I hate Wal-Mart.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-liwalmart-sg,0,1425783.storygallery

WHY?? whhyy?? What could WAL-MART be selling that is SO important that someone gets killed over it?

Lacey... I'm never going to walmart again... you're on your own, girl.

Be The Change

First of all, I just have to take this moment to declare that we are currently beating Texas Tech. In football. Yes. We probably won't win. I don't care. We are ahead now. I love Robert Griffin.

I've been thinking a lot about the saying, "Be the change you want to see in the world." I love this quote. People who complain about situations but do nothing to change them really bother me. The change I see that needs to take place is not in non-Christian communities. It's in the Christian community. Selfishness consumes the church today. People get upset with non-Christians for living selfishly... They have no reason not to live that way. When you worship yourself, of course you are going to be selfish. But when you claim to worship God, there should be no room for selfishness. How can we expect to make a change in this world when, not only do we not live like we have something better to offer, but we live as if we are better than those around us. One thing I love about Matt Chandler's decisions as a pastor is the fact that he refuses to build some super church... He will not add a coffee shop to the church so that the members can build relationships with the baristas at the local starbucks... He won't add basketball gyms so that the guys will go to the local gyms and play basketball and build relationships with the people there. Yeah, they might say bad things... They might not live a way you would want to emulate. So don't emulate them. Show them Jesus with the way you handle yourself. Christians try to build these little utopian societies where everyone loves Jesus and everything is encouraging and no bad words are used. Selfish. I think this is really easy to do at Baylor... There are so many self-proclaimed Christians that anyone who does not agree is shunned.

Something else that just blows my mind about Christian society is the lack of creativity. Why are the majority of Christian movies so bad? Bad quality, bad acting... Christian music, for the most part, is awful. I don't understand... Christians have been given creativity just like non-Christians... I think? The best Christian music is the stuff that doesn't sound like anything else... David Crowder, Derek Webb... Christian music and movies weird me out in general, actually. Something doesn't have to say, "I love Jesus," "Be a Christian or die" to bring glory to our Creator. Do what you were created to do. Please, for all our sake, don't force what you were not created to do...

How does this affect me? I haven't quite figured that out yet. I want to challenge Christians to abide and obey. I am not sure how I will go about doing so, though. All I know is that if I do not love, I might as well not bother.

We are losing again, 14-13... o well. Sic 'em RG.

I LOVE mashed potatoes!

I'm sitting in my bedroom at home, surrounded by orange walls and pictures from high school. I've made an effort not to change out the pictures in my room at home because I want it to hold as many memories as possible. The new pictures are with me at college. My counselor/cabin pictures line my window sill along with the ones from all the father/daughter conferences. My CQ Certificates line the top of one wall. I look at those now, and I laugh. First of all, most of my counselors had it easy. Many of the certificates don't follow the same strict guidelines the Towers counselors now have to follow... Also, very few of the qualities are the same... Sure, I got friendly a couple times, confident a couple times, joyful a couple times... I even got creative and outgoing as a senior. Weird.
I just got up and read them off my wall, and I want to take a moment to share my very first CQ when I was going into 4th grade.

Gentleness is a quality you possess. [HA]
I appreciate the consideration you have for others and
the compassion that can be seen in your heart. Keep learning!

I'm just posting this so my PC friends can look at it and laugh... :) First and second person is definitely not allowed now. I also find it funny that one of the things I have to work SO hard at being is the first quality mentioned. Maybe she just couldn't think of anything else. I understand that completely.

I am going to post, probably tomorrow, about some things that have been on my heart recently, but my dad wants to use my computer to watch the Baylor basketball game, so I figure I should get this to him pretty soon.

Updates:
I got my hair cut... My grandfather cut it yesterday. It's just below the shoulders. I loove it. I went over to my best friend from high school's house today and she was like "oh, you already cut it," and I said, "yeah, my grandfather cut it yesterday..." She stared at me like I was crazy. So I
added, "He's a barber." "OOHH... I was like, 'mmann you're brave, I would not let my grandparents cut my hair..." hahaha. Besties from college are wanting pictures, but I left my camera cord in Waco, so they will have to wait to see it live. I want to dye my hair, I just don't know if I want to deal with all the root problems, since I finally got my hair back to it's normal color.

My cousin says I should sell plasma to raise money to get to France. My brother suggested selling a kidney. I said I would rather get to France with all my body parts. My cousin told me that I needed to make sacrifices.

