the 2 thermostats may look different due to new designs as mentioned above..
as for your situation...i usually leave the car to warm till operating temperatures, and keep feeling the bottom hose until it gets hot. If it gets hot..it means the thermostat has opened which is a good sign. if it stays cold u have a problem and engine may overheat as questioned above.
hope what i said helps lol. just got home from a 8am - 7.30pm shift on a sunday too