Positive Points!

The Blessing of Reconnecting....

2012-08-23T11:26:00.001-07:00

Just looking at this picture makes me smile so big!

Kati and I grew up in the same small town in Alaska, we ran the same hallways at school, we had mutual friends, we probably went to the same church a few times....

but we were not close friends until two years ago.

It all changed because of FACEBOOK. Now; everyone complains about the 'evils' of 'the book' but if I had not posted as my 'status' that I was driving through Albuquerque to head back to California for camps.... we would have never reconnected.

Since that day our friendship has blossomed.

She comes each summer, works from the crack of dawn till dusk, sleeps in a camper and leaves her precious family for a month to give and give and give. All the while she smiles, she listens and encourages these children and families. She shares her light and love like a beautiful symphony.

To know Kati is to experience intense joy. To see how Gods love and grace can flow through someone, and how truly bright his light can shine!

Thank you facebook for helping connect two 'givers' who are now building a friendship

as adults that is so meaningful and fulfilling! I am blessed!!!!

I AM a Powerful and Confident woman, dancing in the light of Jesus; encouraging others through unconditional love and acceptance to live a joy filled life.

(aka) Katy

Tower 2

2012-08-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

Tower #2

This summer I spent a great deal of time by Tower 2 on the Morro Strand Beach. Every day when I would stroll down on the beach, seeing it would bring a smile to my face. Weather the shutters were cranked open or not.... it always just made me smile.

Over the next few weeks I am just going to be sharing some of my favorite photos.

Miles of Smiles....

2012-08-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

Project Surf Camp 2012

A great friend of mine recently told me I should blog. She told me how much she enjoyed my posts on facebook and how she loves my positivity. I did not have the heart to tell her that I used to blog and just stopped one day. So... I have decided to brush the spiderwebs off and begin again.

Its hard for me to have the words to write about Project Surf Camp. No matter what I write, it never seems to communicate the joy that happens on those beaches for these special children, families, volunteers and staff. Words could never touch upon the depth of emotion... I think only the smiles and very often the tears that stream down the faces of proud parents could tell you. Only the squeals of joy from children that often have few or no words; only the crawls back towards the water from children who often are content to sit. How could words ever describe the feelings that those images convey? The truth is.... they simply can't.

Over that past five years Project Surf Camp has grown. We have assembled an amazing staff, proudly formed affiliations with cities, we have major corporate sponsors, we are blessed to often get major media attention and we have community support. All that being said the thing I am most proud of is the relationships we have formed as a team and with these families. We have become a family who just keeps growing. Each summer we look forward to not only the families that return to us from all over the country... but the new members who join us! Year after year our family has grown and it just brightens my life! Project Surf Camp has forever changed me.

A scripture that keeps popping in my mind is Matthew 40: ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you also did for me.’ The truth is these kids are not the least of him; I am. These kids are perfectly wonderful with just who they are. They are right were they should be....they are perfect in his eyes. I am the one who in the past has had difficulty in accepting people, I am the one who has struggled with the issues of perfection.... I am the sinner and because of these children I am humbled by both Gods grace and theirs. I am forever grateful for the lessons they teach ME each and everyday. Project Surf Camps truly changes lives... <3 span="span">

2010-09-09T10:26:00.001-07:00

Project Surf Camp ROCKS!

