Camping is in Tents

Mitch and I headed out of town for another weekend away. This time it was for a fly-in, aka a hang glider and paraglider meet-up. The fly-in was near Flagstaff, out at the base of some of the old cinder cones and craters. The area was beautiful- desolate and serene.

We got in late Friday night, set up our tent, which luckily is quite quick and easy, and which we've gotten really good at, inflated our sleeping pads and spread out the sleeping bags. At the last minute, before we left, I grabbed two small blankets in case we got cold. We were so cold. The little blankets helped some, but we're not enough and trying to fit two people under what I meant to be a small couch throw wasn't easy. The night was spent tossing and turning and huddling together for warmth. 

I had already volunteered to go into Flagstaff to pick up some grass seed for Mitch's dad, so I added a warm blanket to my list. I may have found a few more items while I was there... But that's neither here nor there. While I went to town, MItch went to fly. Unfortunately the winds were high and unfavorable for flying so there was a lot of para-waiting followed by a disappointed drive down the craters.

But that night everyone was in good spirits anyway and we had a giant Bon-fire complete with s'mores and everything. It was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday night- good company, good fire, enough heat to not freeze, and a super soft and warm blanket which led to a much better nights sleep.

The next morning the winds were still too strong for flying, so everyone packed up and headed their own ways. Mitch and I decided to check out nearby Walnut Canyon. I hadn't been there in over 20 years, but remembered getting to walk through the cliff dwellings. The park service has closed them off for preservation purposes, but you can still peak through the door openings and get a sense of what life was like all those years ago.

I did not remember the stairs. So many stairs. The views are stunning, the cliff dwellings incredible to see, but the stairs are brutal. It seemed like a million, but was closer to 300. If you want to see how out of shape you are, I recommend climbing 300 stairs at nearly 7000 feet. Bring water. Don't get me wrong though, it's worth the stairs.

After we left Walnut Canyon, we grabbed lunch in Flagstaff and drove south through Oak Creek and Sedona. The aspen are just starting to turn yellow, which made it an even better scenic drive and much nicer way to head south than the interstate.

From there we went to Arcosanti. Arcosanti is this weird little structure in the middle of the desert that was designed by an architect to be a more sustainable community. It has the feel of an oddly futuristic, utopian novel setting. The people were welcoming and kind and we took a tour, learning the history, how it was designed and built, and a bit of what they hope to be. The vision of the architect is certainly not one that will be reached anytime soon, he envisioned thousands of residents but only about 100 people live there at any given time. It attracts mostly artists and students of design and they offer 5 week long workshops to learn about the "arcology" that is their signature mix of architecture and ecology and "hand-on" experience (which sounds like free labor to me, but to each his or her own...). 

They also make bells at the site and we got to see the set up for bell making. This is really their only money making venture. They are made of clay or bronze and decorated by residents. In addition, every helps out with the running of the place. They all have their duties in the community and live in small apartments, either as family units, individuals, or with flat mates. They rent rooms and have a nice pool as well as performance spaces that host plays, musical performances, and other entertainment. I won't be moving in anytime soon (or ever), but it was interesting to see and learn about.

After that we stopped for dinner in Phoenix with MItch's oldest sister, Alana, her husband, Nick, and their boys, RIchard and Alexander. Richard is in kindergarten and showed us some of his writing skills and commented that he was glad I still liked Mitch even though he has a beard. Kids are the best. And then it was back home, to a nice warm, real bed, and the week ahead. It was just enough time away to relax, and so loosely structured that nothing felt rushed or stressful- it was the perfect camping trip. And I'm getting pretty good at camping!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Mexico: Land of Enchantment

I've driven through New Mexico countless times, but only spent one night (in Albuquerque) ever. So when I heard my cousin was getting Married in Santa Fe, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to explore the so called "Land of Enchantment". Turns out New Mexico is a lot more than just a space between Arizona and Texas, and worth the stop!

