Now Gimme Money (That's What I Want!)

April, 2000--I experienced one of the proudest moments of my life as my hunky honey walked across that vast, black, Marriott Center stage, blue hood swinging as he moved, to accept his diploma declaring him, "Master". It had been a poor two years, with one baby girl, another baby on the way and no one earning a buck. 'Though I wasn't exactly excited to be moving away from home and family, I was grateful for a new Intel job beckoning to us from the beautiful Portland area. Fast forward to August, 2009--for the first time in nine years, I FINALLY got to see where my darling spends the better portion of his life putting that degree to use. Due to security issues (I know, I look dangerous, right?), I have never had the chance to see Shayne's office. My mind's eye had a picture of him on the other end of the phone, but now I get to blend fact with fiction. Once a year, IM Flash opens the doors to the building (all 2.3 million square feet of it!) and allows employees to bring their families to see what is going on perched up there on the mountain. I was stunned to see the interior hallways--you can drive two semi-trucks side by side down them and not have the trucks touch! We took a tour of the plant and were told we had walked a mile to see a bunch of processes I didn't understand in the least. Oh,well. I just wanted to see that office, that door that proclaims a space in the universe my significant other occupies when not with me. The kids loved the cotton candy (which Shayne volunteered to hand out to people for a couple of hours), the games, free lunch and their own name badges just like the one Dad wears. Thanks IM Flash for the party, and thanks Shayne for going to work there every day--we love you for it!