Relationships Built Through Scentsy

I received the sweetest text from a very special friend this morning. She opened her TimeHop app and this is what popped up 6 years ago today.

I had been a Scentsy consultant for just over a year at that time and I had met Amy through Facebook. We had one mutual friend at the time and somehow we connected. Amy makes the most adorable hand appliquéd crafts and baby clothing. I instantly fell in love with her creativity. At that time of my life, I spent most of my time crafting.... scrapbooking, repurposing second hand goodies, coffee cozies, and more. Amy and I grew a friendship through Facebook over warmers & wax and crafts & creativity.

Six years later, countless phone conversations, we have grown to be incredible friends. We have grown together and worked our successful Scentsy Family businesses side by side. Without Scentsy and our incredible products, we probably wouldn't know each other today. I can't imagine not having her on this journey of life and business with me.

Today we have 225 mutual friends on Facebook. This blows me away. This simply means that the business we are in is all about relationships. It's humbling, really, to know so many people all because of our growing businesses. When I joined, one of the main reasons that I invested that $99 was to make friends. Little did I know then, that by sharing a product that I loved, I would be blessed beyond my wildest dreams with honest, authentic, lovely friends.

This community that we have built and the friendship we have will forever keep us on the phone, sharing ideas... laughing, crying, and goal setting together. We have both grown into people we didn't recognize 6 years ago. Even though we live hundreds of miles away and only see each other once or twice a year, we pick up right where we left off. I love friendships like this. I'm grateful that I have many relationships like this. Some from high school, college, church and maybe a work place or two.... but most of my friendships are with women who are building a legacy for their children with Scentsy.

I'll never forget the feeling I felt when in October 2011, Amy reached Super Star Director (our highest title in the Scentsy Family!) She hit this lofty and amazing milestone before I did and I'll always remember that I honestly didn't care about myself or my goals in that moment. There was something so special and made my heart leap for joy at the thought of my friend reaching the top of the mountain! All I could think was how absolutely proud I was of her. And then I worked like heck to follow her footsteps to the top!

This perfectly describes what our Scentsy Family is about: giving more than you take, investing in others to help them be successful, celebrating with arrows out.

I'm humbled and blessed to be able to call Amy friend.... along with so many other women that I've met along this crazy journey. As I reflected on these relationships today, I can't help but feel overjoyed. Grateful. Honored. Happy.

Thank you for sharing today Amy. I can't wait to see what the next 6 years has in store for both of us. Cheers to our friendship.

Relationships Matter (and so does laughter)

I haven't laughed this hard in a long time.

When you get a group of people together who truly feel like brothers and sisters, you leave with a full heart and aching abs!

There was an emphasis on 'Childlike Wonder' this week and I truly feel that we connected with our inner child. 

We had the carnival and pj party earlier this week, but tonight topped it all with a night at The Lake as a group.

 We ate delicious food, shared 'ah ha' moments by the campfire and then lit luminaries on the beach. 

(Photo by Allison)

I've always wanted to light and let the paper lanterns float high in the sky but getting to experience that with our friends and top leaders of this amazing company exceeded any imagined expectation I had of that little dream. 

Each lantern, (over a hundred!), was released by a Super Star Director or home office employee. The lanterns remind us that each star shines bright and helps brighten the lives of so many other people! 

(Photo by Lyndsee)

It was very emotional and an absolutely beautiful sight. I want to bottle up tonight and save these feelings forever. 

Relationships matter. And so does laughter. I will strive to work on making these two things happen every day: growing relationships and finding joy in all things. 

Our Happy Sunday

Today has been a Sunday not soon to forget. We have been away from home  for 4 days now. We traveled down to Boise for our first annual Velata convention on Thursday. This time with our Velata family was amazing! 

We brought the camper trailer down to be able to host some of our greatest friends. It has been such a relaxing few days (with maybe a hiccup or two) that I know we won't be forgetting anytime soon. 

Today has just been incredible. Allison and I woke up to a delicious breakfast made by our adorable husbands. I think Joel had his 'Sioux chef' role down and by now can make a killer guacamole and fresh roasted salsa... (Thanks to master chef Brian - who won the first ever Velata Raclette Wars with the help of Joel and their friend Kyle!) 

Our friends invited us to spend the day at their lake. So after sleeping in until way longer than I have in the last 3 tears, we loaded up the car and headed out to find the beach. 

Now I've seen some beaches in my day, but there is something special and just breathtaking about a little beach, where the water is quiet and still, hanging out with the sweetest friends in the warm sunshine.  There were paddle boards, tubes, kayaks, canoes and fishing poles. 

Allie and I chose to jump on the paddle boards first thing while the boys started fishing. It was my first time paddle boarding and after about 2 minutes I think I got it down (thankful for the learners boards!)

Joel and I later found a canoe and decided to be a little adventurous. It was exactly what we needed in the midst of our long, business but relationship filled week. We spent some time planning our future and setting goals. It was unforgettable. 

Right after our afternoon at the lake, we were hungry. (As is anyone who spends a few hours our on the water) We stopped at the BarrelHouse, a delicious local restaurant that served unique foods. And their menu is just the coolest. 

Tonight we say around the campfire, finished laundry and shared even more stories. 

I'm thankful for this experience. I'm thankful for these friendships. I'm thankful for this company.

Campfire Conversation

As we were sitting by a dying fire tonight, the only three left by the fire was Alyn, Joel and me. 

Now all I really have to say is 'whoa! That girl can talk!' Just like her dad. 

But what I want to remember are her sweet comments and questions she asked us. 

We talked about leadership. What it means to KNOW what leadership is and how to SHOW leadership to others. 

We talked about the 'golden rule' and why it's important to treat others the way you want to be treated. 

But maybe the most adorable thing we talked about was when she asked this sweet basic question. 

"Mom... Dad, I know this is probably going to be weird since you're my parents..." 

And I'm thinking and praying "oh Lord, please let me have the right words for whatever this sweet innocent 9 year old is going to ask. Please!"

And then she goes on... "I don't think I've ever asked you this before..."

"Oh God, please! Seriously I'm not ready to talk about this! I know we're in nature and all but please Lord, no birds and the bees talks tonight!"

".... But I would like to know..."

"I can't handle this God. Not now. Not yet!"

"What is your favorite color? What's your favorite animal too?"

"Oh my! Seriously!? That's easy!"

Sweating and staring at the fire, I just knew something was going to come out of her mouth and make me super uncomfortable. 

And in reality, this simple question kind of did. I was sad to know that my kids, whom I spend my time with day in and day out, don't know these basic things about me. 

Those exact questions are what you ask when you're trying to get to know someone. It's one of the first things you want to know. 

But why, then, had it taken us 9 years to have this conversation? 

Why don't my offspring, people that I think I know best, know these simple things about me? 

Do I not spend enough time simply talking to them? Getting to know them? Their likes and dislikes? Goals and fears? And vice versa? 

Our little conversation tonight really punched me in the gut.  It's time to start living in the moment with these little people we have around us. They are looking to us to lead the way. They are looking to us to show them the right path. 

I don't want that path to be caught in the crossroads of tasks or lists. I want that bath to lead straight to relationships. 

Getting to know the people you love. Like really getting to know them. 

So to answer her question, "oh sweet girl, I love black and white and everything in between because I think all colors are beautiful in their own way. I really like horses because they seem so mysterious yet graceful and gentle at the same time." 

"Ew! Even poopy green brown?! You love that color too?!"

"Okay, well, maybe not poopy green brown."