We were lucky enough to have a half day Friday since we had conferences earlier in the week and were at school until 8pm. So we hit the road about 3, which slated us to get into Truth or Consequences about 7pm. Except I forgot we changed times... But luckily I called the hotel we were staying at and they told us it was no problem and they'd make sure our room light was on.

But first, we had to make a stop. To see "The Thing!"- the classic roadside attraction. I've been once, but Mitch had not yet had the pleasure. The Thing is great- it costs $1 per person and you wander through several buildings full of weird, old, crap. Calling them "oddities" seems really generous. It's dusty old crap. They have old cars and wagons, and one of the cars is "believed to have been part of Hitler's motorcade". I'd like to see some evidence for that one... There are also drift wood sculptures, old guns, an unmade bed, and terrible reproductions of antique torture devices. Like I said, it's great. After you wander through the "galleries" that haven't been dusted, possibly ever, you get to THE THING! You will be shocked. You will be amazed. And you won't get any spoilers here- gotta make the trek and pony up the dollar for yourself. And after you see The Thing, you can head over to the attached Dairy Queen for a treat or do some shopping in the massive gas station gift shop. There is no losing at The Thing.

But back to New Mexico... We figured we couldn't make the 7-8 hour drive to Santa Fe after work, so decided to stop about half way: in Truth or Consequences (renamed in 1950 to win a radio contest hosted by the radio show of the same name). It used to be called Hot Springs, which is more accurate but less memorable. I found what looked like a cute place that advertised a private bath that is fed by the local geothermal mineral water hot springs. I didn't know what that meant exactly, but it sounded nice. It was so much better than I expected!

The place has about 10 rooms in casitas. The building was probably built in the 1940s and has been somewhat updated. It was cute, quaint, they left our light on and left they key in the door. No one is on site for check in, and when you check out you just leave the key in the door to signal you're gone. The private tub was the best part- it was massive. It had tiled walls that went up at least 3 feet and required a step to get in. It was larger than a twin sized bed and could host a small party if you se desired. And sticking out of the wall was a knob and instructions to "turn slowly". And turn we did- and out of a PVC pipe in the corner came shooting hot natural spring water. Pumped in directly from the local hot springs. It took some easing to get all the way in it, it was so hot. But it felt amazing and water was almost soft to the touch and slightly salty to taste. And, I assume due to the salt content, made me very buoyant. And there was no odor- at all. We both enjoyed a couple of soaks in our 15 hours in TorC. Our room also had a wall hung fire place, which was hilarious and obviously turned on so we could lounge by firelight. The next morning we grabbed coffee and breakfast at a nearby cafe and then headed north.

Santa Fe is beautiful. I know everyone says that. They are not lying. The mountains drape the background of the high desert landscape. Our accommodations were what I was most excited for- we stayed in a 70's travel trailer on a llama ranch! Llamas!! The owners were incredibly sweet and call their place "The Enchanted Yurt Llama Ranch". They have 11 llamas, 2 dogs, a yurt, trailer, and their house. They greeted us when we arrived and introduced us to the llamas and had us feed them grass and some homegrown grapes. I was pretty much in heaven. And their view of the mountains was stunning- we weren't around for any sunsets, but I'm sure they're breathtaking.

The main event of course was the wedding, which included rehearsal dinner Saturday night. Mitch got to meet even more relatives on the Conway side. He met 3 more aunts and 4 uncles and an additional few cousins. He does not remember their names, but is forgiven because there really are a lot of them. We did invent a fantastic drink- grave Jarritos (soda) with tequila. Dangerously good. By the end of the night we had 7 or 8 shot glasses accumulated.

