What do your T-shirts say about you?

And furthermore, do you fold your t-shirts to be housed in a drawer or do you hang them up?


This stack of T-shirts represents my almost-4-year (2 months shy of 4 years!) employment with the University. I began this collection of shirts almost as soon as I was hired. Of course, I needed some University-themed shirts to wear on Fridays. Fridays in the office were 'casual days'--which means, you could wear jeans or another comfortable/casual pant choice as long as you had a shirt that had something to do with the school. Everyone loved Fridays, and everyone had their own collection of T-shirts.


Yesterday was my *last day* of employment at the office. I took an extended family leave, so I haven't actually worked at work since the day I went to the hospital to give birth to Baby J. The generous 6 month leave has run out--and after much deliberation, discussion, and prayer, I decided to stay home with Baby J instead of return to work at the office.

I could have a lengthy discussion here about why I chose to stay home, which feelings were the most difficult to work through while making this decision , and how awesome my husband is to support this course of action.

Instead, I would like to share with you what that stack of T-shirts means to me.

It all started when Mr. H and I were looking at all options for our future. We were newlyweds and circumstances had already turned our plans upside down so we were on the lookout for Plan B. I lost a managerial job with UPS due to a contractual hiccup and was looking for a place to work. I was on the hunt and there were not many options available.

One job sounded perfect but didn't offer insurance. Another offered insurance but the hours were unmanageable. As Mr. H started to narrow down his plans for continuing his education, I started looking at the two closest colleges for job openings. I applied at both for pretty much the same type of job.

Then we just waited. And prayed. I remember one afternoon we were visiting with my mother-in-law. We shared with her our concerns and hopes. She suggested we pray together and so we all knelt down next to her glass coffee table and she offered a touching, beautiful prayer with faith that it would be answered. I can still remember the feeling of peace and gratitude that I felt.

Within weeks, the job I wanted was mine and my journey in the office began. I was impressed by the friendliness of the other staff members and immediately felt welcomed into the familial group. My boss at the time even offered to loan me some money to cover the first two weeks before my first paycheck arrived.

Soon I felt like it was like a dream job: new friends, my very own cubicle, an intellectual environment (stark contrast to my experience at UPS), benefits, and quality programs for higher education. Mr. H would later begin his quest to finish his degree (and is currently 1 semester away from his Masters).

One of the most far-reaching blessings of the job was the benefits. The summer after I started working there, I was diagnosed with a rare blood disease. I was hospitalized and recieved several rounds of very expensive treatments. I am sure we would still be suffering the financial consequences of that health challenge if I had not recieved insurance through my job. It felt like a miracle to us, this time our prayers were full of thanks.

Another part of that experience that was so wonderful was the genuine outpouring of love that I received from dear friends (that had only known me for 4 months) at the office. More than one of my co-workers drove at least an hour to visit me in the hospital and share their well-wishes. I will never forget that.

There have been many more times that the benefits from my job, the friends that I made, and the familial culture of the office swooped in and carried me on its shoulders. My employment there has proved time and time again to be more than a job with "benefits" more than the paperwork can offer. Not to mention a deliciously amazing internationally-themed baby shower.

So what does that stack of T-shirts mean to me?

It represents the casual Fridays, the fun food days, the inside jokes, and the every day quality connections and fulfillment that I enjoyed.

Thank you to you. You know who you are. I love you. I miss you. I will always have my MSU T-shirts to remind me of it all.