Grateful for Gifts of Love in all Shapes and Sizes!

My heart is still overflowing with gratitude for the gifts of love I experienced on Tuesday, two days ago.

It all started last month when Wild's business card was drawn, at a Lakewood Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting, for him to be in the Business Spotlight this month with a 5-7 minute speech. We were excited because it is quite an honor to have that opportunity to speak about our business in front of 60-75 other business people. As this week approached I keep mentioning that we needed to organize a speech. Several times I asked him if he wanted to speak by himself since it was his business card that was drawn. He liked the idea of us speaking together. When Monday night rolled around we had no idea what we were going to say the next morning. He was clearly frustrated with the process I was using, which is perfect for me...but not for him. I gave Wild another chance to do it by himself, his way. He agreed he'd do it on his own and just speak from his heart. I knew he would be great, just being himself.

What happened the next morning was a total surprise. A magical gift we could never have expected in a million years. After he was introduced he spoke from his heart about what he is passionate about, and has been since he was a little kid, helping other people. He shared his love and humor with everyone in the room, as he mentioned with a twinkle in his eye, that at times he had even been accused of being a rescuer. People laughed. He went on to tell about why our life and our business fulfills his desire to help people in ways that matter and he wrapped it all up after only a few minutes.

As he was handing the microphone back to Mary Ann an amazing thing happened. Dr. David stood up and reached for the microphone. He asked if there was anyone in the room that had a testimonial they might wish to share. I could feel my heart swelling with love and it completely spilled over when hands went up around the room. Oh my, I couldn't believe what was happening. First our friend Shawn took the mic and shared, what she called, her skeptical nature and how she had been helped. Then the mic was passed to Patty and she shared a story of her own. Finally Ken took the mic and shared his story of meeting Wild and what that led to. As Mary Ann wrapped it up our friend Mary was sitting next to me wanting to share her story and knowing the time was up. There we were, surrounded by dear friends coming to Wild's aid to help him fill his time with gifts of love. I knew that Wild was as moved by the events, of the minutes before, as much as I was. Love filled the room and spilled out the doors of the Great American Casino.

We always have drawings at these events and Mary Ann was showing us all the gifts of love brought by members. Here's how it works: members bring in items to share and business cards are drawn. The first person whose card is drawn chooses which gift they want. The next person who's card is drawn is 2nd to choose from the gifts and so on. When I saw that Dotty, owner of Northwest Optical, had donated a beautiful pair of black sunglasses I knew I would love to have them. Mary Ann asked someone to draw a card and mine was drawn first. The sunglasses were mine! Thank you Dotty!

A few hours later, that same day, I was a table host at a monthly Networking Unplugged luncheon. I chose September to be a table host because our convention is in August and I thought I might pick up some special things I could share with some of my friends that I would invite to sit at my table. I had room for seven women to join me. I invited a lot of friends hoping some were available that day for lunch. I spent the weekend before the event sorting and choosing the perfect items that I would pack into each gift bag. I had such fun putting them all together not knowing yet who would actually be able to join me. I also made a gift basket to be won from a drawing during the luncheon. As we all settled in for lunch my name was called. Kia was announcing that I brought the most guests and I was handed a $100 bill as my reward. WOW! I was just treating some friends to sit with me, and enjoy a gift bag of special things I love, and I received an unexpected gift of my own! Then my name was called again, as my card was drawn, to receive yet another gift of love that was donated by a luncheon vendor...a necklace and matching earrings. Such abundance!

The magnitude of my day wasn't totally clear at the moment because I was fully present at the luncheon and not thinking about the breakfast I was at only hours earlier. It wasn't until later, when I had an opportunity to reflect on the day, that I realized how many gifts were materializing before my very eyes in such a short period of time. The greatest gifts, of course, being the loving gift of friendship. Sunglasses, jewelry and money are wonderful but the gift of friendship is priceless! I am incredibly grateful for all our dear friends. Some show up in the most amazing ways and at the most unexpected times.

My heart is overflowing with love and gratitude,
Dyann

Gratitude and the Abundant Life!

WOW...What a wonderful evening! I am feeling so filled with gratitude that my heart is vibrating with joy! Wild and I just finished our first of eight weekly evenings with our newest Healthy Edge group. These people seem to all be perfectly matched. There was open, authentic and vulnerable sharing this evening, from the very start. I am so excited about what lies ahead of us as we take this journey together with these delightful people. I sensed a tremendous amount of support among this group and I see wonderful relationships forming and continuing to blossom.

Wild and I love facilitating Dyann and Wild's Healthy Edge and we do this for several selfish reasons. 1. We love to entertain and by having this be centered around dinner, and pot-lucks where participants all learn to prepare Healthy Edge dishes, we are able to create a community of Dyann and Wild's Healthy Edge Graduates while we entertain. 2. I love to educate and Wild loves to take care of people. We get to satisfy both those desires while creating our own version of The Healthy Edge. 3. Wild and I have a huge commitment to stay healthy and be the best that we can be for each other. Having these classes allows us to keep ourselves continually in the conversation of health and wellness as we share it with others.

This is our third Dyann and Wild's Healthy Edge group, this year, and I can see a wonderful pattern forming. We like doing this for the New Year, in the Spring and in the Fall. As we become more relaxed and confident, with each series of classes we do, I believe it is easier for the participants to relax and enjoy the process even more. That makes my heart smile!

You can learn more about us and The Healthy Edge at: http://dlyon.getthehealthyedge.com/ where you can also enjoy taking a free 14 day test drive.

We would be honored for you to take a look at Dyann and Wild's Healthy Edge at our Facebook page and we would love it if you 'like' us: http://www.facebook.com/DyannandWildsHealthyEdge

With heartfelt gratitude,
Dyann

Gratitude is Spilling Over on the Eve of Our Eighth Wedding Anniversary!

Tonight I received an email from a dear friend announcing she is creating a Gratitude Club. I love the idea and sent her a note to thank her for the idea and her invitation to join. Then I thought of all the ways I have let my acknowledgment of gratitude go by the wayside. I think of it, speak of it and believe in being grateful daily. However the piece I missed the most was being here in The Gratitude Room and sharing what's on my mind. I have been in the process of trying to create a new blog with my husband, Wild, and that has kept me from being here. I am happy and grateful to be back!

When I start to write I never quite know where I am headed. Tonight is no different. As I write this I am reminded that tonight is the eve of our eighth wedding anniversary and there is no one I am more grateful for having in my life than my dear husband, partner and best friend, Wild.

This is a photo taken almost exactly one year ago. It was taken by a passer-by on the beach two days before our seventh wedding anniversary. This particular beach is easily identified by anyone who has ever been there as this is the famous Haystack Rock behind us at Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Wishing Wild a happy anniversary, on the eve of that special day eight years ago, seems perfect here in The Gratitude Room. With loving gratitude to you my dear and delightful husband for the most wonderful, exciting, adventurous, loving, happy, creative, joyful, supportive, close, meaningful, fun, surprising, humorous, delicious and yummy marriage I could ever possibly imagine!

With deeply loving gratitude for the past eight years and for the many amazing years ahead! We still have much to experience and create together!

With love,
Dyann