Sunday morning, prior to the wedding, we hung out and got to walk llamas! Llamas! They have been halter trained and have long rope leashes. We were leant gloves to avoid rope burn and our hosts, Bill and Robbyn, led us, and three llamas, down the road, to the park and eventually to the river bank. Their rivers are much like ours- dry. At one point my Llama, Legs, was getting a bit rowdy so Robbyn took him. She only had him a few minutes when he pulled away and took off, galloping and jumping in the grass as he raced across the park. Bill took off after him and apparently he got about half way down the road before he realized he had no plan, so he turned around and came back to Bill. Meanwhile the other two llamas, MItch, Robyyn, and I waited at the other end of the park and the other boys were very distressed and unhappy that Legs had taken off and whimpered in the most adorable llama way. Once Legs rejoined his pack, we continued on our walk. We ended up walking for about an hour and a half. I had put sunscreen on my face and was wearing a cardigan that hit mid forearm and gloves. But hadn't anticipated we'd be out so long. Neither had Mitch. He returned with a nice raccoon eyed look, meanwhile I had a burnt neck and about 3 inch stripe on my arm where the cardigan ended and before the gloves started. We were obviously going to bring the class to the evening affair.

The wedding was in downtown Santa Fe at the La Fonda on the Plaza hotel. It was amazingly gorgeous. The entire hotel was classic Santa Fe style with southwestern flair, stained glass, and beautiful details everywhere. The ceremony was on the Terrace with the cathedral behind it. Nicely done Nick and Anna! There was a short ceremony, food, drinks, cake, dancing, and at least 60% of the guests were related to me. All in all, an excellent time.

The next day we packed up and headed home, sad as we were to leave our new llama friends. The trailer was an excellent taste of "living tiny" which is our new favorite thing to talk about (Thank you Tiny House Hunters!) so it was a fun topic of conversation as we drove through the New Mexico desert back to our familiar Arizona desert. I tried to sneak a llama in, but they're not particularly small or sneaky creatures and Mitch said no. So, no llama friends in Tucson. For now.

 

What is it?!?

 

 

Our giant hot springs tub. 

Setting the mood with some firelight. 

 

 Truth or Consequences. Fire water indeed 

 

Tiny but adorable. 

 

 

 

Sometimes a llama just want to eat all the weeds. And tree. And grass. And more weeds. 

 

 

 

 

Seriously, is this a movie? Gorgeous setting, gorgeous couple. 

 

Our matching cufflinks and necklace. Rhodaquarsite we got at the gen show and Mitch surprised me with by getting set into a necklace (and making his into cufflinks). A perfect match! 

 

The parking lot of Meow Wolf. 

 

Mitch playing a tune. 

 We're in the fish tank! Weird lighting makes pictures hard at Meow Wolf. Just go for yourself. 

The Work Drudgery

We're just over a month into the school year, and I'll be honest: it hasn't been great. It started off with so much promise and then quickly crumbled. The counseling department is funded for 3 people- two "alpha" counselors, who handle academics, credit checks, and personal and social issues, and one "College and Career" person who handles all the college and scholarship applications, college rep visits, and career prep. This is a severely underfunded department state-wide, and national recommedations for a school with 1300 students is 5-6 counselors. So 3 is already stretched way too thin. And then one counselor got a promotion and the other one resigned, so my trio is down to 1. Me. And my mantra has become "I am only one person, I can only do so much". Coupled with several new people in other major roles that ensure the school runs, it's a setup for disaster. 

And while I've spent some time feeling sorry for myself, and venting to many, many friends, I really feel sorry for my kids. I love my kids. That's why I work in public education. We all know it's not for the money, which is dismal especially considering I have a master's degree. I do it for the kids, even the ones who drive me nuts sometimes. I'm so glad I'm a person the kids can trust, confide in, seek assistance from, and go to. I overheard a kid, who is a bit of a handful and frequent visitor to my office, tell her friend that "Miss Conway is chill- just ask her to help you" and it defiantly made me smile a little bit. Just this week I helped a kid apply for free lunch because he lives with his uncle who doesn't provide him any monetary support other than a place to stay, and the cafeteria was telling him he'd have to pay for food. I helped another kid write a letter to social security stating he is a high school student so when he turns 18 next month his grandparents won't lose the small stipend they get for adopting him which goes towards their rent and utilities. He had come to me earlier in the year worried his family would have no place to live, so helping him contact social security to ensure they get a little bit of money for a few more months was a huge relief to him.