2010-09-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

  Its been a long while since I have had the time to write anything about my life... and today is the day for an update!
   This summer was one of the most incredible of my life... the culmination of passion and purpose in my life and the ability to work with some very incredible children and families through Project Surf Camp!
   Project Surf Camp is a non-profit (501c-3) that I have volunteered with for a few years. They use surfing and ocean activities as a modality for teaching self confidence and independence for children and families with special needs. What we do truly is special and the way we do it, is so different; according to our families!
   Earlier in the year, I wrote a letter to the TODAY Show about Project Surf Camp and just what a incredible experience it was working with them, and how much I love volunteering with them encouraging them to cover something positive. I thought nothing of it other then that would come of it. Then while I was driving to Ca to go and volunteer for a month my executive director called me and informed me that not only did they like my letter; they were coming to surf camp to do a story about PSC AND we were up for a $100,000 Pepsi Refresh Grant!!! Long story short, we came in runner-up, won $50,000 got national exposure for our camps! Now have just an incredible amount of kids from all over the world that want to come to camps!!!! We are going to have to run camps all over Ca to meet the needs and we are in the midst of setting some goals that will allow us to work with children all over the country! I have had to stretch and grow, organize better, run faster and love deeper then I have ever known... and it has been just incredible. So much joy happens on that beach and the lasting affects of camp for these families is long standing.... I feel so blessed. Hope you enjoy the pics as much as I do!

Vroom Vroom... beep beep....

2010-05-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

As I stood watching Gavin driving these cars one night I began thinking about the pace of my life here in the city vs. the pace of life in the small quaint town I left 6 months ago. I spend alot of time reflecting, probably to much at times. I kept thinking what and who is driving my pace car in life? Who was driving it where we moved from? Some of the answers that came to my brain I am not proud of and some were great, nor will I share... its just important for ME to know those answers and to have learned those lessons... but when discussing it with friends it became a great topic for all us mommies. Not that life is a race, because we all know ( well I hope you know) that its not; but some of us are driving our cars so fast we are missing out on the fantastic moments, keeping our kids busy, busy, busy. Some of us are trying to keep up with others and have lost our focus and as one friend says " she needs to locate the gas pedal earlier in the day." Are you traveling so fast that your life has become a blurr? Days melting into days, lacking family and down time. Time to refill our tanks with the people and place we love. We all have heard about stopping and smelling the roses... but are you? Are you present in your own life? I know I have fallen in all these traps... and the answers to these questions are so important. So... who is driving your car?

Making Strides in the Fight against Cancer!

2010-05-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

     I have been unable to blog in a while, feel like my fingers were frozen in fear of what I would actually write on here... but I feel as if I do not begin again.... I never will.
     I have been involved with Team in Training for a very long time. It all started when one of my dear friends, was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of 22. He was a vegan, never smoked, never drank alcohol . He was one of the 'straight edge' young people.... and just a awesome young man! When Jeremy lost his battle with Leukemia it just changed my life. It shook that image that I had of cancer being a disease of the very old, I had this twisted idea that it was discriminating. While I was grieving I came across this flier that was placed on the counter of a business about Team in Training . When looking at it I noticed that there was a marathon in Maui that was on what was to be Jeremy's wedding day, so I signed up and began this journey. Team in Training at the time was a life saver, only this time the life was mine. I was of course grieving and TNT ( for short ) just kept me moving and motivated. They kept me talking and sharing and healing! When my father and sister were diagnosed with cancer they continued there support and I once again joined them in fundrising for a cure.
   After moving to Texas I just stopped exersizing and while I knew that was NOT good for me, I just let fear of the new surroundings kinda cripple me. I had every reason to NOT go out... home school stuff to do,I am going to do some baking today, I might get lost... and so on. I thought about TNT being a great way to meet people AND do something for someone else... a total WIN WIN, but still paralyzed. I had even discussed it with my sister ( who is a cancer survivor ) and still did nothing! Then when my sister Beth called me and said " Hey, I think we should sign up and do the San Antonio together" I felt the fear and paralyzation just disappear! So, November 14th I am running the Rock and Roll Marathon in San Antonio with Team in Training and for the next few months I will be working my way back into shape and be focused on fundraising the $1600! Gavin is my jr. running partner and will be working with me on the week days, and on Saturdays doing the long milage with my sister in Dallas!
     I am so excited for this new chapter in my life and the discoveries that await me. If you are interested in helping me fundraise its as easy as a click to my TNT page and you can dontate on line! I will include a link below! :)
http://pages.teamintraining.org/ntx/rnrsa10/kdavisyhvs

MY Mr. Wonderful... Papa G!