I watched Wall*e today for the first time. That movie is LEGIT. I'm a big fan. Disney going green.

I also saw Batman for the first time. I loved it because it was Batman, but it kind of disturbed me. What kind of superhero can't save the girl? Yeah, he's hot and all, but he.can't.even.save.the.girl!

It felt good to watch aTm get destroyed by UT. Now I'm just hoping that Tech will be tired enough from getting blown out by OU last week that we might have a chance. :)

My brother learned we have unlimited texting the other day and now all he does is send me really obnoxious text messages. Yesterday he went through all the smiley faces. One at a time.

peace.love.turkey sandwiches.

I'm Still a Rockstar

I thought I should post my most recently played list in order to redeem myself...

1. Jason Mraz
2. Gregory and the Hawk
3. P!nk
4. Jars of Clay
5. Joe Nichols
6. Tofer Brown
7. Daughtry
8. Natasha Bedingfield
9. Gregory and the Hawk
10. David Crowder Band
11. Carrie Underwood
12. A Fine Frenzy
13. Metro Station
14. Cross Canadian Ragweed
15. Chris Tomlin
16. Billy Ray Cyrus & Miley Cyrus
17. Pat Green
18. Miranda Lambert
19. Michael Buble
20. Lady Antebellum
21. Ray LaMontagne
22. Robbie Seay Band
23. Dave Barnes
24. Hannah Montana
25. Kenny Chesney

AND I rekindled my passion for pandora... looove it. Currently, I am listening to my Jason Mraz station... and it's Jack Johnson right now.

Today was Sic 'Em Day... I went and talked to prospective students about Baylor! For some reason they always laugh... at... with me? Haha. My only desire is that they love Baylor when they leave, and if that means I have to act ridiculous, so be it.

I got up early for Sic 'Em day, and then realized that my first class was canceled. I was a little bummed, because if I hadn't signed up for Sic 'Em Day, I could have slept till... 10:30! But no such luck today. I'm looking forward to Wednesday, when I can, for the first time in a long time, sleep until I wake up on my own.

I only got hit in the face once today at work. Record. She got me good, too.

I painted a masterpiece the other day. I like it. Haha I'm just kidding about it being a masterpiece... I didn't want to say picture because that sounds childish... But I didn't paint like a wall or anything. hah.

My roomie and I are currently obsessed with P!nk's song, So What... I decided it will be my new theme song after the "Bad Day" phase ends. So what? Our favorite part is the Jessica Simps part. hah. I noticed that Simps didn't come up as spelt weird, so I looked it up. I was unaware that was a word. haha. I'm glad it wasn't a bad word. Or maybe it is... sorry folks. That P!nk is sneaky.

open up your box of sunshine

I am so ready for Thanksgiving break... snap. I have to write 10 weeks of journaling for my psychotherapy lab... merr... I have 5 weeks done, but the other five might take a little longer.

Yesterday, I cleaned up trash along the highway... We looked like convicts. But we weren't... just your friendly Baylor students steppin out! We found a few diapers. Why, WHY would you have a smelly diaper in the car? Please do not tell me you changed the child's diaper in a vehicle going 80 mph. They warned us of ants, spiders, scorpions, and rattlesnakes before we went out there. They also told us to stay 1-2 feet away from the pavement because drivers don't slow down and you could bend down and then stand up and get your head chopped off by a mirror. Awesome. I seriously thought I was going to die. But we got to wear slash KEEP some wicked vests!

I made a pie for the StuFu thanksgiving dinner tonight. I felt so accomplished. I've made that pie tons of times but never in my own kitchen. Without a mixer. It's a little goopy, but whatev.

I just got done talking to my brother on the phone. I called him at 9:30. He was asleep. Regardless of what time it is, he is ALWAYS asleep when I call him. Anyway, we are going to NYC this summer to play slash sing on the street corners. He says he has to work but I'll convince him.

I want to write a book. I wish I had an eventful life.

I am getting a little boy his Christmas wish... He wished for shoes. At first, I was kind of bummed that I didn't get to go pick out some sweet toy, but then I got depressed by the fact that he could have wished for whatever he wanted and he said shoes. A ten-year-old boy who is so in need that he wishes for shoes. No specific kind. Just shoes. Sometimes I wish for shoes... But it's always a certain kind, and never because I really need them. Yeah, sometimes I "need" them... I always justify it with, "well I have no warm shoes..." or "I need shoes to wear at camp." Okay, selfish. There are kids who live across the highway who don't have shoes that fit them. That money could go to someone who actually needs it... Man I feel so convicted right now.