These kids stories go so much deeper. So many live with relatives, have parents in prison or who were deported, parents who died when they were just children or who left and have no contact now. I also have over 100 refugee kids, whose stories are for another day, because they are filled with heartbreak but also hope. They've seen and dealt with so much more than most adults I know. And yet, they come to school, in whatever state they can, and do what they can. They want to graduate. They want to get good jobs. They want to have families and cars and houses and nice things some day. And they're being shortchanged by a system that doesn't support them. And because I am only one person and can only do so much.

I work in a school full of people who care. Teachers who will bend over backwards to find ways to help kids understand the material and pass. Late work? No problem. Tutoring needed? You got it. Extenuating circumstances that kept work from getting done? We'll figure it out together, don't worry. I am so grateful for each of the adults who chose every day to come to a school that is underfunded, understaffed, populated by kids from low income areas with parents who may or may not support them and give it their all. They certainly inspire me on days that I want to throw my hands in the air and say "I quit! I'm done! You dont' appreciate me anyway!" So instead of shouting my resignation, I go home, try to let it go (I'm not terribly good at this, but I am trying), and know I'll be back the next day because it's about the kids and they deserve people who care. People who will go above and beyond for no extra pay, no extra thanks, and often no acknowledgement at all. And when a former student stops by to tell me how much they're enjoying college and they have a job and they're so glad I helped them graduate, then I know it's worth it. 

And I'll keep voting and hoping others do to and maybe someday I'll be in a position that is better funded and I'll get a raise too. A girl can dream, right? 

Best Friends Are Made at Birch Trail

12 years ago I needed a summer job. I was NOT going back to Yuma for the summer, so I decided to look for jobs at summer camps. I ended up getting a job at a camp in Northern Wisconsin (yes, Northern Wisconsin sounded better than Yuma). I packed my bags and flew to Minneapolis, got picked up in a big white van, and rode into the bustling metropolis of Minong, WI, population 521. And I began my first summer at Camp Birch Trail- an all girls camp that ended up being amazing.

When I first got there I told myself it was only 2 months and I can survive 2 months, and even if I didn't like anyone, it would be ok. I was 20- I was afraid the other kids wouldn't like me. I also figured it was a good trial run for studying abroad, which I wanted to do at some point. But I lucked out and Birch Trail was fantastic, plus I made some great friends. I worked there for a total of 3 summers, until I moved to Tucson and got a "real" job and no longer had summers off (man I miss college life!). One of the friends I met my last summer was Stacy. And we've been friends ever since.

We make it a point to visit each other as often as we can, at least a couple times per year. I have spent many a St Patrick's day in St Louis and she's made a few trips to the desert. We've also met up in Denver a couple of times- a convenient non-stop flight for both of us. And we did it again this year- to celebrate her September Birthday, being friends for 10 years, not being at work, and whatever else sounded good.

I really love Denver- it's pretty, the weather is nice, and there are lots of cute places there. The alcohol is way too expensive and difficult to get, but other than that I'm a fan. This weekend was no exception. The best part of seeing an old friend is just doing nothing. And nothing we did- there was cider and coloring and cable, which luckily was playing a Harry Potter marathon, ate cheese, and got a Bobble head at a baseball game.

I'm really bad at doing nothing- I always feel like there is something that should be done. Places to see, things to do. Especially on vacation. But the best part of Denver is for the most part, I've seen it. Which makes nothing a lot easier. And there was one notable event- we saw Boys II Men. They were playing at the taste of Colorado for free. We were nearly trampled in a crowd while we walked through the crowd, but eventually we found some incredibly over priced food and then some open grass that was practically behind the stage. We listened to about 4 songs, heard "On Bended Knee" and then called it a night. Boys II Men is not great live, but we can blame the speakers and outdoor stage set-up.