2010-04-15T06:13:00.000-07:00

Today is my sweet husbands birthday... the 27th Birthday I have been blessed to spend with him.

     How can I repay him for all the years of happiness, for being my soul mate and best friend, for real, deep-down lean-on-each-other love? For all the memories of working side by side building on our hopes together and all the dreams we've seen come true? For all the hard times we managed to get through because I had you and he had me? For the times he made me laugh, cheered me on, kept me going and yet even talked some sense into me when I was wrong? There is no way I can ever thank him or repay him for even one beautiful moment..... There is one thing I can do... I can love him forever, and I know I will, because something inside just lets me know that our love story, that started 27 Birthdays ago, has no end.
   Me & a litte help from Hallmark.

My Life of " Ing".....

2010-04-14T17:01:00.000-07:00

This is my life of " Ing" I am thinking Nike's slogan of " JUST DO IT" was enough when I was twelve... But as a woman... "JUST DO WHAT?" What exactly am I supposed to be doing? I think we have all had moments when we feel a tad lost, and after moving here to Texas... I have had a lot of those moments. On 'those' days, I break each day down into moments and "JUST -ING IT" instead ... This is my list! I hope you enjoy it.... now go and make your own! :)

Being = Being myself. With no judgment... just the faith that God made me just as he wanted me to be... a jean loving, tee shirt wearing, crazy tennis shoe girl!

Doing = Doing everything I can each and everyday to create something wonderful for myself and my beautiful family.

Asking = Asking for help when I need it, asking questions when I don't understand, asking myself the right questions so I can find the right answers!

Living = Breathing in and breathing out. Grabbing life by the horns and hanging on with both hands!

Loving = Loving is not a noun... its a verb... its as simple as that!

Noticing = Taking the time to notice all the small things that happen each and every day that are truly awesome! The small things are REALLY the big things!

Kissing = Remembering to stop and kiss my sweet husband... A LOT! Those 10 second beautiful sweet kisses. ( the ones my kiss say " ohhhhh grosssss ... or maybe just not in front of the children would be better.....)

Hugging = We all need a minimum of 5 hugs a day to have a healthy heart! <3

Singing = In the shower, in the car, around the house, with my guitar, at time some Karaoke... where ever.... when ever..... La la la la la..... mi mi miiiiiiii.....

Laughing = Crazy silly tummy laughs. Remembering to not take myself so seriously and L A U G H sometimes!

Learning = Really getting it FINALLY!!!!

Growing = Taking the time each day to read. Starting and finishing books. Especially Thelma's reading list!

Focusing = Being Committed to do what it takes. Keeping centered and really thinking about what I need and what my family needs.

Forgiving = Letting go of old painful situations, so that there is room for new great ones!

Committing = Easy as that. Starting and finishing everything.

Nurturing = Taking the time to nurture me first so I have more to give to those around me!

Dreaming = Closing my eyes and thinking about all the places and experiences that I want to have in this life time. A " Bucket List" of sorts.

Dancing = I may not be a great dancer... but I love doing it. It makes me feel wonderful and that is all that matters... at least I am not as bad as Elaine on Seinfeld!!!

Breathing = Not just breath in breath out... but the deep slow thoughtful soul cleansing type of breath's. Stress goes flying out the window with that kind of breathing.

Hoping = The constant belief that eventually leads to peace.

Giving = Giving to others freely and purely, not with any expectation.... just giving.

Praying = Being in Gods word each and everyday and praying for his will... not mine.

Playing = Remembering the child inside of me that need time to play! Loving that little girl and taking great care of her!

Cooking = Taking the time to be creative in the kitchen, its FUN! Creating!

Cleaning = Keeping things in their place all nice and tidy. Makes a girl happy and relaxed!