On a slightly different note, I thought I would share my top 25 played list from iTunes, because I find great humor slash joy in it. haha. I feel like I should add the last date plaid to justify myself... maybe...

1. Mary's Song-- Taylor Swift
2. Stay Beautiful-- Taylor Swift
3. Should've Said No-- Taylor Swift
4. Our Song-- Taylor Swift
5. I'd Lie-- Taylor Swift
6. Bubbly-- Colbie Caillat
7. Everything-- Michael Buble
8. From the Inside Out-- Hillsong
9. Famous In A Small Town-- Miranda Lambert
10. How Can I Keep From Singing-- Chris Tomlin
11. I'm Only Me When I'm With You-- Taylor Swift
12. I Am Nothing-- Shawn McDonald
13. How Great-- David Crowder(not sure how this one got on there above other dcb songs)
14. Everything Is You-- Eli Young Band
15. Picture To Burn-- Taylor Swift
16. Yellow-- Coldplay
17. Home-- Michael Buble
18. Only You-- David Crowder
19. Love Song for a Savior-- Jars of Clay
20. Fearless-- Taylor Swift
21. If We Were A Movie-- Hannah Montana(I'm not sure if I should feel embarrassed by that...)
22. A Song For You-- Michael Buble
23. Love Story-- Taylor Swift
24. You Belong With Me-- Taylor Swift
25. The Way I Am-- Ingrid Michaelson

yeah I started to and that didn't help my cause at all. haha. welp... I like Taylor Swift? Also--Boats and Birds by The Scene Aesthetic is bueno.

lots of love.

go.back.to.innocence.

we sang this song at church today:

There's darkness in my skin
My cover's wearing thin, I believe
I'd love to start again
Go back to innocence and never leave

Don't give up now::A break in the clouds::We could be found

There's nothing wrong with me
It's just that I believe things could get better
There's nothing wrong with love
I think it's just enough to believe

Don't give up now::A break in the clouds::We could be found

[Rescue is coming]

There's nothing wrong with you
Nothing left to do but believe something bigger
There's nothing wrong with love
I know it's just enough to believe

Don't give up now::A break in the clouds::We will be found

[Rescue is coming]

God has really been placing some things on my heart recently... over and over again, wherever I look... Waco is the fifth poorest city in Texas... 21.9% of families in Waco live below the poverty line. The national average poverty rate for families is 9%.
I don't know if I am supposed to help Waco, or any other place... But I know that I have been called to care for those who cannot care for themselves.

dcb also played "You are My Joy" this morning...

And He set me on fire and I am burning alive...
I cannot hold it in, or remain composed...
Love's taken over me...

What if every Christian lived as though God had set him or her on fire? While Waco is a very poor city, we do have some LOADED people here... A drive down Austin Avenue will make you think you're in Highland Park... I think that most of those people would also consider themselves to be Christians... In fact, including Baylor, there are a LOT of Christians in and around Waco... There are TONS of large churches... What if every Christian realized that it was his or her calling to take care of the poor and helpless? That, while going to Africa and South America for mission trips is important, there are people dying for someone to love them literally across the street. I don't know what that would look like... how a busy college student can get involved... but I think the results would be mind blowing.

We have already won... Rescue is coming.

somebody else gets what you wanted again

We decorated for Christmas!! Hooray!! I slaved away on a popcorn garland... haha with buttered popcorn... it was all we had!




A lot of pet peeves have been coming to mind lately, so I thought I would write them down, because I always forget, because I have so many. So then, when the great ice breaker question, "what's your biggest pet peeve" comes up, I never know what to say.

* When people don't use their car blinkers. I watched a guy today who was unaware his right blinker was on change into the left lane and then merge onto the high way... all with his right blinker blinking away! If he had been using his blinker like he should have been, he would have noticed it was on... I'm not sure how it got on in the first place, since he obviously didn't care about it that much. It seriously takes a very slight movement of the finger. No physical sacrifice required.
* When middle aged men use internet slang, like LOL and hehe and R, U, 2... It already freaks me out that middle aged/old men have facebooks... when they start saying LOL, I get REALLY weirded out. I hate using LOL... and I'm a girl raised in the AIM and Myspace era.
* When 7-year-olds have iPods. Seriously?
* When 9-year-olds have iPhones. This doesn't need an explanation. One of my girls wants a cell phone for christmas and I asked her who she talks to on the phone to so that she needs a cell phone before she reaches double digits. She said she doesn't talk to anyone. Awesome.
* ;). Winking smiley faces creep me out. Especially when guys give them. Ew. I am also not a fan of :P. Or when guys, any age, say "he he". I've been trying to get my brother to realize that it's not cool to "hehe..." I'm not sure if he gets it.