Other highlights included grilling and using an old atlas for fire starting, baseball game with Madeline, cider tasting at two different Cider breweries, an Uber ride with a gross bro-y dude who felt it necessary to comment on a woman's breasts as she was running, and the most amazing cookbook ever. I haven't tried the recipes yet, but I'm sure they're great.

 Ten years apart!

Everything’s coming up Prickly Pear

Last year, Mitch and I decided to make Prickly Pear syrup and jelly. And this year we did it again! We learned from last year, so it was a little easier this year. But it still requires plucking things off cacti when it’s over 100 degrees outside, so it’s not exactly vacation.

In case you're dying to make your own- here’s the process:

1. Go collect the ripe pears. You can tell they’re ripe when they’re a reddish-purple and come off easily. Use tongs for this- the longer the better. Again, they grow on cacti so they’re spiny little suckers. And they have the tiny spines that are impossible to see in your fingers but will hurt every time you touch anything.
2. I recommend not doing this at noon on the hottest day in the past two weeks. I did not take this advice. It was gross outside and I returned home drenched in sweat.
3. Take your giant bucket full of ripe pears home. Then use a lighter or creme brûlée torch to burn all the little spines off. This is best done while sitting on the floor and watching TV. 
4. Next cut them into quarters. Use an old cutting board because it will be pink. Your fingers will also turn pink when you touch them to put them in a big pot. Everything will be pink- bright pink!
5. Fill the pot with water so it just covers the pears and then boil it for a solid 10 minutes. Then mash it all up.
6. Straining time. This is where experience spoke up finally. Last year we used an old (and clean) pillow case to strain things. This year I spent $15 and bought a stand with two straining bags. It was a very good choice. Straining very hot cactus pieces is more time consuming than you’d expect. And those little guys are FULL of seeds. But eventually you will have a giant bowl of pink juice.
7. Then its time to make it into something else- syrup or jelly. Boil it with sugar and pectin (for jelly) and then jar it up. This is the time to invest in a funnel that fits on a jar perfectly. Hello Ace Hardware, my old friend.
8. Fill ‘em up and pop them in boiling water to seal. And, several hours and a lot of pink later, voila! Prickly Pear Syrup and Jelly.
9. Make margaritas. This is the best part. Share. Don’t share. Your call. As long as there are margaritas with prickly pear syrup, it’s all worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Back to School Blues

It’s been nearly a month since we got back from our Roadtrip. And what a month it’s been. School started just over 2 weeks ago and Mitch and I were back to work a week and a half prior. And it has been non-stop. Like every school, the beginning is a mix of chaos, confusion, excitement, nervousness, and “can I change my schedule?” echoing through the halls. 

There seems to be a sort of magic that encompasses vacation. Even when crappy things happen, its within the bubble of vacation, and doesn’t seem so bad. After all, you still get to wake up on vacation! I got really used to this bubble in the 6 weeks we were on the road, which made the return to work (aka school) that much harder.

On top of the business of school, it’s been busy outside of school. I spent the first few weekends working non-stop on schedules (the bane of my career existence). And then Mitch got sick. He’s been coughing non-stop for over two weeks, including missing an entire week of work. I forced him to ask his Dr for Rx Cough Syrup so he (and I) could get some sleep. But he still sounds like a 5 pack day smoker and cough syrup is a necessary evil to get some rest. On top of that we got the car fixed (thanks Raccoon- you owe us $800) and then Mitch had a blowout, which meant a tire replacement to the tune of $250. This new car is costing even more than anticipated.