Smiling = I think all of these things together equals a great big smile...You know the kind of smile that makes your face hurt! A full blown jaw acheing smile... like you ate something sour... but really that pain... is just from being so over the top happy! :)

Pictures....

2010-04-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

My husband bought me a Pentax camera a few months ago, and I am having so much fun with it. I selfishly love going out and about and taking pictures of almost anything. Even though I now live in the ciy, nature shots seem to be my favorite because I feel like I get more 'quality' pictures. I thought I would share some of my pictures that I have taken so far. I am planning on doing some black and whites from the city soon... so check back... ps... for all my photog buff friends... any suggestions are totally appreciated!

Listening....

2010-04-13T15:04:00.000-07:00

I think so often we are often led by what we see.... " Its a beautiful day... the sun is shining" so I feel great.... but today as I sat outside for some 'Mommy Time" reading .... the sun felt warm, so I closed my eyes for a bit... and I began to just listen....
I am a new believer in those things that are stuck to the side of our head... listening to your life and everything around you is amazing! The birds here in Texas sing some beautiful songs and the variety of birds is massive. One thing they all have in common is they really like our back yard that faces the golf course. They love to sit in the trees and sing and sing and sing some more.... I love that. Every so often you can even hear the ducks on the lake... I am thinking they are like the base drums; every so often they make that low pitched quack, I noticed the way the golf clubs clink when the carts drive in front of my house... its similar to a wind chime, no breeze necessary. When the golfers tee off that sharp clank like someone playing the triangle.. only then I duck thinking that ball may clank me upside my head... When there is a breeze, the sound of the wind through the pine needles is heaven... a soft symphony of a whisper... its beautiful really....
I never knew there was an orchestra right outside my back door.... until today... and all because of those things stuck to the side of my head.... jsut another positive point.... well.... two of them really.

Something I am SO good at....

2010-04-09T21:26:00.000-07:00

I wake up most days feeling like I am on this great adventure... sometimes that is a good thing... and sometimes not so much.
Tonight I was invited to a new friends baby shower in Lake Worth, which is somewhere outside of Ft. Worth... not sure what direction really...I am totally dependant on my GPS to get me anywhere outside of Arlington. To be totally honest sometimes I get lost even using that thing... well tonight was one of those times. For some reason every once in a while I still make mistakes reading that thing ... I know I am lost when I hear that annoying voice on my GPS saying " recalculating" The voice is totally irritating and when I hear that word... I think " oh shit... now I have done it! I am going to get lost and disappear and no one will ever find me or I wil end up in Alabama or something" A state of panic begin to over take me and I lose the ablitity to have rational thought really... I can't breath... I might die. When I shared this "thing" that happens to me with a friend Mary Davis she laughed and I thought... " why are you being so mean... its TOTALLY not funny" but then she shared with me the fact that when she moved to Texas she too would be lost all the time and she did not like Texas all that much. Then she began to notice that when she was lost she would stumble upon really cool places and she made these great discoverys about all the new places.... People were always amazed by how many places she had been and seen..... and it was all because at one point she was kind of lost. I think tonight was the first time in 6 months that I made that 'wrong turn' and recognized immediatly that it was not wrong... but the right turn to find some thing cool.... Downtown Ft. Worth and the Arts district are amazingly beautiful by the way. There was no panic... just this sense of childlike wonderment that I was about to find something great.... Thank you Mary... for your beautiful insight.... I am not lost here at all... just doing something I am so good at... making new discoveries.

A Return to Love.....

2010-04-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

----from A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.
If you like the paragraph, you’ll love the book...!

Fufillment....

