It all started when…

It was 1989. I got a letter in the mail that said “Come see the new Shoebox to Showcase scrapbook albums; learn how to get your pictures out of those yucky sticky albums. Bring a friend and get a FREE PEN!”

Of course I wanted to learn about putting pictures in albums. Ordering triplicate copies of pictures was the ”in” thing to do when you got them developed. Which meant that my once-scant box of pictures was now exploding all over the place in numerous boxes, spilling out of bags, and peeking out from under the bed.  SO many pictures because I had two little children.  And I meant to capture every new outfit, messy face and everything in between.

I worked as a Home Care nurse and was fortunate to be able to take my babies with me to some of my patient’s homes.  During those long drives they asked to hear stories of when they were little. “Mama!  Tell me when….”  (But you ARE little, I’d think to myself.) I would struggle because my days were so busy and I couldn’t remember stories. That is, until I took out the boxes of pictures.  Every picture had a story!  Amazing.

So when ‘that’  letter came in the mail, I knew this is what I wanted to do with my pictures. “This will help your children’s self-esteem!”  Oh yes, I was all over that one.

And the FREE pen – I wanted that too. I mean, it was FREE!  I thought, “who can I invite… let’s see…Jeannie!  We have kids the same age, I’ll invite her.”

My old car was bigger than Jeannie’s and fit all of us. It was a 1969 Chevy Impala, purchased brand new by my grandmother. But this was 1989, and although only 20 years old, the air conditioner didn’t work on that 103-degree August day.  The six of us (me & my kids and Jeannie and her two) settled in for the sweltering 2-hour drive from Redlands, California to Escondido.

The look on the lady’s face when we walked into her house is one I will never forget – it was clearly along the lines of “Oh my… they brought FOUR kids under the age of 3? I never promised a babysitter!”

But that day changed our lives.  I saw her opened family album with pictures and written stories.  I touched the pages, turned them slowly, looking at Jeannie.  “We HAVE to DO this!”

Interestingly, our hostess didn’t want to offer us the career opportunity. We asked, we begged and a couple of months later she finally told us “you can join now if you want to.”  I am SO glad I persisted and kept saying “I want to do this!”

That drive of misery was one of the best trips of my life.

When Jeanne and I showed our mom’s group, they ignited with excitement like we had. We made photo albums for our kids: we talked, cried, worried about being good mommies.  And we wrote it all down.

My mantra has been ”share joy every day” because that’s what we do with Creative Memories.  Taking pictures with a purpose, working on our own albums, sharing CM with more and more customers: we truly share Joy.

I ask new people I meet,  “How does your story start?  What event happened in your life to change its course, and is your story written down?”

At my crops, there is nothing more satisfying than when customers thank me over and over for the peaceful day of putting pictures into albums, or a wonderful relaxing weekend retreat full of learning and making albums, and making lifelong friends.

I invite you to Creative Memories however you’d like to be part of it…as a customer who loves your photos and memories or as an Advisor who would like to help others.

If you’re already an Advisor, are you ready to change a life by sharing the Creative Memories Advisor opportunity? One life touched causes a ripple effect that becomes a tidal wave: a wave of sharing joy every day. Hugs!  – Advisor Lanita Medina