Then i found out my new co-counselor, who is wonderful and so great to work with, took a job as the Coordinator of counseling for the entire district. I’m thrilled for her, and truly happy and quite relieved to know that such a dedicated, smart, hard working person will be in this incredibly important role. But I’m also really upset, because I’m once again alone. There are lots of talks of finding someone and getting a retired counselor to act as a sub, but the reality is those are short term solutions, and even when/if a permanent replacement is found, they will need to be trained- learn the staff, learn the master schedule, learn the kids, learn the school, etc. And i was so looking forward to a less stressful year and working with a great team…

But just as life, work, car, seemed to be getting the better of us, the perfect night came along. Over the summer I bought concert tickets to see Old Crow Medicine Show and Brandi Carlile. I really enjoy both their music and figured it would be a fun evening. Tickets were more than I would typically spend on a show, especially a show of artists I like but don’t LOVE. Even, like in this case, artists I really like. But i splurged and did it anyway.

As the concert approached, I started to regret my purchase. It was a school night, we had to get up early the next day. Plus it was at the casino, which is a solid 30 minute drive. I even briefly departed trying to sell them. I could tell Mitch was having some buyers remorse as well, so I faked some excitement hoping it would rub off. His parents called and asked if we wanted to meet for dinner. I was already tired and a little grumpy and figured we’d pick up food anyway, so we agreed.

We went to Wild Garlic Grill, which is one of the best restaurants in Tucson- by far- and it lived up to every ounce of expectation. From there, we headed West. Further West than I pretty much ever go. We got to the venue just a few minutes before the concert started, found our seats, and relaxed. And then the music started. It was fast, and upbeat, and featured fiddle and banjo with appearances by the harmonica and accordion. And neither of us could stop our feet from tapping or the smiles from spreading across our face. As the music continued, we were both entranced. One of the things we share is our history of being music kids. Mitch was in orchestra while I was in the band, but I try not to hold that against him. 

At one point Mitch stood up, grabbed my hand, and we danced in the aisle. Albeit, badly. We need dance lessons. But it was fun and at that moment there was no stress. There was no work, there was no car, there were no bills, there was just us and music and a warm night with a gorgeous full moon. We left the concert a bit early, knowing we needed to get home and to bed, and as we walked out we heard Brandi Carlile sing “I Was Made For You” and it couldn't have been timed more perfectly. We danced on the sidewalk, looked at the moon, got all goggly eyed and mushy, and in that moment I was completely filled with love and gratitude and happiness. Because as crappy and stressful as parts of the last couple of weeks have been, I have a partner by my side going through it with me, and I with him. And somehow that makes it seem a little more manageable. It makes the decision not to smother him in order to stop the coughing worth it.

Reflections on a Road Trip

We've been back for a week, but a week in real life has so much more going on. It has given some time to reflect on the summer and look back over things. Overall, this was an amazing summer and fantastic trip. We had a ton of fun, saw SO many people, got to do really cool stuff (paragliding, mystery houses, big cities, and national parks), and spend an incredible amount of time together.

Other than when Mitch was flying, we were together 24/7 for a total of 42 days. Thats a lot of time. And a lot of bad jokes. We laughed, I cried (mostly when my back hurt really badly), we listened to music and podcasts, we had deep conversations, and read a lot of Laffy Taffy jokes. And I couldn't have asked for a better person to do it with. I think Mitch is truly the only person I can spend that much time with and not want to murder at some point. There were a few tense moments, but they were rare and typically centered on traffic and scheduling. Mushy alert: I departed on this trip totally in love with this guy, and I returned even more in love with him.

On another note, here are a few things I learned along the way:

-We didn't camp as much as anticipated because setting up camp takes a long time and its so much quicker to find a cheap motel
- Packing for 6 weeks is hard. I over packed. I did not get invited to tea with the queen, or any other dignitaries for that matter, so packing more than one "nice" outfit was unnecessary.
- Leggings are the best. Ok, I already knew this, but it bears repeating.
- Traffic sucks and is impossible to predict when you're 400 miles away.
- Weather is also tricky when you plan to traverse the majority of the country.
- I overestimate how cold I'll get. I would have been fine with one warm thing and layers. But I fear the cold!
- Car snacks are imperative; hanger is real.
- Fast food is just that- fast. And trying to shop and pack a cooler is way more hassle.
- Friends and family are awesome to visit, but I think for our next trip we'll go it alone.
- We are both incredibly lucky to have so many people who love us enough to let us crash on their couches and spare rooms (hooray for friends with guest rooms!), feed us, let us wash our clothes, entertain us (some of you need to work on your juggling, but we'll let it go this time), and just take time out of their lives to spend some of it with us. So thank you to every!!

