i have the cutest friends...

em and henry- otherwise known as "hemily"- are some fun peeps...their picture is pre-ride...me and henry are post-ride...i will show a team picture later...good times my friends...good times...

seriously?

"the ones that suffer the most are the ones that don't know what they want"...is it really ambiguity that drives us to misery when it comes to love? or- what you think you have is not really what you have so therefore you just become more and more crazy obsessed with what you don't have and try to make it something that you think you could have...it's endless, isn't it? :) there are fleeting moments of clarity and then they pass by like a public bus on guadelupe...you see them...and then you get confused as to which moment you are recalling...they all look the same...but their not!

yeah!!

well, it was more than i ever could have imagined...i actually rode all 50mi and went through today with no pain...i'll say that is a good thing! the ride raised over $500,000 and this was the first year the HRA surpassed its goal! there was a ceremony to honor all who have died of HIV/AIDS...i will never forget what i learned this weekend...and for the one in which i rode this ride- i love you...

i always open the blog up with something brilliant in mind...then i get side tracked as i wait for the 2.5 seconds to pass as the box opens up...it is gone...except that i know today more than ever- when we hate- it destroys...

uh oh...

my friends, as i sat on the porch this morning i realized that next saturday i will be climbing all kinds of hills on a bike...have i ridden a bike yet?....no, but i am still going for it anyways...i figure if i can run 5-6 miles in one hour, then surely i can ride at least 10 mi in one hour...maybe i am clueless...but i am hanging on to this hope nonetheless...

i know that many of you feel so moved to help raise the $500,000 goal of the organization...i personally had to raise $500 and i am almost to my fundraising goal...i am using this opportunity to make one final plea to any reader at this moment...go to www.hillcountryride.org and search under riders...monica hall...then proceed to donate until your little heart is contented...it is for AIDS patients here in austin that need medical help, food, etc....this organization is making a difference in our community and i find it to be the least i can do to help out in this big, big world...

so, when you donate, i will get an email and then i will write you back with the loveliest of thank you notes...grace to all this weekend as i prepare for 50 miles of hills next saturday... :)

news? :)

if i didn't know any better, i would say these two people are on the verge of making a BIG committment!! this is what happens during the breaks of our early morning classes...we pose and pretend we are taking photos for the engagement page...pathetic isn't it? we should be concerned with the history of mission and evangelism...not trying to make wedding announcements...isn't he cute? :) sorry donna, i had to do it....

local austin theologian

the other day, i heard the ms. janis sing:

"freedom-s just another word- for- nothing left to lose..."

i am starting to wonder if this is true...


ps...in honor of pappan :)