Longevity

Today's blog is brought to you by the letters CAL.
When we first moved to Houston, it was for Mike's job. He had put in for a transfer to another department. Worrying there would be an impending merger, we set off on our adventure to try and protect his long term investment in his company. When he got the job we were a little surprised, and scared. In theory it all sounded good, moving so far from everything we had ever known, but when the theory turned into reality, we were both more than a little nervous.
Michael moved to Houston first, while I stayed back home to pack and finish the school year with the kids. His new department welcomed him in. That's the thing about the company he works for, no matter where you come from, they always treat you like family. One of the first people to "adopt" him was a woman named Laurie.
Laurie, having moved several times herself and being a fellow Ohioan, took Mike in without hesitation. Being an avid baseball fan, she invited us to Astro games, cooked for the guys in the department and shared recipes with me. She is the matriarch of their department, the long standing employee, who much like her co-workers has seen just about everything with their company.
Today we are all going to an Astros game to celebrate our friend Laurie, who has dutifully worked at the airline for 40 years. To put this in perspective, she started when I was 8 years old. I think she was about 10 when she started. She saw Continental Airlines grow from being a one trick pony to a booming, competitive company. She survived the era of bankruptcy, the devastation of 9/11, and ultimately the merging of Continental with United. She has gone in to work everyday, for most of her life. Her loyalty to her airline is unparalleled for me. Back when I worked as a nurse, changing jobs was part of the gig. Geriatric nurses stayed only as long as the money was the best in the area and the shift was desirable. But for these people, Continental people, they stay for the long haul.
Laurie is more than my friend, she is someone I admire. Having gotten to know for her for the last 7 years, I know she has one of the largest, most generous hearts that has ever been. Laurie, will make you cake, send you a note, come to your party, bearing food, of course, and buy your book. Her friendship has been invaluable to us. She helped make Houston home.
Today it was my turn to make the cake for her, my friend. It is about literally the least thing I could do for all her hard work and loyalty, not just to Continental, but for everyone who works there with her, too.
We are going to celebrate a life, one who has shown day in and day out, what true dedication is. It has been my privilege to know Laurie, as a friend, as a worker through Mike and an outstanding human being.
You know how people talk about how there is no real loyalty in companies anymore? Well, I have seen it first hand, starting with Michael, leading to his friends and co-workers at Continental. Their company motto, "Work Hard, Fly Right" is a direct result of people like Laurie doing what they do best.
Congratulations to my dear friend Laurie for 40 years of unwavering loyalty. It's an honor being included in a well deserved, long overdue celebration of time and sacrifice by one very special woman.