Obtaining a contractor’s license in New Mexico is not for the faint-hearted.

Since December 2024, we have been gathering documents, filing applications, testing, filing more applications, getting them notarized, getting them rejected, resubmitting, waiting, waiting some more, and finally, we have received a license to operate!

To put in to context, I accomplished the same outcome in 24 hours back in our hometown of Jefferson City, MO.

I’m not a mathematician, but my calculations say that 24 to 2191 hours is 9029% longer.

The lessons I’m taking away from this experience are:

Patience - It was during this process we learned about “The Land of Mañana” and further that Mañana does not actually mean tomorrow but just not today.
Gratitude - If there ever comes a day where I feel grouchy or ungrateful at work, I will remember that this is a privilege and there was a day in which we wanted this reality so bad I cried tears of joy.

Joe’s clients have always been extremely generous. From boxes of fresh garden goods to homemade BBQ sauce to cold, hard cash in tips, his clients have always gone above and beyond. This story starts with a prime example:

We received a card in the mail from Jeanne & Jerry back in MO, who Joe has helped for years.

Now, Jeanne & Jerry love Santa Fe, and they had to have called La Fonda, had a gift card mailed to them in MO, and then mailed it with this card. That’s effort, and I appreciate it.

As soon as I saw there was a gift card for dinner at the restaurant inside of La Fonda On the Plaza, I just knew it felt right to save it for a special occasion — the day we would find out that we were approved to work in NM. It has been hanging on our refrigerator, just waiting for the good news. As soon as PSI confirmed our approval, I called and made a reservation for two at 7!

Our server was so thoughtful! First off, she asked if we were celebrating. Not sure if that’s an every-table question or if she could just tell. We told her our good news, and then a few moments later, she surprised us with two glasses of champagne and said, “Here we celebrate life and success.” She even brought an NA glass for Joe because she noticed he wasn’t drinking, too! This almost brought me to tears because it was just so sweet, and I was also emotional.

“Here, we celebrate life and success.”

— Server at La Plazuela

We had a fabulous dinner and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with dessert and perusing local artwork afterward.

It’s the close of a really weird chapter of being on an extended vacation for months and the start of an exciting new chapter for the plumbing company.

All of this to say, thank you, thank you, thank you, to Jeanne & Jerry and all the powers earthly and spiritually for helping us to arrive at this place at this time.

What is meant for you will not pass you by.

Contractor’s License Approved — Cause for Celebration