Moving on to music that is rocking my world right now:
Taylor Swift's cd... seriously, get it. Already Gone by Sugarland, Sound So Good by Ashton Shepherd, I Still Miss You by Keith Anderson, All I Ever Wanted by Chuck Wicks, Let Me by Pat Green, and Relentless by Jason Aldean are just a few songs I've been loving recently.

I'm reading Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals... Probably the best non-fiction book I have ever read. I LOVE it. I wish I could just sit and read it forever. Read it. Seriously. Melba was one of the Little Rock 9. She integrated with 8 of her friends into Central High School when she was 15 years old. The things people did to her are disgusting. I think everyone should be required to read this book. It will completely change how you view integration and Brown vs. BOE. I can't believe those kids had to deal with the stuff they did.

peace.

Though There's Pain in the Offering

What does it look like to live in confident dependence on God? I understand what it means to depend on God... I would not be where I am if I was independent. But sometimes, when He's the only Hope left, I struggle with trusting Him confidently. Really, the only thing that makes me believe He will follow through is the fact that if He wants me where He has me, He HAS to come through. I know He is faithful... I have seen Him work. But when I am left here waiting for Him to come, I sometimes forget that He will.

I want to go to France. SO bad. I just want to get away. Hopefully I will be able to come up with the money for the plane rides. And then talk myself into getting onto the plane. I hate public modes of transportation. All of them. Ew.

A man gave me a free stress bear today. Guess he could tell it's been a rough semester. hah. The bear is cute. Although I have never understood how squeezing a foam ball relieves stress. Maybe it will help.

I hate Greek.

Blue Like Jazz is being made into a movie. Weird.

Baylor basketball is dominating... :) Love it.

I am hopefully joining the International Justice Mission- Baylor chapter next semester. And I'm looking into interning for Compassion International in Colorado Springs.

This picture is a framer:

We were trying to all stand on the fence for the self-timer...
Blair toppled off, brought Sam with her, and Blake followed, I guess...
and then the camera went off. Love it.

"A fellow is more afraid of the trouble he might have than he ever is of the trouble he's already got. He'll cling to trouble he's used to before he'll risk a change. Yes. A man will talk about how he'd like to escape from living folks. But it's the dead folks that do him the damage. It's the dead ones that lay quiet in one place and don't try to hold him, that he can't escape from."
[William Faulkner]

Less of me, more of Him

I'm learning...

Suburbs are toxic

"You are God's WORKMANSHIP... His poetry, His art... called to Himself to do good works....
I just listened to Matt Chandler's sermon from September 6, and it is SO good... I would really suggest listening to it when you have a chance... it's over Luke 12:22-34. I have some of his quotes, but you should really just listen to it.
He is going to use the church to reveal the manifold wisdom of God by empowering, reaching, and saving the poor and the weak..."
"Keep coming together so that we might encourage one another and stir one another up in love and good deeds. So that when we come together, we are reminded of the gospel and what Christ did for us, in us, through us, to us, and that is to motivate us to leave this place and and do what is good, push back what is dark, and engage the orphan, the widow, the single mom, the kid that is failing out of school and doesn't have a chance."
James 1-- Look after widows and orphans in their distress and to refuse to let the world corrupt us... Right now, polluted means "we can't watch rated R movies, we can't listen to secular music, we don't drink! And we don't cuss, unless we're in our car, by ourselves, and no one else is around! And then we invent cuss words not use historic ones... Jesus said, 'no no no, we don't pursue the things the nations pursue...' you're polluted if you're chasing what the world's chasing and putting Jesus' name on it as if you're different."

This weekend was incredible... lacey's birthday... she discovered that she has been reading a fake Harry Potter book 5 this whole time... she had 20 pages left... aahahaha I was almost crying, I was laughing so hard.
Friends came from aTm!! hooray! I love them.
We slaughtered the aggies in football... it was never even close. hah. 41-7 going into the 4th quarter. I love Robert Griffin.


After we scored our final touchdown.. please take note of the aggie right behind us. hahaha

First things first: BU-41, TAMU-21. amazing.