No trip would be complete without a "By The Numbers", right?

So here it is:

42 Days on the road
8,290 Miles Driven
267 Hours spent driving
39.5 MPG averaged (thanks Hybrid!)
99 Friends and family members seen
29 Pets, belonging to those friends and family
5 Nights Spent camping
7 Nights spent in hotels (2 in Canada, 1 in Oregon, 1 in Idaho, 1 in Wyoming, 2 in Wisconsin)
3 Hotel nights that were unplanned (not bad!)
14 States visited
3 More states driven though
5 National Parks
4 Time Zones
2 Countries (Hey, Canada!- our first trip together abroad)
3 Roadkills (1 more if a swarm of locusts counts)
2 People who still love each other!

 

Day 1 vs Day 42

Okie Dokie

Our final stop on the road was Oklahoma City. It was a brief stop but we managed to squeeze the last drops of vacation out of it. I have relatives in OKC so Mitch was suggested to more family meetings. He may not have all the names down, but in just over 36 hours he met two aunts (Linda and Sharon), one uncle (Tom), 5 cousins (Meghan, Kiley, Lindy, Cassie, and Blair), two three cousin husbands (David who belongs to Meghan, Paul who belongs to Kylie, and Jody who belongs to Blair), a boyfriend (Ulys who is with Lindy) and four littles (Meghan's cuties Emma and Andy and Blair's cuties Ellie and Remy). And I didn't even provide flash cards. But he got to play with Cassie's darling kitten, Mowgli, so he was ok with it. 

In the afternoon we had to explore, we went to the Oklahoma City bombing memorial and the Centenial Land Run monument (I'd never heard of it either). The bombing memorial is beautifully done- it sits where the federal building once sat and on either side are large square arches that signify the entrance and have the times 9:01 and 9:03 on them. The bombing occurred at 9:02, so the represent the world before and after. There is a serene reflecting pool and simple stone and glass chairs representing each victim and the floor they were on in the building. The chair is engraved with their name and the children's chairs are smaller in size. There are a number of trees that were planted to represent the first responders and an additional patio covered in tiles painted by children from all over the US and sent to the memorial. The entire area feels oddly peaceful for an area that was once the site of a horrific terror attack. The footprint of the building is visible along one side and the neighboring building, which was also damaged, now serves as a museum. It's heartbreaking that such a place has to exist- that so many people lost their lives and are now just memories. 

After we left the memorial we switched gears and went to the land run monument. It was unique to say the least. It was mostly larger than life but incredibly detailed statues of people on horses and in covered wagons. From a distance the statues looked like they'd be life size, but as we got closer, they got larger. And larger. And larger. I think the people were about 8 feet tall and the horses were terrifyingly large. The monument is located near the boathouse district. I didn't not see "boathouse district" coming being in a landlocked state. But they have an Olympic practice rowing course on the river, which Mitch rowed on back in his college days. Oklahoma is just full of surprises. And giant horses. 

We capped our visit with dinner with the previously mentioned family members. Then got some sleep. The next morning we packed up, got in the car, and drove. And drove. And drove some more. Then drove more. For what seemed like forever but was actually about 16 hours. But at a little after 11pm we pulled into our drive way and had officially made it home! 

 

 

 

 

 

Spray painted on the wall by a first responder while they looked for survivors. 

 

 

 

 

Mitch have this poor guys high five as he fell on his horse.