were on board too, though I couldn’t see them from where I sat.
We disembarked and got separated but were reunited at the Walt Disney statue with the other D-Coaster peeps. This is where Caleb and Mason met.
Why I did not have the forethought to capture this moment on film in any way, I’ll never know. It was priceless. They shook hands and then showed each other their Pods and flashed each other their DexCom-filled SpiBelts as if it was part of a well thought out fraternity greeting. It was more like they were seeing each other again after several months than meeting for the first time. I could see how comfortable Caleb was when he is usually more self-conscious. It was heart warming.
Mason is full of life and does not seem the slightest bit self-conscious about anything. I dare anyone to not smile in this young man’s presence. His connection with all three of my kids was instant – the definition of fast friends.
When the conference officially started and the kids were broken into groups, Mason and Lila landed in the same set of eight. I soon started to joke that they would one day be attending prom together. I couldn’t help think of the real life story of friends that had been made years earlier at FFL who did in fact become prom dates.
The days that followed were so jam-packed and fast-paced, that I found it hard to carve 
out time just to hang out with folks. Luckily our paths with the Golladays crossed several more times. I’m so glad we had the time that we did. As has been stated countless times before, the DOC people we meet online are as awesome if not more so in person. The Golladays are no exception.
We didn’t get a chance to officially say good-bye due to a very early departure flight. We’re hoping for a Skype session soon with our new IRL friends for life.
This is Caleb... 
Oh, this just makes me want to get to next year’s conference even more!!!
I wish I could have been there! It looks like you had a blast!
awww! if it isn’t all my favorite kiddos! mason and caleb were SO CUTE together. love it! 🙂
All the FFL posts make me smile and make me yearn for a year when we can go. It looks like such a touching experience. Mason’s smile is infectious, isn’t it?
I have to say Mason is the sweetest little boy ever. He was hanging around with us the one day in the exhibit hall.
hehe, thanks for the shout-out but I think Mason, Caleb, Colin and Lila totally rocked it! It was fantastic to finally meet all of you!
ahahah the twitter on the bus thing was so hilarious! and i LOVE the fraternity handshake comparison! next year i’ll try to have my act together ahead of time and we can make a plan to meet up. like i just said on the twitters, L just realized she and colin ended up playing soccer together against some little kids one of the days. and i didn’t know about d-coaster day, but i would love to tag along next year! 🙂
I love Shelly. I love you! I so wish I was there to see all of this. I am so glad you guys got to meet and the kids too!
I believe Lae Love is spoken for though 😉 I’m determined to see you next year lady!
OMGoodness! Crying! I was on a 6 hour car ride when this posted and I was dying to read it! Thank you so much! We are so happy to have finally met you and your family IRL:) You have no idea how much your blog and your advice has helped us! People ask me what I “learned” or what I gained from FFL and I have to say that little moments like this meeting were the most important things for Mason! They have diabetes IN COMMON with all these other kids! For once he wasn’t the odd man out. That was amazing to me. The conference was (obviously!) wonderful as well but the camaraderie of the kids and (adults:) was the best! I am homesick for FFL! Thanks again! It was a pleasure to spend time with you guys! It is probably a good thing that we did not say a proper good bye. I wouldn’t want your last vision of me to be one of mascara streaked cheeks. Thank you again! XOXO
I didn’t get to talk to Mason – he was always gone in a flash!! 🙂 But I DID get to talk to his awesome mom, and she is just the sweetest!!
Hi Karen! It was a pleasure meeting you!!! I am counting the months until next year and hoping we can make the trip again! Are you on FB? I would love to keep in touch!!!
Of course you are! I didnt know it was YOU! LOL! OMGOSH!