I love Pea! :)

Blair came to town! and we danced!

So did Abby and Blake!

So did Allison!Jason...

dancin

The cake Lacey's mom ordered her!

Lacey turned 21!

We're getting stronger now, found things they never found.

I am learning to trust more than ever before... To place others' needs before my own... To pray instead of worry... To breathe instead of cry.

Greek has officially taken over my life. And it's destroying me. Sometimes, when I am writing in English, I write Greek letters. You would think that if it's unconsciously penetrated how I write, I would be good at it. False.

Taylor Swift's new cd came out yesterday. Incredible. She is so talented.

I had my final psychotherapy session last night. Ok, it's a group psychotherapy lab... whatever. I am so glad it's over.

My little Monday girls at work are getting so good! I have had them for almost a year, and I am SO proud of them... they are 6, and they are like my best friends! One(one of my old prof's daughters) stuck her cartwheel on the high beam by herself, and another almost has her roundoff backhandspring... there was much screaming and hugging and rejoicing! They bring so much joy to my life!

I went home last weekend, and got to hang out with my high school best friends. I miss them so so much. It was Caleb's 21st birthday, so I wrote him 21 memories over the past 7(omg) years, and it was a struggle to keep it at 21. Caleb, Kaitlyn, and Bryan are those best friends that we could not talk for weeks... months... and still hang out like no time has passed. I love them and all the memories we have together.

I'm ready for all my friends studying abroad to come back already!!

Steven Curtis Chapman and Robbie Seay are playing at KOT's Christmas on 5th Street! I'm so excited! And I am loving the fact that I only have 4 weeks of school left. FINALLY.

I register for classes tomorrow! 2nd semester Greek(if I make it... merr), Forensic Pyschology, Theories of Personality, Bowling, Christian Heritage, and 3 credit hours worth of clinical therapy volunteering... I have a lot of different options. I am looking at working at the Family Abuse Center, where I would babysit, interact with familys, and observe counseling sessions! Or I might work at the Waco Center for Youth and observe and assist with cottage living activities(I don't know what that is... haha), and assist with recreational, tutorial, and psychosocial skills training...

I really don't know yet... I would really like to work at the Child Advocacy Center, since that's the kind of stuff I want to do later, but it requires a full year's commitment, and I don't have a full year to commit. haha.

I am reading William Faulkner's Light in August right now. It's good.

There's something about the way the street looks when it's just rained

more political 7-year-olds... maan they just get more passionate every day.

me: did yall watch the election?
one girl: who won!?!
me: Obama
her: NNOOOOOOOOOOOO.... [literally... yelling... really really loud...] I HAATTEE HIMM... NOOOOOOOOOOOO.
me: why did you not want him to win?
her and her sister: he took my mom's job away.

me to another girl: why don't you like Obama?
her: I don't like what he stands for.
me: really? What does he stand for?
her: I don't know, that's just what my mom said.

me: What else do yall know about Obama?
girl: well, he's the first African American president.
me: yeah, how do you feel about that?
her: it's HORRIBLE.
me: why?
her: because I HATE Obama... I wouldn't want the first to be him...

me: why do you like mccain?
The only answer I really got for this besides "i dont know" or "he's nice" was "he was a prisoner of war, and survived being tortured."

One little 2nd grader liked Obama because he didn't like the war, and neither did she.

I think we forget sometimes that kids are sponges, and while their facts might not always be straight, they read actions much better than words. Their views of the candidates reflected a less guarded version of their parents' beliefs. They didn't know the facts but what they caught onto was the emotion. Kids are smart, and they are watching.

Oh, here's another good one from one of my first graders:
me: we're doing tuck jumps, so bring your knees to your bellybutton, and keep your arms by your ears!
her: yeah! it's like your armpits and ears are married, and your knees and bellybutton are married.

you can walk away, say we don't need this...

I am trying so hard to take this week one step at a time. I have a test in my hardest class tomorrow and the biggest project of my semester due on Friday. Then I get to start all over next week. It's like a snowball effect. It doesn't end till finals.

