10 years ago

It was one of those "where were you when" moments that you will never forget. Thinking about it now, I have to fight down the tears that are welling up in my eyes. I remember it so vividly. My baby was so tiny and fragile. I had just dropped him off at daycare and was on my way to the newspaper to get to work when I heard about an explosion at a federal building in Oklahoma City. I was living in Midland at the time. OKC. Never dawned on me that it would be some act of terrorism. Who would do something like that in OKC? Really. I mean, come on. New York, Chicago, D.C. Those are the places you expect terrorists to strike. Not Oklahoma City. I just assumed it was some kind of natural gas explosion, etc. Then, I learned the news that it was a terrorist attack. Then, I saw the coverage on TV. I still remember the name of that sweet angel the firefighter was carrying from the wreckage. Little Baylee's lifeless body still reverberates in my mind. Nothing hit me harder than watching children being rescued from the building. One child, in particular, made me weak in the knees. This child was wearing a Lion King outfit exactly like my son's. I almost fell down because it struck me so hard. It is still so upsetting to see the
pictures of the aftermath. One shot on this slideshow features a boy who was brain damaged in the attack. He survived, but will forever be changed. So many will be changed forever by the actions of a few misguided men.

The guy in the picture below lost his mom in the explosion.

A couple of years ago, Army of Dad took me to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and it was very hard to handle. It is a must see for anyone who can go there. When I read about the Field of Chairs, I thought it would be a lame part of the memorial, but it is actually very poignant. As I looked at this picture, it brought tears to my eyes. What really hits you are the 19 little chairs for the children. It is very powerful to see in person. At night, they illuminate the bottoms of the chairs and it is incredible to see. The reflection pool is a nice touch, too.

So, today, hug your children a little tighter. Tell your spouse how much you love him or her and be grateful for your life. It is a good reminder to all of us.