Very Fun Time & Very Sobering Time celebrating LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Sharing and celebrating the Labor Day Weekend

We're ready and heading out......3 generations: father, son, grandson, and me, mother.

Marc had gotten us 4 tickets to attend the Oklahoma City Redhawks Baseball game against the Memphis Redbirds on Friday night. 

We traveled to OKC and checked into our motel.  The game started at 7:05. 

The entrance to the Bricktown Ball Park with downtown OKC in the background

Our great seats were right behind home plate

On the second tier of the 3 tier structure in what they call The Suites.

Not only were our seats perfect in the second row but all the food we wanted to eat was free.

We could either go into the area behind the glass doors to the buffet, order off the buffet and eat at tables in there....or order from the menu at our seats, as many times as we wanted, and the food was brought to us.  

The temps that day had been in the high 90's and low 100's so we were afraid it might really be

hot, but because of the height of the 3 tier structure on the west it was very pleasant.   We opted to remain in our seats and order, and ORDER and ORDER.  The problem....

we ALL overate!!

After the game there was a terrific Firework display that was fantastic.  Oh...forgot to say....the OKC Redhawks lost to the Memphis Redbirds 5 to 0.  That part was not to good :o)

After our 2 block walk back to where the car was parked, Marc decided we needed to stop for ice cream before heading back to the motel so we located a Braums, even with our full stomachs.

We had discussed whether to just go over for the game and drive home late afterwards or stay overnight in a motel and do something special on Saturday.  We all opted to make our outing and fun last longer.

The next morning, after eating breakfast at Grandy's (where Marc was determined to have their chicken fried steak breakfast) even though we could have a free breakfast at the motel, we headed to downtown again.

This time to visit the the Oklahoma City National Memorial 

A picture of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building after the bombing. 

Marc and Aric entering the memorial after climbing up several flights of stairs from the street level,  
Notice the 9:03 on the marble over the doorway - the exact timing of the bombing on April 19, 1995

The chairs that represent the 168 people who died.  Each chair represents one person, a big chair for an adult and a smaller chair for a child.  Each chair has the name of the person, and the bottom of each chair contains a lamp which is lite at night.  We have never seen it at night, but would love to and am sure that it is really impressive.

You can read below: about each of the 9 rows representing the people killed on the 9 floors of the building and 5 others at the West end of the chairs.  One of our dear church friends daughter was one of these 5 killed in another one of the buildings.  

There were a total of 324 building within a 16 block radius that suffered damage and 86 cars were destroyed or burned. 

The beautiful reflecting pool cover where NW 5th Street ran.

The friendly and informative Park Ranger talking to Mickey and answering questions. 

Susan with the park ranger, with Aric looking on, beside the reflecting pool. 

Susan, Marc and Aric  in a corner where a part of the wall remains.  The plaque to our left is engraved with the names of 600 people who survived the blast in the various 324 buildings within a 16 block radius.  

Susan and Mickey at the exact location where the U-Haul Truck was parked and where the bomb exploded.

Mickey and; I had brought Oksana here once 10 years ago when she was only 10 years old.  Marc had visited here about 4 years ago.  Aric had never seen it.  It was a VERY moving experience to sense such a tranquil setting and spot where 168 people were killed and 680 injured.  

We would highly recommend you visit this Memorial if you ever have an opportunity.