#ASHA16: Florida Girl Goes to Philly

We all know that this Florida girl doesn't venture north in fall and winter for specific temperature reasons…remember my concern over the Denver cold last year?  BUT…ASHA keeps insisting on holding these conventions in cold cities.  This year?  Philadelphia.  Yes, I want all the Philly cheese and none of it's cold or snow.  No worries, though, it was abnormally warm in Philly until the day I left…I called ahead 🙂

Since it's Thanksgiving week, let's discuss gratitude, because my heart is just full of it as I sit in the airport waiting to go home after a long, exhausting, wonderful week…

I'm so thankful for the ASHA Convention.  I work in a building where I'm the only SLP and so there is something about being with 16,000 other SLPs that makes my heart sing.  Yes, 16,000.  Convention broke an attendance record this year!   One of the biggest reasons I'm grateful for convention is all of you.  I get to hug necks and chat with people from all over our country who I would not normally get to talk to.  I get to say THANK YOU and put a username to a face.  It's such a blessing!Another reason is these people.  My internet friends.  We joke about this all the time, but the truth is, these are people who understand a part of my life that no one else does and it makes us a unique tribe of crazies.  I also get to catch up with people who are apart of my journey to become an SLP from college and grad school.  Some people I get to see once a year only because of ASHA and I'm so thankful that brings us together.

BUT I guess the biggest reason we are all there is… learning.  So many incredible people prepare these presentations (on their own time and they DON'T get paid) to share information with us!  I went to some awesome sessions and I can't wait to use some of the things I learned about technology, AAC, apps, and syntax interventions.  Even out of sessions and just in conversation, I learn.

I went into this year knowing that I probably won't attend 2017 convention because I'm getting married (EEK!), and that is a bummer already!  But I can't wait to get home to see my guys and my dog… and I'm so thankful that they support my journey.

Shout out for ASHA Boston 2018…can't wait to see you there!  🙂