Happy Birthday to ME!!

And what a birthday it was!  Yesterday we found out that they will not be sending our things to NM as agreed upon the day before.  It turns out that by the time they got the message out to everyone, our stuff had already been loaded and was on its way here to UT.  It will arrive on Monday...I'm not holding my breath, though!  So...yet again, I had to send Danny on his way today to NM as he has to start work on Monday and get things set up for the house.  So, second move in a row that I am on my own.  I hate moving!  I don't want to do it again anytime soon!

IF the stuff comes on Monday,we will take off and join Danny on Tuesday.  Hopefully Wednesday at the latest.

My family here did try to make my day a little special.  All the kids made cards and my SIL took me to the fabric store to pick out some material for some nightshirts.  We're gonna do a little sewing over the next few days.  And of course, there was homemade chocolate cake.  Thanks to everyone that tried to make the most of a bummer day!  Next year has got to be better! 

Impressions of New Mexico

I wanted to wait until I had pictures for this post, but that is not happening anytime soon...so here goes nothing.
We flew into Albuquerque two weeks ago to secure Housing for our little family and I was expecting the worst. Basically, I was not expecting to like it very much, but I was resigned to my fate and was going to make the best of it. You see, when we began this whole MBA adventure, we had decided that we would go wherever the best opportunity was and where the Lord wanted us. Now, of course, there were places that I would have preferred to go; North Carolina, South Carolina, really most any of the southern states where it was warm and green. Then there were the places that were never really even considered like Michigan, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, etc. And by all means the places that I preferred not to go to...New Mexico being at the top of that list.
Well, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to find some green and trees as we made our final approach into the area. The Rio Grande river runs through Abq (abbreviated...that's just too long of a word!) and it brought a welcome sight to this girl that really expected to find nothing but brown as far as the eye could see. So really it wasn't all that bad. That being said, the area that we are moving to is quite brown. We did find a nice house to rent in a new subdivision just a few miles from Intel, which is such a blessing with gas prices and such. However, the back yard consists of rocks and dirt. Not my idea of a nice place to play...nevertheless, we will be calling it home for the next while.
Although I have to live with brown everywhere, I can drive a short distance and enjoy the green along the river. We are excited about the new opportunity that lies ahead and we are so very grateful that we found something so quickly after having our lives turned upside down. Our car and belongings are still in Michigan, but now we are hopeful that they will just send them to NM seeing as though Danny starts work a week from tomorrow. We should know more tomorrow (hopefully!)

Goodbye GG

A gracious woman has been taken from us today. It was my grandma that we affectionately called GG. She will be terribly missed, but I am so grateful that she is able to return home and be released from her ailing body. She was 88 and lived a full and wonderful life. She was married to my Papa for 66 years just this past Memorial day.  They had the kind of love that we all dream about!  He will turn 90 this Sunday and I know that he already misses his sweetheart. That is the saddest part of her passing.
GG was the loveliest of women. She was hard working and always believed that a job worth doing was worth doing well and completely. In an attempt to teach me this as a child, she tied me to the dishwasher with a cord just long enough to reach the cupboards after getting frustrated with my constant dilly-dallying. You see, my grandparents lived with my family for most of my life. I'm sure that I was not an easy little girl to live with, but GG loved me all the same.
GG had the best mind of anyone that I knew. She was an ace speller and I was fortunate enough to inherit that ability from her...of course that was before my mind had atrophied from lack of use and childbirth!

GG knew the value of a dollar...after all, she was a child of the depression.  She was very wise and thrifty with money long before it was in vogue! 

My GG would never be caught dead (no pun intended!) without her bright red lipstick.  I remember on Christmas mornings, we all had to wait until GG was dressed with lipstick on before we could run out and see what Santa had brought us.

GG was quick to laugh, swift to serve and always there for her family.  She loved the Savior and His gospel.  She was quietly faithful and a true stalwart.  She was a great example to me and all those who knew her.  

GG was as classy as they come, even up to the very end.  I know she is happy to be free and I know she is waiting patiently for her beloved (she was really hoping that they would go hand in hand-a true romantic!)

GG, we love you and we will miss you.

(PS-when I get my life back from MI, I will post some pictures of this wonderful lady)

WOW...

Your guys's prayers really work! Danny called Intel yesterday and spoke to a guy that had previously offered him a position (which he turned down to go to Ford) and he was happy to hear from him and sorry for what had happened...anyway to make a long story short...NM here we come. Intel graciously re-extended the offer and we will be headed to there facility in Rio Rancho, NM (just north of Albuquerque.) Danny will start two weeks from Monday. Yippee! Now we just have to see if Ford will just deliver our stuff to NM. I think they should have to! It would be so much easier than unloading here and reloading to head south.
We are so excited and feeling extremely blessed at this time. Thanks again for all your prayers...they really worked (and quickly to boot!)

Many Thanks!

I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who have left messages of encouragement and well wishes. We are taking it in stride and hope to find the silver lining shortly! I know that it will be hastened by all the prayers being offered on our behalf. I have truly wonderful friends and family and am so very grateful for all of you at this time. Your kindnesses have not and will not go unnoticed. Thank you again.

A (not so) funny thing happened on our way to Ford.

So we spent the past few days getting all packed up and ready to move. Danny's car is waiting for our arrival in MI and all of our worldly possessions are packed onto a semi trailer and are somewhere around Iowa at the moment enroute to MI. We had our boarding passes and were prepared to take off for our new life in Michigan when the rug was swiftly pulled out from under us. It may have been a bright, sunny day here in Happy Valley, but it was a dark day indeed for the Thatcher family.
Allow me to explain...Last week Ford announced that they were going to be laying off 10% of their white collar workforce over the next couple of months. That made us a little nervous, so we put our house buying plans on hold and decided to play it safe by renting for a year to see how things go...well, today we received a dreaded phone call. Ford has decided that they are going to retract all offers of employment...in other words, we are out of a job. Yikes! So at the moment we are jobless, homeless and all of our belongings (minus a few suitcases) are almost to Michigan. We are now relying on the good graces of Danny's brother, Steve, and their family. It's a good thing for family, without them I'm not sure how we would weather this storm.
Our world has been turned upside down today, but hopefully things will turn for the better shortly. In the meantime, anyone know anybody hiring a recent MBA Supply Chain Grad...Let me know!