We arrived today in Albuquerque, NM for our last stop before reaching our Gallup project. We are all very anxious and, quite frankly confused as to why we are stopping to stay at a hotel 2 hours away from our project city. But, either way, we are all anxious about starting our first project!
On the way here, we drove through Texas and stopped at The Big Texan restaurant (apparently it's famous) to eat lunch. Please keep in mind that this is the home of the "Free 72 oz. steak" (if you can eat it in an HOUR!) It was....interesting to say the least. We pull up to a GIANT red building with enormous letters spelling out the name of the restaurant and we were greeted outside by a larger than life bull "statue". Inside, we found tacky Texas decór, including stuffed deer heads along the walls in the dining hall, waiters topped off with cowboy hats who actually used the words "howdy folks..." and "open up that menu right there, partner and you'll see all the sides we got" It was ridiculous. However, all that being said, I ate the best chicken fried steak I have ever had. I also visited their gift shop and found $5 turquoise earrings, an armadillo sticker decorated with a texas flag, a texas patch and 2 texas postcards. I'm set for life on Texas gear. After we found our goodies, we played a shooting game (yes, this was IN the restaurant). the rest of Texas was ugly and flat.
Then we came to the New Mexico border and suddenly there was life and green things in the fields sandwiching the roads. It was a breath of fresh air. So, we love NM and the mountains - they are sights I have never in my life been exposed to outside of the movies and I am drinking it all in. Every time I look out the window, I see these towering mountains and they look so rustic and rugged and I see God's glory in them. It is a breathtaking sight! I am glad to be spending a week and a half here.
Also - a note on the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial pictures - we visited this last night and I am not sure that I have words to describe that place. It was one of the most beautiful things I have seen in my life. The reflection pool in the middle of the memorial pulls in the lighted chairs representing those who died, the times amidst the tragedy and the "survivor tree", representing a faith that cannot be moved. It was beautiful. You can see the pictures, I believe they speak for themselves.
that is all for now!
Anna