2010-04-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

     Some might say my life is not super exciting from where I sit right at this moment... my day revolves completly around my family. What their plans are and work schedules look like, what school work is to be done for the day... but I think from my stand point; that this is the first time my life is totally fulfilling!
   I have spent the last 20 some years looking for fufillment. Looking at my business, thinking that if I just did "this" it would make a difference, and I would feel 'better' ; Searching to make my house 'just right', if I had this or that, If I were skinnier, or my hair was different..... but none of those things made me feel better. Not one thing made me feel fulfilled and what I wanted deep down in my soul.    So, I read books and went to a seminar... which both helped at some level... but still I kept digging at what it was. The Seminar 'Choices' helped me begin to ask myself the right questions... What was truly missing? I could not figure it out for some time... until we moved to Texas and everything changed and I stumbled upon it..... My focus here in Texas is totally on my family... not on searching.... not on looking externally... but keeping the internal structure of our home functioning.... I am focused on my family!!!! A true "WOW" moment....
    My days are full and mostly happy... its not easy some times..as I am used to working outside the home, but I feel a fufillment that I had been searching for all my life and that feels amazing! Seeing my husband able to walk through the door after going to school full time and working part time and sit down and have a great meal together is beautiful! We are again talking at a deep level about hopes and dreams... we are romantic and able to laugh together, like we have not been able to laugh in a long, long time.   Our friendship and love seems new and fresh.   Just one change.... one person focusing totally on home and family! Call me old fashioned.... it works! :)

Day One...

2010-04-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I know that the strory we tell ourselves about each situation has SO much power over us... my story today sounds something like this " My lunch without Dr Pepper is not fun... I REALLY want a soda and I feel yucky without one" So pretty much for lack of a better word.. I am Jonesing for one...I am chewing gum like a mad woman and my jaw hurts...... what to do..... well..... there is only one thing to do....keep going and not have one.. I will suck down a crap load of ice tea ( not the gross Texas Sweet Tea ) and just stay the course... I may be a grouchy gum chewing crazy woman... but at least I am Dr. Pepperless.... Yes... my new story is I am Dr. Pepperless... my new word.

Its Time.....

2010-04-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

     Well, I am not one to let people know to often I am having a hard time... I much prefer to think of positive things and surround myself with those thoughts... they are way more comfortable to sit with. I like to hide when I am not doing well.... well... I think that cat is out of the bag. This life adjustment here has not been easy for me. Writing has been a sanctuary for me and a great place to learn and this month is National Blog Month or something like that so I am going to attempt to write each day and see what happens. I am also going to be giving up something I love. I am thinking that both these things together may be a recipe for at least some entertainment!
    I am stagnant here in Texas... I stay home constantly. Which is not all bad... just in Ca I was up and moving all the time, going, doing, being. Here I am just unsure really... not sure what I am supposed to be doing, except being a mom and teacher... while there is nothing wrong with that... I am not moving or exercising ... and that is a bad thing for me! SO...I am going to sign up and do the Rock-n-Roll San Antonio Marathon with my sister! We are only going to do the half run as its her first marathon and its been like 2 years since my last full marathon! I am not sure what my fund raising mechanism will be or how much my minimum that I will have to raise for the Lymphoma & Leukemia Society will be... but I have some ideas and I know it will be so good for me to get my running shoes on, get in shape, meet some people and figure some things out! I have always said if you want to hear the voice of God.... Go run a marathon.... eventually you will hear him!    In doing all this, I am going to need to lighten my load by 25 lbs... so I am going to be making some adjustments in my diet giving up my beloved Dr. Pepper and working to eliminate white flour and processed sugar from my diet. Holy cow... just writing that made me want a soda!
    Ok... so that is it. Today I am going to have one last Dr. Pepper and enjoy the crap out of it, load up my ipod with great songs to walk/run to... and lets get this party started! Changes are in the wind.....

Fresh Faces...

