Trip to Mobile, AL

This past Monday, we visited the U.S.S. Alabama. It was a battleship used in WWII. It was voted by the boys as one of the coolest things they have ever toured.

Andrew and Elijah "operating" the on-deck machine guns.

They allowed us to see all the loading areas for these enormous guns. It was fascinating to see how the artillery made it up several flights and into the barrels.

The boys met this guy on the tour.

The Brig... Just where these two monkeys belong!

They thought the sleeping quarters were fabulous! As for me, I was not sure I could handle such close quarters. I am pretty sure these were the upscale officers' bunks.

This was a program for a worship service in the Chapel. They sometimes held services on deck in good weather. The Hymn was beautiful:

From all that dwell below the skies,

Let the Creator's praise arise;

Let the Redeemer's Name be sung,

Thro' every land, by every tongue.

Eternal are Thy mercies, Lord;

Eternal truth attends Thy word;

Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore

Till suns shall rise and set no more.

Micah's favorite: A Tomcat

We also went inside the U.S.S. Drum; a submarine that completed 14 war patrols from 1942-1946. Claustrophobia, here I come!

They let Andrew and Elijah take her for a spin around the Gulf;)

Some buy the T-Shirt, we buy the hats. Captain Childs and Sailor Childs reporting for duty- running around and playing on all the "military stuff".

At the end of the day, we had some fabulous seafood at "The Original Oyster House". Micah and I loved the fresh seafood and the boys loved the little alligators that sat perched on their kids shrimp and fish.

For more info on the U.S.S. Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, visit http://www.ussalabama.com/.