Today at work, I asked 2 of my classes if they had watched the election...
The first class was mainly 9 year olds... They didn't have much to say, besides the fact that they didn't like Obama... so I asked them why, and they said they didn't know... so we discussed how we shouldn't just not like someone for no reason... One girl said she liked Obama because he was the first African American president. I wonder if she really is stoked about this history making election, or if she just heard that on tv.
My second class had mainly 7-year-olds... They were much more opinionated... A bunch of "OOHH MAN, I'M SO MAD, OBAMA WON." So I asked them, too... Why they hated Obama and why they liked McCain. Here is what they had to say:

me: Why did you not want Obama to win?
2nd grader: Because he wants to change the pledge of allegiance... and the flag...

me: why do you like mccain?
another girl: ...[pause]... because... he... was in the Olympics... yeah he won swimming, I think.

The first real answer... remember, these are 7 year olds...
me: Why don't you like Obama?
her: Because he lets people kill their babies.



I didn't ask my 3-year-olds what they thought... But they were still cute:
Girl named Hayley: Hey Haley...
me: Hey Hayley...
her: What's your name?
me: Haley...
her: [really amused giggle...]
she loved the fact we had the same name... she just kept saying "hey haley, hey haley" over and over again.

crayons can melt on us for all I care

I have a lot of things I could say right now... the first being: I am majorly procrastinating right now. I have no motivation to write my paper or study for my test.

Another thing is something I am just going to go right out and say: I didn't vote. I know, you can call me un-American, un-Christian, un-whatever. I could go into greater detail into why I didn't vote... and then you could argue with me over why I am dumb and should have... but I feel like that is wasting both of our time. I would never vote for Obama, because I don't agree with pretty much anything he is about. And I didn't really know what to think about McCain. This was the first time I have ever been completely apathetic about an election. So apathetic to the point that if either were to try to sway me, I would just say, "that's great, I really don't care either way." I mean, I am a pretty opinionated person, but I don't hate or love either candidate. And I don't plan on complaining if stuff goes bad because whoever I wouldn't have voted for wins... I know I don't have that right, now. If my freedom starts being taken away, I will first trust the 3-way safeguard our forefathers set up when founding the country, and then I will just move if that doesn't work. Maybe I'm stubborn, and I just didn't want to vote because people kept telling me to... I don't know. I just feel like the problems I have with America are not going to be/should not be solved by the president or government. The economy is bad because people are greedy and selfish. There are people starving because Christians are greedy and selfish. Unborn babies die every day because people are selfish... the women are selfish and the Christians who refuse to reach out as Christ's hands and feet to those struggling girls and women are selfish.
I realize that there are a lot of huge reasons why I should have still voted. I just didn't like either enough to be responsible for placing one of them in office. If I'm going to vote, I want to actually like the guy and what he stands for. Don't worry, I still love Jesus... and I haven't turned into full fledged anti-American hippie... yet. haha just kidding.

This past weekend was crazy. After a really really rough week and little sleep, I woke up at 5 on Saturday morning to get ready for the homecoming parade. That lasted until 10, then I went to the football game and worked in the biggest donors section, giving them all their hearts could desire. I have never seen so much candy and popcorn consumed by a single person. sick. The game was incredible. I am so sad I wasn't in the student section for the whole game. I was so exhausted, though. Literally, words were not able to formulate. I looked and felt like death. I slept for 13 hours that night... When I woke up, my eyes were still swollen and I still felt like death. haha. O well!

In my Bible Study, last night, we talked about humility. It was a great discussion. We basically came up with the idea that instead of trying to focus on the abstract idea of becoming more humble, focus on the more concrete idea of being less selfish... Placing others before your self... etc. etc. etc.

That's all for now. Enjoy the pics.

The grass around the bonfire caught on fire. it was a little chaotic for a few minutes. And very hot. I was secretly hoping Mars McLean or Morrison would catch fire... Not a fan of either of those buildings. Josiah and Daniel had a contest to see who could stare at the fire the longest. They were both sissies.

This pic was taken around 8:00 AM... I had already been up for 3 hours.

Besties at the bonfire

After a bike ride at 5:45 in the morning on the access road of I35, and sitting and watching the sun rise on Austin Ave, it was time to start riding...

Towers, past and present at the bonfire

That's right, I got to partake in the largest collegiate parade in America. I only almost ran over small children a couple times. Their desire for candy overruled all sense of danger. Probably the saddest thing I saw all day was the homeless adults scurrying around, fighting preschoolers for candy downtown. I am still not exactly sure how to react to that.

We just happened to be walking by and my roommate was taking this picture, so, of course I had to join... and then kept on walking... haha.

I can't believe Alyssa captured this face in a picture. This was probably right before I almost crashed into someone in front of me. That happened a lot. Click on the picture to truly appreciate my face.