2010-02-14T15:54:00.000-08:00

      I love doing crafts!
     Being new to Texas and making new friends has just been so wonderful! A few of my new lady friends are pregnant and its been even more exciting watching there bellys grow and seeing that glow over take them... hearing some of those wonderful stories about their pregnancies... I decided to make them each a baby blanket for thier precious little ones soon to arrive and what a joy its been!
I think that everyone should make a baby blanket or a baby item of some sort! I know that giving is receiving... I totally get that... but its even more then that!   Making a baby blanket has been such a nurturing thing for me! Thinking with each stitch about this baby's mama and daddy... looking forward to watching them just fall in love with this new baby, watching family's grow, each stitch filled with love and hope for a future filled with all the things we pray for and hope for with our children.... These hours and days spent on these blankets have been spent nurturing that same hope and love for the new path we all find ourselves on each and every time we say "Yes... I will" or " Yes I can"   Each stitch is a step in the direction of creating a new blanket of love for others... and for myself... I think that is just as precious.... I cant wait to meet baby K. baby M and baby L.    <3

The Beginning of making new tracks....

2010-02-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

New paths are never easy to start... those first steps can even sometimes feel painful, your feet heavy.... or maybe you are running so fast on that new path that you trip and fall a few times, until you feel steady on your feet. I am not even sure which way I begin something new, probably a little of both.. but about 5 years ago I was offered an opportunity to start on something new and I took it.

The opportunity came in the way of a seminar called Choices ( choicesseminars.com) My sister had my attention as she attended about a year before I did. I could see how it affected every aspect of her life and she was able to see what she wanted more of in here life with such definition.... that she could make it a complete reality. Now her story is not mine to tell... but after seeing the changes that occurred... it made me VERY curious. So she offered the seminar to me as a birthday gift... and I took it!
This seminar began over 25 years ago, and is changing the world one heart at a time! The process' that you get to experience are life changing and just help you REALLY look at your life and for me.... it changed my life. I got the tools I needed to learn to create and promote the life I wanted. Was it easy... no. But I have the tools to create it each and everyday. Now... I have always walked with Jesus.... and what a awesome thing... but with the help and love of this seminar... I can fully dance with him.. I can fully rejoice, I am free to REALLY love... and by doing so... I can share that light of Christ with the world.....
Watching the Olympics opening ceremony last night reminded me of the light of Christ... as you watched the path the torch went all over Canada... we have the torch to spread all over the world each and everyday! With our spouses and children, with our neighbors, with the person who waits on us, with anyone that crosses our paths....
For me... I am on a brand new path... and sometimes my feet and heart are heavy... then I am reminded of that awesome light that got lit at Choices so many years ago.. .and I am OVER FLOWING with gratitude to my sister who loved me enough to share that light with me... so I could find my way and create a life that is filled with the light of Jesus.... its a blessing..... Check out Choicessemiars.com.... watch the video..

Day One.....

2010-02-12T12:11:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Positive Points!
This is a totally new experience for me and my life has been so filled with changes over the past year, that I thought I would begin to write them down and use my blog as a place to share all the positive energy that fuels my life each and everyday!!! Joy is a choice and I choose it ( 99% of the time) Hey, I am honest... and things have changed so much that I allow myself a "day" once in a while... I am human!
Over the past few months my husband, two sons and I have had some HUGE changed in our lives... We moved from a very small town in California to the booming metropolis of Arlington Texas. We moved from a truly wonderful wine town filled with people who we cherished and if I can be so bold to say ( people have said this....) loved us just as much. We were happy there, were blessed with a great church, friends and a successful business... but even with all those blessings.... there was something missing, and we knew it. So... after a lot of prayer, we noticed our hearts really changing towards so many things and thankfully it was not each other! The Lord started really working on our faith and began growing us and when we were blessed to really look with Godly eyes... We began to see opportunity in Texas... and with great faith and joy we started planning to relocate our happy family! I am especially excited as we have family here in Texas and now we get to spend so much time together... and that is a wonderful thing!
Life is so different out here but each and everyday the Lord reveals himself to me with plans that were bigger then I could have ever imagined for myself. He is just so faithful. This blog will be about our journey.... I hope it is encouraging and filled with Positive Points!